NEW YORK - Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña joined students, community members, staff and local officials today to celebrate the opening of The Dock Street School for STEAM Studies, providing 330 new middle school seats for District 13 families. The brand new space will feature state-of-the-art facilities including a science lab, science demo room, a gymatorium, and a music suite with classroom space and separate practice rooms.
Students in grades 6 through 8 from across District 13 will engage in hands-on, collaborative projects in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) fields. By integrating art and design into the curriculum, the school will offer an enriched academic experience in which students can find and explore new passions and become better prepared for college, careers and beyond.
"Opening a new school is a remarkable investment in our City's future, and The Dock Street School will provide a high-quality education to students across the community," said Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña. "STEAM studies provide hands-on opportunities that engage students while integrating art and design into more traditional subjects, so that students can use applied knowledge to develop problem solving and collaboration skills."
Instruction in these subjects will also incorporate programs built in partnership with local institutions, including cultural performances and workshops at St. Ann's Warehouse, and recreational activities at Brooklyn Bridge Park. Located at 19 Dock Street in Dumbo, the uniquely designed school is just one block away from the East River at the foot of the Brooklyn Bridge.
"The District 13 community has been instrumental in the development of this school," said Deputy Chancellor Elizabeth Rose. "Families, teachers and local leaders are deeply invested in creating a supportive and inclusive school community for their children, and The Dock Street School will provide high-quality and much-needed middle school seats for students across the district to engage in STEAM studies."
In partnership with Two Trees Management, the School Construction Authority completed work on the space this summer in time for the start of the 2016-2017 school year. The building also includes a new Pre-K Center, providing 72 new free, full-day, high quality pre-K seats in the district.
"This brand-new facility provides beautiful amenities for students to learn, grow, and thrive. I am proud of the SCA's work on the Dock Street School, which adds much-needed new seats in District 13," said Lorraine Grillo, President and Chief Executive Officer of the New York City School Construction Authority. "The SCA is grateful to Two Trees for their tremendously important partnership on this project, and we thank District 13 elected officials and other stakeholders for their support of this new school."
"The success of the Dock Street School is a model that shows how the City can leverage real estate values to create public benefits like building new schools, creating space for cultural institutions or updating infrastructure," said Two Trees Management Company CEO Jed Walentas."Today represents a victory for good planning and strong leadership that delivered real benefits to the students and parents of District 13 at a bargain price for the City in addition to much needed affordable housing."
The former M.S. 313 Satellite West was re-sited into the space and the newly redesigned school is projected to serve approximately 140 students in 2016-2017. As 6th-grade cohorts expand over the next three years, the school is expected to increase enrollment to serve more than 350 students by the 2018-2019 school year, when the building is expected to be more fully utilized.
"The Dock Street School is a tremendous addition for families in District 13, offering middle school students a unique educational experience grounded in STEAM studies," said District 13 Superintendent Barbara Freeman. "Under the extraordinary leadership of Principal Dr. Melissa Vaughan, the Dock Street School will provide a high-quality education to students in the area."
"In partnership with staff, families and community members, we are proud to be a part of the team that gets to open the doors to this truly remarkable building for students to come in and learn," said Dr. Melissa Vaughan, principal of The Dock Street School for STEAM Studies. "Students joining us this school year will become part of a special community of learners with access to the facilities, partnerships and innovative curriculum needed to succeed and thrive in the classroom and in their daily lives outside of school."
Additional information is available on the school's website: http://dockstreetschool.nyc/
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