J.H.S. 190 Russell Sage

A large, traditional school in the residential neighborhood of Forest Hills, JHS 190 offers an accelerated curriculum and test prep for the specialized high school admissions test (SHSAT). The administration encourages all 8th graders to take three Regents exams usually offered in high school—algebra, U.S. history and Living Environment.

Children speak English, Russian, Chinese, Spanish and other languages at home; they may study Spanish or French at school.  A Latin club meets twice a week at 7:30 am.

Between 25 and 30 percent of graduates attend specialized schools or selective arts programs, including Stuyvesant, Bronx Science, LaGuardia Performing Arts, Frank Sinatra, and Brooklyn Tech, according to the school’s Comprehensive Educational Plan.

While most students perform well academically, the school climate isn’t always nurturing, according to school surveys. Fewer than half the students said teachers support them when they are upset; 40 percent said discipline is unfair; barely one third say students treat one another with respect.

There is significant friction among the staff: a majority of teachers say they mistrust the principal, John Greggo; barely one-third say they trust one another. Teachers and administrators are working to improve the school climate by offering more counseling to students and rolling out a program called “Respect for All,” the city’s anti-bullying initiative, according to the CEP.

Admissions:  A zoned neighborhood school, Russell Sage also admits out-of-zone children under the District-wide choice program. (Clara Hemphill, web reports, March 2019)