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Thurgood Marshall Academy for
Learning and Social Change
200-214 West
135th Street New York, NY 10030 |
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Programs
Thurgood Marshall Academy
Thurgood Marshall Academy for Learning and Social
Change (TMA), in Harlem, NY, is a wonderful example
of how a community can resurrect a struggling school,
build a new facility, and develop a successful academic
program.
In 1992, Reverend Dr. Calvin O. Butts, III, pastor
of the Abyssinian Baptist Church, called upon his
congregation to support a new school in response
to a request by the New York City Board of Education
and New Visions for Public Schools. The Abyssinian
Development Corporation (ADC) serves as the sponsor
for the school and the Abyssinian family opened
a new school in 1993-The Thurgood Marshall Academy
for Learning and Social Change (TMA) - with 100
students in 6th and 7th grades. While TMA increased
in size, the school suffered from instability after
moving students and the facility three times and
needed adequate space of their own.
The principal Dr. Sandye Johnson set out to lobby
for a permanent home. City officials and civic leaders
recognized that TMA suffered because it lacked a
location. Despite many obstacles, the lobbying effort
by the TMA and Abyssinian family was ultimately
successful. The school system offered to lease the
new school site from Abyssinian Development Corporation
(ADC) and finance the needed construction using
City general obligation bonds. ADC managed the construction
privately to school system specifications. This
was the first school not built by the New York City
School Construction Authority and the first new
high school built in Harlem in over 50 years.
After securing funding for the $37.5 million project,
TMA found the ideal site for the new school just
two blocks away in a building made famous by "Small's
Paradise", one of Harlem's original jazz clubs
that was at the center of the Harlem Renaissance
in the 1920's and 1930's. The original structure
required an additional three stories to include
the 78,000 square feet necessary to accommodate
student and community use. In order to honor the
building's place in history, the architects designed
the addition so that it was compatible with the
original building by using the same materials, colors,
scale and rhythms of the existing structure.
ADC contracted Gruzen Samton Architects, LLP, which
began the design process by holding over 40 workshops
involving students, parents, all levels of TMA staff
and the community at large. The architectural firm
also hired several TMA students as interns to assist
them with various aspects of school planning and
design. The interns maintained a website that allowed
the community to monitor the progress of the school
construction and post ideas.
The new six-story structure is a state-of-the-art
facility. The Academy devotes its entire first floor
to community space; including community outreach
rooms, a distance-learning computer lab, and conference
rooms, where they are most accessible to the neighborhood.
By staying open until 8:30 PM during the week and
until 2 PM on Saturdays, TMA truly functions as
the center of its community.
TMA has formed many strategic partnerships including
a Wellness Center developed by the New York Presbyterian
Hospital. The Center is staffed by trained professionals
employed by the hospital. During the summer, the
Wellness Center is open to the community at large.
Current plans exist to provide year-round services
to the community. The school has also developed
a rich partnership with the Jackie Robinson Youth
Center of the Harlem YMCA, a comprehensive social
service agency, which coordinates the school's physical
education program. Additionally, each student is
provided with a full membership to the YMCA to enjoy
its resources after school hours.
The building is designed to support TMA's learning
program. The classrooms are aligned along the exterior
walls giving way to a large circulation space, or
a galleria, at the center of each floor. The gallerias
function as social hubs in the school. They feature
computer workstations and tables on most floors,
providing flexibility to both teachers and students
by allowing smaller groups to work outside of the
traditional classroom setting. There is a science
floor with 3 labs, adjoining preparation rooms,
and a greenhouse. On each floor, there is a laptop
cart that holds 24 laptops, smart boards in each
classroom, and extensive multimedia equipment.
TMA's new home has given the Academy stability and,
more importantly, the opportunity to create a successful
academic program. Last year TMA had an average daily
attendance of 93%, compared to a city-wide high
school average of 86%. Students tested well on the
June 2004 Regents tests and 100% of the 2004 senior
class was accepted to a two or four year college.
This year TMA received 550 applications for 75 slots.
| © 2004, Abyssinian Development
Corporation |
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