Our Insights
What’s Special
Nice array of classes and activities; lots of honors and college-level courses
The Downside
Graduation rate for students with special needs has a ways to go
The High School for Environmental Studies (HSES) delivers on its theme while offering students a well-rounded high school experience. It offers a nice array of classes and activities that cater to a broad range of interests such as sustainability, visual arts, theater, media, food science, hydroponics, and robotics.
All freshmen take a course examining environmental issues impacting New York City and surrounding communities. Tenth-graders take an ethics course, where they delve into issues from both outcome-based (what’s the best or most efficient) and duty-based (what’s the most moral) perspectives. In the upper grades students may choose from elective classes, creative writing, marine biology, astronomy, gender studies, theater, music theory, to name a few.
Though the highly selective Honors Academy only admits a small group of students, there are plenty of honors classes and college-level courses open to all who qualify. There are several Advanced Placement (AP) courses, including multiple sections of AP Environmental Science and AB Calculus. Students may earn college credit by taking courses taught by HSES teachers but developed by the University of Vermont and SUNY College of Environment Science.
In many classes teachers incorporate hands-on work into lessons. For an example, in chemistry students perform a chips and salsa taste test to learn about acids, bases, and the Mesoamerican method for preparing corn called “nixtamalization.” Students in the History of New York City class, take a field trip to learn about the history of graffiti and then create their graffiti canvases, which are displayed in the school’s hallways.
Guidance counselors work with the same group of students for all four years, which helps the counselors get to know them better. Teachers serve as mentors to struggling students to ensure that they don’t get overlooked.
Foreign language instruction is offered in Spanish, Mandarin, and French. There is a nice range of electives, sports and extracurricular activities. Students may study theater, music or visual arts; they may take culinary and food studies classes, contribute to a student-run podcast. Gym electives include yoga, weight training and dance, the latter taught by an instructor from the nearby Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.
In addition to a massive gymnasium, facilities include a large library, hydroponic and food labs, a dance studio, and a media production studio.
A full-time postsecondary counselor along with guidance counselors meet with 11th-graders multiple times during their scheduled English class to walk them through the college application and financial aid process. All 10th-graders take a college and career seminar to begin exploring their postgraduation options.
SPECIAL EDUCATION: The school offers small classes for students with special needs only and ICT (integrated co-teaching classes), which serve a mix of general education and students with special needs and are taught by two teachers, one trained in special education. There are also ICT honors classes (Laura Zingmond, interview and web reports, May 2024)
Get more from InsideSchools
School Stats
Academics
Students
Race/Ethnicity
Safety & Vibe
Faculty & Staff
Advanced Courses
Calculus
Computer Science
Physics
Advanced 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 DirectoryEnvironmental Studies (M41C)
Program Description:
Interdisciplinary program emphasizing environmental studies: the natural environment, the urban environment, and environmental ethics. Students are expected to engage in research, environmental projects and internships, and complete a senior thesis.
Honors Academy (M41D)
Program Description:
Mathematics and science research, work in university laboratories.
Offerings
From the 2024 High School DirectoryLanguage Courses
French, Italian, Mandarin, Spanish
Advanced Courses
Algebra II (Advanced Math), AP Biology, AP Calculus AB, AP Computer Science Principles, AP English Literature and Composition, AP Environmental Science, AP Psychology, AP Statistics, AP United States Government and Politics, AP United States History, AP World History: Modern, Calculus (Advanced Math), Chemistry (Advanced Science), ELA (College Course [Credited]), Physics (Advanced Science), Social Studies (College Course [Credited]), World Languages (Advanced World Languages)
Boys PSAL teams
Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Soccer, Tennis, Volleyball
Girls PSAL teams
Basketball, Cross Country, Handball, Soccer, Softball, Tennis, Volleyball
Read about admissions, academics, and more at this school on NYCDOE’s MySchools
Contact & Location
Location
444 West 56 Street
Manhattan
NY
10019
Trains: , , , , to 59th St-Columbus Circle; to 50th St; , , to 57th St
Buses: BxM2, M10, M104, M11, M12, M20, M31, M5, M50, M57, M66, M7
Contact
Other Details
This school shares a building with Independence HS
Was this information helpful?
Get more from InsideSchools
You may also like …
Food and Finance High School
Manhattan, NY 10019
High School of Hospitality Management
Manhattan, NY 10019
Comments