Brooklyn Ascend Charter School

About Brooklyn Ascend

205 Rockaway Parkway
Brooklyn, New York, 11212
718.240.9162

Brooklyn Ascend Charter School opened in September 2008 and is Ascend Learning’s flagship school. In 2011-2012 the school is serving 565 students in kindergarten through fifth grade, most of whom live in the school’s district of residence, Community School District #18. The school will grow by a grade each year to serve more than 1,000 students in grades K-12 at maturity.

Leadership Team

Brandon Sorlie, Lower School Director

“Reaching our ambitious goals requires keeping an eye on the big picture while focusing unfailingly on the details, working collaboratively, and understanding the interdependence of what happens in this building. Every adult is responsible for the achievement of every scholar, and everything we do-or fail to do-makes a difference."

As lower school director, Brandon Sorlie oversees kindergarten through fourth grade at Brooklyn Ascend Charter School. Formerly, as founding dean of instruction, he oversaw the flagship school’s implementation of the SABIS program and the No Excuses culture, and was responsible for the school’s impressive early academic results. Sorlie taught for several years as a Teach For America corps member at a public school in the Bronx, where he proceeded to serve as data manager. In this capacity, Sorlie was responsible for faculty coaching and evaluation, student assessment, and data analysis. Sorlie is a graduate of Washington University in St. Louis, and he holds two master’s degrees, one in teaching from Pace University and one in school leadership from the Teachers College at Columbia University.

AmySue Bacon, Dean of Instruction

As dean of instruction for the lower school at Brooklyn Ascend Charter School, AmySue Bacon oversees the academic operations of grades one through four, including coaching and developing the teaching staff and ensuring the accurate implementation of the Ascend design. Bacon joined Ascend as a second-grade teacher in 2009. Previously, she taught art and sixth-grade math at Achievement First Bushwick Middle Charter School.

A former Teach For America corps member and team leader, Bacon taught middle school for eight years in California, earning an Honorary Service Award from the California PTA in 2008. Bacon holds a bachelor’s degree from Occidental College and a master’s in elementary education from Loyola Marymount University.

Jeffrey Weber, Assistant Dean of Instruction

“At Brooklyn Ascend we use data to carefully evaluate the academic needs of our scholars, not just at the outset but continually from week to week. No guessing, no assumptions, no waiting. Sophisticated evaluation tools give us the data we need to ensure steady progress.”

As assistant dean of instruction for academic intervention, Jeffrey Weber focuses especially on upper-elementary scholars working toward proficiency in math and English language arts. Working closely with other members of the leadership team and Ascend’s director of data and analytics, Weber evaluates scholars’ performance, tracks student achievement data, designs effective interventions, and supports teachers in closing learning gaps and accelerating student progress. He also oversees a fully integrated, year-long program to prepare scholars for success on the New York state tests. Weber previously served as intervention specialist and extended day coordinator at Brooklyn Ascend, overseeing before- and after-school tutoring programs and tailoring the curriculum to target the needs of scholars requiring additional support. Weber spent several years as a private tutor in Beverly Hills, where he provided supplementary instruction and intensive preparation for high-stakes exams for students aged five to 15. He formerly taught sixth- and seventh-grade English in the Los Angeles Unified School District. Weber is a graduate of the University of Iowa.

Janna Genzlinger, Dean of Students

"The social curriculum at Brooklyn Ascend is as important as the academic curriculum. Using proven practices rooted in the Responsive Classroom approach, we're building a school community that gives scholars a strong sense of belonging, significance and fun."

As dean of students at Brooklyn Ascend Charter School, Janna Genzlinger is responsible for shaping and sustaining the school’s distinctive culture and ensuring that the students internalize the school’s values and aspirations for academic excellence. Genzlinger comes to Brooklyn Ascend from Uncommon Schools, where she served as founding music teacher at Excellence Boys Charter School of Bedford Stuyvesant and later as arts director. During her seven-year tenure with the organization, she helped develop a comprehensive K-7 visual and performing arts curriculum; oversaw the elementary after-school program; implemented culture-building activities and events; and led network-wide training, professional development, and assessment. For the past three years, Genlinzer participated in the Uncommon Schools Master Teacher Retreat, receiving instruction from Doug Lemov on how to train and support teachers around 49 research-based instructional practices. She previously served as a Teach for America corps member, teaching creative writing to students in grades 7-9 in Washington, DC. Genzlinger earned a bachelor of fine arts from Boston University and a master of education from Teacher U at Hunter College, where she continues to serve as an adjunct arts instructor.

Monique Zephurine, Associate Dean of Students

Associate dean of students Monique Zephurine assists in building the lower school’s No Excuses culture and supporting scholars’ on the early path to college. Zephurine comes to Brooklyn Ascend from Achievement First Crown Heights, where she served as a counselor for the middle and elementary schools. In addition to counseling, Zephurine developed and implemented school-wide behavior management systems, professional development workshops, and initiatives to strengthen the school-family partnership. Her previous experience includes counseling positions at two public schools in Brooklyn. Zephurine began her career as a first-grade teacher in California. She holds a bachelor of science from Morgan State University and a master of education from the University of Maryland, College Park.

Andrew Richards, Student Management Coordinator

As student management coordinator, Andrew Richards works with the dean of students to support students in meeting the school’s high expectations for behavior. Richards formerly served as school operations manager at a charter school in Harlem where he was responsible for all non-instructional operations. His previous experience includes management positions at Rand Engineering & Architecture and Dale and Thomas Popcorn in New York City. Richards holds a bachelor’s degree from the City College of New York.

Pagee Cheung, Director of Operations

"When you walk into any Ascend classroom, the scholars’ joy in learning is palpable. The role of the operations team is to manage the non-instructional underpinnings of the Ascend Learning model so that teachers can focus on scholars’ achievement and fuel the joy."

Director of operations Pagee Cheung is responsible for all non-academic operations at Brooklyn Ascend Charter School. Cheung came to Ascend from the Hebrew Language Academy Charter School in Brooklyn, where she served as director of finance and operations. Previously, she managed multiple project work streams within the College-Ready Promise in Los Angeles, a $60 million initiative funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to train and retain highly effective teachers through an innovative compensation and support system. Cheung also served as an independent consultant specializing in charter schools; her former clients include the Raza Development Fund and Jim Ford Research Group, Inc. She began her career as a financial analyst for Paramount Pictures in Hollywood and entered the education field as a teacher of math and entrepreneurship, first at Baruch College Campus High School and later at Harlem Village Academy High School in New York. Cheung holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Southern California and a master’s degree in secondary mathematics education from Columbia University Teachers College.