What if I told you that Bayside High School is more than just bricks and mortar? It is a launchpad for dreams. It is located in the Bayside neighborhood of Queens. This public high school is administered by the New York City Department of Education.
Bayside High School stands as one of the highest-performing schools within the NYC DOE. Its students gain admission into six updated programs. These include Digital Art and Design and Music Performance and Production. Others are Environmental Engineering and Technology and Humanities and Non-Profit Management. Furthermore there is Computer Programming and Web Design plus Sports Medicine and Management. These programs let students earn college credits and participate in industry internships. They also learn about careers in their field.
The school boasts an impressive 98.6% four-year graduation rate. This is the highest of any large open-admissions high school in the city. Bayside High School has pioneered Whole Child Guidance practices. It further improves its curriculum via internships. It also adds numerous college-accredited courses. Bayside High School has earned recognition for closing the achievement gap. This is especially true for minority students, English language learners and students with special needs. The school also allows students to graduate early if they earn enough credits.
As of 2021-22, Bayside High School had 3,025 students and 185.5 classroom teachers. This gives a student-teacher ratio of 16.3 to 1. A large percentage of students were eligible for free or reduced-cost lunch.
Bayside High School has a rich history. It was built during the Great Depression. It was built from one set of blueprints along with other schools. These were Samuel J. Tilden High School, Abraham Lincoln High School, and John Adams High School. Also part of the group were Walton High School, Andrew Jackson High School, and Grover Cleveland High School. This was done to save money. Bayside and Andrew Jackson HS were the last two to be completed. The design was based on Kirby Hall in Gretton England. The schools were designed as small campuses. This provided a collegiate atmosphere.
Architect Walter C. Martin created Bayside High School. It was considered a modern adaptation of earlier high schools. Bayside High School was the first school building in the city. It was built using Federal funds. Construction was from 1934 to 1936. The cost was $2.5 million.
Bayside High School opened its doors on March 16, 1936. It took in 2,300 students. These students had previously attended Flushing High School.
In 1978 the Bayside High School music program was innovative. It was among the first secondary schools in the nation. It purchased and taught music synthesis on a synthesizer. The synthesizer was the Roland System 100. Sidney Lovett and John Benza led the music program.
Bayside High School has produced many notable alumni. Eric Adams is the Mayor of New York City. Adrienne Adams is the Speaker of the New York City Council. Ellen Baker became an astronaut. Jordan Belfort’s life inspired the film The Wolf of Wall Street. Action Bronson is a famous rapper. Scott Ian and Neil Turbin are musicians from the band Anthrax. Daymond John is the founder of FUBU and an investor on Shark Tank. These are just a few of the many successful graduates of Bayside High School.
Bayside High School stands as a beacon of excellence. It fosters academic achievement and prepares students for success. Its rich history and commitment to innovation make it a vital part of the community.