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2004

JULY 2003

Creating Community at Baruch College Campus HS
by Rob Luchow

It was still hot outside by 6 PM on June 24, but the heat didn’t stop all 97 students of the Baruch College Campus High School Class of 2003 from wearing their caps and gowns. In high spirits, students, faculty, and family members packed the Baruch College auditorium to witness the sixth graduating class in the high school’s history.

They ignored the formality commonly seen at such a ceremony. Parents, teachers and students cheered and hollered loudly for one another. Students presented personal films and songs at the graduation which expressed their emotions for thier years at the school.

“We are very much a ‘we’ place,” said Principal Jill Myers. Community is the quintessence of what make the school outstanding. The school is structured around a tightly knit system where personal relationships operate as a “safety net over the Grand Canyon.” Myers believes that “intellectual care” is of equal importance to “social and emotional care.”

The foundation for this individualistic approach is the advisor system, where teachers play the role of a mentor and keep in close contact with students and parents. Not only does the advisor discuss the daily life of the student, but actively engages in his academic pursuits. For example, students and teachers write bi-weekly letters to each other reflecting on outside readings.

History teacher Kiara Vigil, who has taught and served as an advisor at the school for five years, feels that the system keeps students on track and challenges them on various levels. While she recognizes the greater amount of work required by both the teacher and the student, Vigil says the intrinsic rewards more than compensate.

“You form a little family,” she said. “When I saw my students at graduation, the feeling was overwhelmingly amazing.”

Lauren Santiago, a member of the 2003 graduating class who will be attending Plattsburgh State University next fall, said, “The teachers’ high expectations push you to perform better. Without the advisor system, I wouldn’t have gotten through it.”

Baruch College Campus High School is one of several schools linked to colleges in New York City as part of Chancellor Matthew Goldstein’s vision of College Now. Some of the benefits for the school include use of the college library, college faculty providing professional development to the high school teachers and high school students inclusion in the college community. The school sets rigorous academic standards and emphasis is placed on the student’s growth as an individual and member of society.

“Students learn to self-evaluate,” said Myers. “They may not always have the right answer but the important thing is to be able to arrive at an answer.”

Vigil along with first-year history teacher Catherine Turso shared Myers’ expectations for what students gain at the school. Turso said she encourages her students to “find their voice” and hopes to instill “empowerment” and “confidence” in them.

As a testament to the commitment of Myers and her faculty, all 97 students of the Class of 2003 are enrolled in college next fall. Asked how she accomplished this feat, Myers said, “the vision was in place.” As for her future, Myers too is graduating alongside her students. She will become a local instructional supervisor of 10 schools in region 9, one of which is the Baruch College Campus High School.#

 

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