Our Insights
What’s Special
High expectations and lots of support for all students; strong math and science instruction
The Downside
Space is tight in a shared building
At the Urban Assembly School for Applied Math and Science (AMS) creative, hands-on lessons and supportive staff help students stay engaged in math and science. Most students arrive in 6th grade and stay through high school. Though many arrive in 6th grade behind in skills, by the end of 8th grade roughly half of the students pass the algebra Regents exam; by graduation many students have tackled some college level work.
Teachers offer an unusual level of support. They early morning text messages to students who struggle with attendance and before the start of the school year they make home visits to all incoming 6th-graders and 9th-graders new to the school. They also lead advisory groups that give students a forum to discuss their feelings and connect with others. Instead of the rushed parent-teacher meetings that take place in most schools, parents at AMS meet with their child’s advisor three times a year for in-depth conferences.
In 6th and 7th grade, classes mix children of different abilities. Starting in 8th grade, struggling students are placed with the strongest teachers in smaller groups.
Instruction emphasizes depth over breadth and teachers devote a lot of class time to lengthy projects, which encourage students to think creatively. For instance, 9th-graders in algebra 2 learn about functions by spending a week researching the income tax code and evaluating the merits of a progressive tax (a piecewise function) versus a flat tax. In living environment, they head to a nearby park to collect data on its biomass (total mass of living organisms). In the 6th and 7th grades students hone their fundamental math skills, spending a week charting their dream cross-country trip or planning a party, working out all measurements, calculations and costs involved. Students write essays explaining their choices and conclusions and wrap up their projects with oral presentations to their class.
Not all students excel in math, but everyone sticks with it. Struggling students take geometry and computer science in the upper grades (after completing algebra and algebra 2) while stronger students, mainly those who pass the algebra Regents in 8th grade, stick with a traditional sequence that keeps them on path for calculus by the 12th grade.
All 9th-graders take a physics course that emphasizes hands-on learning, such as studying the physics behind electrical circuits and race cars and then building working models to test. Students study the forces involved in skydiving and then visit an indoor skydiving center to enjoy a simulated dive.
By high school, students tackle weighty issues on race, power and privilege both in and out of the classroom. For instance, in 10th grade English, students read A Raisin in the Sun and discuss ways that race complicates the American dream. Some students are active in IntegrateNYC, a citywide student organization that advocates for school integration. An AMS student won the national Student Advocate of the Year award by GLSEN, an organization that promotes respect and support for LGBTQ students.
Ingrid Chung, a former teacher and assistant principal at AMS became its principal in 2018.
AMS shares its sleek, modern building with Validus Prep Academy and Bronx Mott Hall. The facilities are nice, but space is limited. High school students can participate in campus-wide sports teams. There’s a range of extra-curricular activities such as art, dance, violin, digital music, African drumming, robotics, math league, and the boys and girls leadership groups called Umoja and Nia (meaning "unity" and “purpose" respectively in Swahili). Students make multiple overnight trips to Black Rock Forest to study science and to camp outdoors.
AMS founded and hosts Pi5NY, an annual, citywide math competition for middle school students.
The Young Women’s Leadership Network's College Bound Initiative funds the college office run by two fulltime counselors and an AMS alumni who works directly with the students. Graduates attend a range of schools from CUNY and SUNY colleges to private universities. Top students attend colleges like Cornell, Brown and NYU.
SPECIAL EDUCATION: There are ICT (integrated co-teaching) classes on each grade. The school also uses the team teaching models in select subjects for all students. For instance, each 9th grade history class is taught by two teachers. (Laura Zingmond, via interview, November 2018)
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School Stats
Academics
Students
Race/Ethnicity
Safety & Vibe
Faculty & Staff
Teachers’ Race/Ethnicity
Advanced Courses
Calculus
Computer Science
Physics
Advanced Foreign Language
AP/IB Arts, English, History or Social Science
AP/IB Math or Science
Music
College Readiness
Programs & Admissions
From the 2021 High School DirectoryUrban Assembly School for Applied Math and Science
Program Description:
AMS provides a comprehensive, college-preparatory education focusing on rich and engaging classroom activities. Our school welcomes applicants from all neighborhoods, and does not screen applicants based on test scores, disability, or language status.
Urban Assembly for Applied Math and Science ASD Horizon Program
Offerings
From the 2021 High School DirectoryLanguage Courses
Mandarin, Spanish
Advanced Placement (AP) courses
AP Spanish Language and Culture, AP Calculus AB, AP English Language and Composition
Boys PSAL teams
Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Wrestling
Girls PSAL teams
Basketball, Flag Football, Softball, Wrestling
Coed PSAL teams
Double Dutch
Read about admissions, academics, and more at this school on NYCDOE’s MySchools
Contact & Location
Location
1595 Bathgate Avenue
Bronx
NY
10457
Trains: N/A
Buses: Bx11, Bx15, Bx17, Bx21, Bx32, Bx41, Bx41-SBS
Contact
Other Details
This school shares the Bathgate Educational Campus with two other schools
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