Academy For Personal Leadership And Excellence

Academy for Personal Leadership and Excellence has a safe and respectful tone, and has built a culture of trust among staff, according to a yearly set of goals called the Comprehensive Educational Plan (CEP). 

Since its founding in 2010, the school has had ups and downs. It is now  in good standing after time spent on a list of lowest-performing schools in the city. The school has become more cohesive in recent years. Teachers say they work well together and observe each other to learn how to plan and execute stronger lessons. Students are beginning to discuss ideas and topics in class more, school surveys show, but the level of participation is inconsistent, according to the Quality Review.

The school faces challenges. Many students arrive lagging behind in reading and math skills. Test scores remain well below the citywide average, yet teachers have been able to help most students—especially those with special needs or learning English— move up at least one performance level (out of four) during their three years at the school, the NYC Quality Snapshot shows. 

Through a partnership with Morris Heights Health Clinic, the school is able to provide immunizations, treatment of minor injuries, and help manage chronic illnesses such as asthma or obesity. It provides reproductive health services for adolescents. Weiko Children’s Services offers counseling in school. Inwood House Mission runs an after-school program until 6 pm. 

The Academy shares space with the East Fordham Academy for the Arts. The building boasts a renovated swimming pool, a dance room and a fitness center equipped with treadmills and exercise bicycles. The playground is equipped with six basketball hoops and one full court. 

SPECIAL EDUCATION: This school hosts an ASD Nest Program for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). These students learn in a classroom alongside typically developing children, taught by two teachers who have been trained in the program’s specialized curriculum and teaching strategies. 

ADMISSIONS: In addition to serving students who live in its zone, the school admits students in Districts 9 and 10 and has some space for those from other parts of the Bronx. (Lydie Raschka, web reports, August 2019)