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Urban Assembly School for Applied Math and Science, The

Grades: 6-12
Noteworthy

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)

 

School Stats

Academics

School
Citywide
How many students graduate in 4 years?
 
88%
How many students with disabilities graduate in 4 years?
 
80%
How many English language learners graduate in 4 years?
 
72%
Average daily attendance
 
90%
How many students miss 18 or more days of school?
 
34%
How many parents of students with disabilities say this school offers enough activities and services for their children's needs?
 
71%
How many parents of students with disabilities say this school works to achive the goals of their students' IEPs?
 
86%
From the 2020-21 School Quality Guide and 2020-21 NYC School Survey

Students

595
Number of students
611 Citywide Average

Race/Ethnicity


School
Citywide
Low-income students
 
95%
Students with disabilities
 
28%
Multilingual learners
 
14%
From the 2020-21 Demographic Snapshot

Safety & Vibe

School
Citywide
How many students were suspended?
 
2%
How many students say they feel safe in the hallways, bathrooms and locker rooms?
 
94%
How many students think bullying happens most or all of the time at this school?
 
28%
How many students say that some are bullied at their school because of their gender or sexual orientation?
 
18%
From the 2020-21 NYC School Survey and 2019-20 NY State Report Card

Faculty & Staff

School
Citywide
How many teachers say the principal is an effective manager?
 
90%
3.0
Years of principal experience at this school
8 Citywide Average
266
Number of students for each guidance counselor or social worker
226 Citywide Average

Teachers’ Race/Ethnicity


How many teachers have 3 or more years of experience teaching?
 
59%
Are teachers effective?
From the 2020-21 NYC School Survey, 2020-21 School Quality Guide, 2019-20 NY State Report Card, 2021 Guidance Counselor Report and this school's most recent Quality Review Report

Advanced Courses

Which students have access to advanced courses at this school? Learn more

Calculus

 
5%

Computer Science

 
11%

Physics

 
34%

Advanced Foreign Language

 
8%

AP/IB Arts, English, History or Social Science

 
16%

AP/IB Math or Science

 
5%

Music

 
29%
From unpublished, anonymized data from the 2019-20 school year provided by the New York State Education Department, brought to you by

College Readiness

School
Citywide
How many students graduate with test scores high enough to enroll at CUNY without remedial help?
 
59%
How many students take a college-level course or earn a professional certificate?
 
45%
From the 2020-21 School Quality Guide
How many students filled out a FAFSA form by the end of their senior year?
 
63%
From the 2020-21 FAFSA data released by Federal Student Aid, brought you by
How many graduates of this school received Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) funding to attend a NYS college?
 
57%
How many of those TAP recipients made it through college? Learn more
From unpublished, anonymized student-level data for the class of 2014 provided by the New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC) in coordination with the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC), brought to you by
For more information about our data sources, see About Our Data · More DOE statistics for this school

Programs & Admissions

From the 2021 High School Directory

Urban Assembly School for Applied Math and Science

Admissions Method: Ed. Opt.

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

Admissions Method: ASD/ACES Program

Offerings

From the 2021 High School Directory

Language 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

NYC Department of Education: MySchools

Contact & Location

Location

1595 Bathgate Avenue
Bronx NY 10457

Trains: N/A

Buses: Bx11, Bx15, Bx17, Bx21, Bx32, Bx41, Bx41-SBS


Contact

Principal: Ingrid Chung

Parent Coordinator: Yelena Ramirez

Website

Other Details

Shared campus? Yes

This school shares the Bathgate Educational Campus with two other schools

Uniforms required? No
Metal detectors? No

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