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Our Insights

What’s Special

Filmmaking, music production, trips

The Downside

Metal detectors; concerns with discipline and order

Life Academy High School for Film and Music was designed to engage students in academic subjects while teaching them how to make music videos and short films. They also compose and perform songs and learn recording studio production techniques. 

This tiny, multi-racial school opened in the Lafayette Educational Complex in 2007. It has had rocky periods but academic performance has quickly improved under the leadership of Principal Eugenia Kelch, who took the helm in 2015. Although students and teachers still have some concerns about school discipline and climate, according to school surveys, most students graduate on time and about half are ready for college-level work. 

Teachers meet individually with students to give them feedback on ways they can improve and to set goals for each marking period, according to the Comprehensive Educational Plan. Discussion and writing is a priority is all classes, according to the Quality Review.

Students take photography and film trips to capture and create work in Central Park, Prospect Park and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. See student work, including personal “memoirs,” music videos and animations on the school website

They take field trips to Broadway shows, according to the Arts in Schools Report, and visit Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Brooklyn Museum and the Museum of the Moving Image. Students also visit colleges and historical sites in Washington D. C. and Philadelphia.

This school shares the Lafayette Educational Complex with four other schools. All schools may participate in campus-wide sports.

Students must pass through metal detectors to enter the school. (Lydie Raschka, web reports, December 2018)

 

 

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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?
 
91%
How many students with disabilities graduate in 4 years?
 
92%
How many English language learners graduate in 4 years?
 
81%
Average daily attendance
 
81%
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?
 
80%
How many parents of students with disabilities say this school works to achieve the goals of their students' IEPs?
 
80%
From the 2021-22 School Quality Guide and 2020-21 NYC School Survey

Students

247
Number of students
Citywide Average is 599

Race/Ethnicity


School
Citywide
Low-income students
 
83%
Students with disabilities
 
21%
Multilingual learners
 
26%
From the 2022-23 Demographic Snapshot

Safety & Vibe

School
Citywide
How many students were suspended?
 
1%
How many students say they feel safe in the hallways, bathrooms and locker rooms?
 
82%
How many students think bullying happens most or all of the time at this school?
 
26%
How many students say that some are bullied at their school because of their gender or sexual orientation?
 
25%
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?
 
83%
7.0
Years of principal experience at this school
Citywide Average is 7
128
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?
 
82%
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

 
0%

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

 
100%

AP/IB Math or Science

 
8%

Music

Not offered in 2019-20
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?
 
46%
How many students take a college-level course or earn a professional certificate?
 
83%
How many students who have graduated from this high school stay in college for at least 3 semesters?
 
57%
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?
 
53%
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

Life Academy High School for Film and Music (L38A)

Admissions Method: Ed. Opt.

Offerings

From the 2024 High School Directory

Language Courses

Spanish

Advanced Courses

Algebra II (Advanced Math), AP Biology, AP English Language and Composition, AP English Literature and Composition, AP United States History, AP World History: Modern, World Languages (Advanced World Languages)

Boys PSAL teams

Baseball, Basketball, Bowling, Cross Country, Football, Handball, Indoor Track, Outdoor Track, Soccer, Table Tennis, Tennis, Volleyball, Wrestling

Girls PSAL teams

Badminton, Basketball, Bowling, Cross Country, Flag Football, Indoor Track, Outdoor Track, Soccer, Softball, Table Tennis, Volleyball

Coed PSAL teams

Cricket

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

NYC Department of Education: MySchools

Contact & Location

Location

2630 Benson Avenue
Brooklyn NY 11214

Trains: D Line to Bay 50th St; N Line to 86th St

Buses: B1, B3, B4, B6, B64, B82, B82-SBS, X28, X38


Contact

Principal: Eugenia Kelch

Parent Coordinator: Phylicia Mussington Matt

Website

Other Details

Shared campus? Yes

This school shares the Lafayette Educational Campus with four other schools

Uniforms required? No
Metal detectors? Yes

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