From the files of the "You Can't Make This Shit Up Department," it just keeps getting nuttier and crazier at PS 154 in the Bronx. Is it possible that the wheels of the bus that DR Alison Coviello, Ed.D
and Principal controls are flying off?

After last night's blog post featuring how a student, The Flash, ran out of school property twice, once onto dangerous 135th St, several teachers contacted The Crack Team today on their day off and shared a horrifying story of incompetence, danger and ignorance that occurred yesterday, January 24, 2014.

Yesterday at PS 154 The Flash, along with Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier bolted from their classroom. All three, about 8 years old, were wondering the halls for at least one hour. No one could catch them nor find them. Three boys, running unsupervised throughout the school. Not only were they not engaged in education, but their safety was at stake.

Was a ROD (Responder on Duty) called? Nope. Even though that is standard operating procedure and is clearly spelled out on the PS 154 Manifesto, oops, the handbook, no one was notified or responded.

Why and how did this happen? The three young men were in the classroom misbehaving when they were admonished for their behavior. I, last year, had these young men at one time or another (not together) and at no time did they bolt from my classroom. So strange it happens now.

How were these students finally dealt with when DR Alison Coviello, Ed.D and Principal caught them? DR Alison Coviello, Ed.D and Principal used her Child Whisperer technique, or as The Crack Team calls it, "The Coviello Whisperer."

What is the The Coviello Whisperer technique? It is a technique that is only unique to DR Alison Coviello, Ed.D and Principal and is impossible to learn by any mere mortal

DR Alison Coviello, Ed.D and Principal gets down on the floor with the kid (To show that she is cool and caring) and whispers ever so gently to the student that misbehaved. The students sensing softness and weakness laughs inside their head and doesn't respect such a phony admonishment.

How were these students disciplined? One student went off to spend time with the AP for the day and the other two went to spend time with professionals of the pupil personal team. Which leads to many a question.

Were these students given sufficient work to do? Were these students properly supervised? Were they put on the computers in the respective offices to play games? Were the three adults tasked with supervising them able to do their duties, their jobs? Were the three adults with the task of supervising these boys able to meet with students and able to have their conversations remain confidential? Were the parents/guardian notified? Not just for discipline reasons, but to let the parents/guardians know that the school allowed the students to be in an unsafe situation. Was an OORS report filed?

At what point does this end? At what point does the students safety become paramount over the pride of  DR Alison Coviello, Ed.D and Principal? The Responsive Classroom technique has been proven to be an abject failure. Is it not time to go back to the drawing board and either start from scratch or uses methods of discipline that actually have proven to work?

One simple solution to fix the discipline problem is to find male teachers. PS 154 in the Bronx has only one male teacher left, and even he does not interact with all the students, only a select few. All strong male teachers at PS 154 in the Bronx have been cast out like the Amish do to their own that show independence of thought.

When will this end at PS 154? When will the safety and well being of the students trump the pride and control of DR Alison Coviello, Ed.D and Principal.

Again, parents need to ask themselves, "Is my child safe at PS 154?" Think about it. What has been shared here just now will never happen in Harrison, or Scarsdale, or Roslyn, or Franklin Lakes. Why is it allowed to happen at PS 154 in the Bronx?      

It's pretty embarrassing when you lose something isn't it?

Last week I was on the phone with long lost colleague when suddenly I had that sense of dread. I couldn't find my phone. I went into a panic and searched my coat pockets, my pants pockets, the floor, the couch, just about everywhere. I was just about ready to go outside and look when it dawned on me. I was on the phone. It was in my hand the whole time. "WHEW!" I said to myself, though in the back of my head I wondered if this was the seventh sign of impending doom.

We've all had those moments in the past. Looking for the car keys, looking for your glasses when they are actually on your head. I guess the older you get, the more forgetful you get.

I never lost my son. There were a few times when he was little where I just lost sight of him momentarily. It was the worst 3 seconds in the world. But I always knew where he was. I made darn sure that my eyes knew where he was at all times.

Too bad that can't be said about DR Alison Coviello; EdD and Principal at PS 154 in the Bronx.

