STATEN ISLAND, N.Y, -- City Schools Chancellor Carmen Farina earned a solid "A" from the principals and school leaders she supervises in nearly 1,000 public schools. Chancellor Farina, who was appointed in late December by Mayor Bill de Blasio, got a 91 percent approval rating from more than 1,000 principals who, responding to an annual survey on stakeholder satisfaction...
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y, -- City Schools Chancellor Carmen Farina earned a solid "A" from the principals and school leaders she supervises in nearly 1,000 public schools.
Chancellor Farina, who was appointed in late December by Mayor Bill de Blasio, got a 91 percent approval rating from more than 1,000 principals who, responding to an annual survey on stakeholder satisfaction with the school system, said they were "satisfied" or "very satisfied" with her handling of the schools, according to a report in the Daily News,
By comparison, the report noted, former chancellor Dennis Walcott, who was the last to serve under former Mayor Michael Bloomberg, received only a 72 percent approval rating in 2013.
Chancellor Farina, a career educator herself, has been a hit with Staten Island education leaders since her appointment.
Ms. Farina, who is 71, worked for 40 years as a teacher, principal and superintendent in Brooklyn, and as a deputy chancellor for two years under then-Chancellor Joel Klein, another appointee of former Mayor Bloomberg. She also mentored many principals, including some who have worked on Staten Island, and was known as a strong advocate for professional development.
She retired in 2006, but came out of retirement when she was asked to serve as chancellor by a newly-elected Mayor de Blasio, who had promised to name a career educator to the post.
Ernest Logan, president of the Council of Supervisors and Administrators, the union representing city principals, is a long-time supporter of Chancellor Farina.
"Carmen is universally recognized as one of the great educators in this city. Without a doubt, she is an educator's educator. ...Carmen understands the need to restore the respect educators deserve," he said in a statement supporting her accomplishments.
Community Education Council President Michael Reilly, described the chancellor as "down-to-earth."
"She's down-to-earth, she listens to educators, she takes things from both sides -- parents and educators -- and she likes to make a collaboration between the two," Reilly said.
He said he appreciates that she's an educator herself. "I think that sets a nice tone not only for parents but also administrators and teachers -- because they're taking orders from someone that went up the chain," Reilly said. "That always gives someone credibility."
Since her appointment, Chancellor Farina has made numerous visits to Staten Island schools, to meet with principals and staff, and also appeared for a town hall-style meeting in Sunnyside, where she was cheered by principals and teachers for vowing to bring back the "respect" for educators that had been lost, she said, during the Bloomberg years.