School type Public high school School number 592 Grades 9 - 12 Phone +1 718-237-2502 Founded 2007 | School district 15 Principal Winston Hamann Enrollment 263 (February 2017) Founder Debbie Almontaser Number of students 263 (February 2017) | |
Address 362 Schermerhorn St, Brooklyn, NY 11217, USA District New York City Geographic District #15 School board New York City Department of Education Similar Brooklyn High School Of, The Brooklyn Internatio, Washingt Irving High School, New Visions For Public Sc, Essex Street Academy | ||
Rally to support khalil gibran international academy
Khalil Gibran International Academy is a public school in Brooklyn, New York City, New York that opened in September 2007 with about 60 sixth grade students. As the first English-Arabic public school in the country to offer a curriculum emphasizing the study of Arabic language and culture, it was placed at the centre of controversy by opponents Khalil Gibran, the school's namesake, was a Lebanese-American Christian Maronite poet.
Contents
- Rally to support khalil gibran international academy
- Khalil gibran international academy high school
- Mission
- Premise
- History
- Academics and School Quality
- References
The committee that designed the school included the original principal Debbie Almontaser (a former teacher and community activist) and several nonprofit groups, including Lutheran Medical Center, the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, the Salaam Club of New York, and the lead partner, the Arab American Family Support Center, a Brooklyn-based nonprofit.
Khalil Gibran International Academy transitioned to a public high school in 2012 and became an IB World School in 2015, making it one of the first public schools in NYC to offer the rigorous IB Diploma Programme.
Khalil gibran international academy high school
Mission
According to the school's website:
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At the Khalil Gibran International Academy’s (KGIA), our mission is to develop, maintain, and graduate life-long learners who have a deep understanding of different cultural perspectives, a love of learning and a desire for excellence with integrity.
We promote holistic student development, encouraging our scholars in their social, emotional, physical and intellectual growth. The heart of our curriculum focuses on academically-rigorous, standards-based, data-driven, differentiated instruction that prepares students for quality higher education and fulfilling life-long careers.
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Premise
The school's stated mission includes providing a "multicultural curriculum and intensive Arabic language instruction".
Further, the federal government has stated that the country is in critical need of Arabic and Chinese speakers, and grants have been given out for schools teaching those subjects. Modern Arabic language is a dialect continuum with two dozen varieties that might be considered languages in their own right. They are the majority language in 20 countries of the Arab world, which has a population of some 325 million people.
The BBC reports that some attendees have joined to reconnect with their families' culture and homeland; others, with no Arab or Muslim background, because they believe learning the language will give them a valuable skill.
A Brooklyn College professor, Moustafa Bayoumi, says that "It's not uncommon for Arab students to feel isolated — I think [the school is] seen as a foothold" and that he believes that the school is making them feel more at home in the city.
History
GIA was founded in 2007 with our lead partner, the Arab American Family Support Center (AAFSC) our school has become an International Baccalaureate school, offering rigorous instruction aimed at creating responsible global citizens.
KGIA occupies a newly renovated space in the heart of Brooklyn’s downtown area and is fully-equipped with a state-of-the-art fitness center, a new science lab and a contemporary cafeteria. We offer small class sizes, personalized instruction and a dedicated, energetic and knowledgeable staff of teachers, administrators and support personnel.
Through our English and Arabic language program, students graduate with the bilingual and bi-literate skills needed for multicultural contexts. KGIA provides students with an environment where they and their families feel connected to a community that is focused on their success.
Academics and School Quality
According to NYC Department of Education, the school score Excellent or good on "Collaborative Teachers" ,Trust", "Rigorous Instruction","Supportive Environment","Effective School Leadership", and "Strong Family-Community Ties".Research shows that schools strong in the six areas are far more likely to improve student learning.
Extracurricular Activities include:
Boys Club, ROSE Girls Group, Creative Writing, Hip-Hop Dance, Drama and Theater,Homework Help, After-School Subject Tutoring, Movie Club, Student Council and Student Advisory, Regents Preparation, Yearbook, Baruch College, STEP, Saturday Academy.