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Educational Leader in Focus: Lynette Lauretig

  • Lynette Lauretig is currently the Director of Instructional Models, NYC Department of Education, Office of Multiple Pathways to Graduation. With funding from the New York Community Trust, EVC is integrating its curriculum throughout the OMPG’s schools. At EVC’s First Annual Youth-Powered Video Film Festival she was presented with EVC's first Visionary Leadership Award for her pioneering work in creating and supporting new alternative and Transfer schools throughout New York City.
  • Can you briefly explain the mission and goals of the Office of Multiple Pathways to Graduation (OMPG) and your role in it?
  • The Office of Multiple Pathways was established in September of 2005 with the goal of significantly increasing the graduation rates and expanding connections to college and career opportunities for over-age and under-credited high school students. OMPG designs and “starts up” alternative programs/schools that lead to high school graduation for students, who for a number of reasons, will not graduate from a traditional high school.
  • I work on designing new Transfer high school models that address the needs of the Department of Education (DOE) system, which are identified by the Office of Portfolio and Planning for new school start-up. Since 2005, our office has created 25 new Transfer high schools, all with Learning-to-Work community based partners. We have developed 23 new Young Adult Borough Centers all with LTW community-based partners as well.
  • What is your own educational background and how did you come to work with alternative and Transfer schools?
  • I began teaching elementary school right out of college and after 3 years went on to teach middle school where I immediately felt hampered by the traditional public school system. I changed course and took a job teaching English Language Learners at The American School in Caracas, Venezuela. I spent 5 years teaching overseas and returned to the U.S. ready for a new experience in alternative education. I came to New York City looking for an opportunity to work with urban adolescents in a non-public school setting and during my job search kept hearing about The Door, a large community-based organization in Manhattan. The first time I walked into The Door, I knew it was exactly where I wanted to work with young people. With a membership of 11,000 young people ages 12-21 years old and a menu of comprehensive free services offered to every member, I had stumbled upon the most unique youth organization in the country, maybe even in the world. After being hired as an ELL teacher, I eventually went on to become The Door’s Education Director. Over a five year period, I developed the Door’s first alternative Education Center, which eventually offered 10 different types of educational classes, a career center, college prep counseling, a technology center, creative and visual arts courses, and DOE sponsored GED programs. Finally, after working at The Door for almost 10 years, the next logical step was working in alternative education in the public school system, which brings me to where I am today.
  • What are the connections you have seen between the skills Transfer school students learned in making their video documentary projects (as part of EVC’s External Education Program) this past year and the new Common Core State Standards?
  • The biggest connection that I see is the literacy skills that are now embedded in every content area in the new Common Core Standards. In EVC’s documentary project, you actually have students using literacy skills i.e., speaking, listening, writing and reading through real world experiential activities. For example, for the HSEI (High School for Excellence and Innovation) student documentary on teen sexual health, students researched several health issues, developed questions, and then traveled to Columbia University with their video team and interviewed a professor of Public Health. Students from BHSLCS (Brooklyn High School for Leadership and Community Service) actually travelled to Philadelphia to help build a community garden there and edited footage of that experience into their documentary on community service. The emphasis on developing and using one’s literacy skills outside the classroom’s walls are the biggest connection.
  • What are the benefits for teachers of learning the technical and pedagogical skills to integrate video production into the academic curriculum or extended day time?
  • Teachers really must acquire technology skills in this age of digital literacy to survive in the 21st century. They will not learn them unless they actually have the opportunity to use and practice them, as they are required to do in your teacher training institutes. When teachers integrate video production into the classroom curriculum, student engagement is at its best.
  • With a renewed emphasis on post-secondary access and retention, what do you see as the future role in schools for EVC's educational approach of engaging students in documentary media making that explores critical issues in their lives?
  • I think that what we are finding out through increased data collection and research is that just because a student passes the Regents exams doesn’t mean they are prepared for college or a 21st century job. The level of rigor in all activities and educational experiences has to be strengthened. Additionally, teachers need to focus on skills such as critical thinking, transferring learning from one situation to another, strong communication skills (such as writing, speaking, and listening), and attaining higher levels of literacy so that students can handle complex texts and vocabulary in all subject areas.
  • EVC’s documentary making program uses a skills-based curriculum whereby the skills have been cross-walked with the Common Core standards ensuring rigorous benchmarks for program participants. Making a documentary is hard work and very demanding of students’ time. However, the payoff is big. The majority of students exit the program with self-management skills, the ability to work collaboratively with a team of peers, improved communication skills and a level of self-confidence that was non-existent before they began the program.
  • I believe that the students’ newly developed levels of self-confidence are a direct result of producing quality products for a public audience beyond the walls of their schools. Year after year, I see program participants complete the program with a renewed sense of possibility and that sense of hope is priceless.
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