A group of NYC Quakers were welcomed into Brooklyn Meeting's neighboring Brooklyn Frontiers High School for a presentation, tour, and panel discussion.
On Tuesday, April 8, at 10:00 am, a group of NYC Quakers and friends were welcomed into Brooklyn Meeting's neighboring Brooklyn Frontiers High School for a presentation, tour, and panel discussion. We spoke to the school’s principal, Alona (everyone uses first names at the school), along with teachers, counselors, and students. The atmosphere in the school is warm and happy, and students seemed engaged in their classes.
Brooklyn Frontiers, like other transfer high schools, serves students who are at least 16 years old, haven’t had positive experiences in previous high schools, and need class credits to graduate. The school culture is collaborative, and the student body is diverse. Students who speak more than one language help translate complex ideas for new English learners in their classes. Frontiers has counselors to help students with any challenges they’re facing, and teachers also get to know each student, and their challenges, individually.
The school has become a model for “transfer” high schools in NYC. The student work on the walls demonstrate that students are engaged with their (challenging!) class work. Classes are small, with 15 people or so at most. The smaller classroom sizes in the school building work well for this. In the classrooms we saw students discussing a science problem in groups, learning computer programming and algebra, and writing about why people join cults.
In addition to academic classes the school offers college and career-preparation programs – the cooking class held in Brooklyn Meeting’s kitchen is one of those. They also run Saturday programs in their school for students living in shelters who need a place to spend their day (and to get breakfast and lunch).
In response to a question about how immigrant students were faring in the current political climate, a student from Senegal said he always feels safe at school. He knows the people there are looking out for him and will help him if something happens.
A Quaker visitor noted on our way out that the school was very “Quaker” — treating students as equals, recognizing the “Light” in everyone, helping those who need it. NYC Friends can look forward to a culminating celebration we’re holding with the school in June, featuring food prepared by the cooking students. Details to be announced.
— Sarah Way
