It is the opposite of what trends in the news these days when it comes to school enrollment: Bishop Timon-St. Jude High School is gaining ground as more students flow through its doors.
When James Newton became principal of the 77-year-old school in 2018, enrollment stood at 162 – a deep dive from the student census of 1,000 three or four decades ago.
And things got worse in the years that followed, with 30 to 40 students in each incoming freshman class. The Class of 2023 had 45 students.
The tide has finally turned this year, with a freshman class at 95 students, the largest in 18 years. Total enrollment is near 280 and is expected to top 300 next school year.
As a recent News story indicates, the turnaround at the all-male high school comes following new board leadership, capital investments in the building, a staff member assigned to engaging with eighth-graders and the help of more than 9,000 alumni.
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Winning sports teams – basketball and football – have also boosted the enrollment picture.
Timon’s leaders are smart to tap into a deep well of 9,000 alumni, who are playing key roles in a new endowment, not to mention capital improvements.
This is the kind of good-news education story that is worth emulating. Congratulations, Timon.
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Another education success story about a long-standing post-baccalaureate program at the University at Buffalo is equally heartening. It addresses a key issue.
State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald recently traveled to UB’s Jacobs School of Medicine and announced that the state is amplifying its support of a program designed to aid students who possess the intellectual ability to succeed in medical school, but who do not necessarily meet certain criteria.
McDonald announced more than $4.6 million for diversity in medicine programs managed by the Associated Medical Schools of New York, which he said was $1.2 million more than the state allocated in the prior year.
This initiative helps traditionally underrepresented students become physicians. It also strives to improve access to care and eliminate health disparities by diversifying the state’s physician workforce.
Associated Medical Schools of New York President and CEO Jonathan Teyan said the post-baccalaureate program at Jacobs, which is in its 33rd year, is the “flagship in our portfolio of diversity in medicine programs.” It has produced more than 700 physicians who might not otherwise might not be practicing medicine.
Given critical health disparities, physicians from diverse backgrounds are more important than ever.
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Still on the education front, there are interesting developments in New York’s Farm-to-School program, which partners Buffalo Public Schools schools with farmers, requiring the schools to source 30% of lunch ingredients from in-state producers.
According to recent Cornell University study, using local farm products in school meals doesn’t just mean fresher ingredients, it also provides financial benefits.
The study used Buffalo Public Schools and its 29,000 school lunches served each day as a basis. Cornell Cooperative Extension Farm-to-School Lead Cheryl Bilinski and Cornell economics professor Todd M. Schmit determined that, because of a state school meal reimbursement rate, the “district returned $1.06 in gross domestic product on every dollar the state spent.”
Schmit called the New York State 30% initiative a “net winner in terms of taxpayer dollars.”
Even though state products remain a small portion of school meals – most food served is frozen, processed items, shipped from around the country and reheated – the farm-to-school program is encouraging.
Buffalo Public Schools’ food services department is a pioneer in contracting with local growers for fresh ingredients, which is why the data was available to show that this policy can have a positive economic impact.
Equally important, fresh, healthy food options not only supply energy for learning during the school day, but help alleviate food insecurity issues students may be facing at home.
It is a win for farmers, high quality school food and overall health.