Frances Perkins Academy inside Automotive High School

Frances Perkins Academy

Address: 50 Bedford Avenue
Website: http://francesperkinsacademy.enschool.org/
Motto: “Courage, Character, Conscience”

In addition to its core curriculum, 11th and 12th graders can take part in Frances Perkins Academy’s (FPA) Learning Through Internship program. An internship coordinator matches students’ interests and passions with opportunities at partners including the Museum of Natural History, the Intrepid, the Brooklyn Public Library, E-Media, Army Recruitment Center, the Brooklyn Borough President’s Office and many others. These internships allow students to gain hands-on knowledge of these institutions, and at the end of the semester they present what they learned to the rest of the school.

FPA also possesses a strong arts program, led by art teacher Mr. Toromoreno. “It’s not very well known, but we have a great art studio here, and so many talented students,” said Principal Jocelyn Santana. The student’s artwork is spread throughout the school, in the hallway, classrooms and teacher’s rooms, which Santana said brightens up the walls and creates a multi-disciplinary feel conducive to learning. The school also has a partnership with CUNY Tech, where students participate in the COLLEGE NOW program to earn college credit.

Extracurricular groups, such as debate team, basketball club and drama club, are available to FPA students. A partnership with EPIC brings Shakespeare into the English classes and afterschool. Students attend Shakespeare productions, and put on plays on their own, with guidance from EPIC coaches.

In addition, FPA hosts Capturing Kids’ Hearts (CKH) holiday luncheons in November and December. During CKH, the faculty trains in teaching methods that combine compassion and discipline. “We want to capture every student’s heart while we prepare them to succeed in college and the world,” Santana explained. Other events include a Talent Cafe in May, FPA Field Day in June and art exhibits throughout the year. And there’s also a partnership with Greenpoint Youth Court as part of FPA’s discipline and behavior plan they call Restorative Justice.

FPA only opened four years ago, but is quickly becoming a part of the neighborhood. “Our small class size provides students personalization. One Student at a Time, One Teacher at a Time is our mantra,” said Santana. Currently, the school is moving to a single floor within Automotive High School so that the classroom layout will be more centralized. FPA is dedicated to fostering involvement between students and teachers. To illustrate, FPA has its own United Federation of Teachers (UFT) Teacher Center that provides in-house support and development. This equips teachers with the skills necessary to fully assist their students. FPA has a great future ahead of it, thanks to the dedication of students, teachers, and staff. The school is also moving swiftly into the digital age. Students have the option of taking a course in digital literacy, and, since FPA is an iLearn school, they can also take approved classes online.

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