PS/MS 95 Intertwines Teacher Collaboration to Meet Common Core

School Briefs Under the leadership of Principal Serge Marshall Davis, teachers at The Sheila Mencher School in Van Cortlandt Village continually immerse themselves in professional planning to help students learn. Schools have changed enormously since parents of today sat in the classroom. Curriculum is fluid, a work in progress built element by element utilizing best practices to meet the standards of Common Core, rigid academic guidlines set forth by the U.S. Department of Education. Teachers work their magic with the support and ideas from their colleagues, and other school staff. Through collaborative efforts, teachers weave facts and concepts, interconnecting various

By DAVID CRUZ Where’s the Love, Mr. Mayor? Noticed these days that appearances from Mayor Bill de Blasio is next to nothing in the Bronx this year. Looking at the first quarter of 2015, Mayor de Blasio has made four appearances in the Bronx compared to 19 in Brooklyn and seven in Queens. Staten Island, heavily Republican, placed last with only one visit. Manhattan was discounted since it’s his home base, but if one were counting, there were about 50 appearances. Our guess. He has roots in Brooklyn, which he could no doubt need for another go at Mayor in

By DAVID CRUZ Community institutions, park advocates and neighbors are coming together with a shared goal in mind—pushing the de Blasio Administration to consider revitalizing Mosholu Parkway.

Officials With KNIC and NYC EDC to Meet With Public Tonight Over Armory Ice Plan

By DAVID CRUZ The public has a chance to speak directly with representatives from the Kingsbridge National Ice Center, whose plans to build the nine-rink, 5,000-seat arena at the Kingsbridge Armory appear, on its surface, to hit a lull. Neighbors are expected to gather at Tracey Towers to speak with KNIC representatives, along with its CEO Mark Messier, to pore over details on where the project stands. The $350 million redevelopment project hit a snag last year following infighting between developers and former parties involved with the project. The news comes amid the Albany Legislature approving a $1 million accessibility study

The Norwood News traveled to Saratoga Springs for the New York Press Association 2015 Journalism Conference.

Participatory Budgeting Nears Closure, With Organizers Pushing Public to Vote

By DAVID CRUZ Participatory budgeting, a drawn out process that seeks input from residents on how $1 million in taxpayer money should be allocated, has reached its zenith—your vote.

52nd Precinct Community Council Gathers Tonight

Amid a high-tech anti-crime software loaded and ready to go, the 52nd Precinct Community Council will hear from police brass over the new crimefighting tool. Officials will meet at tonight at Fordham United Methodist Church to discuss the new measure. The meeting takes place from 7 to 9 p.m. at 2543 Marion Ave. in the Fordham/Bedford Park neighborhoods. The Five-Two was granted funds to install the software following pressure from local elected officials last summer. The new program is part of a broader pilot program that would see the ShotSpotter system in various Bronx precincts.

Inquiring Photographer

By DAVID GREENE With news that The Doe Fund is building supportive housing in Norwood for those living with HIV/AIDS, we asked residents whether everyone deserves a decent place to live or if the infected should live elsewhere. I was caught by surprise by this, but it all comes down to one thing: knowing the basics about protection and really following it through. That’s the common law of the whole world; you don’t want to catch something you don’t want so you protect yourself. But this community as a whole accepting a building for that, affordable housing, I think it’s all right, but at the

Choosing a Supportive Housing Site Boils Down to Need, According to Developers

By JANAKI CHADHA The Doe Fund’s recent decision to build a $29.5 million supportive/affordable housing project at a vacant property on Webster Avenue comes at a time when real estate transactions have seen a major uptick along the northern corridor.