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Talent Unlimited High School

Grades: 9-12
Staff Pick Staff Pick for Special Ed

Our Insights

What’s Special

Strong performing arts program

The Downside

Communication is a work-in-progress

Talent Unlimited combines a strong performing arts program with engaging academics, preparing students either to go to a liberal arts college or on to conservatory training in musical theater, voice, instrumental music, drama or dance.Housed in a wing of the Julia Richman Educational Complex on the Upper East Side, Talent Unlimited has its own entrance. It shares facilities such as a library and cafeteria with other schools in the building. The corridors could use some fresh paint and brighter lighting, but the classrooms are sunny.Music classes are on the same floor as math classes; dance is on the same floor as science, and drama is on the same floor as English and social studies. This arrangement encourages teachers to integrate academics and art and to take advantage of students' artistic talents to make academics more accessible.Students read Shakespeare in English classand act out scenes in drama. A math teacher gives a lesson on wavelengths, and the musicians learn about intervals and frequency. A science teacher makes a connection between radioactive decay and the rhythms that dancers understand. Students taking an introduction to engineering make props and sets for a school play.

While seniors at many New York City schools have a very light course load, Talent Unlimited encourages students to take four years of math and four years of science and about one-third of them do. The school offers a few Advanced Placement courses.

Principal Yeou Jey Vasconcelos joined the staff in 2016, replacing retiring principal Linda Hamil. Vasconcelos is a strong communicator who sends bi-monthly emails and letters home, according to parent-teacher association secretary, Lois Vigilante. In recent years, communication and strong family-community ties have gotten lower marks on otherwise strong school surveys.

Vasconcelos is a pianist who previously organized the music department at Eleanor Roosevelt and taught all instruments there. She studied science before moving into the performing arts and education. Vigilante said the principal "has a strong personality, is organized, addresses problems, looks for solutions." (There were no school surveys on her leadership from teachers and students at the time of this posting.)

COLLEGE ADMISSIONS: A few students have won POSSE scholarships to the University of Southern California and Wheaton College in Massachusetts. One dance student was admitted to Juilliard.

ADMISSIONS: Students may audition in dance, drama, voice, instrumental or musical theater. Applicants should score level 2-4 on standardized exams and have an 80 average or above in academic classes. There are weekly tours from September to December. (Clara Hemphill, 2012: updated by phone, Lydie Raschka, 2017)

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School Stats

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

Academics

School
Citywide
How many students graduate in 4 years?
 
100%
How many students with disabilities graduate in 4 years?
 
100%
Average daily attendance
 
84%
How many students miss 18 or more days of school?
 
58%
How many parents of students with disabilities say this school offers enough activities and services for their children's needs?
 
75%
How many parents of students with disabilities say this school works to achieve the goals of their students' IEPs?
 
88%
From the 2021-22 School Quality Guide and 2020-21 NYC School Survey

Students

436
Number of students
Citywide Average is 599

Race/Ethnicity


School
Citywide
Low-income students
 
55%
Students with disabilities
 
16%
Multilingual learners
 
2%
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?
 
92%
How many students think bullying happens most or all of the time at this school?
 
25%
How many students say that some are bullied at their school because of their gender or sexual orientation?
 
7%
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%
2.9
Years of principal experience at this school
Citywide Average is 7
177
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?
 
81%
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

 
8%

Physics

 
16%

Advanced Foreign Language

Not offered in 2019-20

AP/IB Arts, English, History or Social Science

 
77%

AP/IB Math or Science

 
15%

Music

 
100%
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?
 
81%
How many students take a college-level course or earn a professional certificate?
 
100%
How many students who have graduated from this high school stay in college for at least 3 semesters?
 
87%
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?
 
88%
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

Programs & Admissions

From the 2024 High School Directory

Musical Theater (M42J)

Admissions Method: Audition

Program Description:

A four-year rigorous curriculum prepares students for college and career. Students take acting, vocal, and musical theater dance classes with specific focus on tuning their physical instruments in preparation for full productions as upperclassmen. Students study musical theatre history, ensemble-building, improvisation, and acting through song. In addition, the senior year includes specialized units in college audition readiness, industry exposure, and theater as a business.

Vocal Music: Classical and Contemporary (M42K)

Admissions Method: Audition

Program Description:

A four-year rigorous curriculum prepares students for college and career. Students take daily solo voice and ensemble classes, studying repertoire in English, Italian, French, and German. Students perform on the main stage all four years, including a fully staged opera in 12th grade. Students study piano, musicianship/theory, and phonetics. Students may complete internships with cultural organizations, perform in events including NYSSMA adjudication, and graduate with an arts-endorsed diploma.

Dance: Ballet and Modern (M42L)

Admissions Method: Audition

Program Description:

A four-year rigorous curriculum prepares students for college and career. Students take daily ballet, modern, improvisation, dance composition, pointe, and repertory. Dancers perform on the main stage all four years. Students study dance history, anatomy, injury prevention, body conditioning and yoga, and workshops with professional companies, including Martha Graham in 11th and 12th grades. Students complete internships with cultural organizations and graduate with an arts-endorsed diploma.

Drama (M42N)

Admissions Method: Audition

Program Description:

A four-year rigorous curriculum prepares students for college and career. Students take daily drama and movement classes on acting techniques and tuning their physical instruments in preparation for full productions in 11th and 12th grades. Students study theater history, voice and speech, improvisation, and digital filmmaking. Students complete internships with cultural organizations, compete yearly in the National Shakespeare Competition, and graduate with both a CTE and arts endorsement.

Instrumental Music (M42P)

Admissions Method: Audition

Program Description:

A four-year rigorous curriculum prepares students for college and career. Students rehearse daily in large ensembles and have diverse performance opportunities throughout all four years. Students study music theory, history, and piano in 9th and 10th grades, and study solo repertory and chamber music in 11th and 12th grades. Students may complete internships with cultural organizations, perform in special events including NYSSMA adjudications, and graduate with an arts endorsement diploma.

Offerings

From the 2024 High School Directory

Language Courses

Spanish

Advanced Courses

Algebra II (Advanced Math), AP Computer Science Principles, AP English Language and Composition, AP English Literature and Composition, AP Music Theory, AP Statistics, AP World History: Modern, Chemistry (Advanced Science), Physics (Advanced Science), World Languages (Advanced World Languages)

Boys PSAL teams

Basketball, Soccer, Volleyball

Girls PSAL teams

Basketball, Soccer, Volleyball

Read about admissions, academics, and more at this school on NYCDOE’s MySchools

NYC Department of Education: MySchools

Contact & Location

Location

317 East 67 Street
Manhattan NY 10065

Trains: 4 Line, 5 Line, N Line, Q Line, R Line to 59th St; 6 Line to 68th St-Hunter College; F Line to Lexington Av

Buses: BxM1, BxM10, BxM11, BxM3, BxM4, BxM6, BxM7, BxM8, BxM9, M1, M101, M102, M103, M15, M15-SBS, M2, M3, M31, M4, M57, M66, M72, M98, Q101, Q32, Q60, QM2, QM20, QM3


Contact

Principal: William Gagstetter

Parent Coordinator: Leonor Sanchez

Website

Other Details

Shared campus? Yes

This school shares the Julia Richman Educational Campus with four other schools

Uniforms required? No
Metal detectors? No

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