QUEENS, New York – A new high school is in the works to provide New York City students with a strong foundation in the field of health care. The school will be home to the city’s latest CTE program, Career and Technical Education. The announcement was made by Schools Chancellor David Banks during a press conference in Long Island City.
The Northwell School of Health Sciences will be established in Woodside, Queens, thanks to a multi-million dollar donation from Former Mayor Michael Bloomberg. The school will be focused on preparing up to 900 students for careers in the medical profession and will feature life-like interactive mannequins and simulation technology to provide a realistic experience of working in health care.
The school will emphasize four key areas of health care – diagnostic medicine, physical therapy, mental health, and nursing. The goal is to provide students with valuable skills and knowledge to enter the workforce or earn at least seven college credits before graduating. This aligns with Schools Chancellor David Banks’ emphasis on increasing career education to ready students for the professional sector.
Former Mayor Bloomberg, through his Bloomberg Philanthropies, will provide $24.9 million over five years to support the school’s start-up costs, including teacher recruitment, curriculum development, internship stipends, and classroom and lab materials and renovations. The investment is significant given the high demand for skilled workers in the health care industry.
The school is scheduled to open for the 2025-2026 school year and will be one of five new high schools housed in a new campus in Queens. The addition of these new high schools will address the pressing need for more high school seats in Queens and help alleviate overcrowding.
In addition to preparing students for careers in health care, the establishment of the Northwell School of Health Sciences represents a visionary collaboration to improve public health and promote health equity in New York City and beyond. This new model of education aims to create a better future for thousands of students and make a lasting impact on the future of health care. It underscores the growing importance of vocational and technical education in meeting the demands of the economy and the workforce, particularly in high-demand fields like health care.
Overall, the creation of the Northwell School of Health Sciences underscores the commitment to providing New York City students with valuable career-focused education that will prepare them for success in the professional sector.