Newburgh to Open Third High School

In a 8-0 vote on Tuesday The Newburgh School Board Of Education voted to open up a third Newburgh Free Academy campus. The hope for NFA West is to save students that are in danger of failing or dropping out.

The district hopes to open NFA West by next fall at 39 West Street. The plan is to accept around 60 ninth and tenth grade students. Students will have to apply and interview with school officials before being accepted. After the first year another 30 students will be added to the school each year until 2018.

The students who are accepted into NFA West will get smaller classrooms, access to academic and personal counseling, and have the ability to make up for lost credit. Online classes will also be available. On top of that each student will be assigned an adviser when they enroll. Newburgh Superintendent Roberto Padilla told the Times Herald Record, “This is an adviser, an educator, that will start and finish with a student all four years.”

Last year Newburgh saw a 10% increase in graduation rate. School officials believe adding a third High School will allow the district to continue to reduce its dropout rate. Officials are basing NFA West off a model produced by Providence, R.I. based big picture learning.

The district has started working on finding top-level teachers and administrators. The school's academic program is also being finalized. There are plans to host meetings so prospective students and their family's can learn more about the new school