NYT Video!
Junior High School 22, in the South Bronx, had run through six principals in just over two years when Shimon Waronker was named the seventh.
On his first visit, in October 2004, he found a police officer arresting a student and calling for backup to handle the swelling crowd. Students roamed the hallways with abandon; in one class of 30, only 5 students had bothered to show up. “It was chaos,” Mr. Waronker recalled. “I was like, this can’t be real.”
Continued in the Extended Article!
In Bronx School, Culture Shock, Then Revival
Junior High School 22, in the South Bronx, had run through six principals in just over two years when Shimon Waronker was named the seventh.
On his first visit, in October 2004, he found a police officer arresting a student and calling for backup to handle the swelling crowd. Students roamed the hallways with abandon; in one class of 30, only 5 students had bothered to show up. “It was chaos,” Mr. Waronker recalled. “I was like, this can’t be real.”
Continued in the Extended Article!
Teachers, parents and students at the school, which is mostly Hispanic and black, were equally taken aback by the sight of their new leader: A member of the Chabad-Lubavitch sect of Hasidic Judaism with a beard, a black hat and a velvet yarmulke.
“The talk was, ‘You’re not going to believe who’s running the show,’ ” said Lisa DeBonis, now an assistant principal.
At a time when the Bloomberg administration has put principals at the center of its efforts to overhaul schools, making the search for great school leaders more pressing than ever, the tale of Mr. Waronker shows that sometimes, the most unlikely of candidates can produce surprising results.
Despite warnings from some in the school system that Mr. Waronker was a cultural mismatch for a predominantly minority school, he has outlasted his predecessors, and test scores have risen enough to earn J.H.S. 22 an A on its new school report card. The school, once on the city’s list of the 12 most dangerous, has since been removed.
Attendance among the 670 students is above 93 percent, and some of the offerings seem positively elite, like a new French dual-language program, one of only three in the city.
“It’s an entirely different place,” Schools Chancellor Joel I. Klein said in a recent interview. “If I could clone Shimon Waronker, I would do that immediately.”
Not everyone would.
Mr. Waronker has replaced half the school’s teachers, and some of his fiercest critics are teachers who say he interprets healthy dissent as disloyalty and is more concerned with creating flashy new programs than with ensuring they survive. Critics note that the school is far from perfect; it is one of 32 in the city that the state lists as failing and at risk of closing. Even his critics, though, acknowledge the scope of his challenge.
“I don’t agree with a lot of what he’s done, but I actually recognize that he has a beast in front of him,” said Lauren Bassi, a teacher who has since left. “I’m not sure there’s enough money in the world you could pay me to tackle this job.”
Mr. Waronker, 39, a former public school teacher, was in the first graduating class of the New York City Leadership Academy, which Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg created in 2003 to groom promising principal candidates. Considered one of the stars, he was among the last to get a job, as school officials deemed him “not a fit” in a city where the tensions between blacks and Hasidic Jews that erupted in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, in 1991 are not forgotten.
“They just said he may be terrific, but not the right person for that school,” Chancellor Klein said.
Some parents at J.H.S. 22, also called Jordan L. Mott, were suspicious, viewing Mr. Waronker as too much an outsider. In fact, one parent, Angie Vazquez, 37, acknowledged that her upbringing had led her to wonder: “Wow, we’re going to have a Jewish person, what’s going to happen? Are the kids going to have to pay for lunch?”
Ms. Vazquez was won over by Mr. Waronker’s swift response after her daughter was bullied, saying, “I never had no principal tell me, ‘Let’s file a report, let’s call the other student’s parent and have a meeting.’ ”
For many students and parents, the real surprise was that like them, Mr. Waronker speaks Spanish; he grew up in South America, the son of a Chilean mother and an American father, and when he moved to Maryland at age 11, he spoke no English.
“I was like, ‘You speak Spanish?’ ” recalled Nathalie Reyes, 12, dropping her jaw at the memory.
He also has a background in the military. Mr. Waronker joined R.O.T.C. during college and served on active duty for two years, including six months studying tactical intelligence. After becoming an increasingly observant Jew, he began studying at a yeshiva, thinking he was leaving his military training behind.
“You become a Hasid, you don’t think, ‘Oh my God, I’m going to suppress revolutions,’ ” Mr. Waronker said. But, he said, he drew on his military training as he tackled a school where a cluster of girls identifying themselves as Bloods stormed the main office one day looking for a classmate, calling, “We’re going to get you, you Crip.”
He focused relentlessly on hallway patrols, labeling one rowdy passageway the “fall of Saigon.” In an effort to eliminate gang colors, he instituted a student uniform policy.
