Validus Preparatory Academy

Validus Preparatory Academy in the Bronx is a small high school with an experienced staff that focuses on preparing students for careers in healthcare. It is housed in the Bathgate Educational Campus, along with two other schools: The Urban Assembly School for Applied Math and Science and Mott Hall High School. The three schools share a cafeteria, recreation room, library, art studio and music room.

Christopher Hibbert has been the principal since 2014. He gets high marks from teachers on the School Survey, with 100 percent of them saying they trust his leadership. Three-quarters of teachers have been at the school for three years or longer.

School leaders and faculty regularly communicate high expectations to students, according to the School Quality Review, but classroom instruction is inconsistent, with uneven levels of student engagement and discussion across classrooms. Attendance and graduation rates are below the citywide averages, and nearly 60 percent of students are chronically absent, missing 18 or more days of school a year.

Validus Prep students can take College Now courses in medical technology, community health and general psychology at CUNY Hostos, as well as courses in microbiology and nutrition at Touro College.

The school also has partnerships designed to provide students with academic and career prep, as well as community service opportunities. Sophomores can apply to Summer Search, a multiyear program in which they take part in wilderness expeditions, academic programs and community service projects, as well as receive college and financial aid advising. Through the Bronx Educational Opportunity Center, students can take part in vocational programs, including receiving EMT certification and CPR training.

Extracurriculars include drama and art, and there are a number of boys and girls PSAL sports teams. Most graduates go on to CUNYs and SUNYs, with a few going to private universities such as NYU, Vanderbilt and Brandeis. 

COLLEGE ADMISSIONS: Through a partnership with College Bound Initiative, Validus Prep has a dedicated director of college counseling who coordinates the school's college advising efforts and makes sure that students receive support to meet college application deadlines.

ADMISSIONS: Educational option, designed to admit a mix of low-, average- and high-performing students. Admitted students are invited to visit the school in the spring and attend summer orientation and classes. (Elizabeth Herr, school website and DOE reports, July 2018)