12/30/2023 0 Comments Biography of edwin markhamThis change “tied into what students were interested in and into what programs our feeder schools had,” according to Mele, “such as the band at PS 30 and the Chorus at PS 22.” In addition to implementing practical curriculum for each academy, enrichment-track classes were developed to benefit the students during their three years at Markham. My successes are rooted in theirs.”Īfter consultation with students, staff, and parents, Mele soon changed the themes of the learning academies he inherited to Fine Arts, Performing Arts, and Media/Technology. That is an ongoing testament to the dedication of our teachers and staff, and our entire community is extremely fortunate to benefit for their efforts. “If you look at our Learning Environment Survey in which parents, students, and teachers get to chime in about what they think of IS 51,” Mele notes, “we have increased in every category each year from 2006. The school is also seeing an increase in English Language Arts (ELA) scores after tireless work with the students with disabilities population and English Language Learners, and consistently received a grade of “B” on the NYC Progress Report. In 2012, there were six, including two to LaGuardia. In 2011, no graduates were accepted into specialized high schools. The academic success of students also became quickly evident. These activities have been highly successful and well received. To date, we have had great results improving our student’s behavior and enhancing our community relations since I took over.” He began a series of tours and orientations for perspective parents and students during the school day to allow them to learn firsthand of the Markham experience. After a week of observations and many consultations, he immediately put key changes in place and began to look at ways to make the school more attractive.Īccording to Mele, “the first course of action was to prioritize the visibility of myself and the staff, both in and out of the building, and to hold the students accountable. With declining enrollment, he was fearful that the future was not bright. Perhaps most importantly, I was impressed by the teachers’ and staffs’ dedication to our students and the student experience,” Mele reflects.Īs he began integrating into the community, Mele learned that many parents who lived in the neighborhood did not consider IS 51 an option. “The children were great and the teachers and staff took such pride in their work and their school. From the moment he walked into the building, he realized that what he heard could not have been further from the truth. IS Principal Nick Mele (CSI ’00, ’05) embraces the history of the Markham School and stewards a future where arts education and civic engagement are keystone values.īefore taking over as Principal, many people warned Mele that Markham was a “tough” school and that he had his work cut out for him. He became Principal of IS 51 on January 3, 2011. Nicholas Mele graduated from the College of Staten Island in 2000 with a BA in History and again in 2005 with an MS in Adolescent Education. Today it serves the communities of Port Richmond, Graniteville, Westerleigh, and Mariners Harbor. With a noble history, it is fitting that Edwin Markham Intermediate School 51 was the first junior high school built on Staten Island. His book Children in Bondage: A Complete and Careful Presentation of the Anxious Problem of Child Labor – Its Causes, Its Crimes, and Its Cure (1914), was a landmark publication in the crusade against child labor. According to American National Biography, Edwin Markham “managed to fuse art and social commentary in a manner that guaranteed him a place among the most famous artists of the late nineteenth century.”Īlthough known primarily for his poetry, Markham was a community-minded civic leader. On his 80th birthday, President Herbert Hoover and prominent citizens marked his accomplishments as an artist and literary figure with a notable party at Carnegie Hall. In his day, Edwin Markham’s April 23 birthday was a local school holiday on which students gathered and covered his lawn with flowers. Photo courtesy of the Staten Island Advance. in Westerleigh three years before his death. The front page of the Apissue of the Staten Island Advance featured a photo of Edwin Markham outside his home on Waters Ave.
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