Schools Chancellor Joel I. Klein today announced Danielle Salzberg as Interim Acting Principal of Khalil Gibran International Academy in Brooklyn. Currently a Senior Program Officer in the new school creation unit at New Visions for Public Schools, Ms. Salzberg has extensive school leadership experience with particular expertise in new school development. She has served on teams that created new schools at both Baruch High School and Millennium High School, where she was previously an Assistant Principal. Ms. Salzberg has also served as a middle and high school teacher.
“Danielle is a strong leader and an excellent educator who knows what it takes to help our students succeed,” said Chancellor Klein. “Working with the committed and talented staff at Khalil Gibran, I am confident that Danielle will help ensure that students receive the top-notch education they need and deserve. Danielle is experienced with new schools and throughout her career she has been focused on providing rigorous, college preparatory instruction to New York City students. With her leadership and the commitment renewed today by teachers and staff, Khalil Gibran will add a new, important option for our students who are interested in a rigorous academic program with an international and Arabic language theme.”
Ms. Salzberg already has been working to support the Khalil Gibran planning team, designing and delivering professional development services directly to school staff from her position at New Visions, the intermediary organization that is helping the Department of Education start the school. Throughout the summer, Ms. Salzberg has supported teachers as they worked to finalize the curriculum for the first day of school. The entire Khalil Gibran staff is committed to working with her as they continue to prepare for the start of the 2007-08 school year.
Khalil Gibran International Academy is a New York City public school opening in September 2007 with a sixth grade and will eventually grow to serve students in grades 6-12. The school will provide rigorous, college preparatory instruction using the standards-based curriculum available to all New York City public schools. Students will also study the Arabic language in preparation for the New York State Regents’ Arabic language examination. The Arabic language curriculum is being developed by teachers trained at a federally funded Arabic-language instruction program and will use Arabic translations of English-language children’s books published by Scholastic. The Arabic language program at Khalil Gibran will join nearly 70 other dual-language programs operated in public schools citywide.
In dual-language programs, students who speak English and students who speak another language learn together in the two languages. Students enrolled in these programs, which include Spanish, Chinese, Haitian-Creole, and Russian, become fluent in both languages. Through its partnership with its lead partner, the Arab-American Family Support Center, Khalil Gibran International Academy will offer students and their families a range of services including: adult ESL, parenting classes, leadership programs for youth, and access to health care. The school will also offer programs in conflict resolution supported by Educators for Social Responsibility and the Tanenbaum Center for Interreligious Understanding, two non-profit organizations specializing in this area.
