Columbia Secondary School

The Columbia Secondary School for Math, Science, & Engineering (otherwise known as CSS) is a selective public, sixth- through twelfth-grade school that opened in the fall of 2007. A partnership between the New York City Department of Education, the community, and Columbia University, CSS serves students who have an interest in a program focusing on math, science, and engineering. Beginning with a founding sixth grade class, the school added one grade per year until it reached its full enrollment of 650 students.

Columbia Secondary School has been cited as one of the most desirable schools in New York City.^[1]

Location

Columbia Secondary School and the 123rd Street entrance to Morningside Park.

The Columbia Secondary School.

Columbia Secondary School is in the Morningside Heights neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan.

Directly across the street from CSS is Morningside Park, which the school often uses for recreational and physical education activities if the weather is favorable.

The school serves students from all over New York City, with most of its students coming from Manhattan (above 96th street)or The Bronx. However, admission to CSS is not based on location, but rather admission test scores in the February before the new school year.

The CSS boys rugby team celebrates victory at the 2013 PSLA conference championship.

CSS students perform the musical Annie.

Academics

A wide range of Advanced Placement courses are offered at the school. Special programs offered in the school include real college courses at Columbia University as well as philosophy and engineering courses from 6th to 12th grade. Students are expected to go beyond the New York State graduation requirements and earn a total of 63 credits, successfully complete at least 1 Columbia University course, and successfully complete at least 150 community service hours in order to earn a diploma endorsed by the school, as opposed to earning the minimum 44 credits required by New York State.

Extracurricular Activities

Though there is a wide array of science and math oriented electives, electives also allow students also interested in the humanities to fulfill their interests in these fields. The school has also put on a musical each year since 2009, which has gained attention within the community. The school has also participated in the Future City Competition, and their 2013 team had won their New York Regional competition.

In addition, CSS has several sports teams, including volleyball, basketball, cross country, and rugby, depending on the PSAL season.

Columbia University Partnership

On October 21, 2005, Columbia University announced that it would collaborate with the City of New York on the creation of a new public secondary school that would address the critical need to improve education in science, math and engineering. The school was tentatively called the "Columbia Science, Math and Engineering Secondary School", though this name was later changed to the now "Columbia Secondary School for Math, Science, and Engineering". CSS student benefits of the Columbia University partnership include, but are not limited to, the Columbia University/Columbia Secondary School High School Visiting Student Program, internship and job opportunity at the university, and admission preference into the Double Discovery Center program. All students at CSS are allowed to apply to the Columbia University/Columbia Secondary School High School Visiting Student Program and would be chosen for the program if they have maintained academic excellence and exceptional behaviour throughout their time at CSS thus far. This program allows students from CSS, and CSS only, to take real Columbia University courses for free. Additionally, textbook and materials are supplied and paid for by CSS and the university. Once in the program, students are expected to maintain a 3.0 GPA in their Columbia University course(s). Failure to maintain this GPA would result in academic probation for one semester.

Publications

The first issue in volume one of The Columbia Pride, published in fall 2012.

The first issue of CONTRARIWISE, published in February 2014.

The school's official newspaper, The Columbia Pride, has published a new issue seasonally since fall of 2012. It covers topics of student interest such as news within the school, giving recognition to those making a difference in the school's community, and personal opinions from students on current events. The newspaper is available for free in print and online, and is made possible by advertisements.

In 2014, the school released the inaugural issue of its philosophy journal, CONTRARIWISE, which features students' essays, dialogues, roundtables, letters, stories, poems, and other writings on philosophical topics ranging from time to tyranny. The journal will be published annually; copies are available for purchase at the school, at events, and through the journal's website.

Additionally, the school's parents and administration work to publish a newsletter each month covering news and events in CSS.

Controversial History

The school has suffered from a series of unfortunate events. The most notable event was the death of one of its students, Nicole, in June 2010. She died on a school trip to a beach on Long Island. An investigation by the New York City Department of Education concluded that multiple parties were to blame. The children went swimming in the ocean when no lifeguards were on duty and the beach was officially closed, according to signs posted at the time. The children were accompanied on the school trip by three adults. Further, no permission slips had been signed by parents allowing children to attend the trip. Finally the NYC DOE determined that CSS's Principal Maldonado and Vice Principal Stillman were responsible for not placing sufficient order or safeguards in place to ensure student safety. The teacher who led the school trip was fired. The Vice Principal was also fired, but Principal Maldonado rehired him within weeks. Principal Maldonado received tenure days before he was officially reprimanded, and so retained his position. However, his tenure was revoked. He was eligible to attain tenure within two years. Nearly 50 percent of the teachers left the school when this decision came down.

In Fall 2010, Principal Maldonado was fired by the New York City DOE. The stated reason for his dismissal was an improper relationship with another school official, the parent coordinator. The parent coordinator had been the principal's babysitter. The principal had then allowed her to move into an apartment he owned rent free. He also hired her as his parent coordinator. They admitted a romantic involvement, which they said started only after she was no longer parent coordinator.

In addition, the parents of the school have strongly divided opinions about whether the principal's leadership was good or not. Disagreements have led to name calling in the press.

A vice principal from the High School for Math, Science, and Engineering at City College was tapped to take over as principal (interim acting) at CSS in late 2010. As of August 15, 2011, Miriam Nightengale was appointed as principal of the school.

External links

• School Website
• The Columbia Record features CSS in their 3rd year, as they "graduate into high school." Great video footage of student testimonials.
• ABC News education correspondent Art McFarland features CSS's unique Philosophy program.
• The West Side Spirit, sponsor of the annual Blackboard Awards, chronicles our successful startup.
• The NY Daily News profiles CSS in an article surveying the city's best new schools.
• The Columbia Spectator profiles CSS's largely positive space-sharing situation with PS 125.
• The Village Voice profiles Columbia Secondary School's place as a school working to change cultural biases that can discourage young people from pursuing science, math, or engineering.
• The Gotham Gazette profiles Columbia Secondary School's promise to become one of New York City's most diverse selective schools.
• The New York Sun takes note of CSS's school promise to be a beacon of both academic excellence and diversity.
• The first press release about school's opening as published in Columbia News site in 2005.
• CSS's philosophy journal, CONTRARIWISE, receives a favorable review in a Stanford University blog.

Sources

• School Website
• Columbia University Website

References