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Our Insights

What’s Special

Well-run school that gives older students a second chance

The Downside

No gymnasium

Queens Satellite High School for Opportunity serves students who are at least 16 years old and transferring from at least one prior high school. It runs on a trimester so older students who work hard may finish a year and a half’s worth of classes from September to June. Teachers overwhelmingly recommend the school to new families, according to NYC school surveys.

The average age of students is about 18 year old, said a social work student who worked in the building, posting on the parentsofteens listserv. Some may be older than 20 by the time they get their diplomas. The smaller school setting is designed to provide more individual support. 

Principal Thomas McKenna took the helm in 2017. NYC school surveys show he is a respected leader. He has worked with a dedicated staff to improve the school's performance over the last several years, according to an email correspondence with the parent coordinator. McKenna gained experience with transfer schools as the founding principal of Brooklyn Democracy Academy. Much of his work experience has been with at-risk youth, according to his Linked in page, including a stint as assistant principal of the high school of Riker's Island.

The school shares the building with a GED program designed for new immigrants. There is no gymnasium, but gym classes are held in the Jamaica YMCA two blocks away, and students take yoga in the building for one trimester. 

Queens Satellite is part of the New York Performance Standards Consortium, a group of schools exempt from administering all but the English Regents exam. Eleventh- and 12th-graders must complete PBATs (performance based assessment tasks) on topics of their choosing, which involve research and reading as well as writing and presenting papers in English, math, history, science, a foreign language and art.

The school partners with the NYC Learning to Work initiative, which provides paid internships and work experience for students.  (Lydie Raschka, web reports, December 2018; updated August 2020) 

 

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School Stats

Citywide Average Key
This school is Better Near Worse than the citywide average

Academics

School
Citywide
Transfer school graduation rate
 
59%
How many students with disabilities graduate in 4 years?
 
70%
How many English language learners graduate in 4 years?
 
70%
From the 2021-22 School Quality Guide and 2020-21 NYC School Survey

Students

143
Number of students
Citywide Average is 615

Race/Ethnicity


School
Citywide
Low-income students
 
85%
Students with disabilities
 
8%
Multilingual learners
 
24%
From the 2022-23 Demographic Snapshot

Safety & Vibe

School
Citywide
How many students were suspended?
 
0%
How many students say they feel safe in the hallways, bathrooms and locker rooms?
 
97%
How many students think bullying happens most or all of the time at this school?
 
20%
How many students say that some are bullied at their school because of their gender or sexual orientation?
 
29%
How many teachers say they would recommend this school to other families?
 
100%
From the 2020-21 NYC School Survey and 2019-20 NY State Report Card

Faculty & Staff

School
Citywide
How many teachers say the principal is an effective manager?
 
100%
5.2
Years of principal experience at this school
Citywide Average is 7
107
Number of students for each guidance counselor or social worker
Citywide Average is 157

Teachers’ Race/Ethnicity


How many teachers have 3 or more years of experience teaching?
 
100%
Are teachers effective?
From the 2020-21 NYC School Survey, 2021-22 School Quality Guide, 2019-20 Report on School-Based Staff Demographics, 2021 Guidance Counselor Report, and this school's most recent Quality Review Report

Advanced Courses

Which students have access to advanced courses at this school? Learn more

Calculus

Not offered in 2019-20

Computer Science

Not offered in 2019-20

Physics

Not offered in 2019-20

Advanced Foreign Language

Not offered in 2019-20

AP/IB Arts, English, History or Social Science

Not offered in 2019-20

AP/IB Math or Science

Not offered in 2019-20

Music

 
29%
From unpublished, anonymized data from the 2021-22 school year provided by the New York State Education Department, brought to you by

College Readiness

School
Citywide
How many students graduate with test scores high enough to enroll at CUNY without remedial help?
 
8%
From the 2020-21 and 2021-22 School Quality Guide
How many students filled out a FAFSA form by the end of their senior year?
 
24%
From the 2022-23 FAFSA data released by Federal Student Aid, brought you by
For more information about our data sources, see About Our Data · More DOE statistics for this school

Contact & Location

Location

162-02 Hillside Avenue
Queens NY 11432

Trains: E Line, J Line, Z Line to Jamaica Center-Parsons/Archer; F Line to Parsons Blvd

Buses: Q4, Q5, Q20A, Q20B, Q24, Q30, Q31, Q42, Q44 SBS, Q83, Q84, Q85, Q6, Q8, Q9, Q25, Q34, Q41, Q65, Q110, Q111, Q112, Q113, Q114


Contact

Principal: Thomas Mckenna

Parent Coordinator: Brian Reilly

Website

Other Details

Shared campus? No

This school is in its own building.

Uniforms required? No
Metal detectors? No

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