Senior Academy

Senior Academy
Director: David Ricaurte Email: DRicaurte@schools.nyc.gov (718) 658-5407 ext. 4803
Guidance Counselor: Jaime Olechowski Email: JOlechowski@schools.nyc.gov (718) 658-5407 ext. 4871

"A future in your hands"

Senior Academy Staff

Senior Academy Director, David Ricaurte speaks about working to be a positive role model for Spanish-speaking students while helping them build a sense of pride for their cultures and school.

Photo by Christina Santucci

Director/ Science Teacher Mr. Ricaurte

Guidance Counselor Mrs. Olechowski

Social Studies Teacher Mr. Denton

English/I-zone Teacher Ms. Maldonado

Math/I-zone Teacher Mr. Brown

“Few will have the greatness to bend history itself; but each of us can work to change a small portion of events, and in the total of all those acts will be written the history of this generation.”
-- Robert F. Kennedy --

Mission Statement

Senior Academy at Hillcrest High School is truly one of the most exciting programs in the New York City school system. Senior Academy houses 80 seniors that are under-credited and/or need to pass the required regents for graduation. With a top notch staff committed to student excellence, this academy serves as a wonderful environment for our students. Staff members are available to students for their various and different academic needs. Students will receive individual attention and will be challenged to reach their maximum potential. Senior Academy provides a small nurturing and rigorous learning community of a student to teacher ratio of 20-25:1. The academy provides an intensive academic opportunity for interdisciplinary learning. The goal is for the teachers, guidance counselor and director to make connections with students to motivate and inspire them. Senior Academy is also part of I-zone which is an on-line program which allows students to recover credits at school and at home. Students are able to work at their own pace and offer them an individualized instruction. Senior Academy also provides student with independent work or concurrent options for students to gain credits in alternate ways. Senior Academy provides with traditional classroom instruction for senior classes and regents preparation. Towards the end of their school year, students not only graduate on time but are assisted and supported to move onto post-secondary education.

Course of Study

Fall Semester Spring Semester

Government Economics

Physical Science 1 (Science Regents Prep) Physical Science 2 (Science Regents Prep)

English 7 English 8

English Regents Prep English Regents Prep

Social Issues (elective) Film Studies (elective)

Film Studies (elective) Social Issues (elective)

Women in Global History (Global History Women in Global History (Global History Regents prep) regents prep)

Women in U.S. History (U.S. History Women in U.S. History (U.S. History

Regents prep) regents prep)

Health Health

Physical Education Physical Education

Math Problem Solving 1 (Math Regents Math Problem Solving 2 (Math Regents prep) prep)

I-zone (on-line credit recovery) I-zone (on-line credit recovery)

Concurrent Options (independent study) Concurrent Options (independent study)

P.M. School (credit recovery) P.M. School (credit recovery)