(Nine new schools that we are going to be opening in September…applause)
KLARA BAUTERS: At Tweed Courthouse, Chancellor David Banks and a row of school principals in suits and ties are standing in front of a white marble staircase. They’re about to announce the city’s newest public schools. Banks says these nine schools will be more responsive to parents’ and students’ needs.
DAVID BANKS: “We’ve heard from our parents and our families and our students about the kinds of schools that they want to have and they want to experience RUN DOWN as part of the New York City Public Schools portfolio.
BAUTERS: And what Banks says they want is schools tailored to professional interests. Each school has its own little decorated table covered with objects showcasing its focus. At the table for Motion Picture Technical High School in Queens, you can find a Canon camera and a laptop playing an animated movie. A black flyer on the table says it will offer a Career and Technological Education. Kevin Lopez is the principal. He says the school will prepare students for lucrative careers in the film industry.
KEVIN LOPEZ: Motion Picture Technical High School is a really wonderful opportunity for young, aspiring filmmakers, creatives, storytellers, media designers, that are interested in actual career paths beyond high school.
BAUTERS: College enrollment among young Americans has been declining steadily over the past decade. But enrollment in trade schools is increasing. According to the National Student Clearinghouse, in 2022, enrollment in trade schools was up almost 20% compared to the year before. Lopez says schools like Motion Picture Tech will provide specialized training and an alternative path - if students want it.
LOPEZ: We are encouraging students to pursue post secondary opportunities, but also be equipped to take on entry level jobs in the industry.
BAUTERS: At Bard Brooklyn, students will have the opportunity to earn an associate’s degree for free while still in high school. But it’s not only high schools. Seven of the new schools announced here today are middle schools. Stephen Lombardo, principal of the new MS407 set to open this fall in Brooklyn, says students in grades 6 to 8 will have the opportunity to explore different passions, from culinary and fitness studies to sustainability.
STEPHEN LOMBARDO: When they take that next step into high school applications, they can really find their area of interest and build upon that as they take their next step into college.
BAUTERS: All nine schools are scheduled to open this September.
Klara Bauters, Columbia Radio News.
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