News & Announcements

Mark Dunetz, Ph.D. Appointed Vice President of New Visions for Public Schools

January 11, 2013 -- New Visions for Public Schools, a New York City-based nonprofit organization dedicated to improving public schools citywide, announced today the appointment of Mark Dunetz, Ph.D. as vice president, school support. Dunetz will lead New Visions’ partnership with the New York City Department of Education, providing instructional and operational support to a network of 73 schools. His appointment begins February 1, 2013.

"In Mark Dunetz, New Visions will be gaining a leader with invaluable experience in NYC public schools,” said Robert L. Hughes, New Visions' president. "As founder and principal of a top-rated New York City high school, he brings a deep understanding of the challenges schools face and a fresh perspective on the supports schools need for success. A strategic thinker, Mark has championed the use of digital technologies to create systems and structures that free teachers to focus on their main priority, effective instruction for students. Our schools will benefit from his dedication, acumen and vision."

Dunetz brings fourteen years of experience in New York City public schools, first as a high school teacher of ESL and social studies and later as founding principal of Academy for Careers in Television and Film (ACTvF), New York's first high school to provide extensive career training in commercial television and film production. In June 2012, ACTvF distinguished itself with a 96.2 percent graduation rate, the highest of any regular non-selective public high school in New York City. This graduation rate, along with strong performance on new college and career readiness metrics, 93.1 percent average daily attendance, and consistently high levels of parent, student and teacher satisfaction led to ACTvF earning the city’s second highest score on the Department of Education’s most recent high school Progress Report.

As vice president of school support, Dunetz will oversee and direct New Vision’s three networks of approximately 25 district schools each. Dunetz will direct and develop strategy for three teams of New Visions network leaders, leadership coaches, digital instruction specialists and DOE operations staff who work with partner schools to raise student achievement and college-readiness.

"I'm excited to return to New Visions and to lead the continued development of support structures that maximize the positive impact of our schools on their students," Dunetz said. "Our school leaders face tremendous challenges as they navigate a challenging political landscape and manage increasingly complex organizations. Working with principals and their teams, New Visions can play a powerful role in improving systems and building capacity at schools. I have seen both in my school, and in the schools of many of my New Visions colleagues, how an intentional investment in building systems can sustainably improve student performance."

Since 2007, graduation rates of New Visions network schools have increased almost five points to 74.6 percent; the share of students graduating with a Regents or Advanced Regents diploma increased more than 22 points, to 70.7 percent. Working with New Visions, schools are increasing the number of high school students making college visits, completing FAFSA forms and succeeding in their first year of college.

In addition to his experiences at a teacher and principal, Dunetz has worked as a program evaluator for the National Science Foundation, an educational consultant, and a professor of research methods at the City College of New York and of educational administration at Baruch College. Prior to founding ACTVF, Dunetz was a senior program officer at New Visions, where he facilitated a school leader certification program.

Dunetz earned a B.A. in U.S. history from the University of California, Santa Cruz, an M.A. in TESOL from New York University and a Ph.D. in Urban Education with a concentration in education policy from the Graduate Center of the City University of New York.