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Time to elect some new political leaders

If you’re registered to vote and you have a mailbox, you’re probably aware that Election Day was this week just as this paper was going to press.
Voters went to the polls on Tuesday to elect candidates for their local City Council races, borough president, mayor, public advocate and comptroller, although the last two were hardly competitive.
In the public advocate race, incumbent Jumaane Williams is expected to win handily. He has three challengers, but none have been mounting much of a contest.
Williams is in the rare position of actually running for two offices at once. While he wants you to give him another term as public advocate, he has already announced that he is running for governor next year.
Usually when an incumbent running for reelection gets pressed about their interest in another office, they usually defer and say they are only focused on doing their current job. Then, shortly after they get voted back into said office, they announce they are running for another post.
Williams is not even bothering to hold up the pretense.
Councilman Brad Lander, who is term-limited out of office, has three challengers but is expected to win the race for comptroller easily.
In Queens, Tom Zmich has been running a competent campaign against current borough president Donovan Richards, who just took office last year after he won what was kind of a special election but not really (COVID threw a wrench in the whole process, it’s complicated) to replace Melinda Katz, so he is already being forced to defend his seat.
It will be hard for Zmich, a Republican, to not only overcome the advantages an incumbent enjoys, but the overwhelming majority Democrats hold in the borough.
But Brooklyn is assured a new borough president. Current office holder Eric Adams is running for mayor and leaving the post, and there are four candidates looking to replace him.
They are Councilman Antonio Reynoso, the Democrat, Menachem Raitport, who is running on the Conservative and Independent lines, and third-party candidates Shanduke Mcphatter (Voices for Change) and Anthony Jones (Rent is 2 Damn High). Wise money would be on Reynoso winning the race.
Speaking of Adams, he has been campaigning nonstop in the run up to this week’s General Election, as has his challenger, Republican Curtis Sliwa.
Sliwa’s campaign was nearly derailed after he was hit by a car last week. He was on his way to a radio interview on Friday when a yellow cab struck him outside Radio City Music Hall. Sliwa went on to do the radio interview, but afterwards learned that he suffered a fractured right arm.
He was treated and released, and was soon back on the campaign trail.
Sliwa held his own in two debates with Adams, and has been running a serious campaign, but he will also have a difficult time overcoming the major advantage the Democrats have among registered voters.
Perhaps a more progressive candidate would have been better for Sliwa, but Adams’ past as a member of the NYPD and his established political bona fides (whether you think that is a good thing or not), make him more attractive to some of the more moderate Democrats who could have been swayed to vote for Sliwa if a way-left-leaning candidate was on their line.
As long as we mentioned that Williams is running for governor next year, we should note that Attorney General Letitia James last week announced that she would also be challenging Governor Kathy Hochul next year.
It’s clear that one of the key strategies for James is connecting with New York City voters. Political pundits are already predicting that Queens, Brooklyn and the New York City suburbs are going to be key battlegrounds in next year’s gubernatorial race, so expect to see the candidates often over the next year.
In fact, after making her decision official last Friday, James was in Queens campaigning on both Monday and Tuesday, making appearances in Forest Hills and Ozone Park with City Council candidates Lynn Schulman and Felicia Singh.
Speaking of Singh, she is in one of the most hotly contested City Council races on the slate this year. Singh is a progressive and outspoken candidate running in a conservative-leaning district against Republican Joann Ariola.
The seat is the last one held by the GOP in Queens, which used to have several office holders at the local, state and, even if just for a short time, the federal level. Councilman Eric Ulrich is the last one.
If Singh wins, it might be a long time before the Queens County Republican Party ever elects another candidate to office.
We’ll have more on that race and all of the other important City Council races in Queens and Brooklyn next week.

TOP HIGH SCHOOLS 2021

TOP HIGH SCHOOLS ARE ON TOP OF EDUCATION TRENDS: While most public schools are still trying to figure out how to socially distance and getting teachers vaccinated, our Top High Schools are focused on getting their students to top colleges.

