By Zach Patberg
JHS 216, or the George J. Ryan Junior High School, will reap the benefits of college-level guidance, teachers and facilities by “creating a total program that should move (JHS 216 students) to become top-achievers across the city,” said St. John's School of Education Dean Jerrold Ross, whose department will head the cooperative project. “Nothing is more vexing than middle schools across the nation these days,” Ross said at a press conference Tuesday in JHS 216's library. “It's not only a difficult academic transformation into high school for students but an emotional and physical one into adults as well.”JHS 216's 1,400 sixth through eighth graders in particular have had trouble meeting achievement standards. The school, at 64-20 175th St., was labeled as Requiring Academic Progress in the state's 2003-04 school report card, though that was due to low performances in only one area, English, with one demographic, those students who speak English as a second language.Acknowledging that citywide eighth-grade test scores are low and dropout rates were unacceptable, Ross said he hoped the aid from St. John's would “stem this tide creatively and efficiently.”JHS 216 Principal Reginald Landeau also said he could see the possibilities the partnership presented. “We want to transform a good school into a great school,” he said. Some areas that will receive primary attention under the program include enhancing JHS 216's three themed academies – Arts and Humanities, Law and Justice and Health and Environment – providing technological support, creating courses for the gifted and talented students and organizing a more flexible schedule that allows longer periods for disciplines other than literacy, Ross said.The city's School Chancellor Joel Klein said at the conference that the difference between this partnership and other school collaborations lay in St. John's level of involvement and responsibility.”It's not just a collaboration,” he said. “They will actually be identified with 216.”Klein, who has long advocated university assistance to public schools, said it was still too early to elaborate on specifics and timelines of the program, but insisted that it would be researched and the progress monitored constantly.”There's too much of this ed.-school-on-the-hill,” he said. “They need to get in and make it work, have some accountability.””(JHS 216) is a diverse school with enormous potential, but I think it should be a leader in this district,” he continued.As for funding, the chancellor assured that the middle school “will get their fair share.” Ross pointed out that St. John's was allowed to secure external funds as well.”I've already got grant people searching for where the money is,” he added.Perhaps the most excited about the adoption, Landeau said he sees it as a challenge for his school to prove itself. “I'm very into competition,” he said. “We will definitely rise to the top.”Reach reporter Zach Patberg by e-mail at news@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 155.
