Our Insights
What’s Special
Visual and performing arts
The Downside
Concerns about discipline and order
On the seventh floor of the Washington Irving Educational Campus, Gramercy Arts High School offers a four-year studio arts major, in Visual or Performing Arts, and a screened humanities and arts program for students who want to earn college credits.
The school day runs from 8:20 to 3:30 to accommodate the arts. Each studio has at least one residency each semester. For Visual Arts, residencies are in partnership with The New Museum, School of Visual Arts and Fashion Institute of Technology. Performing Arts students works with New York Theatre Workshop, Manhattan Theatre Club and the Vineyard Theatre.
After school, children work on performances or may join the dance club, Model United Nations, chess club, yoga club, sisters who code, anime or yearbook.
The school has a newspaper, The New Gramercy Times, with articles titled “Trump vs. Twitter” and “Transphobia,” as well as music and theater reviews.
The city’s 2017 Quality Review praised the school for its inclusive environment; it has a gay-straight alliance, and kids study African American artists like August Wilson and Alvin Ailey. Families and students enjoy field day, career day, talent shows, dances and potlucks.
The school also faces challenges. On school surveys more than half the students report that they do not feel challenged. This is the area in need of most improvement on the Quality Review.
Susan DiCicco, formerly the assistant principal of social studies and language at LaGuardia High School, became principal in 2014. School surveys also show friction between her and the teachers; fewer than half the teachers think the principal is an effective manager. About two-thirds of the teachers do not think discipline and order are maintained at school.
Gramercy Arts shares the building with Academy for Software Engineering, Success Academy Union Square Charter, International High School at Union Square, The High School for Language and Diplomacy and Union Square Academy for Health Sciences. (Lydie Raschka, web reports, April 2018)
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School Stats
Academics
Students
Race/Ethnicity
Safety & Vibe
Faculty & Staff
Advanced Courses
Calculus
Computer Science
Physics
Not offered in 2021-21Advanced Foreign Language
Not offered in 2021-21AP/IB Arts, English, History or Social Science
AP/IB Math or Science
Music
Not offered in 2021-21College Readiness
Programs & Admissions
From the 2024 High School DirectoryVisual Arts (M66A)
Program Description:
Students enrolled in this program experience an education with an emphasis on skills and technologies that can lead to 21st century employment using digital design, computer aided drafting, website design, product design and careers yet to be discovered! Content increases in rigor as students progress through the years. Students keep a portfolio of work so that they may not only reflect on their learning but use these portfolios as evidence and discussion points at job and college interviews.
Theater Arts (M66B)
Program Description:
The Theater Arts are used as a conduit for self-confidence and self-awareness so that graduates can be engaging in both theaters and board rooms. A 4-year curriculum is offered where students can take 1-2 periods of theater daily. Students acquire skills used in theatre and performance as well as other career paths. Learners focus on directing, playwriting, musical theater, and technical design. An senior-year Exit Project is completed for all students so they may earn an arts endorsed diploma.
Capstone Scholars (M66I)
Requirements:
- Average Course Grades - 65%
- Interview - 35%
Program Description:
For more information about how to complete this program's application requirements, please visit https://gramercyhs.org/
Offerings
From the 2024 High School DirectoryLanguage Courses
Spanish
Advanced Courses
Algebra II (Advanced Math), AP Art History, AP Biology, AP Calculus AB, AP English Language and Composition, AP Psychology, AP Seminar, AP Statistics, AP Studio Art - Drawing, AP United States History, AP World History: Modern, Arts (College Course [Credited]), Chemistry (Advanced Science), Social Studies (College Course [Credited])
Boys PSAL teams
Baseball, Basketball, Handball, Soccer, Volleyball
Girls PSAL teams
Basketball, Softball, Volleyball
Read about admissions, academics, and more at this school on NYCDOE’s MySchools
Contact & Location
Location
40 Irving Place
Manhattan
NY
10003
Trains: , , , , , , to 14th St-Union Square
Buses: BM1, BM2, BM3, BM4, BxM10, BxM6, BxM7, BxM8, BxM9, M1, M101, M102, M103, M14A-SBS, M14D-SBS, M15, M15-SBS, M2, M23-SBS, M3, M34-SBS, M34A-SBS, M55, M8, M9, QM21, SIM10, SIM11, SIM1C, SIM3, SIM31, SIM33, SIM33C, SIM3C, SIM4C, SIM6, SIM7, SIM9, X27, X28, X37, X38, X63, X64, X68
Contact
Other Details
This school shares the Washington Irving Educational Campus with five other schools
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