THE OPEN HOUSE EXPERIENCE: Finding the right high school is a daunting process, but open houses offer potential applicants a better chance to get a feel for each institution.

TECHNOLOGY IS HERE TO STAY AT TOP HIGH SCHOOLS: Within the past 18 months, Zoom became a household name, touchless thermometers became a standard part of entering any school building, and conference room equipment was essential in the classroom.

ARCHBISHOP MOLLOY HIGH SCHOOL

CATHEDRAL HIGH SCHOOL

DOMINICAN ACADEMY

HOLY CROSS HIGH SCHOOL

THE KEW-FOREST SCHOOL

LAWRENCE WOODMERE ACADEMY

MARTIN LUTHER SCHOOL

MONSIGNOR MCCLANCY HIGH SCHOOL

NOTRE DAME SCHOOL OF MANHATTAN

ST. FRANCIS PREP

ST. JEAN BAPTISTE HIGH SCHOOL

ST. JOHN’S PREP

ST. VINCENT FERRER HIGH SCHOOL

TOP HIGH SCHOOLS 2021

TOP HIGH SCHOOLS ARE ON TOP OF EDUCATION TRENDS: While most public schools are still trying to figure out how to socially distance and getting teachers vaccinated, our Top High Schools are focused on getting their students to top colleges.

THE OPEN HOUSE EXPERIENCE: Finding the right high school is a daunting process, but open houses offer potential applicants a better chance to get a feel for each institution.

TECHNOLOGY IS HERE TO STAY AT TOP HIGH SCHOOLS: Within the past 18 months, Zoom became a household name, touchless thermometers became a standard part of entering any school building, and conference room equipment was essential in the classroom.

