Urban Assembly School for Law & Justice
2012-2016
School Description
"The Urban Assembly School for Law & Justice (SLJ) is a small, public high school located in downtown Brooklyn. Our mission is to prepare our students, many of whom come from underserved communities around the borough and will be the first in their family to attend college, for success in college and career."
"Our theme reflects our conviction that educating is in itself an act of social justice, and that learning can be amplified when done through the lens of the law, with a focus on analysis, critical thinking, and persistent, reasoned questioning."
"SLJ stands on the belief that the success of each student is a community responsibility. Staff, families and partners work together to challenge and support students with a curriculum that respects their right to learn at high levels and with enrichment services that every student deserves. SLJ delivers personal attention in an empowering environment that fosters intellectual independence and civic engagement. Equipped with an understanding of law and social justice, SLJ's students graduate ready to succeed in college and effect change in society."
Contact Information
Website: www.sljhs.org
Principal: Suzette Dyer- sdyer@sljhs.org
Additional ETA Contact: Carrie Angoff, Executive Director of Adams Street Foundation (affiliated foundation of the school)- cangoff@283adams.org
Four-Year Plan Goals
Goal One: To create a flexible arts program for all 10th and 12th graders, including arts electives and arts-integration in select academic classes.
Approach
Goal One: After an initial plan to program dance into P.E. offerings, the school adjusted its course to build rotating arts offerings into the 10th and 12th grade programs that would include, ultimately, visual arts, music and theatre. The school deployed a mix of providers: music was taught by a long-time guest artist, visual arts was with a newer guest artist, and theatre was with a teacher teaching one class out of license. It was important to the school leadership that the investment in this personnel not be limited to the arts offerings, so the teachers have also been deployed to push-in to a small number of academic classes to design arts-integrated projects for specific units.
Arts Partnerships
Goal One: The music and visual arts prongs of the Goal have relied on partnership with Young Voices Big Sounds (music) and freelance teaching artist Christy Hayner (visual). Both have worked with academic teachers to co-plan and execute new lessons, as well as teach in their own discipline during arts electives.
Sustainability Plan
Goal One: Continued cycles of peer share-outs will continue to help staff feel prepared for arts integration projects in their own classrooms, and it will prepare new staff members joining the school. With all new lessons, units and electives documented, staff will also have a growing library of ideas to pull from.