The Crack Team has just learned from sources at PS 154 that twice during the season of autumn, a student, The Flash, who is about 8 years old, bolted from the school.

In the first instance The Flash took off while he and his grade were playing outside during lunch recess. Sources can't confirm but this is apparently the lunch period that DR Alison Coviello; EdD and Principal supervises. If this is not the period she supervises, the supervision in the yard consists of 20 something City Year folk who really aren't in a position to perform supervision of such a large scale. The Crack Team is looking into this and will soon file a white paper on the incident.

On another occasion, not too soon after the above aforementioned incident The Flash took off again. This time The Flash bolted from the auditorium and left the school building unsupervised. Now, for those who are not aware, PS 154 in the Bronx is on a busy East 135th Street. This street is notoriously busy because not only does it serve as a service road for about a mile alongside the Deegan, but cars are coming over the Willis Ave Bridge, or turning right from Willis Ave. Scarier still are the cars that try to enter the Deegan at high rates of speed and even some from the far right lane. Can you say, "Disaster waiting to happen?"

Not to make an excuse for The Flash's run from the auditorium, but who can blame him? Whenever the elements outside prevent the students from going out for recess, or there is a mass prep due to PD, or lack of coverage. Students are warehoused into the auditorium and read to. Much like Andy Kaufman reading the Great Gatsby.

The reasoning behind this is that the students should be engages in some type of learning rather than watching some Goosebumps movie for the gazillionth time. Hey, we here at SBSB are down with that. But can't the students be shown documentaries, movies that tie in with the curriculum, biographies, etc...?

So what is the little 8 year old Flash to do? Starts getting silly and gets ants in his pants. Soon he bolts.

But this all happens on the watch of DR Alison Coviello; EdD and Principal. In the same manner that Captain Picard is responsible for his ship, DR Alison Coviello; EdD and Principal is responsible for her school. And as we all know that if something went askew on the Enterprise, Captain Picard would notify Star Fleet. The Crack Team wonders if DR Alison Coviello; EdD and Principal filled out an OORS (Online Occurrence Reporting System) report. The Crack Team doubts it was reported. And if it the incidents were not reported then DR Alison Coviello; EdD and Principal failed to follow procedure and it can be safely assumed by John Q. Public that the books are being cooked in terms of reporting incidents.

Again, what would this be allowed to happen in Harrison NY? OF COURSE NOT! But it happens at PS 154 in the Bronx. But doesn't PS 154 in the Bronx have the all time perfect discipline system in place? We here at SBSB are massively confused.

Parent need to ask themselves, "Is my child safe at PS 154?" Well??

Lots going on at PS 154 in the Bronx that sources have shared with The Crack Team.

Dr Alison Coviello; PhD. and Principal of PS 154 has begun a groovy peace bus. What is a peace
bus?  A peace bus is a big, cute, groovy, faux bus located on the wall by the office. Every day that PS 154 is violence free, a day is marked. When 5 days are marked, the students of the school win a prize!! YAY!!!

Where does such a groovy idea come from? Those wonderful people at Responsive Classroom, that's who. Go look at Responsive Classroom's website and find them on YouTube. See how much inner city videos they have. How many students get free lunch. Remember, not everything works in Peoria.

As actual reality based, non liberal, educator shared with me recently about Responsive Classroom;

"...find it frustrating that we don't hold kids accountable anymore - my admins believe the kids who act out need 'a hug and a cookie'. How about a suspension and a boot in the butt (figuratively, of course). My classroom was student centered, but there were rules and there were consequences. We deal with many on free lunch, very dysfunctional homes, but that's all the more reason why they need some discipline in school - some lack any structure at home"

I guess when one is liberal and one doesn't understand the workings of children of the inner city and when one believes that since one is white, has a Ivy League pedigree, and was raised in opulence and without want, one can be condescending enough to the families and children of color. 

Back to the peace bus. The peace bus was christened on October 7. How well did it work? It worked so well that the first day without violence was October 15!! YAY!!! A week of violence, followed by a lull? Keep reading. 

