Food and Finance High School, one of four small schools housed in the Park West High School building, is designed to teach students both cooking skills and the business side of food preparation: how to order supplies, how to maintain inventory and how to create a business plan. A student-run retail bakery is expected to provide a practical application of these business skills. Food and Finance, opened in fall 2004, has its roots in the culinary arts program that had been one of the few success stories in Park West High School, which is closing because of low-performance.

Principal Roger Turgeon, former assistant principal at Park West, told us his goal is to prepare students for post-secondary education and to encourage them to continue their education, although he knows many of the students will go directly into work after graduating. The planned core culinary program consists of one introductory cooking course in the first year, two intermediate courses in the second year, advanced courses in the third year and co-op opportunities in the fourth year, with students working in restaurants in certain weeks and taking classes in the other weeks.

The school's primary community partner is FoodChange (formerly Community Food Resources Center), a not-for-profit organization that aims to make nutrition and wholesome eating a daily reality for all New Yorkers. FoodChange has a staff member plus two interns on the premises of the school. During the first year, the partners focused on projects such as after-school programs and summer internships. However, there are plans to add programs more related to the theme of the school, such as a visiting chefs program. Turgeon said there are also plans to participate in the National Restaurant Association Educational Fund's ProStart program in restaurant management, the ServSafe food handling certification program and C-CAP, the Careers in Culinary Arts Program. It appeared that much of the school's first year was spent getting organized. The school had more special education students than anticipated -- 26 out of 100 students enrolled -- and it took a while to get them the services they needed. (One of the math teachers at the school has a special education certification. She and a part time special education teacher who comes in four days a week provide special education support services.) Moreover, there were 11 English Language Learners. The school is able to avail itself of building wide services for ELL.

During our visit we were unable to observe any culinary class, as the principal kitchen was temporarily out of operation while repairs were being made. Also the school's chef had recently left and his replacement was just settling in.

There was a limited amount of student work posted in the hallways during our visit. In some classes, kids seemed to grasp the assigned material. But other students were disengaged and some diverted classroom discussions from the topic at hand. The teachers with whom we spoke did say they liked the smaller size of this new school and the cooperation they observed among the students, with the stronger students helping those with weaker academic skills.

The school has been assigned the basement of the Park West building. The building had an excess of kitchens: 16 in total and five alone in the new school's assigned space. Extensive repairs were scheduled to be undertaken during summer of 2005 which, according to Turgeon, would include upgrading of the kitchens to be used by the program, conversion of one into a science lab, and repairs to the heating and air-conditioning system, which currently produces widely varying temperatures throughout the school. There were metal detectors at the entrance at the time of our visit.

According to Turgeon, parent involvement at the school is not extensive due to the fact that the school draws from all over the city and many of the parents would have long distances to travel to the school.

The school provides after school academic assistance. In addition to the after school programs provided by FoodChange, The Valley, Inc., a non-profit youth service agency, provides after school tutoring, recreational programs such as dance and help with summer employment. There is also a school newspaper, a poetry club, talent show, baseball, handball, basketball and a track team planned for fall of 2005. (Tom Huser, May 2005)