|
Press Release
Media Contact: Erika Freed, Zer0 to 5ive 212-699-3696
Institute for Student Achievement Receives $10,000 Grant From Arrow Electronics
Monies will support ISA’s partnerships with two Long Island, New York high schools
LAKE SUCCESS, NY, September 10, 2007 – The Institute for Student Achievement (ISA), a leading school redesign partner, today announced that for the second year in a row, it has been awarded a $10,000 grant from Arrow Electronics, Inc. to support its partnerships with Wyandanch High School (Wyandanch, NY) and Hempstead High School (Hempstead, NY) for the 2007-2008 school year. ISA will leverage this grant to accelerate the learning of underserved, low-performing public high school students by continuing to implement its proven, small learning communities (SLCs) model in both of these Long Island public high schools.
Currently, the drop-out rates of Hempstead and Wyandanch are unacceptably high and each school serves predominantly low-income and minority students who are extremely at-risk for not graduating from high school. ISA has been enlisted – in partnership with the schools – to turn around this overarching culture of low-expectations and graduate college-ready students on time.
“ISA's work has generated remarkable results in some of the most undeserved school districts in the country and we are confident that our efforts in Hempstead and Wyandanch will produce the same positive outcomes and enable hundreds of local high school students to reach his or her goals,” said Dr. N. Gerry House, president and CEO of ISA. “We are grateful for the dedicated support of Arrow Electronics that will enable us to continue our efforts to strengthen schools in need and enable talented, yet underserved, young people to graduate from high school on time fully prepared for success in college and for leading productive lives.”
Through the Arrow Electronics, Inc., grant, ISA will continue its close partnership with the Hempstead School District to convert the entire high school campus into four personalized and rigorous small learning communities, an effort that launched in September 2006. This transformation is the most ambitious conversion of a large, comprehensive high school ever to be undertaken in the Long Island region. In Wyandanch, ISA will partner with the school to create two small learning communities, which will enroll over 500 ninth, tenth and eleventh grade students in the 2007-08 school year and will be housed within the larger school building.
"Hundreds of underserved high school students will benefit from the Institute for Student Achievement's implementation of small learning communities in Hempstead and Wyandanch schools," said Paul J. Reilly, senior vice president and chief financial officer of Arrow. "Arrow is proud to be a part of this effort, helping to promote education among at-risk youth on Long Island while preparing them for success in college and beyond."
Like all ISA partner schools, Hempstead High School’s three SLCs and Wyandanch’s two SLCs will be designed and implemented based on The ISA Model, which is framed by Seven Principles: a college preparatory instructional program; Distributed CounselingTM; a dedicated team of teachers and counselors; continuous professional development; extended school day and year; parent involvement; and continuous organizational improvement.
Based on the results of current ISA partner schools, the following improved outcomes for Hempstead and Wyandanch students are expected upon the implementation of the ISA model:
ISA is currently working in 65 small schools and small learning communities in New York, New Jersey, Georgia and Louisiana serving approximately 12,000 public school students. Based in Lake Success, New York, ISA is a national leader with local Long Island roots. Since its inception, ISA has partnered with more than forty small schools and small learning communities in the New York region.
With the mission of improving the quality of public education for youth at-risk so that they can succeed in society, ISA’s expertise lies in transforming low-performing urban high schools into high-quality small schools and small learning communities by enabling schools to create a structure, culture, and rigorous academic curriculum that enables each student to graduate from high school and succeed in college and in life.
About the Institute for Student Achievement (ISA) Focusing on improving academic achievement, the Institute for Student Achievement (ISA) is a leading school redesign partner that facilitates the transformation of low-performing high schools into small learning communities and small schools designed to prepare all students for success in college and beyond. Founded in 1990, ISA partners with school administrators and teachers to create and sustain intellectually rigorous and caring, personalized learning environments. A set of Seven Principles defines and guides the ISA Model. Building upon these Seven Principles, the Institute for Student Achievement collaborates with schools to create comprehensive plans and implementation strategies for school redesign that are customized to meet the unique needs of schools and districts. For more information contact us at (516) 812-6700 or visit www.studentachievement.org.
|
Why ISAAnnual ReportsVideos |