James Madison High School (New York)

For other James Madison High Schools, see Madison High School (disambiguation).

James Madison High School
Location
3787 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11229
Coordinates	40°36′36″N 73°56′52″W
Information
Type	Public high school
Established	1925
Principal	Joseph Gogliormella
Grades	9 to 12
Number of students	3,072
Color(s)	Black & Gold
Mascot	Knight
Newspaper	The Moment
Website	www.madisonhs.org

James Madison High School is a public high school located at 3787 Bedford Avenue, in the Madison section of Brooklyn, New York, and educates grades 9 through 12. It is part of Region 6 in the New York City Department of Education. The current principal is Joseph Gogliormella.

Established in 1925, James Madison has graduated four Nobel Prize winners, famous musicians, authors, sports players, and a United States Supreme Court Justice.

Following the 2008 election there are two sitting U.S. Senators, Bernard Sanders (I-VT) and Charles Schumer (D-NY), who are graduates of James Madison. Supreme Court Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is also a graduate, as is former Senator Norm Coleman (R-MN).

Academics

James Madison High School is organized in accordance with the House system. There are eight houses, each having a Teacher Coordinator, a Guidance Counselor, and an Assistant Principal assigned to supervise and assist students.

Special programs

Most students who apply to James Madison High School have the opportunity to apply into a specific "House". The most notable houses in Madison are:

• Law Institute: The Law Institute is designed for successful Social Studies students. In addition to being taught reasoning and communication skills, the students develop an understanding of American Legal institutions. Students in the Law House take classes/participate in activities such as Model U.N, Mock Trial, Moot Court, We The People, Legal Economics, Criminology Advanced Placement Economics. This is by far one of Madison's most popular programs.

• Bio-Medical Institute: The Bio-Medical Institute is generally referred to as simply, Bio-Med. In this honor program, students who are interested in the Sciences take such classes as Biology, AP Biology, Chemistry Honors, AP Chemistry, Physics Honors, Pathology,Laboratory Techniques, and Science Research. Students in this program are offered internships in health science facilities as well as the opportunity to participate in local and national science competitions.

• Math Academy: The Math Academy has students who are given the opportunity to study mathematics and computer science. Students in this House take some of the following classes: Advanced Placement Computer Science, Advanced Placement Calculus AB and Advanced Placement Calculus BC.

• Music House: The music house features a staff of highly qualified teachers, who serve in affording students with the opportunity to participate in courses such as: Music Technology, Jazz Band, Marching Band, String Ensemble, Orchestra, Beginning Guitar, Jazz Guitar, Classical Guitar, Chorus, Musical Theater Workshop, Percussion and more. The music house holds a minimum of 6 annual concert performances at the Sonia Lerner auditorium within the high school. The music program also hosts concerts outside the school building and facilitates a variety of displays of student achievement within the community.

• The Humanities House: provides overall historical context to the program. This program offers an interdisciplinary approach to learning; it combines the best of both engligh literature and social studies.

• Information Technology House: One of the newer houses at Madison. Known informally as the I.T. House, it is one of the only programs in NYC high schools that offers students the chance to take the Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel certification exams for free.
• Academy of Finance

Some of the other Houses include:

• The International House (for students of Limited English proficiency)

• The Media Arts House

• Madison Academy of Community and Civil Service

Classes

Special classes

Microsoft Certification

AP classes

There are many AP classes offered at James Madison High School. These classes include:

AP Chemistry

AP Biology

AP Economics/AP Government

AP Calculus AB

AP Calculus BC

AP Statistics

AP Spanish

AP English

AP European History

AP American History

AP Computer Science

AP World History

Honor/Elective classes

Along with these AP classes, Madison offerers a wide number of Honor/elective classes. Some of these include:

Business law

Pre-Calculus

European History Honors

American History Honors

Physics Honors

Biology Honors

Chemistry Honors

Madison also offers a wide number of music/art electives, which students are allowed and encouraged to take.

Visions

James Madison High School will be a learning community that embodies Madison’s philosophy that, “Education is the true foundation of civil liberty.” Through an instructional program that promotes high achievement and provides equal access through motivation, academic rigor, appreciation of the strength of diversity, inquiry, scholarship a celebration of originality and the development of nobility of character, we will nurture and support a community of life long learners.

Main campus

James Madison High School is a 6 floor red brick building with many rooms.

• Subbasement: Boiler Room and storage areas.
• Basement: The cafeteria is located in the buildings basement.
• 1st Floor: On the first floor Main offices such as guidance and programming are located. As is the main entrance to the theater. The Music Department is in the back on the 1st floor. The library and Swimming Pool are also located on this floor.
• 2nd Floor: English Department, Access to Gym 1
• 3rd Floor:Science Department, IT House, Language Department, Teachers Cafeteria access to Gym 2.
• 4th Floor: Science Department, Math Department, Social Studies Department, Law Department.
• 5th Floor: Science Department, Computer Repair Room, Art classes, Social Studies Department.
• 6th Floor: Offices and Photography.
• Athletic fields: Football Field, Soccer Field, Baseball Field, Tennis Courts, Track, Lacrosse Field, Roller Blading, and several more athletic facilities.