ARCHBISHOP MOLLOY HIGH SCHOOL

CATHEDRAL HIGH SCHOOL

DOMINICAN ACADEMY

HOLY CROSS HIGH SCHOOL

THE KEW-FOREST SCHOOL

LAWRENCE WOODMERE ACADEMY

MARTIN LUTHER SCHOOL

MONSIGNOR MCCLANCY HIGH SCHOOL

NOTRE DAME SCHOOL OF MANHATTAN

ST. FRANCIS PREP

ST. JEAN BAPTISTE HIGH SCHOOL

ST. JOHN’S PREP

ST. VINCENT FERRER HIGH SCHOOL

Top High Schools Are on Top of Education Trends

Navigating the post-COVID high school scene is messy, but the schools we profile here are ready with strategy and innovation.
While most public schools are still trying to figure out how to socially distance and getting teachers vaccinated, our Top High Schools are focused on getting their students to top colleges.
This year is encouraging for students entering the ninth grade. New innovations stemming from schools having to deal with new learning programs because of the COVID restrictions are making for more dynamic classrooms.
It is crucial you visit the schools on our list. If you are sending your student to high school for the next four years, it’s imperative you get a feel for what is going on there. You won’t be disappointed.
If you have been reading our weekly newspapers and following our Top High Schools Issue, now in its 15th year, it makes sense that the high quality of education, extracurricular activities, and ability to be nimble led to increases in enrollment at these schools last year.
“Enrollment is up, and we have a full schedule of academics and activities,” said Nick Melito, president of Msgr. McClancy High School in East Elmhurst. “Parents see that we have a learning environment that is about communication and transparency.”
Catholic and private schools are thriving with a mix of virtual learning and in-classroom work.
“Students want to be here every day,” said Tiffany D. Trotter, head of middle and upper-school at The Kew-Forest School in Forest Hills. “The environment is what we expected. Students and faculty are tested weekly and we are masking indoors at all times.”
Through a set of standards and criteria each school was willing to share, we have chosen the Top High Schools for you to explore. After a series of discussions with teachers, administrators, parents and students, we have assembled the information you need to focus on the institution that best fits your student’s needs.
Holy Cross High School, which boasts an average SAT score of 1260, and St. Vincent Ferrer, where the student-to-faculty ratio is low, are examples of how private, faith-based schools differ from public high schools.
Dominican Academy, an all-girls school in Manhattan, offers AP Italian, and during the open house at Archbishop Molloy in Briarwood you will hear about graduates attending Yale, Cornell, Fordham and NYU.
High achievement, special attention and challenging curriculum is the norm at these schools.
Project-based learning is a core of curriculum at The Kew-Forest School. The desired learning objectives dictate the project.
“Project-based learning is quickly becoming pedagogy that faculty is seeing as highly effective, because it puts students in drivers seat and encourages discovery rather than memorization,” said Trotter.
We continue to see a trend of students transferring from public schools to the top schools we profile here. Public school’s COVID handling aside, parents are looking for their students to get organized attention in academics, as well as highly organized extracurricular activities.
We suggest you think about a more personalized education at one of these private high schools based on the extensive information we have compiled over a decade of coverage, questioning and investigation.
Learn from this guide and explore what these high schools have to offer in the way of helping their students get into top colleges across the nation. Advanced placement classes, after-school clubs and organized athletics, as well as the ultimate goal of sending your child to a great college or university, are just part of everyday life in these schools.
Faith and moral character are paramount to the experience at most of these schools, so if that’s not for you then just stop here and go to the entertainment section of our newspaper. However, we find the schools are culturally and religiously diverse.
After doing the research, we can assure parents that our Top High Schools are worth the investment in your child. If you want specialized attention, public schools just won’t cut it.
Visit a school’s website, and you will see that there might be as many as five sports teams in action on a given day, as well as something for the student body to do every weekend.
Some schools offer niche programs which are consistent with their brand.
We continually tell you about St. John’s Prep in Astoria, where they continue to expand their Black Box Theatre program, which has inspired many students to go into the arts.
Archbishop Molloy continues to offer a video broadcast club, while Msgr. McClancy offers scholarships to students with a talent and interest in the performing arts.
Getting students involved in the community outside the school walls is also a hallmark. This year has been tough, but we are sure they will be right back to that mission when the pandemic ends.
Martin Luther School in Maspeth is increasingly emphasizing digital literacy, partnering with Apple to put their students ahead of the curve. In recent years each student received a new iPad and uses them in a broad range of classroom learning situations.
Robotics and technology headline the course load for 10th, 11th and 12th grade students at Cathedral Prep in Manhattan, while entrepreneurship and business law continue to be popular interests according to students there.
Another attraction to an education at our Top High Schools is the culture and connection that exists after graduation. “Once a Stanner, Always a Stanner” is the motto at Archbishop Molloy.

Open Houses
It’s the time of year for high schools to host open houses for prospective students. So clear your schedules to visit these schools with a mask or take a virtual tour.
You will not be disappointed in the friendship, mentorship and passion you witness while taking a tour. Their number one focus is making sure your child has a wonderful experience for four years.
Talking to teachers and current students is a must. Even if your child is in sixth or seventh grade, we suggest you go online and check out the tours.
Even though these schools have had double-digit increases in enrollment, we see that most have met – and even exceeded – the necessary measures to provide a safe environment for your student.

Choosing the Schools
We sent questionnaires to dozens of private high schools in Queens, Brooklyn and Manhattan for our 2021 issue.
In order to make the cut, 95 percent of the student body must go to college, schools must answer 90 percent of our detailed questions, and they have to boast a full roster of extracurricular activities.
We speak to parents, students, alumni, teachers and administrators. We are able to obtain information that might not typically be shared with the outside world. The questions we ask are intended to compare the academic, spiritual and social environment of each school.
Schools shared scholarship opportunities for eighth graders, and we suggest parents speak to admissions directors about those programs. Have your student prepared for an interview, as scholarships are not given haphazardly.
Scholarship money that graduating seniors were offered by colleges is crucial in our evaluations. Most bragged about the average SAT scores of their students.
Some schools wouldn’t share enough information for us to make a determination on quality of curriculum, program or student body, so they were not included on our list. We’ve been on this beat for a decade-and-a-half now, so the schools know why we are calling each fall.
Public high schools do not share information with us. Many are now small, and that gives your child a shot at making it out of there in one piece. Themed public high schools have been getting good marks from parents, and if they would give us credible information, we could evaluate them.
From where we sit, we have determined that it’s hit or miss with those schools. There is very little consistency.
At our Top High Schools, a larger percentage of students who score in the middle of the class in academics tend to get accepted and get scholarship money when its time for college.
The trend in education is that high-achieving eighth graders who might have attended one of the city’s specialized high schools in the past are now opting for a top private high school, often receiving some kind of academic aid.
The reason is obvious when you see what these private schools are doing to compete for the top-notch students. They each have their own way to motivate their students for four years, but they have a few things in common we should point out.
They work fairly hard at getting all their students into top colleges, and they treat every student like they are important. For example, the Baccalaureate Program at St. John’s Prep, in partnership with St. John’s University, enables students to get college credit early on.
Our Top High Schools have the flexibility to reach out to institutions of higher education and learning facilities to develop partnerships. They include college credit courses and the opportunity for seniors to visit the college campus to get a feel for the next level.
Call a school on our list and ask about college interaction programs. Ask to talk to one of the seniors involved.

