In New York city there are some schools that are immigrant schools, like our school, LIberty High School for Newcomers. Other schools that are not for newcomers. Our school is a newcomer school so it can help those who don’t understand English and help them improve their language skills. What are the differences?  Is one better than the other? Let’s find out.

One example that shows the difference between our school and others is that  we have to take many English classes every semester. The most important thing in our school is that we focus more on English as a New Language classes to help the newcomers with their language skills.  In our school, students take these extra classes in order for us to graduate.  Here at Liberty, students repeat all the classes they fail.

Matar Sall, a student who goes to Xavier high school says,  “If that student failed a class she or he needs to arrange a meeting with their counselor and their  teachers to see if there is some missing work that she or he can do to graduate.  They’re going to graduate.  They’re not gonna stay because they failed that class even if it is regents class. As long as you pass the regents you’ll be able to graduate.”  Students there don’t have to take classes that they don’t need.  For example you don’t have to take chemistry if you already take living environment and Earth Science even if you only have a hole left In your schedule

Another student, named Djamilatou Jalloh, at Liberty sees a difference in student behavior. She has to attend two schools a day. Day school is our school Liberty High School for Newcomers and her night school is YBC. She says, “Liberty High School students are more respectful especially to those people who are older than them. I think  the drama at Liberty high school, people are most likely cool.  But in my other school a lot of people fight a lot because of a girlfriend or a boyfriend or talking to someone rudely, ignoring a person even though that person didn’t do anything to you.”

Mr. Beagan, an English teacher at Liberty High School has different opinions than Diamilatou.  He said,  “I think it’s the same as our school for 8 periods.  One big difference with our school obviously is that we’re a newcomer Academy so every student, 100% of the kids are from another country. Another is we don’t have an auditorium, we don’t have one room where everybody can gather for a full school meeting, where the whole school can come in 1 room and the principal could stand on the stage or if even students can make a speech right for everybody but we don’t have a room like that at Liberty. We also don’t have a gym right now like an actual full size gym with a basketball court and stuff.”

Mr. Marchoug,  a math teacher at Liberty said, “In terms of diversity, we came from different backgrounds and we supported each other. We learned from each other. There’s a very fundamental you know climate in terms of studies before my other school they were most likely native speakers. Those students have very different hopes and dreams.”

Students take the same classes as any public schools  but here at Liberty High School we emphasize the languages.  “We add classes that help students to be more professional and we’ve taken into consideration that they are new to the countries they need help with other scales like linguistics so the teaching  instruction which is the same thing.  For me  this is the best school. Number one is the environment; very friendly because students know they wanna excel. The climate of the school is wonderful, outstanding.” adds Mr. Marchoug

Diamilatou says, “I think that question is a very difficult question to ask  a person because those two schools are different in many ways. One is more challenging than the others while the other is more sovereignty.  So I think that is a question that I really have to think about before I make a final decision. But also I know that if they told me to pick one I would pick my day’s school (Liberty High School) because the students there have respect for each other and their hard-working students are willing to do anything to graduate.”