Our Insights
What’s Special
Career focused academies with internships
The Downside
While improving, academic achievement still lags
Richmond Hill is a large, comprehensive high school founded at the turn of the 20th century that prepares students for careers while also offering college preparatory classes.
The school is divided into academies, each of which has classes tailored to a theme and opportunities for internships: software engineering; criminalistics and forensics; health sciences; a certified career and technical education program in hospitality and tourism; art and design; and robotics and engineering. Except for forensics, which 8th graders apply to directly, students enter these programs in 10th grade.
The school offers supports for struggling students and college credit classes for more academically advanced ones. Neil Ganesh, an immigrant from Guyana and former teacher and administrator at Jamaica High School who became principal in 2013, runs a program called Lions Pride to give extra help to lower-perfoming students.
The school has gone through a tumultuous decade. It was threatened with closure because of poor performance in 2011-12, but was saved by a successful lawsuit. In 2014, the city put Richmond Hill on its list of low-peforming Renewal Schools, and in 2015, it landed on a state list of struggling schools that would have to change or face being taken over. The school improved enough to be taken off the state list a year later, and it has met some, though not all, the targets set for it under the Renewal program.
Ganesh gets high marks from teachers on school surveys. The school has high expectations for students; teachers visit one another's classes to share best practices, according to an educator who visited the school for its Quality Review.
Graduation, college readiness rates and attendance have all improved though still lag somewhat behind the city average. And the difficulties have taken their toll. Enrollment, which once topped 3,600,has fallen to around 1,600. On the upside, this has alleviated the severe overcrowding.
There are many sports teams and an eclectic mix of clubs and activities.South Asian Youth Action (SAYA!) Operates sports programs and other activities at the school.
Special education: The school offers team teaching classes with general and special education students as well as services for students in general education classrooms. Richmond Hill has a large number of students learning English. (Gail Robinson, DOE statistics and news reports, November 2018).
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Students
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Safety & Vibe
Faculty & Staff
Advanced Courses
Calculus
Computer Science
Physics
Advanced Foreign Language
AP/IB Arts, English, History or Social Science
AP/IB Math or Science
Music
Not offered in 2021-21College Readiness
Programs & Admissions
From the 2024 High School DirectoryNinth Grade Career Exploration Academy (Q35B)
Program Description:
This academy prepares students for various 10th grade career-themed options. Based on students' ninth grade interests, they can choose from the following options: Software Engineering, Hospitality & Tourism, IT, Engineering & Robotics, Health Sciences, Art & Design, and A+ Certification. Participation in these academies leads to internship opportunities and work-based learning opportunities. Partnerships with both SUNY, CUNY, & St. Francis College allow students to earn up to 18 college credits.
Criminalistics and Forensics Institute (CFI) (Q35P)
Program Description:
This interdisciplinary program allows students to study the legal and scientific aspects of forensics. Students engage in hands-on lab skills, such as fingerprinting, handwriting, and blood splatter analysis. Students explore how this scientific evidence can be used by the justice system, participating in moot court competitions and mock trial experiences. Many students in the Criminalistics and Forensics Institute go on to study at John Jay College of Criminal Justice and other top schools.
Zoned (Q35Z)
Program Description:
Based on students' ninth grade interests, they can choose from the following options: Software Engineering, Robotics, Hospitality & Tourism, Engineering, Health Sciences, Art & Design, and A+ Certification. Participation in these pathways leads to internship opportunities and work-based learning opportunities. Partnerships with both SUNY and CUNY allow students to earn up to 18 college credits.
Offerings
From the 2024 High School DirectoryLanguage Courses
Spanish
Advanced Courses
Algebra II (Advanced Math), Algebra II (College Course [Credited]), Arts (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]), Global History (College Course [Credited]), Math (College Course [Credited]), Other (College Course [Credited]), Physics (Advanced Science), Science (College Course [Credited]), Social Studies (College Course [Credited]), US History (College Course [Credited]), World Languages (Advanced World Languages), World Languages (College Course [Credited])
Boys PSAL teams
Baseball, Basketball, Bowling, Handball, Indoor Track, Outdoor Track, Soccer, Swimming, Tennis, Volleyball
Girls PSAL teams
Basketball, Bowling, Indoor Track, Outdoor Track, Soccer, Softball, Swimming, Tennis, Volleyball
Coed PSAL teams
Cricket, Golf
Read about admissions, academics, and more at this school on NYCDOE’s MySchools
Contact & Location
Location
89-30 114 Street
Queens
NY
11418
Trains: to 111th St; to 121st St
Buses: Q10, Q24, Q37, Q55, Q56, Q8, QM18
Contact
Other Details
This school is in its own building.
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