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Dr. Susan S. McKinney Secondary School of the Arts
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Brooklyn NY 11205
Our Insights
What’s Special
Art, music, dance and drama
The Downside
Poor attendance, declining enrollment
Tucked behind the Navy Yard in Fort Greene, Susan S. McKinney Secondary School of the Arts is a small audition school with programs in drama, chorus, dance, visual arts and instrumental music. Unfortunately the 6th to 12th grade school has seen a decline in enrollment, safety, attendance and academic in recent years, and is now a city-designated “focus” school in need of improvement.
The school faces challenges. More than a third of the students miss a month or more of school. An attendance team meets weekly to address the problem, according to the CEP (comprehensive educational plan). Bullying, especially cyber-bullying, has been of special concern, according to the CEP. One strategy involves assigning teacher mentors.
On the positive side, the depth and range of arts classes at this tiny school is unusual. There is a marching and a jazz band. Students in the vocal music program also study piano and music history. Dancers sample modern, ballet, jazz and hip hop, in addition to anatomy and dance history. Visual artists explore 2-D and 3-D design.
McKinney students may participate in internships at Brooklyn Academy of Music. The school partners with Theater Development Fund and Cooper Hewitt, according to the website. Some students take part in Girl Be Heard, a theater program for girls.
Special education: The school has team-teaching classes that incorporate students with special needs on every grade level, but finding qualified teachers who are knowledgeable in the academic content areas has been a “quite a challenge,” according to the CEP. A District 75 school in the building accepts 6th and 7th graders who have autism.
Admissions: Auditions take place in the fall for 6th and 9thgraders. See the school website for details and dates. (Lydie Raschka, DOE data and reports, November 2018)
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School Stats
Is this school safe and well-run?
From 2018-19 NYC School Survey
From 2017-18 NY State Report Card
From this school's most recent Quality Review Report
From 2018-19 School Quality Guide
How do students perform academically?
From 2019 State ELA+Math Results Summary
From 2021 Middle School Directory
From 2018-19 School Quality Guide
Who does this school serve?
From 2019-20 Demographic Snapshot
From 2018-19 School Quality Guide
From 2020 School Directories
How does this school serve special populations?
From 2018-19 School Quality Guide
From 2019 State ELA+Math Results Summary
Programs & Admissions
From the 2021 High School Directory
Program Description:
Painting, drawing, art of advertisement and design, dimensional design, art history, textile, photography, product promotion, cartoon design illustration, and sculpture.
Program Description:
Theory, history, ear and vocal training, performance and beginning keyboard, songwriting, Mass Chorus, Gospel Choir, and Quartet Ensembles.
Program Description:
Foundations of ballet, jazz, and modern dance techniques, dance history, choreography, costume design, and African dance.
Program Description:
Acting, voice and diction, theater history, dramatic literature, set design, and improvisation.
Program Description:
Music theory and history, techniques and performance, music composition, music analysis, conducting, Marching Band, Jazz Band, Concert Band, and small ensembles.
Academics
Language Courses
Spanish
Advanced Placement (AP) courses
AP Spanish Language and Culture, AP United States History, AP English Language and Composition, AP English Literature and Composition
Sports
Boys PSAL teams
Badminton, Basketball
Girls PSAL teams
Basketball, Cross Country
Coed PSAL teams
Double Dutch
Read about admissions, academics, and more at this school on NYCDOE’s MySchools
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