Daily News from New York, New York • 461

BROOKLYN Civil Service PAGE 3 High School Sports PAGE 75 boom as school Pioneer ed program helps IS 311 soar Learning because their students' combined reading and math scores were among the top of schools that improved from 1998 to 1999. IS 311 was in the top and Oseni was one of 16 teachers there who each received $2,000 bonuses. Principal Gail Gaines, who will get a $15,000 bonus as part of the incentive program, said the money is nice but the real reward is seeing students succeed. Bonus By ROBERT INGRASSIA DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER French teacher Charlene Oseni might sock away some of her $2,000 bonus for a rainy day. But first she's going to buy language software for her students.

It's that kind of dedication that propelled Intermediate School 311 in East New York into the top tier of Breakthrough for Learning, a pioneer program that rewards teachers and principals when students make academic progress. Staff members at five other East New York schools were rewarded by Breakthrough for "The bonus is a really nice viser who helped develop the plus at the end of a day," Gaines curriculum. said. "But we'll come back to- The physical and spiritual morrow and do it all over again heart of the school is its family for the kids." lounge, a room where teachers Opened three years ago, IS meet to discuss student 311 is a relatively new school progress, and where kids can go that teaches kids the old-fash- with problems. ioned This year, the school has 176 way.

students in sixth, seventh and "With small classes, family in- eighth grades. Teachers say the volvement, dedicated teachers school's small size allows them and a supportive school system, to dedicate time to each student the students will succeed," said and tailor instruction to individuCarmen Alvarez, a volunteer ad- al needs. Japanese Hill Pond Garden re reopening ng FESTIVE START By JOYCE SHELBY The lower level of the garden DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER was made accessible to wheelThe Brooklyn Botanic Gar- Takekazu Kawamura of Japan chairs, and Turtle Island, a pebden has planned a series of remembers the very first time he bled beach that rises from the events to celebrate the reopen- visited the Brooklyn Botanic Gar- pond, was restored to its original ing of the Japanese Hill and den's Japanese Hill and Pond Gar- form. Pond Garden: den more than 20 years ago. "The garden is exquisite," said I Today and tomorrow, at 1 He brought his wife and three Jim Johnson, chairman and landp.m., 2 p.m., 3 p.m.

and 4 children to see the cherry blos- scaper of the Narrows Botanical p.m., there will be special soms and then toured the famous Gardens in Bay Ridge. "This will guided tours. Japanese garden nearby. be one of the most wonderful June 4, from 1 p.m. to 5 "The garden wasn't in decay grass and fern variety gardens in p.m., children are invited to 11.

then," Kawamura said. "But it is the city. To redesign a garden withtour the garden, see origami so much better now." out infringing upon its integrity is demonstrations, and learn And with good reason. The Bo- difficult. But I think they've acJapanese printing and paper tanic Garden has just completed a complished it." crafts.

$3.2 million renovation and resto- Other visitors who happened I June 11, from 10 a.m. to 5 ration of the Japanese Hill and past the garden yesterday were p.m., a Go tournament orga- Pond Garden, which reopens to equally enthusiastic. nized by the Brooklyn Go the public today. "I'm dying to walk around in it," Club; noon, a tea ceremony; 1 Kawamura was stationed at the said Rita Rees of Prospect p.m. to 4 p.m., guided tours; United Nations when he first visit- Heights.

"It's beautiful." 3 p.m., Jin Nyodo concert by ed. He returned yesterday for for- Rees' friend, Kyong Parker of Ronnie Nyogestsu Seldin and reopening Japanese ceremonies ambassador yester- Manhattan, said, "I like the Japamal guests. A consul in New York. nese style of architecture very day as and June 18, from 10 a.m. to 6 "The beauty general of this is open and very clean.

I'll definitely p.m., Koi Nobori dispiay of place truly be back." fish streamers on the Cherry breathtaking," he said. The first Japanese garden creatEsplanade; 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., Pond Garden was Japanese closed for 11 ed in an American public garden, The 3.5-acre Hill and guided tours; 1 p.m. to 5 the Hill and Pond Garden was dep.m., Koi Nobori crafts for while the restoration was signed by Takeo Shiota, a Japamonths kids; 2:15 p.m., taiko drum- underway. nese landscape designer who ming by Marco Leinhard and With funding from the Brooklyn came to the United States in 1907.

Taikoza; 3 p.m., ceremonial delegation of the City Council, the It opened in June 1915. release of 100 koi into the and Clean Air Bond At yesterday's ceremony, BotanNew York State 1996 Clean Water Japanese Garden Pond. Act, the Inde- ic Garden President Judith Zuk Admission to the Brooklyn and the Botanic read an excerpt from pendence Community Foundation Garden a letter ShioBotanic Garden is $3 for Brooklyn people 16 and older, and Auxiliary, the Botanic Garden ta wrote to his sister about the for seniors 65 and staff drained, rebuilt and rein- "The den: garden is the pride of DAILY older or students with valid ID. forced the Hill and Pond Garden's believe will my ted free. Admission is free all A bright red-orange, wooden live long, and my Children under 16 are admit- man-made clay lake.

life," he wrote. "I soul will it always NEWS day Tuesday and from 10 a.m. torii (gate), which stands at the be living in the garden." edge of the pond to signal that a Yesterday, Kawamura said Shioto noon on Saturday. shrine is nearby, was strength- ta's presence could indeed be felt. The garden, with entrances ened and repainted.

The ambassador said he was on Eastern Parkway and at 900 Washington is open The deck of the garden's view- pleased to know that the garden from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday ing pavilion was restored. Addi- was not only a source of local through Friday, and 10 a.m. to tional Japanese flowering cher- pride, tourists, that it also attracted but 6 p.m. on Saturday, Sunday SUSYE GREENWOOD ries, pines, Japanese maples and including many from Jaand holidays.

For information, OPENING BEAT Marco Lienhard of drum Taikoza azaleas were planted, along with pan. call (718) 623-7200, per- Japanese irises, dwarf bamboo "You plant the seeds of undergroup forms yesterday at reopening ceremony for Japanese Garden. ferns. standing in all who visit," he said. and 24, NEWS BUREAU (718) 875-4455 FAX (718) 875-7795 HOME DELIVERY 1-800-692-NEWS 2000 YOUR excels "We work with each child emotionally as well as academically," said sixth-grade teacher Christine Vega.

Teachers said part of the school's success relies on working with parents almost as much as with students. "We have contact with the family not just when there's something bad; we have contact all the time," Alvarez said. Breakthrough for Learning was started in East New York's District 19 in 1998. It uses incentives funded privately through the New York City Partnership, a business group, to raise student achievement in the district..