William E. Grady Career and Technical Education High School

William E. Grady High School teaches students the fundamentals of automotive repair, carpentry, plumbing, cooking, or computer repair along with traditional academic courses. State-of-the-art auto shops hoist cars up on hydraulic lifts. In a professional kitchen young cooks don chef’s whites and prepare meals that are served in the faculty dining room.

The school has a challenging population, drawn from more than 100 middle schools throughout Brooklyn and beyond. One-third has special needs, about 40 percent miss at least a month of school per year, and more than two-thirds are older than the typical high school student. Almost all are performing below grade level when they arrive. 

Grady offers different ways to be successful in life beyond college. It issues state-certified vocational courses in air conditioning and refrigeration, computer repair, automotive repair, carpentry, electrical installation, media and dramatic arts, plumbing, heating and culinary arts. The school works with some 18 different trade unions, many of which have programs that encourage companies to hire Grady graduates. 

Principal Tarah Montalbano, formerly assistant principal of English, took the helm in 2013 and she and her staff have worked to stabilize enrollment and improve order and discipline. Most children say they feel safe; teachers overwhelmingly recommend the school and say Montalbano is an effective leader, according to school surveys. 

Montalbano is working to improve instruction and raise academic expectations, according to the CEP (comprehensive educational plan). Grady’s four-year graduation rate is approaching the citywide average, even though few graduates are ready for college-level work. 

A refreshingly current school website shows photos of teens building stage sets for a local elementary school, on an overnight trip to Philadelphia visiting colleges, and hoisting a second-place trophy at a NY Regional robotics competition. 

High-achievers may take at least three Advanced Placement courses, and one college English class in partnership with Medgar Evers College.

In addition to shop classes, the Grady campus features a large gym, weight room, dance room and a basement studio where TV and film production are taught. The school offers a number of after-school programs, including a variety of varsity sports. The campus, located adjacent to busy Shore Parkway, features a turf-coated football field. On the downside, metal detectors greet students at the main entrance. 

The school is located four long blocks from the Brighton Beach stop on the B and Q subways.

Admissions: Grady is open to all New York City residents and follows the educational option formula, designed to ensure a mix of low, average and high performing kids. (Lydie Raschka, web reports, October 2018)