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School Leadership Team Response to the

Educational Impact Statement ² A Brief Summary


` A 70 year history of serving neighborhood
children
` The sectioning off of prestige programs into
small schools in 2002 -3
` Severe over-crowding and deplorable
learning conditions as a result of small school
expansion in 2003-4 and 2004-5
` Restructuring into smaller learning
communities in 2005
` Creation of new and innovative support
programs in 2006,2007 and 2008
The overall scores on
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accountability tools do
not meet standard
criteria for closure.
Christopher Columbus has
shown a lack of capacity
to improve student
performance in
significant and consistent
ways.
This is not
true!
The final graduation rate of 72.2
percent of the Class of 2004 is
5.3 percentage points higher than
the Class of 1986. However,
during that time, high school
diploma requirements have
increased substantially in New
York State.
The results are a further
indication that high school is
not a four-year academic
sequence to be completed by
the time a student is 18 years
old.
` Our most recent progress report
showed a 13.8% overall
improvement.
` The previous report showed a
23.79% improvement. This was
so impressive that the faculty all
received a bonus!
` Current Christopher Columbus grade 10
students or students who are repeating grade
9 are encouraged to meet with their guidance
counselors to explore their options for the
2010-2011 school year.
` Throughout the course of the phase-out of
Christopher Columbus and its closure there
will continue to be a sufficient number of
high school seats in the Bronx and
throughout the city to serve students who
would have attended Christopher Columbus.
` Our favorite teachers may not be here next
year
` We will have fewer clubs and teams every year
` We will have fewer elective choices
` We will have fewer work-study and internship
opportunities
` Where will our brothers and sisters go to
school?
` How far will they have to travel?
` What kind of schedule and space will we have
when the DoE moves another school here
from District 10?
«theDOE conducted an
assessment of Christopher
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determined that Christopher
Columbus had not made
significant progress for its
students.
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the school are warm,
supportive and inclusive,
students, teachers and parents
feel valued, identify with and
take pride in being part of the
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including special education
students, English language
learners and challenging
students, benefit from
targeted, caring support
according to their needs and
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range of experiences and
choice during and after school,
including the arts, internships
and technology, to facilitate
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range of relevant data, leaders
and faculty have an ongoing
understanding of individual,
group, subject and academy
performance, which informs
instruction and organizational
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priority so the reflective
faculty profit from varied
opportunities to share and
develop strengths as
individuals and members of
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assistant principal for organization,
the Columbus community evaluates
itself with honesty and integrity,
recognizing how far it has come in its
development. Unified and committed
to improve further through continual
evolution, the school has the capacity
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Corinne Brown, Lead Reviewer

Quality Review Report 2008-9

Christopher Columbus High School


Columbus has shown a
remarkable capacity to
improve student performance
in significant and consistent
ways. It is deserving of
recognition and support, not
phase-out.

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