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Theatre Arts Production Company School

Grades: 6-12
Noteworthy

Our Insights

What’s Special

Art, dance, instrumental music, vocal music and drama; strong student support

The Downside

Academic achievement has a ways to go

Theatre Arts Production Company (TAPCo), a combined middle and high school, offers a family-like environment for aspiring artists, musicians, singers, dancers and actors. Ron Link, principal since in 2012, has an inspiring vision and has gained the trust of both staff and students, according to school surveys.

While the school is still working to improve discipline and strengthen academics, TAPCo is a viable option for artistic students in one of the roughest neighborhoods in the Bronx. Class participation is high, and top students are challenged, according to the city’s Quality Review. 

The administration has done a good job finding extras resources for the school: It has a new rooftop garden and outdoor performance space, along with a renovated dance studio, full-sized auditorium, a theater-scene shop, a video production studio, two chorus rooms, and an art room. A scientist-in-residence works with students on experiments and projects.

Students may specialize in visual arts, dance (including hip hop), instrumental music, vocal music or theater. All students perform more than 12 times a year at events throughout New York City. Some students work in paid internships through Center for Arts Education, the 92nd Street Y, Sound Thinking NYC and the Police Athletic League with Tony Danza.

While school surveys show bullying does exist at the school, the staff helps students work out problems, starting with the administration. Some students freely approached Principal Ron Link during our visit, and he took the time to listen as they resolved a conflict. When a student came in without jacket on a brisk winter day, a staffer noticed and discretely took the teen into a room to select a coat. Instead of suspending students, teachers meet with teens in Restorative Circles, where they follow a series of steps to talk through conflicts before they escalate into fights. 

Dramatization is another tool the school uses to demonstrate the harmful impact of bullying. Gangs are a presence in the community but the staff has been trained to look for signs of trouble. TAPco also has a strong relationship with the local police precinct. 

An on-site medical and mental health clinic offers students a place “where you can learn from adults who can help you channel your anger and keep you focused,” according to the Quality Review.

For high-achievers, the school offers Advanced Regents Diplomas with Arts endorsement, or CTE (Career and Technical Education) endorsement for Television Production, and four Advanced Placement courses. 

The school has many partnerships including with Roundabout Theater, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Hip Hop Conservatory, Elisa Monte Dance, Fred Dolan Art Academy, Reidi Dance, Hispanic Information Television Network, Broadway Bridges, and Bronx Borough Arts Festivals, among others.  

In 2016 and 2017 TAPCo was placed on the "Best Public High Schools in America" list at the bronze level in U.S. News and World Report. TAPCo shares a building with MS 391. 

College: There is a full-time college counselor. College Now is available at Lehman for students who opt in. Students are engaged in the college conversation as early as middle school, and, while some thought it was too soon, the high school seniors who did take advantage of those early opportunities said they were grateful. 

Special education: TAPCo takes pride in helping students with special needs and those still learning English through its arts program. Rehearsals are adapted to meet the needs of students with “severe dyslexia, social-emotional impairments, cognitive functioning below grade level, and those actively learning the English language,” according to the Comprehensive Educational Plan. The school serves students in self-contained classes as well as team-teaching classes. We saw an Advanced Placement seminar course in which students with special needs read an essay and worked in small groups with their peers. (Jacqueline Wayans, January 2019) 

 

School Stats

Academics

School
Citywide
How many students graduate in 4 years?
 
84%
How many students with disabilities graduate in 4 years?
 
78%
Average daily attendance
 
78%
How many students miss 18 or more days of school?
 
67%
How many parents of students with disabilities say this school offers enough activities and services for their children's needs?
 
100%
How many parents of students with disabilities say this school works to achive the goals of their students' IEPs?
 
93%
From the 2020-21 School Quality Guide and 2020-21 NYC School Survey

Students

552
Number of students
611 Citywide Average

Race/Ethnicity


School
Citywide
Low-income students
 
85%
Students with disabilities
 
25%
Multilingual learners
 
9%
From the 2020-21 Demographic Snapshot

Safety & Vibe

School
Citywide
How many students were suspended?
 
1%
How many students say they feel safe in the hallways, bathrooms and locker rooms?
 
88%
How many students think bullying happens most or all of the time at this school?
 
31%
How many students say that some are bullied at their school because of their gender or sexual orientation?
 
15%
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%
10.5
Years of principal experience at this school
8 Citywide Average
161
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?
 
88%
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

Not offered in 2019-20

Computer Science

 
10%

Physics

Not offered in 2019-20

Advanced Foreign Language

Not offered in 2019-20

AP/IB Arts, English, History or Social Science

 
32%

AP/IB Math or Science

 
14%

Music

 
63%
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?
 
49%
How many students take a college-level course or earn a professional certificate?
 
85%
From the 2020-21 School Quality Guide
How many students filled out a FAFSA form by the end of their senior year?
 
82%
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?
 
58%
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

Instrumental Music

Admissions Method: Audition

Program Description:

Small group instruction in traditional Band Instruments. Jazz Band, Latin Band, Music Theory, Music History, Improvisation, Sight Singing, and Piano. On- or off-site private lessons by audition.

Vocal Music

Admissions Method: Audition

Program Description:

General Choir, Show Choir, Jazz Choir, and Women's Choir. Music Theory, Music History, Improvisation, Sight Singing, Piano; On- or off-site private lessons by audition.

Dance

Admissions Method: Audition

Program Description:

Students learn modern dance, ballet, hip-hop, composition technology, and principles of dance. Pedagogy is blended to help students develop their own unique voice and gain competitive skills needed to succeed after high school.

Drama

Admissions Method: Audition

Program Description:

Students learn acting technique, scene study, voice and diction, movement, musical theater, theater history, audition preparation, digital resume building, script analysis, directing, lighting design, and stagecraft. Students perform in full stage and small studio classical, modern, and musical theater productions.

Visual Arts

Admissions Method: Audition

Program Description:

Students develop their artistic skills as they progress through classroom assignments using a variety of drawing, painting, sculpture, photography & digital design media. Students apply to the well-known Fred Dolan Art Academy, a Saturday professional artist-led program that helps students develop their portfolios and full scholarships for college. Students learn valuable artistic, literacy, and technical skills in the contemporary work world of the Visual Arts.

Offerings

From the 2021 High School Directory

Language Courses

Spanish

Advanced Placement (AP) courses

AP United States History, AP Research, AP English Language and Composition, AP Computer Science Principles, AP Statistics, AP Seminar

Read about admissions, academics, and more at this school on NYCDOE’s MySchools

NYC Department of Education: MySchools

Contact & Location

Location

2225 Webster Avenue
Bronx NY 10457

Trains: 4 Line to 183rd St; B Line, D Line to 182nd-183rd Sts

Buses: Bx1, Bx15, Bx2, Bx32, Bx36, Bx40, Bx41, Bx41-SBS, Bx42, BxM4


Contact

Principal: Ron Link

Parent Coordinator: Roque Bonilla

Website

Other Details

Shared campus? Yes

This school shares a building with the Angelo Patri Middle School

Uniforms required? No
Metal detectors? No

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