There was a lull, but it the violence returned to the school, October 16-22, yet resumed October 25. Oooh, a two day lull. Gee, that peace bus really is working wonders.

But of course this is to be expected. But as Anthony Cody wrote in "Punished by Rewards,"

"....rewards can be seen as punishment in the sense that rewards both manipulate behavior and are a form of doing things to students rather than with students"

 Yeah, it is really nice to have meeting with students and explain to them how in the professional world fighting will not cut it. But when you are sharing this with 3rd graders, or dare I say, 5th graders, you are giving them a concept that is far too in the future for them to genuinely comprehend. Not saying that none of them will absorb it, but at that age in which students live in the moment, does it hit home?

Even more so, especially as the students get older, there is a certain pride in not being one of those that needs to be rewarded, that they do not care about momentary rewards. It is a source of pride for them to be the "bad kid," the kid that will get in trouble or ruin the rewards for everybody else. 

From the Psycho-Educational Teacher blog; 

External rewards may temporarily inhibit disruptive behaviors but they do not teach appropriate behavior and will not help children outgrow the disruptive behavior. Teachers need to be aware that rewards appeal exclusively to students’ extrinsic motivation (“I do _____ so that I can get _____”) having little or no effect in strengthening children’s intrinsic motivation (i.e. self-pride, self-confidence, self-efficacy, and a sense of accomplishment among others). Consequently, even when the teacher uses rewards consistently, a discipline system that only takes into consideration giving rewards while ignoring children’s perceptions, attitudes, and feelings may have a strong short-term effect in winning compliance, but no long-term effect in helping habitually disruptive students learn new and more productive ways of behaving. 

In my opinion, rewards do serve their purpose, but only once the teacher has established themselves as no nonsense and has the respect of the students that are the most troublesome. The rest of the students in the class, believe it or not, look to those students on how to behave. The most troublesome students must be won over first. 

But talking to these students in a patronizing, condescending voice won't work. They see through the bull. They know when they are being conned. Stickers and rewards won't cut it with them, unless it is right there in the moment. And even that is daunting for I believe that their behavior will adjust just for that reward, for that momentary grasp of getting something. But long term, rewards won't work alone.

I know these kids are hurting inside. I feel for them. But what they need more than anything else are boundaries. Not stickers, no pizza or ice cream parties, but boundaries.

But this is how Dr Alison Coviello; PhD. and Principal of PS 154in the Bronx wants it. Kind of like socialism, All students must be treated the same, and all teachers must respond in the same manner.

So with that, the violence will prevail at PS 154 and students will not learn nor will they be safe.

Bomb threat today by a student. He couldn't be any clearer in what he wished to do to the school. Assumed protocol was followed. The student's assistant principal was immediately notified. This AP knows the deal. Is righteous. But unfortunately the AP's hands are tied. As I mentioned it has been officially made known to us that under no circumstances are students to be disciplined. That if a child throws a chair at another child, only a phone call to the parent may be made. So back to the Mad Bomber. No punishment. Well, not really. He got to choose his punishment. I guess the lessons of Columbine, Pearl, MS, West Peducah, KY, Stamps AR mean nothing.

I understand that we as a society have gotten too much of a cork up our ass when comments like these are made and treat all comments, no matter how trivial with a howitzer, but for a student to make a statement like this, to be this angry or upset where then at the very least is the inquisitiveness on the part of the upper echelon to delve into this matter? This is not something that if you wish goes away it will.

What if a student made this comment in Franklin Lakes, or Roslyn, or New Rochelle, or Hempstead. Would it be swept under the rug? NO! There would be immediate action. Police called, parents called, letters sent home, counselors brought in. Why can't students in the Bronx have the same learning environment as suburban students? Please, don't say it is money or that the students are not as smart as the 'burbs.

So Frank's mom came in today. Useless. Blank look the entire time. Got the "I don't know what to do with him" line. Didn't even register on her face the threats of violence he made or the racial remarks. Numb Nuts decided to interject and was splendid in his patronizing way.

