Our Insights
What’s Special
Science research opportunities
The Downside
Attendance and discipline are a work in progress
Founded in 2013, Pelham Lab High School offers science research opportunities and trips, in partnerships with Syracuse University and Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
For some lessons, teachers assign projects that relate to students' lives, said founding Principal Jason Wagner. For example, in a math applications class, students "choose" a career, research the salary and make a budget based on take-home pay to see what they can afford.
High-achieving 12th graders may participate in a science research class in which they design their own experiments and earn college credits through Syracuse. They also take regular trips to the science department at Albert Einstein, a mile away, and some do summer internships in labs.
Parents are happy with the school, said Wagner, and they send younger siblings based on their experience. Most students feel safe in school and, while Wagner acknowledges the school has a ways to go to improve discipline and lower the suspension rate, he says, “our numbers show that, over time, we’re moving in the right direction.”
More than half the staff has been trained in the use of restorative justice practices, designed to de-escalate tensions before they become large problems. The school has also adopted practices from NYC Outward Bound, a nonprofit that emphasizes adventure and team building. All 9th-graders are assigned to a “crew” of 10 to 15 kids and a teacher to work on organization and study skills and for social support. Crews stay together for all four years of high school.
Some students miss a month or more of school. Each grade has its own guidance counselor and there is a full-time attendance secretary who calls or texts parents of missing students before the day is over, Wagner said.
Wagner previously worked as a lead AP English Language and Composition teacher at Millennium Art Academy, a small school where student work is often infused with art.
Pelham Lab is located in the Herbert H. Lehman High School Campus, which it shares with five other schools. Sharing space within the building can be a challenge and results in increased class size and crowded hallways, Wagner said. The upside is students may participate in Lehman’s many campus sports, teachers share practices among schools and students have access to more Advanced Placement classes.
College trips begin in the 9th grade. The school partners with CARA (college access: research and action), which specializes in providing help for first-generation, low-income college-bound students. (Lydie Raschka, interview and web reports, December 2018)
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School Stats
Academics
Students
Race/Ethnicity
Safety & Vibe
Faculty & Staff
Advanced Courses
Calculus
Not offered in 2021-21Computer Science
Physics
Advanced Foreign Language
AP/IB Arts, English, History or Social Science
AP/IB Math or Science
Music
Not offered in 2021-21College Readiness
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Programs & Admissions
From the 2024 High School DirectoryPelham Lab High School (X26A)
Program Description:
Pelham Lab offers a rigorous academic program that also supports students social and emotional growth. Students have multiple opportunities for college-level work in high school including opportunities for AP courses, Science Research and CUNY College Now courses. Every student receives a crew class to ensure they can navigate high school and be prepared for college and career in the years ahead.
Offerings
From the 2024 High School DirectoryLanguage Courses
Spanish
Advanced Courses
Algebra II (Advanced Math), AP Biology, AP Computer Science Principles, AP English Language and Composition, AP English Literature and Composition, AP Spanish Language and Culture, AP United States Government and Politics, AP United States History, AP World History: Modern, Chemistry (Advanced Science), ELA (College Course [Credited]), Other (College Course [Credited]), Science (College Course [Credited]), Social Studies (College Course [Credited]), World Languages (Advanced World Languages)
Boys PSAL teams
Baseball, Basketball, Football, Indoor Track, Lacrosse, Outdoor Track, Rugby, Soccer, Wrestling
Girls PSAL teams
Basketball, Bowling, Cross Country, Flag Football, Indoor Track, Lacrosse, Outdoor Track, Soccer, Softball, Volleyball
Coed PSAL teams
Cricket, Stunt
Read about admissions, academics, and more at this school on NYCDOE’s MySchools
Contact & Location
Location
3000 East Tremont Avenue
Bronx
NY
10461
Trains: to Westchester Square-East Tremont Av
Buses: Bx21, Bx24, Bx31, Bx4, Bx40, Bx42, Bx4A, Bx8
Contact
Other Details
This school shares the Herbert H. Lehman Educational Campus with five other schools
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