Take the Extra Step
If price is keeping you from considering one of these schools, we find that these schools typically want your child if your child wants them. Contacting the financial aid department at one of the schools does not raise a red flag about your child. In fact it helps.
You will have to pay something, but if your student shows that he or she is willing to work and contribute something positive to the school community, they will get you in.
After exploring the options in this special issue, attend open houses over the next few weeks and talk to an admissions director. If they find your child is likely to succeed, you should qualify for scholarships or aid.

S. JOHN’S PREPARATORY SCHOOL

21-21 Crescent Street
Astoria, NY, 11105
(718) 721-7200
stjohnsprepschool.org
Catholic, Co-Ed

Principal: Maria N. Johnson
Admissions Director: (718) 721-7200 ext. 699
Students: 720
Teachers: 48
Average Class Size: 26
Top 5 or Most Unique Extracurricular Activities: Art, Baseball, Basketball, Catholic Worker, Cheerleading, Chess Club, Coding, Dance, Drama, Golf, Environmental Awareness, Glee Club, Jazz Rock Band, Junior Ladies of Charity, Literary Magazine, Math Club, Model UN, National Honor Society, Photography, Red Cross, Redstorm News, Robotics, Science Olympiad, Soccer, Softball, Speech & Debate, Student Council, Swimming, Tennis, Track, Volleyball, Young Investors and many more.
Open House: Saturday, October 16, from 9:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. by appointment
Percentage of Seniors Attending College: 100
Top 2021 Seniors Attending: Boston College, Brown University, Columbia University, Cornell University, CUNY, Dartmouth College, Drexel University, FIT, Fordham University, George Washington University, Harvard University, Howard University, Hofstra, Iona College, Johns Hopkins, New York University, Northeastern, Pace University, Penn State University, Pratt Institute, Princeton University, Queens College, Rensselaer RPI, St. John’s University, Stony Brook University, SUNY, Syracuse University, Vassar College, Wesleyan University
College Credit Courses: Advanced Placement Courses in Biology, Calculus, English Language and Composition, English Literature, European History, Physics, Psychology, Spanish Language and Culture, Statistics, United States History, World History
Admissions Requirements: TACHS Test
School Motto: That they may have life more abundantly.
What makes St. John’s Prep a Top High School? St. John’s Preparatory School is dedicated to promoting academic excellence and to instilling the principles and values of the Catholic faith in a positive, supportive environment. Through an advanced, challenging curriculum, St. John’s Prep focuses on the growth of the individual student.
Students from St. John’s Prep may attend St. John’s University during their senior year through a unique SJP/SJU Baccalaureate Program. They can also take college courses through the College Advancement Program with St. John’s University.
The Campus Life Retreat Program beginning in freshman year helps students learn more about themselves, each other and recognize God in others.
The Performing arts and multi-media program engages students as writers, actors, dancers, designers, directors, musicians, singers and technicians. It fosters creativity, improves confidence and allows them to embrace their self-expression.
Advanced science and technology courses, programs and activities provide a strong foundation for future careers and innovative thinking.

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