Our Insights
What’s Special
Engaging, hands-on programs both on and under water
The Downside
Ferries only run every hour; few electives and activities that are not marine-focused.
It's easy to forget you're in New York City at the Urban Assembly Harbor School on Governors Island, where kids trade subways and city streets for scuba dives and boat trips. Students may specialize in aquaculture, underwater engineering, boat building, boat operation or biology research, and receive CTE (career and technical education) certificates that may help them get jobs after high school. One student we spoke to wanted to be a science journalist, while another was doing an internship with a fiberglass company.
The main building houses academic classes, administration and some CTE labs. A smaller building by the water is home to other CTE programs, as well as offices for the school's partner organization, the Billion Oyster Project.
The enthusiasm at Harbor is infectious. Students gush about their research projects. Teachers gobble lunch standing up between meetings and class preparation. In this rather informal atmosphere, everyone is called by his or her first name.
Some of Harbor's strengths are also its weaknesses. The incredible location comes with an awkward commute, and students who miss the 8 a.m. ferry must wait a full hour for the next one. The last boat home is at 6 p.m., so Parents Association meetings are held at a school in Manhattan. Another downside: With such an extensive range of marine-related classes and activities, there's little money or time for other extracurriculars or electives. The school offers art freshman year only, and one year of French.
Freshmen take an introductory course that integrates marine policy, environmental stewardship and fieldwork before choosing their CTE specialty in 10th grade. Students take Regents exams, and academic classes follow a standard sequence.
Jeffrey Chetirko took the reins in 2015 after a revolving door of three principals in four years. He was principal at the Urban Assembly Institute for New Technologies in Harlem, but he jumped at the opportunity to move closer to his home on Staten Island. For his part, Chetirko says he's there to stay: "This will be my last principal position, because I never want to go anywhere else."
Chetirko brought in a new dean and enforced rules when he arrived, such as limiting how far students could go on the island. He hired about a dozen new teachers after a big exodus. On our visit, students were calm and seemed happy to be there. A parent we met at the high school fair said she was optimistic about the school's future and felt things were calming down after a few years of instability.
While the marine-focused activities are the school's centerpiece, core academic classes seemed less inspiring. Chetirko hopes to bring the excitement of the CTE programs into other classrooms. He also recognizes that the school has always been good at supporting students who need extra help, but needs to find more ways to challenge top students.
“We need to keep pushing our students,” Chetirko said by phone. “Some students bypass specialized high schools to come to our school because they want the maritime courses, but are not feeling as challenged in our academic classes.”
Now that the atmosphere has improved, teens feel safe, and the staff is stable, Chetirko is working on consistency and shared language and practices schoolwide. For example, teachers set reading goals in all classes, not just in English. Students retake tests to improve performance. The focus on the yearly plan is “improving questioning and discussion techniques and assessment practices across the Harbor community.”
SPECIAL EDUCATION: About half of all classes are team-taught. (Ella Colley, April 2016; updated via phone interview, 2018)
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School Stats
Academics
Students
Race/Ethnicity
Safety & Vibe
Faculty & Staff
Advanced Courses
Calculus
Computer Science
Not offered in 2021-21Physics
Advanced 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 DirectoryMarine Science and Technology (K51A)
Program Description:
Students choose from one of the following programs: Aquaculture, Marine Biology Research, Ocean Engineering, Marine Systems Technology, Marine Policy & Environmental Advocacy, Professional Diving, or Vessel Operations. Students may receive corresponding certifications for each program, such as Geographic Information System certification or US Safe Boaters License.
Offerings
From the 2024 High School DirectoryLanguage Courses
French, Spanish
Advanced Courses
Algebra II (Advanced Math), AP Calculus AB, AP English Language and Composition, AP English Literature and Composition, AP Environmental Science, Chemistry (Advanced Science), ELA (Advanced Placement), Other (College Course [Credited]), Physics (Advanced Science), World Languages (Advanced World Languages)
Boys PSAL teams
Baseball
Girls PSAL teams
Softball
Read about admissions, academics, and more at this school on NYCDOE’s MySchools
Contact & Location
Location
10 South Street Slip 7
Manhattan
NY
10004
Buses: SIM2, SIM31, SIM34, SIM35, SIM4, SIM4C, SIM4X, SIM5
Contact
Other Details
This school is in its own building.
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