Newtown High School in Elmhurst, Queens is one of the 32 schools citywide that is on the NY State's list of underperforming schools (Pic Courtesy: About.com, John Roleke
Even as schools across Queens face closure for under-performing academically, one school has decided to fight back. The 113-yr old Newtown High School in Elmhurst, Queens has made it to the New York State Education Department’s list of schools that have consistently underperformed.
With graduation rates less than 60%, Newtown High School is on the state’s radar of 34 failing schools citywide that have four options, reports The Daily News: They can be turned around by replacing the principal and half of the staff, transformed by rewarding staff that boost student academics, become charter schools or just shut down.
“The report recommendations are not final,” said state Sen. Hiram Monserrate (D-East Elmhurst). “There has been an epidemic of school closures, but we are going to take a pro-active approach to this,” he added as students, alumni and teachers at an enthusiastic Thursday meeting pledged to pull up their socks and restore the school’s failing academic record.
With over 3000 students, Newtown is the only school serving its area. Situated in a heavily immigrant community in Elmhurst, many of the new students struggle with English and have a hard time picking up basic language and comprehension skills in time to pass the High School Regents. Newtown Principal John Ficalora, said that was an important factor in lowering the four-year graduation rate to 53%.
Many of the alumni who showed up to support the school agreed. “You have to not just learn English reading and writing, but also U.S. history and it becomes hard for students to pick it all up in time,” said 2007 graduate Feritan Liauw, an Indonesian native who joined Newtown upon his arrival in the States in 2003.”For a foreigner, it isn’t easy to take the regents –there’s the language barrier, the cultural barrier,” he said, adding “We suffer a lot more than kids who go to suburban schools.”
Other students were outraged at the pressure on immigrant children to pick up English “overnight.”Their [NY State Dept. of Education] idea is to chop schools rather than help us,” said Senior Class President Pamela Gill, referring to the possibility that the school might be divided into smaller schools. “Our ESL population is big. They expect them to pass the regents–that expectation is so unfair,” she said, adding the diversity in her school was “insane.”
Not just the students, but even teachers complained. “NY State doesn’t want to face facts,” said Evan Madin, who teaches AP and Journalism. “It’s something that comes with the territory,” he said, referring to the school’s struggle getting immigrant students to pass the regents. “It’s also a lot of hot air- saying it [making the list] is based on data- but come here and you will see things differently,” he said.
His colleague, student counselor Gloria Prado agreed. “I don’t blame the school -it’s a social issue,” she said. “Kids come here from different countries when they are 15. How can they pass the ESL when they are learning at a beginner’s level? They, however, do well in Math and Science but English is a problem,” she said, adding the state must evaluate the school’s social setting while considering reasons for a school’s low graduation rate. She also said the school’s acceptance of students from other schools in Brooklyn and Manhattan was also causing the academic performance to take a hit. “A lot of students who are transfer students have adjustment issues and maladaptative behavior, “said Prado adding “It’s a big issue too–why transfer here all the time,” she asked.
Even as the packed hall filled with jeers and boos at the talk of possible closure, students and staff were thinking of ways to save their school. “A 50% graduation rate is just unacceptable,” said Madin. “We will form a committee of 15 teachers and pore through the transcripts of every kid. If we can get them to graduate by August, we will do it,” he said, adding the school was aiming to increase its graduation rates to “58-60 percent.”
Students, however, are skeptical. “OK, graduation rates have to go up,” said Janselle Mendoza. “But it’s not something that can happen overnight,” he said.
“We need to cut the staff,” suggested senior Melissa Palaez. “We also need a better variety of classes,” she said, explaining that right now, only Spanish and English were offered as language classes. She also recognized that unless the students themselves were motivated to study harder, the school’s academic record would always be low.
In a PowerPoint presentation, school Principal John Ficalora, suggested the following options to save the school: If you are a student–graduate in time, if you are a parent–work with the child to help them graduate and if you live in the neighborhood–write to the local politicians to protest possible school closure.
Even as Newtown High School works out how to save itself–it’s the students who have been caught off-guard. “You get problems everywhere,” said Carlos Jaramillo, who graduated in 2008. “I am kinda surprised. I never saw it coming. I never thought it would come to this,” he said.
The other Queens schools on the state list include Grover Cleveland High School, Ridgewood, Queens Vocational-Technical High School, LIC, Flushing High School, August Martin High School, Jamaica, Beach Channel High School, Rockaway Beach, John Adams High School, Ozone Park, Jamaica High School and Long Island City High School. Beach Channel and Jamaica are already slated for closure by the city.[The Daily News]
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