Staten Island Technical High School

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Staten Island Technical High School
Fear the Flock!
Address
485 Clawson Street Region 7 Staten Island, New York, Richmond, 10306 United States
Coordinates	40°34′4.54″N 74°6′55.18″W / 40.5679278°N 74.1153278°W / 40.5679278; -74.1153278Coordinates: 40°34′4.54″N 74°6′55.18″W / 40.5679278°N 74.1153278°W / 40.5679278; -74.1153278
Information
Type	Public high school, Specialized
Established	1988
Status	Open
School board	New York City Department of Education
School district	31
Superintendent	Linda Waite
School number	R605
CEEB Code	335401
Dean	James McCarthy
Principal	Vincent Maniscalco
Vice principal	Robert J. Andrews Mark Erlenwein Noelle Cibelli Joseph Manzo
Chief custodian	Michael Paul
Staff	72
Grades	9-12
Enrollment	900
Average class size	33
Average class size	about 220
Student:teacher ratio	1:19
Language	English
Hours in school day	6.75
Classrooms	55
School Colour(s)	Gold      Black
Nickname	Tech
Team name	MSIT Seagulls
Accreditation(s)	University of the State of New York
Newspaper	The Tech Times The Tech Horizon
Yearbook	Epoch
Budget	12,442.59 USD
Website	http://www.siths.org

Staten Island Technical High School (also referred to as Staten Island Tech, S.I.T.H.S., or simply Tech), is one of the nine specialized public high schools in New York City. It is located in the New Dorp neighborhood of Staten Island. Recently, U.S. News & World Report published Staten Island Tech as the 32nd best school in the United States.^[1] The school is operated by the New York City Department of Education. It consistently ranks among the best schools in New York City in graduation rate, Regents test scores, and attendance.^[2] In its most recent progress report, the New York City Department of Education assigned it the highest possible grade of "A".^[3] The 2009 cutoff was 494.^{[citation needed]}

History

Staten Island Tech was founded in 1982 as an annex of Ralph R. McKee Vocational-Technical High School, located in the New Dorp neighborhood of Staten Island, after New Dorp High School, which had occupied the building since it was built in the 1930s, moved to its current location on New Dorp Lane. The technical courses were taught in the annex, while the vocational courses stayed in St. George. Through the advocacy of parents, staff, and students, Staten Island Tech was made an independent high school by the New York City Board of Education in May 1988. Nicholas M. Bilotti, who had been serving as director of the annex, was appointed principal of the new high school.

The school admitted students based on their seventh-grade class grades and standardized-test scores until 2005, when it was added to the group of New York City's specialized high schools and therefore began using the New York City Specialized High Schools Admissions Test to screen prospective students.^[4] Thus, it became the first and only specialized high school on Staten Island.

Curriculum

The curriculum at Staten Island Technical High School is purely college preparatory, focusing on science and engineering. The mandatory engineering classes taken by students are AutoCAD, electronics, Lego robotics, and Cisco networking. Students can also choose from thirteen Advanced Placement courses offered at the school. Science AP classes are AP Chemistry, AP Biology, AP Physics B, and AP Physics C. The history AP classes offered are AP US Government and Politics, AP US History, and AP World History. Language AP classes are AP English Language and Composition, AP English Literature, and AP Russian Language and Culture. AP Macroeconomics is also offered along with AP Calculus AB and AP Calculus BC. In addition, the school operates College Now, a program run by Kingsborough Community College. College Now courses offered include business, statistics, and sociology. Optional electives for Junior and Senior students include creative writing, Forensics, and Biotechnology.

Tech freshman science fair winners are invited to join the school's Science Engineering Research Program, more commonly known as SERP. Students remain in this program until their senior year. Throughout their high school career, they participate in various competitions including the Intel Talent Search, NYCSEF (New York City Science and Engineering Fair), ISEF (International Science and Engineering Fair), and the Quality of Life Competition.

Athletics and extracurricular activities

Staten Island Technical High School's sports program operates in partnership with McKee High School, and their shared teams are known as the MSIT Seagulls. The MSIT teams play various sports including football, soccer, volleyball, wrestling, fencing, and track. Staten Island Tech's Boys Track team made back to back Cross-Country state appearances in the 06-07 and 07-08 XC seasons. The Boys Track team recently won the Varsity and JV city championships in a record breaking fashion. As far as other extra-curricular activities go, Staten Island Tech runs SING!, has a spring musical, and hosts more than forty-five clubs.^[5] Of particular note, the school's Junior State of America chapter recently won the 2008 Chapter of the Year Award bestowed by the national organization.^[6]

Staten Island Technical High School's robotics team is one of the many fairly developed teams in the city. The team competes in the FIRST Robotics Competition as Team 375, or "The Robotic Plague", and consistently manages to make it into the semi-finals. In the 2006 season they were the Regional Winner in addition to winning the Chairman's award for their robot, the "Rambo".^[7][8] and have even won the Autodesk Inventor Animation Award at the New York City Regional, and has won the Chairman's award in New York City in 2006.

In popular culture

Staten Island Technical High School appears in a recurring Saturday Night Live clip in which curators from the Staten Island Zoo air "documentaries" about animals, sent to them by students.^[9][10]

Notable alumni

• Jeff Berardelli '93, television meteorologist for WFOR-TV.
• Ingrid Michaelson '97, musician.

References

External links

• www.siths.org -- Home page of Staten Island Technical High School