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Science Skills Center High School for Science, Technology and the Creative Arts

Science Skills Center High School for Science, Technology and the Creative Arts

Grades: 9-12

Our Insights

What’s Special

Longer school day to better prepare kids for college

The Downside

Some concerns about safety and respect

Science Skills Center High School aims high with a challenging population by requiring all teens to take four years of math and science, plus college courses and Advanced Placement classes by senior year. All students take three years of Spanish or French. 

The school does a good job helping students who have fallen behind in middle school catch up. About 38 percent of the entering 2017-2018 9th-grade class scored level 1 (out of 4) in either English or math, or both, in middle school, thus lacking the basic skills to be successful in high school, the yearly plan states. Even so, most students graduate on time. Attendance is good. More than half of students take a college-level course before they graduate. The city gave the school improved marks on the most recent quality review.

Science Skills received extra money in 2016 as part of the city’s College Access for All program. The aim of the grant was to ensure that all students graduate with clear college or career plans by 2018. To that end, the school day is longer than is typical for high school, starting at 7:30 a.m. and ending at 3:40 p.m., according to the schedule on the school’s informative website. Additionally, teachers are trying new things. One innovation is choosing top students to train to be assistants in chemistry classes to help other students, according to the yearly plan.

Students may apply to one of six programs. Four of those look at grades and attendance: Gateway Honors (nursing and medicine), Project Lead the Way (engineering), Humanities & the Arts, and Computer Technology. Entrance to the general science and math program is educational option, or “ed opt,” designed to attract a mix of low-, middle- and high-achieving students. There is also an ed opt program in pharmacology that includes an internship in a pharmacy.

There is still room for improvement in school culture. Some kids say students don’t treat one another with respect, and the number of students who say they don’t feel safe in the hallways and bathrooms is above the citywide average.

Science Skills was founded in 1993 with grant money from the National Science Foundation and New Visions for Public Schools.

The school shares a renovated former warehouse in downtown Brooklyn, called Water’s Edge Educational Campus, with two other small high schools: Urban Assembly High School of Music and Art and Brooklyn International High School. Sports are campus-wide.(Lydie Raschka, web reports, April 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?
 
98%
How many students with disabilities graduate in 4 years?
 
100%
Average daily attendance
 
93%
How many students miss 18 or more days of school?
 
20%
How many parents of students with disabilities say this school offers enough activities and services for their children's needs?
 
86%
How many parents of students with disabilities say this school works to achieve the goals of their students' IEPs?
 
86%
From the 2021-22 School Quality Guide and 2020-21 NYC School Survey

Students

498
Number of students
Citywide Average is 599

Race/Ethnicity


School
Citywide
Low-income students
 
85%
Students with disabilities
 
16%
Multilingual learners
 
2%
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?
 
71%
How many students think bullying happens most or all of the time at this school?
 
57%
How many students say that some are bullied at their school because of their gender or sexual orientation?
 
35%
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?
 
72%
10.4
Years of principal experience at this school
Citywide Average is 7
148
Number of students for each guidance counselor or social worker
Citywide Average is 157

Teachers’ Race/Ethnicity


How many teachers have 3 or more years of experience teaching?
 
73%
Are teachers effective?
From the 2020-21 NYC School Survey, 2021-22 School Quality Guide, 2019-20 Report on School-Based Staff Demographics, 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

 
20%

Computer Science

 
47%

Physics

 
14%

Advanced Foreign Language

 
7%

AP/IB Arts, English, History or Social Science

 
44%

AP/IB Math or Science

 
58%

Music

 
28%
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?
 
81%
How many students take a college-level course or earn a professional certificate?
 
96%
How many students who have graduated from this high school stay in college for at least 3 semesters?
 
82%
From the 2020-21 and 2021-22 School Quality Guide
How many students filled out a FAFSA form by the end of their senior year?
 
113%
From the 2022-23 FAFSA data released by Federal Student Aid, brought you by
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

Science Skills Center (K78A)

Admissions Method: Ed. Opt.

Program Description:

Focuses on using hands-on and research techniques. All students are required to take four years of mathematics (eight credits) and four years of science (eight credits).

Gateway Honors (K78B)

Admissions Method: Screened

Program Description:

Challenging academic program that prepares students for majors in nursing, medicine, research, and other scientific studies at competitive universities.

Project Lead the Way (K78C)

Admissions Method: Screened

Program Description:

Challenging courses in the field of engineering.

Humanities and the Arts (K78D)

Admissions Method: Screened

Program Description:

Challenging courses in writing, research, social sciences, humanities, and the arts.

Early College Pharmacology (K78F)

Admissions Method: Ed. Opt.

Program Description:

Challenging courses in the field of pharmaceutical science and internship experience at a local pharmacy to prepare students to major in pharmaceutical science in college.

Computer Technology (K78G)

Admissions Method: Screened

Program Description:

Introduction to the field of computer science and technology through exploration of engaging technology to help students to develop college and job ready skills in technology.

Offerings

From the 2024 High School Directory

Language Courses

French, Spanish

Advanced Courses

Algebra II (Advanced Math), AP Biology, AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC, AP Computer Science A, AP Computer Science Principles, AP English Language and Composition, AP English Literature and Composition, AP Environmental Science, AP Human Geography, AP Psychology, AP Research, AP Seminar, AP United States History, Biology (College Course [Credited]), Chemistry (Advanced Science), Comp Sci/Math Tech (College Course [Credited]), Econ/Gov (College Course [Credited]), ELA (College Course [Credited]), ELA (College Course [Uncredited]), Math (College Course [Credited]), Other (College Course [Credited]), Physics (Advanced Science), Science (College Course [Credited]), Social Studies (College Course [Credited]), World Languages (Advanced World Languages)

Boys PSAL teams

Basketball, Outdoor Track

Girls PSAL teams

Soccer, Softball, Table Tennis

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

NYC Department of Education: MySchools

Contact & Location

Location

49 Flatbush Avenue Extension
Brooklyn NY 11201

Trains: 2 Line, 3 Line, 4 Line, 5 Line, A Line, C Line, J Line, Z Line to High St; B Line, Q Line to DeKalb Av; F Line to York St; R Line to Lawrence St

Buses: B103, B25, B26, B38, B41, B45, B52, B54, B57, B61, B62, B65, B67, B69


Contact

Principal: Dahlia Mcgregor

Parent Coordinator: Andrea Gomes

Website

Other Details

Shared campus? Yes

This school shares the Water's Edge Educational Campus with two other schools

Uniforms required? No
Metal detectors? No

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