High-Tech School To Replace Brooklyn's Robeson High
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With a dozen new public high schools set to open in the fall, one high-tech replacement in Crown Heights is being designed with an eye to the future. NY1's Jeanine Ramirez filed the following report.This sign will soon change as a new technology school moves in this fall to replace Paul Robeson High School in Crown Heights. The Pathways and Technology Early College High School, or P-Tech, will take over the space. It'll be the first of its kind in the country -- a public high school offering a six year program where students graduate with an associate degree in Information Technology. Rashid Ferrod Davis, who's been working in the Bronx for the last five years, has been named principal.
"In terms of my leap from being the principal of Bronx Engineering and Technology Academy, I come to the principalship of P-Tech bringing curriculum expertise, as well as private and public partnerships," Davis said.
Leadership skills are expected to help not only in terms of academics but also in forging new partnerships with tech giant IBM, which will be underwriting the P-Tech program. CUNY's New York City College of Technology will oversee the college curriculum.
"We definitely hope through the collaboration with College of Technology, CUNY and IBM that we will have students best prepared in both college and career so that when they leave high school with a straight pathway from the two year college straight to the first in line with a job at IBM," Davis said.
This past weekend, Davis met with prospective students at the Department of Education's New Schools Fair, providing information and applications. P-Tech will begin with only a freshman class in September and continue to add grades over the next six years. Davis says he's beginning to pick his team of teachers.
As P-Tech moves into the building, Paul Robeson will be phased out. It was a controversial decision by the DOE to close the school. Students and staff rallied to save Robeson but DOE officials say it performed below standards. Brooklyn students will be given first shot at P-Tech.
"We're going to draw from the population of New York City while giving first priority to Brooklyn and any student who comes to an information session. We're reaching out to all the principals and all of the guidance counselors in Brooklyn," Davis said.
To apply for P-Tech, students must submit a New High Schools Choice Form, and can do that through their guidance counselor.