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Our Insights

What’s Special

Computer science; partnership with the Bronx Zoo

The Downside

Poor attendance; low on-time graduation rate

Wings Academy offers an Advanced Placement computer science program, including internships in Manhattan tech companies, and a partnership with the nearby Bronx Zoo. Students with severe disabilities may receive job training and all students receive lots of support.

However, attendance is poor and the graduation rate is well below the citywide average.  

Many students arrive in 9th grade with weak academic skills and many have established a habit of missing school, said Assistant Principal Merwin Pond. To encourage better attendance, guidance counselors meet students weekly and make home visits. If students miss a class, teachers contact parents right away during the class time.    

The suspension rate is higher than the citywide average and the administration is working on alternatives to encourage good behavior. Students who follow the rules earn “Wings money” which they convert into snacks and privileges. Students who bring phones to school wear a magnetized pouch so they can hang onto the phone, but not use it until the end of the day.

Principal Tuwanna Williams-Gray took the helm in 2013, after serving as assistant principal at Boys and Girls High School. Most teachers report on school surveys that she is a good manager.

Housed in a former factory, Wings Academy draws a “typical Bronx mix” of African American, Dominican, Puerto Rican, Honduran, Guyanese-Indian and West African students, according to Pond. Proximity to the 2 and 5 subway lines makes it easy for students to commute. 

The Beacon program assists with attendance and college-readiness, and arranges college trips throughout the year. They offer cheerleading and dance in their after school program. Wings staffers mentor seniors “to help them get through,” to graduation, Pond said.  

A long-time college advisor oversees the college application process. She tries to make sure everyone leaves with a plan, whether it’s school, work or the military. She keeps in touch with graduates even after they leave Wings, such as making sure they sign up for college classes.

Students take college trips to Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Albany. Graduates attend a range of two- and four-year colleges both public and private, Pond said. 

Special education: The Adult Career and Continuing Education Services-Vocational Rehabilitation program (ACCES-VR) helps individuals with disabilities find and maintain employment through a range of vocational and independent living services. This may include technology training or getting a local diploma or finding a local independent living center, “so they’re not just abandoned after high school,” Pond said. (Lydie Raschka, interview and web reports, November 2018)

 

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School Stats

Citywide Average Key
This school is Better Near Worse than the citywide average

Academics

School
Citywide
How many students graduate in 4 years?
 
85%
How many students with disabilities graduate in 4 years?
 
77%
Average daily attendance
 
82%
How many students miss 18 or more days of school?
 
60%
From the 2022-23 School Quality Guide and 2022-23 NYC School Survey

Students

251
Number of students
Citywide Average is 615

Race/Ethnicity


School
Citywide
Low-income students
 
90%
Students with disabilities
 
34%
Multilingual learners
 
9%
From the 2022-23 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?
 
72%
How many students think bullying happens most or all of the time at this school?
 
54%
How many students say that some are bullied at their school because of their gender or sexual orientation?
 
37%
How many teachers say they would recommend this school to other families?
 
38%
From the 2022-23 NYC School Survey and 2019-20 NY State Report Card

Faculty & Staff

School
Citywide
How many teachers say the principal is an effective manager?
 
53%
1.5
Years of principal experience at this school
Citywide Average is 7
141
Number of students for each guidance counselor or social worker
Citywide Average is 191
How many teachers have 3 or more years of experience teaching?
 
96%
Are teachers effective?
From the 2022-23 NYC School Survey, 2022-23 School Quality Guide, 2021-22 Report on School-Based Staff Demographics, 2023 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 2021-21

Computer Science

 
4%

Physics

Not offered in 2021-21

Advanced Foreign Language

 
11%

AP/IB Arts, English, History or Social Science

 
53%

AP/IB Math or Science

 
4%

Music

 
56%
From unpublished, anonymized data from the 2021-22 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?
 
13%
How many students take a college-level course or earn a professional certificate?
 
16%
How many students who have graduated from this high school stay in college for at least 3 semesters?
 
24%
From the 2020-21 and 2022-23 School Quality Guide

How many graduates who are eligible received Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) funding to attend a NYS college?
 
36%
This shows how well this school supports low-income students to get funding for college.
How many of those TAP recipients made it through college? Learn more
From unpublished, anonymized student-level data for the class of 2016-17 provided by the New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC) in coordination with the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC), brought to you by
How many students filled out a FAFSA form by the end of their senior year?
 
67%
From the 2022-23 FAFSA data released by Federal Student Aid, brought to you by Visit Understanding FAFSA for help with the FAFSA and financial aid.
For more information about our data sources, see About Our Data · More DOE statistics for this school

Programs & Admissions

From the 2024 High School Directory

Academy for Excellence (X93A)

Admissions Method: Ed. Opt.

Program Description:

An accelerated Regents testing program that enables students to earn Advanced Regents Diplomas and become eligible to take AP tests and college level courses.

Offerings

From the 2024 High School Directory

Language Courses

Spanish

Advanced Courses

Algebra II (Advanced Math), 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, Chemistry (Advanced Science), World Languages (Advanced World Languages)

Boys PSAL teams

Basketball

Girls PSAL teams

Basketball, Softball

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

NYC Department of Education: MySchools

Contact & Location

Location

1122 East 180 Street
Bronx NY 10460

Trains: 2 Line, 5 Line to East 180th St

Buses: Bx11, Bx21, Bx36, Bx40, Bx42, Bx9, BxM10, BxM6, Q44-SBS


Contact

Principal: Monique Jackson Dickens

Parent Coordinator: Nydia Claudio

Phone: 718-597-1751

Website

Other Details

Shared campus? No

This school is in its own building.

Uniforms required? No
Metal detectors? No

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