Our Insights
What’s Special
Project-based school for new immigrants learning English
The Downside
Limited clubs and activities
International High School at LaGuardia Community College serves students who have been in the country four years or less who are learning English. Most students take college-level courses and many earn a two-year college degree in addition to their high school diploma. Founded in 1985, it was the first to adopt practices now shared by the Internationals Network for Public Schools, an organization with long experience preparing new immigrants for college, including those who have had little schooling in their native country.
Academics & Instruction: Students work in small groups on projects and make presentations of their work each year. All teachers are trained in English as a Second Language and are also certified in their subject area; many teachers are multilingual and can provide translation.
The school is a member of the New York Performance Standards Consortium. Most high schools need five Regents exams for graduation, but at International, it's just the English Regents. For other subjects, students show a portfolio to teachers and peers, with work that may include a research paper, literary essay, science and math projects, and a creative piece. Everyone also does a yearly project in their native language to boost language skills.
LaGuardia Community College helps students with basic skills and extra support during and after school. They also have a program, Transforming Trauma into Art, that helps teens heal from war and disasters. All students are invited to participate in fifth year Early College Program. They may choose from a variety of foreign language electives like Spanish, Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, Tibetan, Polish, French, Italian, Korean, Japanese, Uzbek, and more.
More than half of International students stay for the fifth year, taking college classes and possibly earning an associate's degree. Eleventh- and 12th-graders also do internships at various places like government agencies, businesses, schools, hospitals, and community organizations.
Students take many field trips to places like the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the American Museum of Natural History, the Museum of the Moving Image, Central Park, Ellis Island, the Museum of the American Indian, the Museum of Jewish Heritage and the Tenement Museum.
Culture & Environment: Students feel safe in school, the annual NYC School Survey shows. Students work together in groups and assist one another. For the first two years each student has the same teachers. All teens have the same advisor throughout high school. Students meet with their advisors weekly. During the school's food festival, students and teachers bring food from their native countries to share. The school offers visual arts during school hours. Limited clubs include an Arabic club plus debate, dance, craft and GSA clubs, among a few others.
Building & Facilities: The school is located on the campus of LaGuardia Community College. Students may take part in sports teams with two other schools, Robert F. Wagner and Middle College High School.
College & Career: There is a well-staffed college office. Most graduates continue their education, either at a City University of NY or at private colleges. (Lydie Raschka, web reports and interview, October 2023)
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School Stats
Academics
Students
Race/Ethnicity
Safety & Vibe
Faculty & Staff
Advanced Courses
Calculus
Not offered in 2021-21Computer Science
Not offered in 2021-21Physics
Advanced Foreign Language
AP/IB Arts, English, History or Social Science
Not offered in 2021-21AP/IB Math or Science
Not offered in 2021-21Music
College Readiness
Programs & Admissions
From the 2024 High School DirectoryInternational High School at LaGuardia Community College (Q27J)
Program Description:
Students work on projects in all classes that align to our graduation portfolio rubrics. In all classes, students learn English and build research, writing, and presentation skills through their project work. All students complete a native language project each year as well, to strengthen their native language skills. Classes are small, usually 25 students, and students work together in groups in each class.
Offerings
From the 2024 High School DirectoryLanguage Courses
Arabic, Bengali, Spanish
Advanced Courses
Algebra II (Advanced Math), Algebra II (College Course [Credited]), Arts (College Course [Credited]), Biology (College Course [Credited]), Calculus (College Course [Credited]), Chemistry (Advanced Science), Comp Sci/Math Tech (College Course [Credited]), Econ/Gov (College Course [Credited]), ELA (College Course [Credited]), Math (College Course [Credited]), Other (College Course [Credited]), Social Studies (College Course [Credited]), World Languages (College Course [Credited])
Boys PSAL teams
Baseball, Basketball, Soccer, Volleyball, Wrestling
Girls PSAL teams
Basketball, Golf, Soccer, Softball, Tennis, Volleyball
Coed PSAL teams
Golf
Read about admissions, academics, and more at this school on NYCDOE’s MySchools
Contact & Location
Location
45-35 Van Dam Street
Queens
NY
11101
Trains: to Rawson St-33rd St; , , to Queens Plaza
Buses: B24, B62, Q100, Q101, Q102, Q32, Q39, Q60, Q67
Contact
Other Details
This school shares the Middle College Campus with one other school
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