E. Greenwich teacher will join 'dream team' in NY
2:00 PM Fri, Jun 05, 2009 | Permalink
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A teacher from East Greenwich High School is leaving her job in Rhode Island to join a "dream team" of teachers who will be paid $125,000 per year to instruct students at an innovative charter school in New York City, according to the New York Times. 
In this 2006 file photo, Heather Wardell gets a hug from Craig McKenzie afer her tearful speech on what it meant to her to serve as adviser to the Class of 2006, along with MacKenzie. Providence Journal photo / Bob BreidenbachAfter a decade at East Greenwich, Heather Wardwell, 37, will teach Latin at the Equity Project in the city's Washington Heights neighborhood. The school's founder, Zeke M. Vanderhoek, picked Wardwell and seven other teachers from a pool of 600 applicants. In addition to their six-figure salaries, the teachers will be eligible for $25,000 bonuses in their second year, if the school performs well enough. The Equity Project "is premised on the theory that excellent teachers -- and not revolutionary technology, talented principals or small class size -- are the critical ingredient for success," the story reports. "Experts hope it could offer a window into some of the most pressing and elusive questions in education: Is a collection of superb teachers enough to make a great school? Are six-figure salaries the way to get them? And just what makes a teacher great?" The school will open in September with 120 fifth graders. The students were chosen in a lottery. Most are from low-income Hispanic families. The school will grow to 480 children in Grades 5 to 8, adding 20 more teachers. 
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Just remember Washington Heights is no East Greenwich!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Careful out there...............
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"Is a collection of good teachers enough to make a great school?" How is that even a question? As a parent with two children int he public school system which has been nothing but a disapointment and completely lacking good teaching, I am sure this school and it's students will be extremely successful. Good for them...I hope it teaches everyone something.
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Hate to lose a good teacher from RI - good luck to her in NY.
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I read that article in the NYT this morning... seems like a fascinating idea. Talk about merit pay vs. union contracts taken to the extreme! I hope they succeed not only for their students but also as a model that might help shake up the status quo...
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More than 100 charter schools (but certainly not all charter schools) have already demonstrated the answer to what makes a school work for underpriveledged students. Relentless discipline, acadmic rigor and a no nonsense attitude. Having a dedicated teaching staff that is committed to these tenets is a key element to these schools. Dave Whitman's "Sweating The Small Stuff" provides an eye opening assessment of why these schools work and how to fix what ails our urban schools. Best of wishes to Ms. Wardwell and bravo for her committment to the less fortunate.
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