Hi,
I'm Rick Hall of JHS 123 the Bronx Urban Community Magnet School.
When I came to the school,
a lot of kids were cutting class and the level of engagement,
it seemed very low.
So it was really powerful when we applied and became a magnet
school that we really focused on engaging kids so that
ultimately they can get to the high schools and colleges that
they want to get into.
This school has undergone so much transformation.
It just screams our magnet theme right from our hallways to our
classrooms to the technology our students use.
We now have smart boards in every classroom.
We have 1 to 1 technology for our students.
Our hallways are covered in murals that connect to steam
learning.
We've also transformed in our academics and our achievement
level. We've really improved the rigor in our classrooms.
We've created a curriculum that's grounded in project based
learning units that keep our kids engaged.
One of the project based learning units that is unique to our
school is called building a better zoo in which our sixth grade
students design enclosures or landscape plans for an endangered
species that will help conserve that species for the future.
We do a field trip to the Bronx Zoo as part of the unit so that
our students can learn more about the real life exhibits and
what needs to be considered when designing a space for an animal.
And we get to celebrate the students work by returning to the
Bronx Zoo and doing a showcase celebration where our students
get to show off the fantastic work that they've created and
celebrate with their community.
We have a wide variety of electives that our students can
participate in.
This includes Spanish language, visual arts, music, technology.
We have a fantastic after school program led by our community
partner city Year. We provide in school support.
So we tutor students, we mentor students,
we just provide that support and love that they need.
We partner with other organizations that are here in New York
City,
bringing authentic learning experience to our students which
include take two film academy where students learn how to become
filmmakers.
Uh the Bronx River Alliance where our students learn how to be
eco activists and the wildlife conservation society.
We've become a school that is recognized for thinking outside of
the box and being creative pack is it's a system where we reward
good behavior with points and each letter in pack represents
something. So P for example, represents prepared.
A stands for acting responsibly.
C stands for communication and K stands for kindness.
It's something that all students can buy into meaning they
understand it and every day they want to practice it,
the teachers do it based on how you're doing academically,
how you're behaving in class. And for that,
you get a reward of point so we can spend it at the pack store.
I go above and beyond every single day for my students to see
like their interests and what they actually want to do in their
future.
They gave me advice in school and outside of school and they
really care about me and what I do in school.
So prepare me for high school school is where I let my inner
creativity out. It's where I hang out with my friends.
It's where I get to see my favorite teachers and learn new
things.
The students are the reason why I love coming here every day.
Any person that is considering joining our family,
joining our community coming here in the form of a staff member
of a student,
I'm sure that you'll find that all the staff and students here
will welcome you with open arms.
But the magnet Program has really helped prepare me for high
school.
It's really about teaching kids how to think and how to make
change because we want all our kids to be change agents out of
all the magnet schools across the nation,
we have achieved something really special and we look forward to
being able to continue improving and making this a better
learning place for our students.
Many years into the future, we are risk takers, mistake makers,
team players and trendsetters to learn more about our school.
Visit us on our website at is 1 23 X dot org or check us out on
social media.