WIth the ubiquitous goal of providing exceptional educational services, Intermediate School 292 is home to approximately 680 students, in the sixth and eight grade. This excellence in education is realized via intense sessions of preparation by the members of the administration and staff as they work collaboratively to develop curriculum and lesson plans to target the needs of our students, by class, in groups and individually. As described by one of our school's quality reviewers, "the school runs particularly smoothly and it is safe, well-organized oasis of calm, quiet, challenge and purpose."
The mission of I. S. 292 is to create a safe and secure environment that embraces each student's individual talents and maximizes the potential. Our goal is to provide every student with the knowledge and skills necessary to compete in a technologically complex society. In pursuing this mission, I. S. 292 will provide instructional programs aligned with the New York State and City Standards. Our program will assist in preparing students for a higher education while developing their sense of responsibility and building self-esteem.
More than gear our instruction and curriculum towards the mandates of the state assessments, we insist on preparing students for life. In our quest to produce sucessful young adults we have created an open door policy where teachers, parents and students work side by side on academics and life experiences to futher the growth of students. This is done by implementation and sustenance of mentoring groups such as the Phenomenal Young Women, the Butterfly Girls Group and the Student Council which focus on fostering leadership potential, community service and helping students to gain the world view that they need, thus, broadening their horizons so that they may compete in an ever changing, complex society.
This nurturing and mentoring is a constant in the lives of our students. Our school is a pillar in our community. Aware of the many socio-economic issues that plague our studnets, we try to provide them with as much finacial and emotional help as we can, yet we imbue in them a sense of philanthropy, to wit, our students conduct many fund raising ventures that, in the vein of charity beginning at home, we firstly assist students that are underprivileged, then contribute to charities such as "The St. Jude's Hopital" and the Malaria for Africa" effort. In this Malaria effort, we've raised funds and bought treated mosquito nets that were donated to families in Africa, through the United Nations "Africa Now" program. Our students know that these families now have greater chances of survival because of their input. These programs will assist in preparing stundents for a higher education while developing their sense of responsibility and building self-esteem.
Continuing the spirit of excellence, we have Specialized High School program that gives students the opportunities to attend schools with the academic rigor that will prepare them to compete on in an international market. Every year since we have started, we have had an average of eight students who are accepted into the Specialized High schools such as Brooklyn Tech and Stuyvesant High School of Science. Additionally, our eighth grade students have taken the Regents High School examinations in math and social studies and have achieved 98% pass rate. We will continue in this tradition by offering the English High School Regents to our students in the 2009-10 school year.
Our goal is to produce that well-rounded student that leaves us thoroughly prepared for high school. To have each child realize his or her true talents and potentials, we offer courses in the performing arts. Courses are available in drama, contemporary and traditional dance, African drumming and African dance, computer repair, technology, video technology, chorus, martial arts, culinary arts, instrumental music, visual arts and fitness. Of great pride to us and everyone in the East New York community, is our Soul Tigers marching band. Our band performs within the community of Brooklyn, other boroughs of New York City, within the tri-state area and other states. They have the distinction of being the only African-American band to have led the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade.
Building partnerships with corporate America and Community Based Organizations is a continuous process. Tommy Hilfiger has sponsored our marching band by initially providing uniforms for the members of the band. This partnership has grown to the point where Tommy Hilfiger now sponsors fund raising events for our band and additionally, he has our band performing at major events in New York City. Diesel, the clothing line, is also another partner in our growth and development as they use our marching band to launch the beginning of their world-wide tours. In the vein of educational excellence we also partnered with Per Scholars, a Community Based organization that donates computers to the parents of students in our school. The aim of this program is to provide a computer in every home. Last year computers were donated to the parents of students in the sixth and seventh grades and this year they will continue this tradition of philanthropy by donating computers to the parents of the students in the sixth grade. Groundwork, another community based organization has partnered with us to provide our students with a blend of academics and the arts in our after-school program.
In recognition of our stalwart achievements, we have been awarded a partnership with “Publicolor”, an organization designed to keep students off the streets and imbue them with a sense of community service, while providing an artistic outlet through painting. Added to all of the developmental programs that we offer is Project Excel, funded by Brooklyn Colony South Houses. This program ensures that our students attend school on a regular basis and provides support to those families that find it difficult to supply the basic necessities to have their children in school.
Intermediate School 292 integrates academics, the arts and community service to nurture and ultimately produce citizens worthy of consideration in the local, international and global market.