He even tried to send home the students who flouted it, a violation of city policy that drew television news cameras. In his first year, he suspended so many students that a deputy chancellor whispered in his ear, “You’d better cool it.”
In trying times — when a seventh grader was beaten so badly that he nearly lost his eyesight, when another student’s arm was broken in an attack in the school gym, when the state listed J.H.S. 22 as a failing school — Mr. Waronker gathered his teachers and had them hold hands and pray. Some teachers winced with discomfort.
At first Mr. Waronker worked such long hours that his wife, a lawyer, gently suggested he get a cot at school to save himself the commute from their home in Crown Heights.
He also asked a lot from his teachers, and often they delivered. One longtime teacher, Roy Naraine, said, “I like people who are visionaries.”
Sometimes teachers balked, as when Mr. Waronker asked them to take to rooftops with walkie-talkies before Halloween in 2006. He wanted to avoid a repetition of the previous year’s troubles, when students had been pelted with potatoes and frozen eggs.
“You control the heights, you control the terrain,” he explained.
“I said, if you go on a roof, you’re not covered,” said Jacqueline Williams, the leader of the teachers’ union chapter, referring to teachers’ insurance coverage.
Mr. Waronker has also courted his teachers; one of his first acts as principal was to meet with each individually, inviting them to discuss their perspective and goals. He says he was inspired by a story of how the late Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the Lubavitch spiritual leader, met with an Army general, then inquired after his driver.
“That’s leadership,” he said, “when you’re sensitive about the driver.”
Lynne Bourke-Johnson, now an assistant principal, said: “His first question was, ‘Well, how can I help you, Lynne?’ I’m like, ‘Excuse me?’ No principal had ever asked me that.”
The principal enlisted teachers in an effort to “take back the hallways” from students who seemed to have no fear of authority. He enlisted the students, too, by creating a democratically elected student congress.
“It’s just textbook counterinsurgency,” he said. “The first thing you have to do is you have to invite the insurgents into the government.” He added, “I wanted to have influence over the popular kids.”
These days, the congress gathers in Mr. Waronker’s office for leadership lessons. One recent afternoon, two dozen students listened intently as Mr. Waronker played President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s address after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, then opened a discussion on leadership and responsibility.
When an etiquette expert, Lyudmila Bloch, first approached principals about training sessions she runs at a Manhattan restaurant, most declined to send students. Mr. Waronker, who happened to be reading her book, “The Golden Rules of Etiquette at the Plaza,” to his own children (he has six), has since dispatched most of the school for training at a cost of $40 a head.
Flipper Bautista, 10, loved the trip, saying, “It’s this place where you go and eat, and they teach you how to be first-class.”
In a school where many children lack basic reading and math skills, though, such programs are not universally applauded. When Mr. Waronker spent $8,000 in school money to give students a copy of “The Code: The 5 Secrets of Teen Success” and to invite the writer to give a motivational speech, it outraged Marietta Synodis, a teacher who has since left.
“My kids could much better benefit from math workbooks,” Ms. Synodis said.
Mr. Waronker counters that key elements of his leadership are dreaming big and offering children a taste of worlds beyond their own. “Those experiences can be life-transforming,” he said.
So when Emmanuel Bruntson, 14, a cut-up in whom Mr. Waronker saw potential, started getting into fights, he met with him daily and gave him a copy of Jane Austen’s “Emma.”
“I wanted to get him out of his environment so he could see a different world,” Mr. Waronker said.
Mr. Waronker has divided the school into eight academies, a process that has led to some venomous staff meetings, as teachers sparred over who got what resources and which students. The new system has allowed for more personalized environments and pockets of excellence, like an honors program that one parent, Nadine Rosado, whose daughter graduated last year, called “wonderful.”
“It was always said that the children are the ones that run that school,” she said, “so it was very shocking all the changes he put in place, that they actually went along with it.” Students agree, if sometimes grudgingly, that the school is now a different place.
“It’s like they figured out our game,” groused Brian Roman, 15, an eighth grader with a ponytail.
Back in Crown Heights, Mr. Waronker says he occasionally finds himself on the other side of a quizzical look, with his Hasidic neighbors wondering why he is devoting himself to a Bronx public school instead of a Brooklyn yeshiva.
“We’re all connected,” he responds.
Gesturing in his school at a class full of students, he said, “I feel the hand of the Lord here all the time.”
amased
this is a major kiddush hashem and kiddush lubavitch!
perel
Mr Warkoner! May HaShem give you the koach you need to continue your vision.
