Susan E. Wagner High School
School Description
"It is the mission of Susan E. Wagner High School to create a unified community of students, parents and educators, which will provide a rigorous instructional program in a supportive atmosphere. This community will strive to stimulate in each child a thirst for knowledge, which will result in the acquisition of the skills and competencies necessary to be successful and to be lifelong learners. It is our desire that all students will experience the social, emotional, and intellectual growth necessary to become socially conscious citizens with a respect for all peoples of our society."
Contact Information
Website: wagnerhigh.net/index.jsp#
Principal: David Cugini
Primary ETA Contact: Paul Corn, Assistant Principal of the Arts- pcorn2@schools.nyc.gov
Four-Year Plan Goals
Goal One: To develop a sequential dance component within the Theatre program for grades 9 to 12.
Goal Two: To raise the individual and group level of proficiency regarding technical skills, musicality, and performance execution of the music performing ensembles (Instrumental and Vocal)
Approach
Goal One: ETA supports the hiring of an outside professional dance instructor to teach classes during the school day to all levels of theatre students. Each year this teacher teaches a different level and type of dance as professional development for the theatre teacher to incorporate into her curriculum. The theatre teacher participates in the class often as a student while continually updating her curriculum to reflect what she has learned. Each year she then takes over the class that she experienced the year before while continuing the process with the teaching artist at a new level and dance form.
Goal Two: In order to raise the level of instruction for music students at Wagner, ETA helps to bring in specialized professional instructors to offer master classes, one on one and/ or small group instruction, and large group work as well as professional development for teachers. ETA also purchases new materials such as instruments and supplies as needed to give students the proper tools to succeed. By Year Two, they begin to offer chamber ensembles and small group combos to give students more opportunities to perform.
ARTS PARTNERSHIPS
Goal One: The school hired Great Expectations based in Staten Island to teach all dance classes and professional development sessions for the four years.
Goal Two: Master teaching artists include, but are not limited to Anthony Mazzochi, brass; Warren Smith, percussion; Jeff Grogan, conducting, Frank Lacy, jazz; Helen Campo, flute;and Ed Brown, guitar.
Outcome
Goal One: Theatre teachers will develop a 4 year dance sequence within the theatre curriculum, including Basic Jazz, Intermediate Jazz, Basic Tap, and Intermediate Tap and will have an advanced understanding of various dance fundamentals and forms/ styles. Wagner HS theatre students will be capable of performing legitimate choreography as part of staged productions and will be prepared for college theatre auditions.
Goal Two: Music Teachers will have updated curriculum and lesson plans displaying daily use of new technical skills for their classes, as well as how they will apply the skills. Music students will have advanced knowledge, technical abilities, and music comprehension through ongoing work with specialized teaching artists and will use high quality instruments and supplies daily in the classroom and at performances.
"We would never have been able to grow in the depth we have this quickly without ETA. At the completion of our 4th year we expanded to an additional level of concert band (from 4-5) , additional level of chorus (from 2- 3), and hired a second full time theater teacher and a new dance teacher.
"ETA has supported what was already a very serious culture in the arts. It gave students opportunities to work with top professionals on a regular basis, which furthered student learning, growth, ability build confidence, and further justify the importance of what they are doing."
Four-Year Plan 2012-2016.