Speaking of Numb Nuts he lost control of the third grade cafeteria today. At least when he was in the cafeteria as he should have been. There are only three classes and the mayhem is caused by one. This he can't handle? I had to save his butt and settle down the cafeteria which took all of about a minute, and I never had to write a check to learn what to do.

Doris Day, can you come out to play?

Very soon, I promise!

Oh Numb Nuts what can I say? You are a source of infinite material. You make Principal Skinner look like Joe Clark. Your tenure as an assistant principal would make a great sitcom or better yet a Shakespearean tragedy. This should be no surprise. I think the last eight years of having W as president has shown that competency is not a requirement for a leadership position.

I get a call from Numb Nuts today that the 12:1:1 class I written about yesterday was out of control. "It's an emergency, get down here ASAP!", his shrill voice beckons me over the phone. I could picture in mind him hiding under a desk as a full blown revolt is taking place.

So I meander my way to the class and lo and behold the students are running wild. I realize why I was sent down. The teacher had to go on her prep. Hey, I don't begrudge her that. But Numb Nuts could have told me that instead of being shrill with me. But I wondered what he told the other teachers who were there as well. Because I wasn't the only one there.

The other teacher sent there for the "red alert" took several students to her office. I along with the para quickly restored order. Yes we had some problems. One student thought it would be fun to keep running out of the room. I solved this problem by using common sense. I parked myself in front of the door. No way this student was going to move me. He did get out once I admit because there was a flare up in the class that needed my attention.

Most times when a student runs out of a room they want attention. They want to see you chase them and then see how you will get them back to class. I am not going to run through the school unless there is a danger of the student running outside. Short of that, notify security, and just walk briskly. But that is easy. The hard part is to get the student back to the classroom. Each kid is different. Sometimes you have to talk to them, talk tough, walk with them, block their way, but never drag them through the hall. Never.

This is what Numb Nuts did today. The student who ran out of the classroom ran around the corner and basically ran into Numb Nuts numb nuts. Numb Nuts to the student by the hand and started walking with him when the student just flopped on the floor. Must have gotten that tactic out of some 1960's protest march. So what does Numb Nuts do? Starts dragging him down the hall. If memory serves this violates Chancellor's Regulation A-420. The student wasn't a danger to himself or others, he was just being a pain in the ass. There is not, as of yet, any regulation about pains in the asses.

All these students needed was to be redirected, and have someone take control of the situation. I do not blame the teacher at all! She is a new teacher thrown into a mess that IEP's were not adhered to and worse she still has not seen the IEP's! . She asked how she can properly teach these children without knowing anything about them. How can she know what strategies she can use in changing the students negative behavior.

This all falls on Numb Nuts. Like President Truman the buck stops with him in these matters. This is his grade, his responsibility. You can't shirk your responsibility off on others and then run away. And if things get out of hand, improvise, adapt, and overcome!

On September 10th I had mentioned an AP that I know of in a different school that is your usual useless AP. (click here, third paragraph down) I just heard from a colleague of mine that works with him that the grave he has been digging for himself has gotten deeper.

Apparently Dionysus called a teacher a demeaning slur and there is corroborating evidence. This doesn't surprise me. His temper tantrums are famous thought the Bronx. His arguments with his principal, not in private, but in public are legendary. In fact he has had a problem with every female supervisor he has had. Can someone say misogynistic? Last year he called in sick the Tuesday and Wednesday of the week supervisors report in. Guess where he was? Doing his favorite thing. Don't have proof, but his favorite thing was happening at the same time.

So what are his duties as an AP in his school? No one knows. Basically it is to give friends F Status positions, or to come in and do PD, check the stock and real estate markets (I am sure he let one go in his pants the last week), and to berate the principal. Oh, she regrets hiring him. But she is scared of him. Or leave early. Or hide all day.

Just thinking out loud here. How is this allowed to happen? Is this the type of administrator that Jack Welch had in mind? Is this a Children First situation? Who is his patrón?

Now on to my school. Major issues. Screw the contract which is being completely violated, but the students know now there are no repercussions to be had for any and all misbehavior. Not even October and there is chaos.