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Information AboutWalton High School (new York City) |
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HISTORY Walton High School is named after Mary Walton , one of the most beautiful and accomplished women of her day. She was the wife of General Lewis Morris , who was a member of the continental congress and a signer of the Declaration Of Independence and the U.S. Constitution , as well as one of the first members of New York State's Board of Regents, Mary Walton was the mother of ten children, four of whom fought in the American Revolution . The Walton and the Morris families owned much of the land in the west Bronx from the 1600's until the 1800's . Mary Walton was not just a wife and mother. She also ran a " Dame School ," teaching little girls of the Colonial period how to read, write, do basic Mathematics , and keep a house. Mary A. Conlon was an elementary school principal of P.S. 30 in the South Bronx . In 1923 she founded Walton as one of the first all-girl schools in New York City . Mary Walton was buried next to Saint Ann's Church which was located next to P.S. 30 where Walton was first housed. The New York City Board Of Education accredited Walton as an all-girl High School on April 19 , 1923 . The first graduation took place in January of 1926 with just 126 girls. In 1930 the building on Jerome Avenue and West 195th Street was constructed as Walton 's new home in the same structure as Abraham Lincoln High School and Samuel J. Tilden High School , both in Brooklyn . By 1932 the school moved to its new home. Conlon continued as principal until her death in 1936 as Marion Cahil Heffernan took over as the school administrator. Walton was a prestigious all-girl institution throughtout history with a high graduation rate and students were often inducted into the Arista honor society. Many of Walton's graduates went on to Ivy League colleges and universities. For many years the school's Yearbook was named the '' Periwinkle '', a small blue flower. In 1966 the school appointed its first male principal named Daniel Feins and continued as an all-girl school until 1979 when boys were first admitted. In 1980 Dr. Marjorie Kipp was appointed as the new principal. In 1983 the school's pool was closed due to leaks in the sewer system. During that same time the school's success deteriorated as fights, truancy, drop-outs, and criminal activity flourished the school. In 1990 a large number of students walked out of the school during class and protested outside the building. Issues were addressed like Walton's low-performing status and criminal activity. Dr Kipp was removed and a new principal named Mrs. Nicola Genco was appointed. During her tenure she resolved the school's problems by employing over twenty school safety officers and helped gain funds for the High School to be renovated. In 1994 the school's $54 million modernization was officially launched and completed in 1998 . She also oversaw faculty turnover by terminating non-compliant teachers and hiring more qualified ones. Programs like the ''Pre-Teaching Academy'' and '' Humanities '' gave Walton a good reputation. Principal Genco and the rest of the school's administration implemented the ''Walton Plan'' to taregt lateness and loitering around campus. By this time the faculty during her administration showed interest in every student's success and the school's progress surprsingly increased. On April 19 , 1998 Walton celebrated its' 75th anniversary by throwing a birthday party inside the lunchroom and holding a luncheon at Maestro's Restaurant for all the graduating classes throughout the school's history. The Periwinkle ( Yearbook ) also acknowledged the anniversary. In 1999 Valerie Vallade , an Alumna of Walton, was appointed as the sixth principal and increased the graduation rate by 2002 . By that time the Board of Education (renamed the New York City Department Of Education ) offered Principal Vallade an extensive retirement plan. Patricia Friedman (former Assistant Principal of English ) was appointed as an Interim Acting Principal. The school returned to the same state of corruption of the 1980s as truancy and criminal activity soared. Many faculty members berated Friedman for this fiasco and considered Walton an egregrious citywide embarrassment. She was finally forced into resignation and a newly appointed principal named John Tornifolio took over the leadership of the school. In 2004 along with Lafayette High School in Brooklyn , mayor Michael Bloomberg and the Department of Education labeled Walton as an "Impact School" and has assigned over twenty School Safety Officers and installed Surveillance cameras around campus. Walton High School is facing a phase-out in 2005 because of overcrowding and criminal activity, but numerous advocates, such as the Walton High School Alumni Association , is pressuring the New York City Department Of Education to keep the school running. However the school will be downsized as a mini-school to provide students with personal and academic support. Walton High School in New York City should not be confused with the other Walton High Schools in Walton, NY (upstate in Delaware County), Marietta , Georgia ; Florida ; and London , England . Walton's colors are sky blue and white. Its motto Semper Fidelis means always faithful. The school seal is an open book supported by the torch of learning, and the school crest contains the head of Athena , Greek goddess of wisdom. The wildcat is the mascot used by the Walton's sports teams. Controversy In 1998 the School Construction Authority had declared the completion of Walton's renovation. Principal Genco at the time was outraged that not all of the building's modernization were complete. She and the SCA held a meeting and the agency threatened to close the school down. So Genco immediately consulted the news media, such as WABC-TV , WNBC-TV , the New York Daily News , etc. She addressed issues like the peeling paint around the building, lack of heat, poor architecture, and the mismanagement of the pool. This caused a citywide outrage, making city schools lose trust with the SCA. In 1999 , the SCA agreed with Genco shortly before her retirement to repair the school's roof. In 2002 principal Vallade persuaded the agency to modernize the exterior of the building which was completed in 2005 . Organizational Houses In order to provide personal and academic support, Walton is divided into eight theme houses.
DEMOGRAPHICS When Walton opened in 1923 the school was 100% White . When Mary A. Conlon was deceased in 1936 the school was 80% White and 20% Black . In the mid-1960's Hispanics were starting to enroll in school and by the end of the 1960s Walton's ethnic makeup was 40% White , 40% Black and 20% Hispanic . The school currently has a large Dominican , Puerto Rican and African American population. In recent years there was a racial conflict between the Puerto Ricans and Dominicans , leaving Walton to become a symbol of racial tension in New York City . Current Ethnicity Makeup Enrollment, Class Size and Graduation Rate
TRANSPORTATION Many students that attend Walton are primarily from the Bronx . They either transport to school by Bus or Subway . Very few students commute from other Boroughs of New York . Students who live at least two miles from the school are issued a Student ''' MetroCard ''' pass from the New York City Transit Authority . ACADEMICS Programs for Students
Extracurricular Activities
Student Support Services
POEMS AND SONGS Walton, Alma Mater ''Walton, Alma Mater dear'' ''Thy sons and daughters rise to bless thee'' ''Voices ringing far and near'' ''The best of mothers fair confess thee'' ''We will ever love thy name'' ''To thee our grateful praise we render'' ''Help us to increase thy fame'' ''Oh Walton, Alma mater dear.'' The Loyal Pledge With gratitude to my parents and school; with interest in my city and with concern for my country, I pledge: ''As a graduate, to build on my education at Walton High School; as a citizen, to'' ''work both alone and with many to improve my city and country; and as an'' ''American , to respect my country's hopes and ideals and to support, defend and improve its' constitution.'' MINI-SCHOOLS INSIDE THE WALTON CAMPUS
Official Website
Inside Schools Profile
Inside Schools profile ADDRESS AND CONTACT NUMBERS
Bronx, New York 10468
CURRENT ADMINISTRATORS
WALTON HIGH SCHOOL'S PRINCIPALS
WALTON'S ALUMNI
EXTERNAL LINKS
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