Buffalo Public Schools
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| BUFFALO PUBLIC SCHOOLS | |
|---|---|
| ''Putting children & families first to ensure high academic achievement for all." | |
| Type | Public |
| Budget | $798,200,000[1] |
| Established | 1838 |
| Grades | Pre K-12 |
| Superintendent | Dr. James A. Williams |
| Teachers | 2860.6 (FTE)[2] |
| Staff | 2142.7 (FTE)[2] |
| Student/Teacher Ratio: | 12.8:1[2] |
| Schools | Elementary:50
High School:18 Adult Ed:2 |
| County | Erie County |
| Location | Buffalo, New York United States |
| Website | http://www.buffaloschools.org |
| Erie County, New York | |
| Map | |
 Location in the state of New York |
|
 New York's location in the U.S. |
|
| Statistics | |
| Founded | 1821 |
|---|---|
| Seat | Buffalo |
| Area - Total - Land - Water |
1,227 sq mi (3,178 km²) 1,044 sq mi (2,704 km²) 183 sq mi (474 km²), 14.89% |
| Population - (2000) - Density |
950,265 909/sq mi (351/km²) |
| Website: www.erie.gov | |
Contents |
[edit] General Information
The Buffalo Public School System serves approximately 37,000 students in Buffalo, New York, the second largest city in the state of New York. It is located in Erie County of western New York and operates nearly 70 facilities.[1]
[edit] History
The Buffalo Public School System was started in 1838, 13 years after the completion of the Erie Canal and only 6 years after the 1832 incorporation of the City of Buffalo. Buffalo was the first city in the state of New York to have a free public education system supported by local taxes. Although New York City had a free public education system prior to 1838, NYC obtained additional funding through private donations and sources.[3]
Buffalo Public School's first Superintendent of Schools, Oliver Gray Steele (1805-1879), was a prominent and successful business man. Originally from Connecticut, Mr. Steele relocated to Buffalo in 1827. He held three different terms as Superintendent between 1838 and 1852, during which twelve new elementary facilities were built, bringing the total to 15 elementary buildings. A building for a dedicated high school was also purchased during this time. Mr. Steele is credited as being the "Father of the Public Schools of Buffalo" as his reorganization of the schools in Buffalo enabled children to have access to a free public education.[3] Over 35 people have held the position of Superintendent of Buffalo Public Schools since that time. Dr. James A. Williams (Ed.D.), the current Superintendent, has been in office since 2005. He has had a career of over 39 years of service in the field of public education as teacher, counselor, administrator, lecturer, and author and is particularly known for his work on curriculum and instruction. [2]
[edit] Administration
[edit] Board of Education
The Board of Education of the Buffalo City School District is the policy-making body for the Buffalo Public Schools [3] , as provided by the Constitution of the State of New York, and is under the general supervision of the New York State Education Department. [4] The board consists of 9 members elected by popular vote of District residents. Terms are either 3 or 6 years. The Office of the Board of Education is in room 801 of City Hall in downtown Buffalo and meetings are on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month. The meetings begin at 5:30 PM and are open to the public.
[edit] Board Members (2008-2009 Academic Year)
-
- Mary Ruth Kapsiak, Ed.M, S.D.A: President/ Central District Representative
- Dr. Catherine Collins: Vice President of Executive Affairs/ Member-at-Large
- Mr. Christopher Jacobs: Vice President of Student Achievement/ Member-at-Large
- Ms. Vivian Evans, M.S.: East District Representative
- Mrs. Florence Johnson: Member-at-Large
- Mr. Ralph Hernandez: West District Representative
- Catherine Nugent, Esq: Panepinto: North District Representative
- Louis Petrucci: Park District Representative
- Pamela D. Perry-Cahill, B.S., ED. M.B.A: Ferry District Representative
[edit] Superintendent & Advisory Cabinet
-
- James A. Williams, Ed. D.: Superintendent of Schools
- Folasade Oladele, Ed.D.: Chief Academic Officer
- Gary Crosby: Chief Financial Officer & Operating Officer
- Valerie DeBerry: Executive Director Human Resources
- Amber Dixon: Executive Director Project Initiatives
- Mark Frazier: Lead Community Superintendent
- James Kane: Chief of Staff
- Stefan Mychajliw: Special Assistant to the Superintendent/Community Relations
- Michael J. Looby, Esq.: General Counsel
[edit] Schools
[edit] Elementary Schools
- PS 3 D’Youville Porter Campus School [5]
- PS 6 Buffalo Elementary School of Technology [6]
- PS 11 Poplar Citizenship Academy Early Childhood Center[7]
- PS 17 Early Childhood Center [8]
- PS 18 Dr. Antonia Pantoja Community School of Academic Excellence [9]
- PS 19 Native American Magnet School [10]
- PS 27 Hillery Park Elementary @28 [11]
- PS 30 Frank A. Sedita Academy [12]
- PS 31 Harriet Ross Tubman School [13]
- PS 32 Bennett Park Montessori@#63 [14]