This is such a Kiddush HaShem!! This kind of person is what I call “Or L’Goyim”!!!
Eli
Amazing!
Rosey
Keep up the great work; what a great role
model for the Public School system. We can
all learn from this in our challenging times
May you go from strength to strength.
very impressed!
WOOOOOOOOW! What a kiddush hashem!
Good for you , you are definitle “alive” and your impact is great!
Interesting
Interesting, This is what Dr. Laz did in Buffalo 30 years ago.
yosef
amazing work!!!
I hope people learn from your example and realize that kiddush hashem is a HUGE factor in judaisum.
And as jews its our responsibility to bring peace by rising above the negative elements in this world and making them better instead of becoming part of the broblem.
chossid
This is a real Shlichus and a major Kiddush Hashem
To get 1st page in NEW YORK TIMES and a 7min video,is not a small thing, it would cost millions of dollars for any advertiser.
You should continue giving naches to the Rebbe and zoiche the greatests broches bgashmius and ruchnius
for you and every single member of your famuly
ml
excellent, what a kiddush HaShem, he also comes from a beautiful family
amazed
this is a big kiddush hashem!!
keep up the great work!!
Woohoo for NYT
Great article. For once the NYT publishes an article without showing it’s blatant antisemitism.
A concerned jew
This is an example of a chasid doing The Rebbe’s shlichus with Mesiras Nefesh. The Rebbe said we should teach the goyim shave Mitzvos. By reaching out to the children He is making this world a better place for all of us.
Help our community too!
wow so impressed, maybe he could teach a thing or two to our principal in our Yeshivas. they definitly need some advice.
Intersting
maybe you should start first with our own Yeshivos. They can use a leasson or two…
Minnesota
What an amazing man! Beautiful story, thanks for sharing!
C.
wow, he can save students from becoming criminals this way. There needs to be more authority like him in more schools which can help control crime. Good education is very important for helping people grow up and shape their carecter
Kidush Hashem
these kids where lucky to have him! keep it up! hatzlacha raba.
BEAUTIFUL BUT SAD....
I agree with all of the above, but I really do think that it is exceedingly sad that someone with so much talent, does not work in one of the Mosdos over here. I strongly beleive that it is time to pay principals and teachers the money that they deserve and could get at public schools (not to mention benefits too). Maybe then, we would have all the talented teachers and principals giving to our dear children (and perhaps not have all the problems that we are facing today)!!!!
yosef a
i wonder if he’s read Dr. Laz’s book “scullcaps ‘n’ Switchblades”????
proud
What Dr. Laz did was amazing, but he wasnt the principal.
What a Kiddush Hashem!
Fan but...
This guy is the real thing. I saw him in action while runing a kids minion. Re: Teaching our kids: He may give our rebbis some pointers but he would turn off or kick out too many children if he were a principale in our yeshievos.
B’Hatzlocho
go shimon
HI,
On a different website, I touched on one point, that I have not seen anyone else comment on. Shimon, in my opinion, I think your work is fantastic. You’re educating the public, about many things, and it does not stop at the text books. Who knows how many people (if only one its still worth it) will not grow up to be Jew haters, as a result of all your efforts,, thats what I call oiskin betzorchei tzibur. Hashem should bentch you with all of the Rebbe’s brochos ad bli dai!
anonymous
Wow, Keep up the great work. Your doing such a great job. Definitly a Kiddush Hashem, Kiddush Lubavitch.
MP
This is quite amazing….. different, but different is good… Teaching the non-Jews the humane way to live.
sara
you did a grate gob!!
shu
To which yeshiva does he send his kids? I’d love to hear him speak at a CH function.
Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Rebbe gives the Lubavitchers the strength to be the Leaders and he is doing a Major Kiddush Hashem and a Major Kiddush Lubavitch.
When we do what the Rebbe wants the Rebbe sends us into the spotlight!
Veteran Mechanech
Shimon is unbelievable. But our schools wouldn’t even cooperate with him to educate his own children the right way and he was forced to take out one of his children from our schools. So much for a chance of a snowball in hell that our schools will learn anything from anybody!
To fan but...
I also saw Shimon in action at the kids Minyon. He is great. However, I think that he wouldn’t throw out the kids, he most likely will fire all the principals and most of the teachers then the kids will stand a chance.
E.M.
It is beautiful to see an example of Education achieving what it is supposed to achieve.You are reaching the WHOLE child,helping children reach their potential both academically and as a “Mentsch”.Kol Hakavod.Hashem Yatzliach Darkecha.
