About Our School

Our School’s Summary

The Academy of Innovative Technology HS is located on the Franklin K. Lane Campus. We have approximately 402 students.

Our demographic breakdown is as follows:

• Asian: 5%
• Black: 36%
• Hispanic or Latinx: 52%
• Native American: 2%
• Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0%
• White: 2%
• English language learners: 9%
• Students with disabilities: 21%
• Male: 310
• Female: 92

As a CTE high school, AoIT offers three state-approved pathways as well as two other elective technology courses. We offer all students their choice of CTE majors: Web Design, Video Game Design, and Computer Repair. Each pathway continues through a student’s senior year where he or she has the chance to participate in a number of internship or apprenticeship opportunities in their field of CTE study. Additionally, students must take an industry-aligned technical assessment to graduate with a CTE endorsed diploma. Alongside these three programs, AoIT offers Robotics as a daily after school program and a senior-level class, as well as two years of Graphic Arts. In Robotics, students learn both the hardware of building a robot, as well as the software side of programming the robot. Our students then compete in the US First National Robotics competition where they have won a number of awards at the state level. The Graphic Arts program has also had a large impact on AoIT as it has produced new school logos and many promotional posters. Most recently, we have partnered with Skills USA and our students will be competing in additional competitions to leverage their CTE skills. Furthermore, AoIT boasts a number of college-articulation agreements (BMCC, Hostos, St. Joseph’s College, City-Tech) that allow students to earn college credits through our CTE course if enrolled at the institutions listed above.

Below you find some of our specialized CTE programs at AoiT.

• Work-Based Learning (WBL): We offer continuous opportunities for internships through a variety of programs spanning over a range of CTE fields. Our WBL coordinators provide opportunities and exposure to a range of occupation and career options that bridge adolescent roles in high school with adult roles in professional settings.
• CareerWise Apprenticeship Program (Virtual): Apprenticeships are offered to 11th & 12th grade students offering in-demand positions with highly influential and successful companies (including JP Morgan Chase, Amazon, Unqork, and Bank of America). Apprentices obtain meaningful work experience, industry certification, debt-free college credit, and a professional network. Students have the opportunity for dual enrollment in work study and college course through this program.
• Industry Scholars Program (ISP- Virtual): Students participate in industry-specific internships which allows students to apply their skills in authentic industry settings while gaining real-world work experience over six-weeks totaling 60 hours. Internships are available for fall, spring and summer, and students apply on a rolling basis under the supervision of a teacher during class, lunch, and after school. Internships are in Interactive Media, Web, Game Design, Computer Repair, and Information Technology (IT).
• Supplemental Internship Fund (SIF- Virtual): AoIT is provided funding from the office of post secondary readiness to create a wide range of internships that are directed by the work based learning coordinator. The employers are linked directly with the school. WBL coordinator creates a training plan/agreement for the employer and interns. Internship opportunities are available for all students. Through SIF, we were able to provide internship opportunities for over 10 students in the 2019-2020 school year.
• Mouse Squad: In-house IT support led by AoIT’s CTE Teachers, who mentor, students to help them troubleshoot issues in the school. Respond to tickets created by staff members, by fixing issues in computer labs, computer carts, printers, and technology in the campus library.

Outside of our CTE programs, AoIT has an enhanced focus on equity and access. The following programs/initiatives help us achieve our equity goals & ensure that our students are provided with a rigorous academic curriculum.