- PS 33 Bilingual Center [15]
- PS 36 Days Park Bilingual ECC [16]
- PS 37 Futures Academy [17]
- PS 39 Martin Luther King Multicultural Institute [18]
- PS 43 Lovejoy Discovery School at #71[19]
- PS 45 International School@4 & 40 [20]
- PS 53 Community School [21]
- PS 54 Dr. George E. Blackman [22]
- PS 56 Frederick Law Olmsted [23]
- PS 59 Dr. Charles R. Drew Science Magnet - Museum Site [24]
- PS 59 Dr. Charles R. Drew Science Magnet - Zoo Site [25]
- PS 61 Early Childhood Center [26]
- PS 64 Frederick Law Olmsted [27]
- PS 65 Roosevelt ECC [28]
- PS 66 North Park Middle Academy [29]
- PS 67 Discovery School [30]
- PS 69 Houghton Academy [31]
- PS 72 Lorraine Elementary [32]
- PS 74 Hamlin Park School [33]
- PS 76 Herman Badillo Bilingual Academy [34]
- PS 78 Montessori School [35]
- PS 79 Pfc. William J. Grabiarz School of Excellence [36]
- PS 80 Highgate Heights [37]
- PS 81 School [38]
- PS 82 Early Childhood Center [39]
- PS 84 Erie County Health Care Center for Children [40]
- PS 89 Dr. Lydia T. Wright School of Excellence [41]
- PS 90 Dr. Charles R. Drew Science Magnet E.C.C. [42]
- PS 91 BUILD Academy [43]
- PS 93 Southside Elementary School [44]
- PS 94 West Hertel Academy [45]
- PS 95 Waterfront Elementary School [46]
- PS 96 Campus West [47]
- PS 97 Harvey Austin School [48]
- PS 99 Stanley M. Makowski Early Childhood Center [49]
- PS 131 Academy School @ 44 [50]
- PS 192 Buffalo Academy for Visual and Performing Arts [51]
- PS 195 City Honors School at 56 & 8 [52]
- PS 197 Math Science Technology Preparatory School at Seneca [53]
- The International Preparatory School at Grover [54]
[edit] High Schools
- PS 42 Occupational Training Center [55]
- PS 131 Academy School @ 44 [56]
- PS 192 Buffalo Academy for Visual and Performing Arts [57]
- PS 195 City Honors School at 56 & 8 [58]
- PS 197 Math Science Technology Preparatory School at Seneca [59]
- PS 200 Bennett High School [60]
- PS 202 Grover Cleveland High School [61]
- PS 204 Lafayette High School [62]
- PS 205 Riverside Institute of Technology [63]
- PS 206 South Park High School [64]
- PS 212 Leonardo DaVinci High School [65]
- PS 301 Burgard High School [66]
- PS 302 Emerson School of Hospitality [67]
- PS 304 Hutchinson Central Technical High School [68]
- PS 305 McKinley High School [69]
- PS 307 East High School [70]
- PS 415 Middle Early College High School [71]
- The International Preparatory School at Grover [72]
[edit] Adult Education Facilities
- PS 42 Occupational Training Center [73]
- Adult Education Division [74]
The Buffalo Public School System boasts the best academically performing high school in Western New York, the City Honors School at Fosdick-Masten Park, which is recognized as one of the best high schools in the United States. The school was recently ranked as the 11th best school in Newsweek Magazine's 2008 list of "America's Best High Schools".[4] Originally built in 1912 as Masten Park High School, it sits atop the foundation of the original school that was built in 1895, but was destroyed by a fire in 1912. The name was changed in 1927 to Fosdick-Masten Park High School in honor of the first principal Frank Fosdick. The building was used as a girls vocational school from 1953 until 1980 when the City Honors School was moved from P.S. 17 on Main Street over to the current location. City Honors was founded in 1975 for academically gifted and talented high school students, however now accepts students from grades 5- 12.
Another important public high school is Lafayette High School, completed in 1903. It is the oldest Buffalo public school still in its original building, and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Lafayette has the largest and most active alumni association of any Buffalo public high school.
The Buffalo Public School System also has 2 Montessori schools, one of which, Bennett Park Montessori Center, has been in existence for over 25 years. Public Montessori schools are not common in U.S. school districts.
[edit] Athletics
Buffalo Public Schools has an extensive athletic program. Students can participate in football, (including the Harvard Cup), basketball, baseball, softball, tennis, cross-country, track and field, bowling, swimming, volleyball, ice hockey and rugby.
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.buffaloschools.org/files/1632/2007-08%20Budget%20Analysis.pdf
- ^ a b c U.S Department of Education Institute of Education Sciences National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/districtsearch/district_detail.asp?Search=1&InstName=buffalo&DistrictType=1&DistrictType=2&DistrictType=3&DistrictType=4&DistrictType=5&DistrictType=6&DistrictType=7&NumOfStudentsRange=more&NumOfSchoolsRange=more&ID2=3605850&details=1
- ^ a b School Days of Yesterday Buffalo Public School History, by Morton Weed, copyright 2001 G. Morton Reed
- ^ Newsweek Magazine: The Top of the Class:The complete list of the 1,300 top U.S. high schools
[edit] External links
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