why I love middle sized high schools

By Joyce Szuflita
High Schools in NYC are either 500 kids or 4000. That is very odd.
While there are many good high schools that are tiny or giant, my optimal size is 1000-2000. That is 250 to 500 students in the graduating class; enough to have lots of sports, arts, electives and extra-curriculars but small enough that you have probably run into everyone in your class at least once. The academic and social biodiversity that this size promotes is healthy. You can find your people, but it won’t take you four years to do it.

The City’s MY SCHOOLS HS Directory does filter for size. It offers 0-499, 500-999, and +1000. Seriously?!
Heh, DoE! Do you think that we are wildly interested in the difference between a school with 480 students and 520 but not between 1100 and 3500? REALLY? I complain about this LOUDLY, every year, in emails, and blogs. Crickets.

Update: FINALLY I WON! You an now filter up to 2000 students in the MY SCHOOLS online directory!! YES!

I do generally prefer the search on Inside Schools but they don’t give me a size preference either. Come on people, it would be so easy!

Here are some middle sized schools that deserve your attention (in no particular order and definitely not comprehensive). All wildly interesting and college prep baby, along with sometimes being career and technical training!
If you have suggestions, please send them on!

High School for Environmental Studies : 1146
High School for Health Professions and Human Services : 1825
High School of Fashion Industries : 1577
High School of Telecommunications Arts and Technology : 1235
Leon Goldstein High School : 1057
Manhattan Center for Science and Math : 1650
Townsend Harris High School : 1182