• Equity Team: Our Equity Team reviews school data to understand what subgroups have evident disproportionality data based on race, gender, economically disadvantaged and MLL status. Thus far, we have identified that MLL students are a subgroup that we feel are underserved. Our team also meets bi-weekly to revise our culturally responsive curriculum development quadrants in order to become more culturally responsive teachers. This includes incorporating the Gholdy Muhammad’s 5 Pursuits in our lesson and unit planning.
• College Readiness Network for School Improvement (CR-NSI): This team has identified a focal group of 9th graders in order to support students an 80+% GPA. CREW Advisors, marking period data and anecdotal reports drive this team’s work. We meet on a bi-weekly basis during 6th period with the support of our Continuous Improvement Coach from New Visions.
• Lead Higher/Advanced Placement Team: In our 4th year as part of the Lead Higher Initiative we are continuing to bring equity to our AP program and make sure all students have access to higher level classes. We have expanded our AP program to provide more classes and more experiences for students to get exposure & access to AP classes. Our team of AP teachers meet monthly to discuss how to support students academically and socially. We have surveyed the staff and students to understand the barriers our students have, and to understand mindsets on both the teacher and student side. Specifically, our Lead Hire Survey data drives this work.

Furthermore, in order to support our students’ social and emotional learning (specifically post-pandemic) we offer a series of student centered workshops and are currently expanding our restorative justice practices across our school community. Below is a list of our workshops and a synopsis of our restorative justice program.

• Student Workshops:
  • Elevate- Elevate Education comes in weekly to provide 9th grade workshops through our ELA classes. These workshops include close reading, note taking, time management, memory mnemonics, student elevation, and ace your exams. We also have parent workshops during our PTSA that will support parents with helping their child navigate remote learning during these unprecedented times. Our Elevate partnership is directly connected to our CR-NSI program and is a support class provided to all 9th graders.
  • Epiphany Blue- Teen Blue- Project Superstar offers programs to our 10th and 11th grade students during SEL time. Teen Blue is a youth-centric program that prepares young people for life and success beyond the classroom. It focuses on personal and professional development, social and emotional learning, post-secondary aspirations, and job and career readiness. The program aims to enhance a commitment to academic, personal, and professional growth and achievement. Furthermore, Epiphany Blue provides our staff and parents with enrichment events and professional development aimed at personal and professional growth for staff.
  • Relive Project- The Relive Project works with seniors in order to build and develop skills they can use in college, career, and in life through a carefully designed workshop series. These workshops incorporate project-based learning objectives where students develop team building and communication techniques utilized throughout the workshops. The topics for workshops and town halls are as follows: college readiness, career prep, entrepreneurship 101, communicating effectively.

As well, in order to support our high population of students with disabilities AoIT offers the following support services:

• CDOS- Career Development and Occupational Studies: We off classes for students to be able to participate in career exploration and career planning, and most recently into a school wide goal.
• TOPS (Training Opportunities Program): Since 2017 we have created internships related to students’ interest such as: Mouse Squad, Gardening Assistant, Office Assistant, Classroom Teacher Assistant, Athletic Assistant for basketball, football, and track. These paid internships give Students with Disabilities the opportunity to participate in meaningful internships that build self confidence and aid them in gaining employability skills needed to attain their postsecondary goals. For the 2019-2020 school year we had 16 students enrolled in the TOPs program.

Lastly, in order to support academic success and college readiness the follow services will be offered in the upcoming school year:

• MESH Center: We off tutoring in our MESH Center (Math, English, Science, and History) every Tuesday from 3-5 PM. We have teachers and student tutors work with our students in need of additional support. Specifically, this Spring we will focus on those students who are at risk of getting NX graders and those who need to make up credits from the Fall semester. Students and teacher meet up via ZOOM and are able to attend different breakout rooms for the subjects they need help with.
• Student Success Center- Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation: Our school has a partnership with CHLDC where we offer the following services to our students:
  • College Counselor: provides one on one college counseling and advising for all seniors. As well, conducts workshops for students and families to ensure that they receive the support necessary to successfully navigate the college application process.
  • Persistence Counselor: provides support with college enrollment, matriculation and persistence for all AOIT graduates upon completion of high school.
  • ML/ELL College Counselor: provides individualized support four our ELL/ML students in grades 9 to 12. The role of our ML/ELL College Counselor is to close the achievement gap with ML/ELL students as aligned to post-secondary readiness and success.