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Union Square Academy for Health Sciences
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Manhattan NY
Our Insights
What’s Special
School trains dental assistants and pharmacy technicians
The Downside
Friction between principal and staff
Union Square Academy for Health Sciences, founded in 2012 in the Washington Irving Educational Campus, offers students the chance to study to be a dental assistant or a pharmacy technician.
The school has a good track record preparing students for success in college; most graduate on time and more than half are ready for college-level work. Almost all graduates stay enrolled in college for at least three semesters, far higher than the citywide average.
The dentistry program is a three-year sequence; students who pass the National Occupational Competency Testing Institute (NOCTI) test become certified Dental Laboratory Technicians. Students in the pharmacy program take the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam in their senior year.
The school welcomes parents to school shows, piano recitals, college workshops and on student-parent trips to Ramapo, an outdoor retreat center, according to the Comprehensive Education Plan. In school, older students are trained to mentor younger ones.
The school shares sports teams with other schools in the building. The building has metal detectors.
One downside: only one-third of the teachers say founding Principal Bernardo Ascona is an effective manager, according to school surveys. Some teachers complain of problems with discipline and order.
Admissions: Educational option. The school seeks a range of academic abilities. (Lydie Raschka, web reports, November 2018)
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School Stats
Is this school safe and well-run?
From 2018-19 NYC School Survey
From 2017-18 NY State Report Card
From this school's most recent Quality Review Report
From 2018-19 School Quality Guide
How do students perform academically?
From 2018-19 School Quality Guide
Who does this school serve?
From 2019-20 Demographic Snapshot
From 2018-19 School Quality Guide
How does this school serve special populations?
From 2018-19 School Quality Guide
Programs & Admissions
From the 2021 High School Directory
Program Description:
Students who are interested in becoming a pharmacy technician can acquire certification as approved by state. You will complete four years of courses, which include a Career and Financial Management course, and an internship in the pharmacy area. You will need to pass Pharmacy Technician Examination by senior year.
Program Description:
Students who wish to enter the dental field can acquire certification by completing the Dental Laboratory Technician program in high school, complete four years of courses which include Career and Financial Management, with 150 hours of internship time in the dental field. You will also need to pass the NOCTI Dental Laboratory Technician examination to get certification.
Academics
Language Courses
Spanish
Advanced Placement (AP) courses
AP U.S. Government and Politics, AP Biology, AP Statistics, AP Spanish Language and Culture, AP English Literature and Composition, AP World History: Modern, AP European History, AP English Language and Composition, AP United States History, AP Psychology
Sports
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
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to 14th St-Union Square
Contact
Other Details
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