Emma Lazarus High School for English Language Learners, a new school opening in Chinatown in September 2009, will focus on students who are not proficient in English and who are below their grade level. "There's a lot involved with it, but it's a population that needs the attention," said Principal Melody Kellogg, who worked as an assistant principal for six years at Lower East Side Preparatory. The school will share a building with Pace High School and MS 131.

Kellogg expects that students' academic levels will vary greatly, but that students will share the common goal of becoming literate in English. Some students may speak no English, but could master logarithms, while others may be almost proficient in English, but struggle to master 6th-grade math computations. Accommodating such vast learning differences requires a flexible programming, according to the principal. Students will take classes that meet their individual needs for graduation.

Classes are "not intended to be lecture format," said Kellogg. "We need kids to be engaged in their work." To keep students' attention, especially since they have not succeeded at their previous high schools, lessons will focus on what interests students.  They will work in groups and create projects based on what they learned.

"Ideally, I would have teachers who are dually certified in ESL [English as a Second Language] and a content area," said Kellogg.  She acknowledged the challenges of finding such teachers, though, and said she plans to have certified ESL teachers meet with other teachers to create lessons that will work specifically with ELLs (English Language Learners). "Everything we're doing in this school...is all going to be specifically to meet the needs of the ELL population," said Kellogg.

Partnerships with two organizations - Diploma Plus and New York City Mission Society - will provide student internships, teacher training, ESL classes for parents, and family and student counseling.

After School: The school will offer tutoring, credit-earning classes, and PSAL basketball.

Special Education: The school will initially offer SETSS, but Kellogg said she would add self-contained or Collaborative Team Teaching classes if there are enough students who require them.

Admissions: Students must be English Language Learners and have attended high school for at least one year. Students can enter with no credits. Preference is given to Manhattan residents. Student who passed the NYSESLAT, a test which determines proficiency in English, but still struggle with English may also attend. Call (718) 935-3587 to schedule an interview. (Vanessa Witenko, February 2009)

The Emma Lazarus High School for English Language Learners did not open this past September as was planned.