Before 3-K

Before

3K

Madeline strum Photography Photographed June 5, 2017, and June 14, 2017 at Success Academy Bensonhurst.

Book produced January 29, 2018 after months of posting on social media and attending meetings.

Before

3K

June 5, 2017 Betty began volunteering at her brothers’ elementary school right after she was born. Going to school is all she’s ever known. But this is not a school environment that everyone has the chance to know.

Follow Betty for a look at SA Bensonhurst.

At one year and 11 months, Betty was happy to put on her backpack and walk to school. If her face looks familiar, she started the 2017-’18 school year advocating for #spacetolearn as #belikebetty.

child’s play is serious work.

With a different principal who could not find the joy alongside the rigor, I’m sure SA Bensonhurst would have been a very different institution.

Always time for a snack

learning fuel To help scholars push through until lunchtime, snacks are provided daily.

How do we convince Secretary DeVos she should provide that for every school?

misconception Betty’s longhaired brother came off the wait list six weeks into the start of Kindergarten in 2014 with an IEP for a co-teaching classroom, OT, and group therapy.

He skipped to 2nd Grade, and the DOE closed his case. Fortunately for him, the school never lost sight of the fact his brain had not changed just because he no longer carreid the label “special ed.”

In addition to snack locations, Betty knew which rooms had the best treasure boxes—to inspire her sorting and counting skills, obviously.

On this day, she was in the same room as a raffle winner.

face painting in the middle of the day might be the only thing on this spread that Betty didn’t see on her typical visit to the school.

Any 3-year-old can love going to play centers, but what motivates 3rd Graders? Yes, they practiced state tests relentlessly, but they also had fun.

put it to rest It’s hard to fathom how the City doesn’t show more support for schools that rate so highly compared to the rest of the state.

Not every school needs to be a charter, but all public education could feel like a joyful home.