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Our Insights

What’s Special

Emergency medicine and cyber security

The Downside

Attendance a work-in-progress; Lack of windows

The Urban Assembly School for Emergency Management offers pathways in emergency medicine and cyber security in addition to traditional high school coursework. It may appeal to students who want to work as a nurse or a firefighter, or in an area of cyber security such as data recovery or ethical hacking. Internships take place with organizations such as the Red Cross and the New York Police Department. 

One of the first things students study is First Aid, including CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation), a lifesaving technique used when someone’s breathing or heartbeat has stopped. In turn, a small team of students go into neighborhoods that have the slowest ambulance response times in the city to train residents in CPR.  

Students can eventually become New York State certified EMT’s (emergency medical technicians), who are first on the scene in emergency situations such as traumatic injuries or accidents. With this certification—and the free driver’s training that is part of the package—graduates may seek a job as an EMT at age 18. A former EMT and a volunteer firefighter are on the school’s staff. A few graduates have chosen a pre-med path at Stonybrook, said Robert Magliaro, a co-principal with Taina Torres.

In the cyber security pathway, students study code in Python computing language and other tech skills and may pursue industry certification in some core cyber security functions. 

Many students enter the high school with lower than average reading skills. To help them catch up, the school has streamlined its approach to studying vocabulary, note-taking and debate in all classes. Students must read at least twelve major books or scholarly publications each year. Those who fall behind are required to visit teachers during “office hours,” like in college. “Our literacy strategies result in a growth of about two grade levels per year,” said Magliaro. The school offers several Advanced Placement courses. 

As for extra activities, “as a small school, we can tailor the experience,” Magliaro said. When students expressed an interest in boating, the school forged a partnership with Brooklyn Boat Works, in which teens build a boat from scratch and sail it across the East River. A cooking club is also based on student interest.

Many students travel to the school from upper Manhattan and outer parts of the Bronx and Brooklyn. While more than half the students miss at least a month of school, the number of chronically absent students is declining. Every week teachers make students aware of how many days they have missed so they can see how quickly the days add up. Incentives for attending school regularly include an end of the year trip. 

Opened in 2013, the school is housed in the basement of the Murry Bergtraum Educational Campus, a building shared with Murry Bergtraum High School for Business CareersManhattan Early College School for Advertising and The Urban Assembly Maker Academy. The basement classrooms lack windows, but students do move around the building throughout the day, to the cafeteria on the second floor and the gyms on the fifth and sixth. Campus-wide PSAL sports include baseball, basketball, bowling, track, volleyball, softball and soccer. (Lydie Raschka, web reports and interview, October 2019) 

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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?
 
96%
How many students with disabilities graduate in 4 years?
 
90%
Average daily attendance
 
84%
How many students miss 18 or more days of school?
 
54%
How many parents of students with disabilities say this school offers enough activities and services for their children's needs?
 
100%
How many parents of students with disabilities say this school works to achieve the goals of their students' IEPs?
 
100%
From the 2022-23 School Quality Guide and 2022-23 NYC School Survey

Students

297
Number of students
Citywide Average is 615

Race/Ethnicity


School
Citywide
Low-income students
 
89%
Students with disabilities
 
19%
Multilingual learners
 
8%
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?
 
92%
How many students think bullying happens most or all of the time at this school?
 
43%
How many students say that some are bullied at their school because of their gender or sexual orientation?
 
31%
How many teachers say they would recommend this school to other families?
 
67%
From the 2022-23 NYC School Survey and 2019-20 NY State Report Card

Faculty & Staff

School
Citywide
How many teachers say the principal is an effective manager?
 
41%
2.1
Years of principal experience at this school
Citywide Average is 7
291
Number of students for each guidance counselor or social worker
Citywide Average is 191
How many teachers have 3 or more years of experience teaching?
 
64%
Are teachers effective?
From the 2022-23 NYC School Survey, 2022-23 School Quality Guide, 2021-22 Report on School-Based Staff Demographics, 2023 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

 
9%

Computer Science

Not offered in 2021-21

Physics

Not offered in 2021-21

Advanced Foreign Language

 
40%

AP/IB Arts, English, History or Social Science

 
8%

AP/IB Math or Science

 
29%

Music

Not offered in 2021-21
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?
 
47%
How many students take a college-level course or earn a professional certificate?
 
46%
How many students who have graduated from this high school stay in college for at least 3 semesters?
 
46%
From the 2020-21 and 2022-23 School Quality Guide
Visit Understanding FAFSA for help with the FAFSA and financial aid.
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

The Urban Assembly School for Emergency Management (M28A)

Admissions Method: Ed. Opt.

Program Description:

The Urban Assembly School for Emergency Management is a small high school in downtown Manhattan that prepares students for the college of their choice and career of their dreams through hands-on and work-based learning. Students select between two innovative career pathways in Emergency Medicine and Cyber Security. Students engage in paid internships, have preferential hiring with industry partners, receive free certification as EMTs or Security Analysts, and earn free, early college credit.

Offerings

From the 2024 High School Directory

Language Courses

French

Advanced Courses

Algebra II (Advanced Math), AP English Language and Composition, AP Environmental Science, AP Psychology, AP United States History, Chemistry (Advanced Science), ELA (College Course [Credited]), Other (College Course [Credited]), Social Studies (College Course [Credited]), World Languages (Advanced World Languages)

Boys PSAL teams

Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Indoor Track, Lacrosse, Outdoor Track, Soccer, Volleyball, Wrestling

Girls PSAL teams

Basketball, Cross Country, Flag Football, Indoor Track, Outdoor Track, Softball, Volleyball

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

NYC Department of Education: MySchools

Contact & Location

Location

411 Pearl Street
Manhattan NY 10038

Trains: 1 Line, E Line to Park Place; 2 Line, 3 Line, A Line, C Line to Fulton St; 4 Line, 5 Line, 6 Line, J Line, Z Line to Chambers St; N Line, Q Line to Canal St; R Line to City Hall

Buses: BM1, BM2, BM3, BM4, BxM18, M103, M15, M15-SBS, M22, M55, M9, QM11, QM25, QM7, QM8, SIM1, SIM10, SIM11, SIM15, SIM1C, SIM2, SIM3, SIM31, SIM32, SIM33C, SIM34, SIM35, SIM3C, SIM4, SIM4C, SIM4X, SIM5, SIM6, X27, X28, X37, X38


Contact

Principal: Rasheed Bility

Parent Coordinator: Brian Innes

Phone: 212-225-0998

Website

Other Details

Shared campus? Yes

This school shares the Murry Bergtraum Educational Campus with three other schools

Uniforms required? No
Metal detectors? No

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