The Institute for Health Professions at Cambria Heights (IHPCH), a Career and Technical Education (CTE) high school in Southeast Queens, is joining the NYC Outward Bound Schools network, effective July 1, 2021.
IHPCH has been a NYC Outward Bound Schools Select Strategies partner since 2019, working with School Designer Ingrid Wong to implement project-based learning and student-engaged assessment, as well as with Director of Crew Christian Narvaez, to adopt elements of our signature Crew initiative into its existing advisory program.
“Adding IHPCH to our network allows us to continue to extend our reach by serving students from southeast Queens, and allows us to bring into our network another school with which we are powerfully aligned philosophically and pedagogically,” said Richard Stopol, President and CEO of NYC Outward Bound Schools.
IHPCH Founding principal Gareth Robinson first learned of NYC Outward Bound Schools and the EL Education whole school model when he read An Ethic of Excellence by Ron Berger, Senior Advisor of Teaching & Learning at our partner organization, EL Education which has its roots in Outward Bound.
“I thought, ‘There are people who believe what I believe and this is how it’s articulated,’” said Robinson, recalling his “aha!” moment. “I appreciate the nature of the NYC Outward Bound Schools network in that each school can be very different, and yet we can have these common conversations around the EL core practices,” he said.
IHPCH opened its doors in 2013 and joined the New York Performance Standards Consortium the following year, through which they began the practice of Performance-Based Assessment Tasks (PBATs). The school serves approximately 470 students in grades 9-12, most of whom are from immigrant families.
IHPCH prepares students for college and career through a challenging and rich curriculum and aims for all students to graduate with a college acceptance in hand. In addition, as a CTE school — the first in our network — students take their learning beyond the classroom by collaboratively solving problems and gaining clinical experience through partnerships with Hofstra University and Northwell Health. Rising seniors are able to apply to IHPCH’s Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) or Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) programs, through which they take college-level classes and earn certification as Nursing Assistants or EMTs before graduating.
“IHPCH is deeply committed to project-based learning as a vehicle preparing students for postsecondary opportunities, including those in the healthcare profession,” says Wong.
Robinson added that he believes NYC Outward Bound’s partnership will help students deepen their learning and see the value of curriculum beyond just the walls of the classroom through practices like learning expeditions, case studies and interdisciplinary projects.
“When we add a new school to our network, part of what we’re doing is investing in leadership. And one of the things that’s so impressed me about this school is Gareth and his leadership,” said Stopol. “He’s really led the charge in building a wonderful school community that is so aligned with what we believe good teaching and learning should look like in providing a really excellent education to young people, especially young people who have historically lacked access.”