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
Lost Scores, Retests & The Current State of Gifted & Talented Programs in NYC Schools
admissions · Blog · coronavirus · DOE Fails · DOE incompetence · DOE Screw Ups · Gifted & Talented · NYC Parent Voices · NYC School Admissions · online learning · remote learning · School Waitlists

Lost Scores, Retests & The Current State of Gifted & Talented Programs in NYC Schools

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Last May, I reported on how the Department of Education lost dozens of Gifted & Talented tests — and waited almost four months to inform families (after weeks of telling them the tests weren’t lost, the parents must have done something wrong!). Retests were offered to those affected along with students new to New York… Continue reading Lost Scores, Retests & The Current State of Gifted & Talented Programs in NYC Schools

Parents’ Top 5 Concerns About NYC Schools 2020
coronavirus · DOE Fails · DOE incompetence · DOE Screw Ups · Hybrid Learning · NYC Schools · NYC Schools Reopening

Parents’ Top 5 Concerns About NYC Schools 2020

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Fearing a teachers’ strike, New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio pushed back public schools’ starting date from September 10 to September 16 for all remote learning, and September 21 for the hybrid model.  Since Hizzoner closed public school buildings on Monday, March 16, communication and information have been in painfully short supply. Families have… Continue reading Parents’ Top 5 Concerns About NYC Schools 2020

The (Last Minute) Plans of Mice and Men… and NYC Schools
Accountability · Blog · coronavirus · DOE Fails · DOE incompetence · Hybrid Learning · NYC Schools Reopening · online learning · remote learning · UFT

The (Last Minute) Plans of Mice and Men… and NYC Schools

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Mayor Bill De Blasio officially shut down New York City public schools as of Monday, March 16, 2020. Since then, he and School Chancellor Richard Carranza have had over five months to plan for how to reopen them in September. In July, they announced that families would have a choice: They could opt to continue… Continue reading The (Last Minute) Plans of Mice and Men… and NYC Schools

De Blasio & Carranza: Open (Schools), Says Me
coronavirus · NYC Schools · NYC Schools Reopening · remote learning · UFT

De Blasio & Carranza: Open (Schools), Says Me

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As of Monday, August 24, clicking on the link: https://www.schools.nyc.gov/calendar produces the message: No items were found. That’s certainly reassuring. Nonetheless, the majority of stakeholders, from Mayor Bill De Blasio to School Chancellor Richard Carranza to UFT President Michael Mulgrew to, oh, yeah, parents and students (remember them?) are operating on the assumption that the… Continue reading De Blasio & Carranza: Open (Schools), Says Me

Getting Into NYC Kindergarten 2021: COVID-19 Edition
Blog · coronavirus · Gifted & Talented · NYC Kindergarten

Getting Into NYC Kindergarten 2021: COVID-19 Edition

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New York City parents have lots of questions about schools in September 2020: Remote Or Hybrid Instruction? Who Will Teach My Children? If We Leave Now, Will Our Children Be Allowed To Return To Their Public Schools Later? Not to mention: Whatever happened with those lost G&T Scores? But, because this is New York City,… Continue reading Getting Into NYC Kindergarten 2021: COVID-19 Edition

NYC Parents Wonder, “If We Leave Now, Will Our Kids Be Allowed To Return To Their Public Schools Later?”
coronavirus · NYC Kindergarten · NYC School Admissions · NYC Schools · School Waitlists

NYC Parents Wonder, “If We Leave Now, Will Our Kids Be Allowed To Return To Their Public Schools Later?”

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Since March of 2020, I have been forced to repeatedly apologize to my readers for not being able to personally answer all of your questions about what is happening (and what will happen) with New York City schools, but there are simply too many for me to keep up with. There is quite a bit… Continue reading NYC Parents Wonder, “If We Leave Now, Will Our Kids Be Allowed To Return To Their Public Schools Later?”

Remote Or Hybrid Instruction? Decisions Due This Week: What NYC Parents Are Planning!
coronavirus · DOE incompetence · Parents Helping Parents · remote learning

Remote Or Hybrid Instruction? Decisions Due This Week: What NYC Parents Are Planning!

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Last week, New York City Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza boasted how public school teachers have been receiving remote instruction training all summer long, and that his Department of Education has been strategizing to reopen schools safely in September since March. "A huge amount of effort has gone into getting our schools ready months and months… Continue reading Remote Or Hybrid Instruction? Decisions Due This Week: What NYC Parents Are Planning!

NYC Parents To Department of Ed: Who Will Teach My Children?
Blog · coronavirus · Hybrid Learning · NYC Schools · NYC Teacher · remote learning

NYC Parents To Department of Ed: Who Will Teach My Children?

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As soon as New York City public schools switched to remote learning in March 2020, the narrative was set: All teachers and administrators are heroes now. Any dissent, whether it came from run of the mill parents or a Pulitzer Prize-winning one was labeled: Teacher Bashing. Taking the name-calling in stride (not my first time… Continue reading NYC Parents To Department of Ed: Who Will Teach My Children?

NYC Department Of Education Decrees: Bad Education Not Good Enough Reason To Transfer Schools
coronavirus · DOE Fails · School Choice · transferring schools

NYC Department Of Education Decrees: Bad Education Not Good Enough Reason To Transfer Schools

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In October of 2016, I reported that New York City had finally made it easier for students to transfer schools if the child “is not progressing or achieving academically or socially.” In July of 2020, I am sad to report, that permission has been halted. As of last week, the Department of Education’s page on… Continue reading NYC Department Of Education Decrees: Bad Education Not Good Enough Reason To Transfer Schools

It’s Not a Plot, It’s Incompetence: Is the NYC Department of Ed Deliberately Undermining Some Schools?
Blog · coronavirus · DOE Fails · Gifted & Talented · NYC School Admissions · specialized high schools

It’s Not a Plot, It’s Incompetence: Is the NYC Department of Ed Deliberately Undermining Some Schools?

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Even before COVID-19 struck in earnest, the 2019-2020 school year seemed more riddled with screw ups than usual (and that’s saying something). There were the traditional Parent Portal malfunctions when it came to applying kids to every grade level, from Universal Pre-K through High School.  Mayor Bill De Blasio first refused to close schools in… Continue reading It’s Not a Plot, It’s Incompetence: Is the NYC Department of Ed Deliberately Undermining Some Schools?