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Isaac E. Young Middle School presents technology, chorus and tenure recognitions to New Rochelle board
Summary
School leaders showcased Isaac E. Young Middle School’s technology classes, robotics and construction pathways, a student chorus performance and several staff tenure recognitions during a presentation to the New Rochelle Board of Education.
Isaac E. Young Middle School leaders and students presented the school’s technology, robotics and construction programs, a choral performance and tenure recognitions to the City School District of New Rochelle Board of Education.
The presentation, delivered by Principal Towanda Robinson and school staff, highlighted a schoolwide instructional focus on rigorous, standards-aligned learning and described technology classes that include robotics, construction and architecture, and modified curricula for students who need adaptations. Sarah Bianco led the Castle Chorus in a performance. Robinson and department chairs described classroom practices intended to move students from knowledge acquisition to “rigorous thinking,” including collaborative projects, engineering design tasks and use of 3-D printers and robotics software.
Why it matters: board members praised the combination of hands-on technical work and arts offerings as pathways that can engage students who may not otherwise pursue STEM or traditional academic tracks. Trustees said these programs help bridge middle- and high-school course pathways and support college- and career-readiness for a broader segment of students.
School leaders said technology courses give students opportunities to design and build projects (for example, model cars testing egg-protection, and multi-level housing designs), use tools and software such as robotics platforms and 3-D printers, and to collaborate on design revisions based on feedback. Robinson said the school surveyed students in Google Classroom about their impressions of the technology program; responses included “engineering,” “design,” “college,” “fun” and “not for me.”
Trustees asked whether participation in Isaac’s programs translated to higher engagement at the high school. Robinson said conversations with high-school program leaders are part of a longer alignment process; she described opportunities such as construction and architecture classes that can feed into high-school engineering pathways. Board member comments also highlighted efforts to expand access to programs that require auditions or sustained practice, such as PAVE; Robinson said the district has increased outreach and audition preparation since new staff were assigned to those programs.
The board recognized newly tenured staff at Isaac E. Young Middle School, including Rochelle Brown (humanities, 6th-grade social studies), Nelly Hernandez (English as a new language), Danielle McGill (teaching assistant, special education life-skills; recognized in absentia) and Nicole Williams. Principal Robinson and department chairs greeted each honoree onstage.
Board members and the superintendent praised the school’s makerspace, architecture and construction offerings as reviving traditional shop-like experiences alongside coding and robotics, giving students a wider array of practical and technical skills.
Ending: Trustees thanked the Isaac E. Young leadership team and students for the presentation and the chorus performance and encouraged continued alignment with district high-school pathways and community partner programs so middle-school exposure converts into longer-term participation and postsecondary choices.
