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City to install new principal in College Pt.

City to install new principal in College Pt.
Photo by Caroll Alvarado
By Philip Corso

The city has responded to a call for change at one College Point elementary school after members of the community demanded its principal get a pink slip.

Residents rallied in August for the ouster of PS 29 Principal Jennifer Jones-Rogers over a slew of complaints alleging she was mismanaging the school. The city Education Department has since taken steps to install new leadership at the school after an investigation was launched into her three-year tenure there.

The school, at 125-10 23rd Ave., did not comment.

State Sen. Tony Avella (D-Bayside) was one of the many voices at an August rally calling for the principal’s removal from her position and said he was in full support of the city’s decision to shake things up.

“This change in leadership at PS 29 is a clear victory for students, teachers and parents,” he said. “The behavior of Principal Jones-Rogers as described by parents and teachers was simply unacceptable and it became clear that she had lost control of the school.”

Avella joined with concerned parents and community leaders over the summer to shed light on some of the various complaints aimed at Jones-Rogers, alleging she forced teachers out of their jobs, crammed kids into special education classes without parental consent, wasted money on contracts and overtime and nixed the school’s computer lab and library. Teachers also accused the principal of failing to provide a copy of the school’s budget to the United Federation of Teachers for the past two years.

Mark Cannizzaro, of the Council of School Supervisors and Administrators, defended the principal, however, accusing Avella of joining with a small faction of unhappy parents to further this constituent base.

Members of the community, including former and current educators at the school, alleged that 25 out of 45 teachers who left the school since Jones-Rogers took charge in 2010 expressed dissatisfaction with the College Point principal.

“[Jones-Rogers] has created a learning and working environment that is detrimental to all: not willing to work with all parents, great teachers working in fear, services of students not being met, mismanagement of funds, good long-term teachers leaving,” said Stephanie Flunory, a teacher at the school.

The city joined with the special commissioner of investigation to investigate the claims, which led to the DOE decision to install new leadership. A spokesman with the DOE said the city would be working to install a new principal in the coming weeks as it looks to address parents’ concerns.

“A change was necessary before it was too late and the school’s academic progress and environment plummeted even further,” Avella said. “I hope to work together with the new leadership at the school to address the needs of the school and to ensure that the students of PS 29 receive the education they deserve.”

Reach reporter Phil Corso by e-mail at pcorso@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4573.