As 7th-graders wrote about jazz great Duke Ellington and African American poet Langston Hughes, a child told us, “I think it’s cool that we’re learning about our past. For example, it offers Regents-level algebra and living environment. Now it is also finding ways to push stronger students. The school has long done a good job boosting academic achievement for students who enter with weak skills. One student said he was able to return to school to retrieve his forgotten homework assignment at 6 p.m. Children say teachers “take you to the side” to explain tricky concepts, and invite you to stop by at lunch if you need help. “If there’s anything they can help you with, they will,” said an 8th-grade parent. Parents are happy they can email teachers, and say the parent coordinator picks up the phone. The school, which once served mostly low-income families, is gradually becoming more ethnically, racially and economically diverse. Two parents actually cried when they told us how welcome they felt when they met parent coordinator Karla Fittipaldi and the staff. Unlike some higher-profile schools, CAS rolls out the red carpet for prospective parents. Children and parents are quick to say, "I love this school." Test scores are rising. A renovated art room, laptops for all children, and a new focus on challenging classes for top students have made this a school to watch. MS 258 Community Action School (CAS), a tiny school with a winning mix of structure and free expression, is undergoing a mini renaissance.
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