Alina Adams

Alina Adams is a New York City mom of 3 school-age children and a New York Times best-selling author of soap-opera tie-ins, figure-skating mysteries and romance novels. She is a contributing writer to TODAY Show Parenting, Mommy Poppins, BlogHer, Red Tricycle, Café Mom, and Kveller. After going through the NYC school application process with her own children and realizing just how convoluted, Draconian and needlessly complex it was, Alina resolved to help make all parents aware of all their school choices—and how to get them—via her books, “Getting Into NYC Kindergarten” and “Getting Into NYC High-School,” as well as her podcast, “NYC School Secrets: Parents Helping Parents.” Read more and listen at: www.NYCSchoolSecrets.com
The Mom Who Did Everything Right When Applying Her Child To NYC Public School Kindergarten – And What Happened Next
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The Mom Who Did Everything Right When Applying Her Child To NYC Public School Kindergarten – And What Happened Next

Alina Adams1 Comment

Last week, I shared the stories of several New York City parents who, after a great deal of perseverance, hard work, and a whole lot of anxiety, were finally able to get their children accepted at the public schools of their choice. This week, in her own words, we’ve got the account of a mom… Continue reading The Mom Who Did Everything Right When Applying Her Child To NYC Public School Kindergarten – And What Happened Next

Happily Ever After In NYC: Parents Share School Choice Success Stories – And How They Made Them Happen
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Happily Ever After In NYC: Parents Share School Choice Success Stories – And How They Made Them Happen

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I didn’t always write about education. Once upon a time, I wrote books – romances, mysteries, non-fiction. I also worked in soap operas – ABC Daytime, Procter & Gamble Productions, the Daytime Emmy Awards. But then I had children. And I applied those children to schools in New York City. And I found out how… Continue reading Happily Ever After In NYC: Parents Share School Choice Success Stories – And How They Made Them Happen

A Child’s Education: Whose Job Is It Anyway – The Parents’ or the School’s?
Accountability · Blog

A Child’s Education: Whose Job Is It Anyway – The Parents’ or the School’s?

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This may come as a shock to my readers: Not everybody loves me. I know! Who’d have thunk it? When I wrote last week about the Department of Education’s latest multiple screw-ups, from high school admissions to Pre-K, I was chastised: (S)top perpetuating the myth that public schools are poorly managed and inferior… All things… Continue reading A Child’s Education: Whose Job Is It Anyway – The Parents’ or the School’s?

Parents Helping Parents – When the Department of Ed Won’t (Gifted & Talented Edition)
Blog · Finding the Right School

Parents Helping Parents – When the Department of Ed Won’t (Gifted & Talented Edition)

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It’s been an extremely difficult season for New York City public schools admissions. The new Parent Portal found novel and exciting ways to malfunction. Placements would appear and disappear. Results were posted for high school and Gifted & Talented admission, only to be nullified and families informed they weren’t official. One parent shared with me:… Continue reading Parents Helping Parents – When the Department of Ed Won’t (Gifted & Talented Edition)

Algebra in 8th Grade Is Good! Algebra in 8th Grade is Bad! Pick One, Mr. Chancellor.
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Algebra in 8th Grade Is Good! Algebra in 8th Grade is Bad! Pick One, Mr. Chancellor.

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Like Computer Science for All, Algebra For All is a New York City initiative which predates our current school chancellor, Richard Carranza. According to the official nyc.gov website: Through Algebra for All, by 2022, every student will have access to algebra in eighth grade, complete algebra no later than ninth grade, and there will be… Continue reading Algebra in 8th Grade Is Good! Algebra in 8th Grade is Bad! Pick One, Mr. Chancellor.

A SHSAT Compromise I Can Live With – Can You?
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A SHSAT Compromise I Can Live With – Can You?

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It was exactly at this time last year when Mayor Bill de Blasio and Chancellor Richard Carranza announced their plan to introduce a bill in the New York State Assembly that would alter admission to New York City’s 8 Specialized High Schools from a single Specialized High School Admissions Test (SHSAT) to extending offers to… Continue reading A SHSAT Compromise I Can Live With – Can You?

How One NYC School “Does School Differently.”
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How One NYC School “Does School Differently.”

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(Photo credits to Finlay Mackay) On March 15, 2019, Springpoint, whose mission is to enable all students, regardless of environment or background, to succeed in high school, college, and beyond, held a dinner to celebrate the Opportunity by Design initiative. Launched in 2013 and catalyzed by a challenge paper from the Carnegie Corporation of New… Continue reading How One NYC School “Does School Differently.”

It’s the Hypocrisy, Stupid: NYC School Choice For… Some
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It’s the Hypocrisy, Stupid: NYC School Choice For… Some

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We really should be used to it by now. The hypocrisy, that is. News broke last week that Cheryl Watson-Harris, whom New York City School Chancellor Richard Carranza promoted to First Deputy Chancellor in July of 2018, had somehow gotten her children into two of Brooklyn’s top screened middle-schools — at least one of whom… Continue reading It’s the Hypocrisy, Stupid: NYC School Choice For… Some

Who’s the Boss? Should Kids Be In Charge Of Their Own Education?
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Who’s the Boss? Should Kids Be In Charge Of Their Own Education?

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A year ago, I wrote about Letting My 14 Year Old Make His Own Educational Decisions in choosing which high school he’d go to. I did it. It wasn’t easy. But I did it. The problem with high school is that my middle child never wanted to go in the first place. He wanted to go… Continue reading Who’s the Boss? Should Kids Be In Charge Of Their Own Education?

True Equality Means Everyone Is Equally Unhappy
Accountability · Blog · Finding the Right School

True Equality Means Everyone Is Equally Unhappy

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New York City public middle school placement decisions were distributed to students just before Spring Break 2019. For months leading up to the big day, parents had been hearing about how this would be the season of true equality in school admissions. But did that, in fact, happen? The headlines trumpeted: Two NYC districts embarked… Continue reading True Equality Means Everyone Is Equally Unhappy