Our Insights
What’s Special
Computer science; partnership with the Bronx Zoo
The Downside
Poor attendance; low on-time graduation rate
Wings Academy offers an Advanced Placement computer science program, including internships in Manhattan tech companies, and a partnership with the nearby Bronx Zoo. Students with severe disabilities may receive job training and all students receive lots of support.
However, attendance is poor and the graduation rate is well below the citywide average.
Many students arrive in 9th grade with weak academic skills and many have established a habit of missing school, said Assistant Principal Merwin Pond. To encourage better attendance, guidance counselors meet students weekly and make home visits. If students miss a class, teachers contact parents right away during the class time.
The suspension rate is higher than the citywide average and the administration is working on alternatives to encourage good behavior. Students who follow the rules earn “Wings money” which they convert into snacks and privileges. Students who bring phones to school wear a magnetized pouch so they can hang onto the phone, but not use it until the end of the day.
Principal Tuwanna Williams-Gray took the helm in 2013, after serving as assistant principal at Boys and Girls High School. Most teachers report on school surveys that she is a good manager.
Housed in a former factory, Wings Academy draws a “typical Bronx mix” of African American, Dominican, Puerto Rican, Honduran, Guyanese-Indian and West African students, according to Pond. Proximity to the 2 and 5 subway lines makes it easy for students to commute.
The Beacon program assists with attendance and college-readiness, and arranges college trips throughout the year. They offer cheerleading and dance in their after school program. Wings staffers mentor seniors “to help them get through,” to graduation, Pond said.
A long-time college advisor oversees the college application process. She tries to make sure everyone leaves with a plan, whether it’s school, work or the military. She keeps in touch with graduates even after they leave Wings, such as making sure they sign up for college classes.
Students take college trips to Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Albany. Graduates attend a range of two- and four-year colleges both public and private, Pond said.
Special education: The Adult Career and Continuing Education Services-Vocational Rehabilitation program (ACCES-VR) helps individuals with disabilities find and maintain employment through a range of vocational and independent living services. This may include technology training or getting a local diploma or finding a local independent living center, “so they’re not just abandoned after high school,” Pond said. (Lydie Raschka, interview and web reports, November 2018)
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School Stats
Academics
Students
Race/Ethnicity
Safety & Vibe
Faculty & Staff
Advanced Courses
Calculus
Not offered in 2021-21Computer Science
Physics
Not offered in 2021-21Advanced Foreign Language
AP/IB Arts, English, History or Social Science
AP/IB Math or Science
Music
College Readiness
Programs & Admissions
From the 2024 High School DirectoryAcademy for Excellence (X93A)
Program Description:
An accelerated Regents testing program that enables students to earn Advanced Regents Diplomas and become eligible to take AP tests and college level courses.
Offerings
From the 2024 High School DirectoryLanguage Courses
Spanish
Advanced Courses
Algebra II (Advanced Math), AP English Language and Composition, AP English Literature and Composition, AP Spanish Language and Culture, AP United States Government and Politics, AP United States History, Chemistry (Advanced Science), World Languages (Advanced World Languages)
Boys PSAL teams
Basketball
Girls PSAL teams
Basketball, Softball
Read about admissions, academics, and more at this school on NYCDOE’s MySchools
Contact & Location
Location
1122 East 180 Street
Bronx
NY
10460
Trains: , to East 180th St
Buses: Bx11, Bx21, Bx36, Bx40, Bx42, Bx9, BxM10, BxM6, Q44-SBS
Contact
Other Details
This school is in its own building.
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