Robert F. Wagner, Jr. Secondary School for Arts and Technology
Grades: 6-12Our Insights
What’s Special
A nice mix of academics, arts and athletics
The Downside
Some windowless classrooms
Housed in a former Macy’s warehouse in the heart of Long Island City’s industrial and commercial center, Wagner Secondary School for Arts & Technology attracts students looking for a small school with a healthy mix of academics, arts and athletics. Students can get involved in a community garden, after-school tutoring and clubs like chess and robotics, as well as a range of sports.
High school students take four years of science and can choose from many Advance Placement (AP) courses such as Calculus, Physics, U.S. History, and Spanish. They can also specialize in one of five Arts and Technology Academies: Media/Film, Musical Composition, Musical Performance, Studio/Visual Art, or Theater. These are taught by teachers who specialize in their fields. Each student is assigned a teacher who monitors their academic and social-emotional progress.
Teachers use hands-on projects to help bring concepts to life, according to the school’s Comprehensive Educational Plan (CEP). In one middle-school English project, students created storyboards to explore Edgar Allan Poe’s “Annabel Lee,” combining artwork with details from the poem and their own interpretations. In an AP Physics lesson, students used a long cord to demonstrate how waves carry energy.
Students generally work together in groups or in pairs at small tables to spur discussions. Field trips have included trips to the Tenement Museum to see the daily lives of early immigrant and migrant families in New York City, Citi Field to see the Mets, and the Jet Blue Hangar at JFK Airport. High school students visit Ellis Island and take a day-long trip to Philadelphia.
Wagner celebrates its diverse community through a multicultural festival, and theater performances. Spanish, Bengali, and Mandarin are the most common languages spoken by students. Bilingual staff help translate for families.
Wagner partners with the College Bound Initiative to provide college counseling and support for grades 9 to 12.
Some interior classrooms lack windows and the low-ceilinged gymnasium is cramped but Wagner has an active and successful sports program. (Lydie Raschka, official reports, September 2026)
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School Stats
Is this school safe and well-run?
From the 2024-2025 NYC School Survey
From this school's most recent Quality Review Report
From the 2024-25 School Quality Report
How do students perform academically?
From the New York State 2024-2025 Assessment Database
From the 2024-25 School Quality Guide
Who does this school serve?
From the 2024-25 Demographic Snapshot
From the 2024-25 School Quality Guide
How does this school serve special populations?
From the 2024-25 School Quality Report
From the New York State 2024-2025 Assessment Database
Programs & Admissions
From the 2024 High School DirectoryArts and Technology
Offerings
From the 2024 High School DirectoryContact & Location
Location
47-07 30Th Place
Queens
NY
11101
Trains:
to Rawson St-33rd St;
,
,
to Queens Plaza;
to Long Island City-Court Square
Buses: B24, B62, Q100, Q101, Q102, Q32, Q39, Q60, Q63, Q67
Contact
Other Details
This school is in its own building.
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