Albert Leonard highlights tech education, YES summer program and staff tenure

Albert Leonard Middle School principal Dr. Camille Edwards Thomas told the New Rochelle City School District Board of Education that the school’s technology education program gives every student hands-on exposure to STEM, career awareness and college-preparatory skills.

"Our diversity is one of our greatest strengths and allows us to create an inclusive and welcoming environment where every student is valued, supported, and celebrated," Dr. Camille Edwards Thomas said during the presentation to the board.

The presentation summarized work at each grade level in the tech-education sequence. Sixth-graders learn problem solving, Newton’s laws and introductory computer science; seventh-graders explore pre-engineering concepts and design magnetic-levitation (maglev) prototype vehicles using CAD; eighth-graders study circuitry, 3-D printing and build capstone projects such as CO2-powered dragsters. Teachers said students collect data on time, distance and velocity during testing and use those data for analysis and design refinement.

"The sixth grade technology education program at ALMS provides all students with an exploratory experience in STEM," said Dr. Vijay Giles, one of the technology teachers. "Students are introduced to physics, engineering design and coding as part of college and career awareness."

The board saw examples of student work and heard about the school’s extracurricular robotics teams, engineering club and a long-running summer program called YES (Young Engineer School). The YES program — which staff said began in 2008 and later secured a district grant and a NASA affiliation — runs multiple summer sessions and, according to teachers, has sent students on to engineering careers and postsecondary study. Steven G. May, the technology teacher who described the program, told the board this is his final school year and that he plans to retire in June.

"This is my final year here at Albert Leonard," Steven G. May said, referring to his planned retirement and long service in the district.

Administrators also recognized six student artists selected in a district-wide holiday art contest and presented tenure to multiple staff members, including technology staff and the school psychologist. The presentation included staffing and demographic details for Albert Leonard: the school has about 1,014 students, with Hispanic/Latino students representing 35% of enrollment, white students 34%, Black/African American students 22%, Asian students 6% and smaller percentages for other groups; staff noted 5% of students are English language learners and 18% receive special education services.

Board members praised the technology sequence and the YES program for creating a sense of belonging and long-term pathways into STEM and other fields. Several trustees said they appreciated that the technology offerings are open to all students and that after-school programs provide late buses to ensure participation.

Board members also asked whether the district tracks how many students from Albert Leonard continue into high school STEM pathways; the principal and teachers said work is underway to connect middle-school experiences with New Rochelle High School programs.

The presentation concluded with applause for staff and students and formal tenure recognitions. The board later approved multiple personnel resolutions by voice vote as part of the meeting’s consent agenda.