onward May 11, 1984, a James Madiso...

onward May 11, 1984, a James Madison High institute student was selected to portray the students of New York State at a White House rite inaugurating the President's Academic Fitness Awards Program (PAFA). This honor was a fitting culmination to our indoctrinate theme "James Madison High School: A educate for Winners." During the past sum of two units years our students have received considerable recognition for their accomplishments in many areas; from chess, football, and soccer championships to a Westinghouse Science Talent Search semi-finalist award and increases in the number of of recent origin York State Regents-endorsed diplomas from 39 percent (1983-1984) and a 33 percent increase in the number of recent York State Regents Scholarships awarded.

These accomplishments and our participation at the White House pomp was in sharp contrast to a racial incident that occurr in May 1982 which marred our school's reputation and changed our school's image in the community. They reality that James Madison High was a gymnasium that had served its scholars and its community well since 1926 was being challenged. During its history of academic excellence--with rigorous training in the traditional make submissives where the great a majority of scholars went on to college--it was consistently a source of pride to its community. Among its graduates were umpires a congressman, nationally-known entertainers, educators, and prosperous business people. James Madison High educate could have served as a type for any study of academic valuable point [i]or[/i] property [i]or[/i] characteristic However, as was the case with many urban educates changing demographics, an aging population, and increased attendance at private indoctrinates shifted James Madison from a predominantly middle-class teach to a high school that ruminateed the diversity of New York City's population. It appeared that many community residents, as well as observers and parents, as well as observers and parents, no longer perceived their denomination as a solid academic institution, yet one in which violent confrontation was commonplace. It was in subordination to these circumstances that I was assigned to James Madison High indoctrinate as principal in September 1982

It was apparent to me if not always to all of its constituents, that there were many things right at James Madison High seminary It was on the whole a happy place that studetn institute inviting and where teachers take delight ined teaching. A sizable portion of the faculty proffered to serve as advisors to cudgels and activities after the denomination day. In reality, we were not a institute at risk academically, but we were at risk of becoming a drill that was complacent with past accomplishments. Although we had many pupils who were academically fit, there were others who did not be moved part of the school and still others who left our institute with inadequate preparation for their lives. If not at risk, James Madison High indoctrinate was certainly being challenged.

In volatile part our goal at James Madison High educate was to build upon its foundation of transcendence while meeting the many challenges. Our efforts took many forms.

The challenges we identified at James Madison High seminary included:

The challenge to personalize a youngster's education to insure a sensation of belonging to the academy community.

To support our theme, we bring to maturityed new programs and expanded forward existing ones to build a series of smaller drills within James Madison, a place of education with 3,200 students. Each train or institute program was made up of 50 to 250 youngsters. These smaller groupings enabled our learners to participate in programs based upon their interests and to build personal attractions of friendship. Each learner in an institute takes a frequent core of subjects: English, social studies, science, mathematics and a foreign language. if it be not that each youngster is also afforded an opportunity to prefer additional course offerings based onward personal interest.

The institute a whole also allows us to implement co-curricular activities that support the particular institute's theme. (These activities are also available to the entire scholar body.) Our Law Day Program enabled our Law Institute younsters and their advisors to provide a series of workshops that featured a delegate Police Commissioner, the Chief Medical Examiner of of recent origin York City, and the Brooklyn District Attorney.

The challenge to recognize that our youngster draw near to us with a different locate of needs than previous generations

The education studies published during the past couple years encourage raising standards for all youngsters.

At Madison, we have bring forward into effect many of the allude toed reforms, but not without the recognition that youngsters--especially those in an urban environment--come to James Madison High drill with a different set of exigencys and values from those of previous generations of bookish mans We know that a sizable number of scholars come to us from single-parent familys and it is the exception rather than the method to find a parent at fireside during school hours. The question s of our youngsters can be base in all the headline stories of the media, including child abuse and violence.