Crown Heightser
Very inspiring,
Shimon Waronker can be cloned. Maybe not for the New York Public School System, but as BEAUTIFUL BUT SAD…. wrote for our own Mosdos.
We have very capable young men and women, if they would take courses in
our very own “Leadership Academy” they would make excellent Mechanchim.
I know Merkos offers Chinuch courses during the summer, if they could add a Leadership Academy to it it would benefit us all.
May the Rebbe have Nachas from all of our children.
To fan but... #2
I realy should correct my earlier comment.
Shimon will fire nobody, he will break up the schools into a bunch of mini-schools (like Moshe Rabeinu did) and motivate the teachers and the students by providing them with an appropriate curriculum and goal oriented classes.
Every 200/250 children need their own mini-principal as do every 10 teachers. So everyone gets their much needed attention and guidance. Then you have on top of every 600 children and 25 teachers a super principal who is guiding the principals and teachers on a broader level to monitor objectives and goals. And supervises the success of the plan.
If there is a need you modify and adjust the plan based on the need of and individual group without affecting the entire school. This way you have individual attention and overall success.
This should be very easy to implement in our schools which already have 5-6 parallel classes per grade. You can almost taylor make parallel classes for different needs of different children. But the condition is to have fully empowered mini-principals for every two grades.
This is the key like Shimon did to his school.
I hope that this publicity will get our school administrators and parents thinking positively that we can make the necessary changes within the schools that already exist. Yes we can fix the system with a little will and without bad blood.
The future of our children and of our healthy heart condition is in our hands
Hatzlacha
We need one of those
It’s a shame that children in public school get a better principle than children in certain lubavitcher yeshivas get
Can we clone one for our own use?
We are hopeless
Children in public schools have it good. Their teachers always get paid and get great health and retirement benefits.
Teachers in public schools have the option of retiring at 55. They have the backing of a government with almost limitless funds. A yeshiva can’t even afford to pay teachers. We are hopeless.
Ploni
I am a baal teshuva and a former professional journalist.
Listen to me, chevrai, when I tell you that, yes, Baruch Hashem, this is a very good piece from an anti-Semitic newspaper. Shimon, for sure, is making a major Kiddush Hashem and Kiddush Lubavitch. I’m very pleased with this article.
BUT . . .
Let me tell you that the “angle” to this story, and what went on in discussion between the editors and the reporters, was that it is unusual, unprecedented, and unthinkable that a Hasidic Jew is capable of secular success such as this. Just for a moment, substitute any minority such as “African-American” or “Hispanic” or “homosexual” (the NYT’s favorite!) into the story when it mentions a “Hasidic Jew” and you’ll glimpse for a moment the insular, steretypic, prejudiced, and insulting viewpoint of a mainstream-media outlet that even blatantly and unembarrassingly uses the term “ultra-orthodox.” One would think that, after how many decades of baalei teshuva, New York City’s hometown newspaper would have learned already that Jews of all types, backgrounds, and skills are educated, trained, experienced, etc.
Please don’t give kavod to this news organization. It does not deserve it.
simon
job well done
ps22 fan
hey shimon isn’t the only cheightser working there. recently another yid joined the PS22!!1
A school overturned by Frum Lubavitchers
Yashar Koach to both of you
boruch ben tzvi(A H)hakohaine hoffinger
B”H
I know Mr. Shimon Waronker personally from Frankel’s Shul and..
THERE’S NOBODY LIKE H I M !
MAJOR KIDDUSH HASHEM!
SMART AND KIND!
LOVER OF MANKIND!
SUPER HUMAN BEING!
GIVE ME 120 YEARS AND I WON’T
FIND ENOUGH EPITHETS FOR HIM!
continue doing your super job
maybe if the ch yeshivos and schools were to except people not from their families he would’ve been in a ch yeshiva/school. As everyone knows it’s schools run by families not by teachers!
ml
to continue doing your super job… I think that you are right on target why he is not teaching in our schools, in general there is a lot of BT’s talents wasted in our community.
Proud!
Wonderful work! Kol HaKavod!
He should read Dr. Laz’s book, Skullcaps ‘N Switchblades. I read that Dr. Laz just won his 2nd Teacher of the Year award in the Miami public school system. Shows the creative power of Chabad & how the Rebbe is still with us!
AYL
GO Shimon GO!!!
YOur frind AY
RP
Very Impressive!
bob
Mr. Waronker,
You are a great person and a mench. My g-d bless you even more than he already has and I wish you the best of luck in your great job.
awesome
yay hes my awesome father