Clubs

James Madison High School has a number of clubs which are listed here in alphabetical order:

• African Heritage Club
  
• Akiva Jewish Culture club
• Art Journal
• Art Squad
• Attendance Committee
• African Heritage Club
• Art Journal
• Art Squad
• Attendance Committee
• Asian Student Union
• Baseball Club
• Business Journal
• Cheering Squads: Twirlers Cheerleaders Boosters
• Chess Club
• Christian Culture Club
• Chinese Cultural Services
• Club Hispanic
• Consultative Council
• Crochet club
• Drama Club
• Environmental Club
• Executive Internship
• Fidelitas
• Flag Squad
• Gay Straight Alliance
  
• KEY CLUB
  
• Law Journal
• Leadership
• Library Pagemasters
• Lighting Squad
• Marching Band
• Math Team
• Mock Trial
• Peer Mediation
• Peer Tutoring
• Performing Arts Club
• Photography Club
• Project Gap
• Project REACH
• Recycling Club
• S.A.F.E.
• S.E.L.F.
• Senior Council
• Softball Club
• Stepping Club
• The Moment (Newspaper)
• Science Research Club
• S.A.V.E. Leaders Corps
• Sing
• Spring Musical
• Student Government
• NYS Science Honor Society

The End Hate Project

The End Hate Project is a campaign made up of high school and college students encouraging the reduction of bullying and discrimination within schools. Inspired by the 2010 Gay Teen Suicide Epidemic, The End Hate Project's mission is to provide a safe and welcoming environment where everyone is accepted. Whether it be race, religion, color, ethnicity, national origin, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, disability, dress, body type (etc.), this club dedicates itself to raise awareness and provide resources for students bullied and undergoing hate activity.

Mock Trial

In May 2010, The James Madison High School Mock Trial team, became the New York State Champions, while representing their region of New York City in Albany. The team beat out about 600 schools, also competing for first place. It was Madison's second time appearing in Albany after 5 years, and their first time, actually winning. It was also the first time ANY New York City school, had ever won for the State. The team accomplished their spectacular achievement with the help of attorneys from Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP, who always had a long standing solid relationship with James Madison.

Sports

Madison also offers a wide range of Boys And Girls PSAL Varsity and Junior Varsity Sports Football, Soccer, Basketball, Track and field, Wrestling, Baseball, Softball, Tennis, Volleyball, Swimming, Cross Country, Handball, and Lacrosse.

The James Madison Baseball Team is the most successful team in the school ranked fourth in the New York City PSAL and sixth including Catholic High Schools. They have been in the final four 3 years in a row. In 2008, the team made it to the finals but fell short. The program has put a lot of their players into college baseball and three professional players Frank Torre, Cal Abrams, Harry Eisenstat.

James Madison High School is home to a very successful Swim Team. It has won countless competitions. It is currently coached by Mr.Davis who is retired but continues to train the swim team for each winter swimming season. He was retired in 2009. Mr.Tigre is the current swimming teacher at James Madison High School and has been for 2 years now. This is one of Madison's most prosperous teams.

Extracurricular activities

SING!, a musical competition between the grades, has been a Madison tradition for over 50 years. On November 15, 2008, the Senior/Sophomore team lost to the Junior/Freshman team for the first time in 6 years, on the 60th anniversary of SING!. The SING! theme that year was “It’s Never Too Late to Change.” It is one of Madison's Most popular clubs.

Notable alumni

Distinguished alumni of James Madison High School include:

Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Dmitry Salita

• Cal Abrams, Major League Baseball player
• Gary Becker, Nobel Prize Winner, Economics
• Harry Boatswain, Professional Football player
• Andrew Dice Clay (born Andrew Clay Silverstein), Comedian
• Stanley Cohen Nobel Prize Winner, Medicine
• Norm Coleman, Senator (Republican of Minnesota)
• Roy Albert DeMeo, mobster
• Harry Eisenstat, Major League Baseball Player
• Devale Ellis, Professional Football Player
• Norman Finkelstein, American political scientist and writer
• Martin Perl, Nobel Prize Winner, Physics
• Sonny Fox, TV Personality
• David Frye (born David Shapiro), Comedian
• Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Associate Justice, U.S. Supreme Court
• Marty Glickman, Olympian and broadcaster
• Judge Judy Judith Sheindlin, Television Personality
• Carole King (born Carol Klein), Singer And Songwriter
• Martin Landau, Academy-award winning actor
• Rudy LaRusso, 5-time All-Star NBA basketball player
• Andrew Levane, Professional Basketball Player
• Chris Rock, Comedian and Actor (withdrew before graduation)
• Dmitriy Salita, Professional boxer
• Bernard Sanders, Senator, (Independent of Vermont)
• Ted Schreiber, major league baseball player
• Charles Schumer, U.S. senator (New York)
• Robert Solow, Nobel Prize Winner, Economics
• Frank Torre, Professional baseball player
• Sidney Verba, American political scientist

External links

• James Madison High School
• James Madison High School Jewish Culture Club