NYC teacher drives GED Sewanhaka program

Timothy Meyer

It was a shop in Franklin Square more than five years ago when Christian Moffett met a guidance counselor from Sewanhaka Central High School, and began a conversation with Moffett about her work as a GED teacher in the New York City school system.

A few months later, Moffett was contacted by Sewanhaka Director of Special education Victoria Tripodi, along with the chairperson for the special education department, Fran Sinobio. They asked if she wanted to start and teach a GED program, which certifies that a person has high school-level academic skills, for the Sewanhaka School District.

Five years later, Moffett is still teaching the program and recalls how lucky she was to get the job.

“It was by the grace of God that I was offered this opportunity,” Moffett said. “It was a bitter sweet decision because to take this job, I would have to give up my teaching position in the city, which I had for more than 16 years.”

But Moffett said she had no doubts that the program would be a success, and was reassured during an interview she had at Sewanhaka.

“I told them I had kids in college, a husband, and I’d have to leave my job,” Moffett said. “But, the interviewer told me they thought the program would be a success. I thought it would be a success from the beginning, even if I had to teach in a closet. You give me a closet and a student and I’ll teach them.”

In addition to holding a masters degree in special education, Moffett also has her license in school administration, which she says helped her create the GED program at Sewanhaka high school from nothing.

“I was also given a technical assistant to help named Doris Brown, which is something I was not used to coming from the city,” Moffett said. “Doris Brown helped create the GED program, and has always been a great assistant. Principal Debbie Lidowsky of Sewanhaka High School was also a very supportive of the program from the start.”

Sinobio is in charge of who enters the GED program, and reviews all the applicants. She said she uses a predictor questionnaire that predicts if the students are eligible to come into the GED program, or have to spend more time in traditional classes. The student cannot have a certain amount of credits before entering the program, according to Sinobio.

Sinobio said one of the reasons for Sewanhaka starting the GED program was that they didn’t want students falling behind.

“Basically we were having a lot of kids who just couldn’t make it in traditional school,” Sinobio said. “We have kids with sleep disorders, attention issues, and kids who moved into the district with as little as two credits and they may already be 17. Some of them always don’t have regent exams as well, and every kid has their own story.”

“It’s 100 kids who were saved from the district who would have dropped out,” Moffett added. “They are very excited because it was there last chance. All they say is thank you and it makes your job worth it.”

The GED program is divided into five sections consisting of social studies, math, science, literature arts, and writing. The test itself last about seven hours and consists of an essay.

To graduate with a GED, students must be able to read at a ninth grade reading level. The students are also put through a vocational class, computer class, and taught job training skills.

State guidelines allow for only 15 students per class in the GED program. But not every student graduates the program at the same time, allowing for empty seats throughout the school year, which Moffett says they try to fill as soon as possible. The age limit for the program ranges from 17 to 21.

“It usually takes between three to six months for the students to pass the course and take the test,” Moffett said. “We are only allowed 15 students in class, but when one of them finishes the course before the year is over, we do our best to fill that seat immediately with another student.”

The students are just like everyone else says Sinobio.

“They go to school during the day just like every other student,” Sinobio said. “If they have jobs then they only have to stay until 12:30 p.m.”

According to Moffett, there was a foreign student who immigrated to the school district and only read at a second grade reading level. After going through a district program with intense reading and writing instruction, the student was able to enter the special education program and then finally the GED program, where they took the test and passed.

Moffett said she when she started five years ago she had to share her classroom with the auto teacher. In that first year 13 students graduated with their GEDs.

After five years that number has totalled a little more than 100 students earning their diploma and Moffett will continue to teach the program next year with the help of Brown.

“I love what I do and I love to help the kids,” Moffett said. “It’s a wonderful thing to see them go on.”

Share this Article