High School for Health Professions and Human Services
The High School for health care professions and Human Services is a public high school in Manhattan, New York City. It is specialized for students preparing for careers in the health science and human services fields. The curriculum emphasizes the academic preparation necessary for these fields. Students take four years of both mathematics and science, and there are elective programs in research and college level courses in both the sciences and the humanities.The High School for Health Professions and Human Services offers a range of science courses as part of a traditional high school curriculum. Top students may conduct research with mentors at nearby hospitals and a few even compete in the Intel Science Talent Search. The school also offers courses in nutrition, forensics, and a combined art and anatomy class.The school discontinued its programs to train nurses and Emergency Medical Technicians because it couldn’t find replacements for teachers who retired. However, students interested in health professions may have internships at doctors’ offices, hospitals and community organizations during the summer and after school.
School Life
Housed in the old Stuyvesant High School building, which it shares with the Institute for Collaborative Education, Health Professions is seriously overcrowded. Starting times are staggered from 7:20 to 9 a.m. to accommodate triple sessions. Seniors may leave as early as noon; other grades stay until 4 p.m. The library and cafeteria double as classrooms. Physical education classes such as yoga may have 50 students. The overburdened building shows signs of wear: the halls could use a paint job and floors are scuffed. Nonetheless, the tone of the school is pleasant, and most students seem happy to be there. The attendance and graduation rates are higher than the citywide average, and kids say they feel safe. There are no metal detectors and bathrooms are unlocked. The school is about 70% female. Academic classes are mostly traditional, with desks in rows and teachers at the front of the room. Students say the workload is not overwhelming. Several told us they spend less than an hour a night on homework, including one who was enrolled in two Advanced Placement classes.
Two other schools are housed in the building at 345 East 15th Street. PS 226, a school for students with moderate to severe developmental disabilities, and the Institute for Collaborative Education (ICE) and alternative school housed on the fifth floor of the building.
Academics
There are a range of academic abilities. About 125 of the strongest students are enrolled in the science research program. Beginning in 10th grade, they learn how to conduct experiments and work with mentors in addition to taking their regular chemistry or physics classes. Other students are assigned to the “medical technology course” in which they may study topics like nutrition or forensics. Students who struggle with basic skills may be assigned to “Ramp-up” classes where they get intensive reading help. The medical science and research program, with about 125 seats, gives preference to students with good attendance records who scored Level 3 or 4 on standardized tests and who earned at least 85 in core academic subjects. Students are admitted to the medical technology program according to the educational option formula designed to provide a mix of low- average and high-achieving students. About 10 percent of the students receive special education services, including speech, occupational therapy, physical therapy, Special Education Teacher Support Services (SETSS) and Integrated Co-Teaching (ICT.)
Historically, students were placed in Physics in their ninth grade year, and based on their progress in physics, were invited to enroll in both Biology and Chemistry simultaneously in their 10th grade year and to complete their science requirements with either Advanced Placement Biology or Chemistry in the junior and senior years. This curriculum model was suggested in order to fast track students at the university level towards the requirements for careers in the healthcare field. This practice ended once administration realized that some students were not adequately prepared for physics in the 9th grade year.
Students
The school was founded as an educational option school, so out of all applicants to 9th and 10th grade, 50% are chosen directly by the school, and 50% are selected at random. Many graduates attend CUNY and SUNY institutes. HPHS has traditionally had a large number of students of color comprising their student body. A college counselor from the non-profit organization, Comprehensive Development Inc., has begun working with students to encourage them to consider attending colleges out of state. Nearly 70% of graduates enrolled in either a 2-year or a 4-year college, according to the school’s 2011 Progress Report. The school has many program including CDI and college-associated programs such as LPP (Liberty Partnership Program) with Pace University.
Athletics
The school has PSAL or Public School Athletics League team which is called the Vipers. There are Soccer, Volleyball, Cross country, Indoor Track, Outdoor Track, Softball, Basketball, and JV Basketball teams. Their Cross Country has won two PSAL Cross Country League. There are clubs such as Writing Club, Reading Club, Chick Physique Club, Weight Training, etc. There exists a Weight room where students are trained to have flexible muscle and build body to stay healthy and flexible. The faculty motivate their students to join sports or a club to advance in education and also in health and physical health.
Notable Alumni Andrienne Bailon- member of 3LW and co-host of the The Real.
External links
Coordinates: 40°43′57″N 73°58′58″W / 40.7325°N 73.9827°W