In a bow to diversity, public/private partnerships and a commitment to STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) subjects, Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña yesterday cut the ribbon on the brand new Dock Street School for STEAM Studies, 19 Dock Street, in the heart of DUMBO and a stone’s throw from Brooklyn Bridge Park.
The 330-seat public middle school will serve 6th through 8th graders in Brooklyn’s District 13, drawing students from the neighborhoods of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Fort Greene, Downtown Brooklyn, DUMBO, Brooklyn Heights, Prospect Heights, Clinton Hill, Vinegar Hill and North Park Slope.
“Opening a new school is a remarkable investment in our City’s future, and The Dock Street School will provide a high-quality education to students across the community,” said Fariña. “STEAM studies provide hands-on opportunities that engage students while integrating art and design into more traditional subjects, so that students can use applied knowledge to develop problem solving and collaboration skills.”
The school was built in partnership between Brooklyn development company Two Trees Management and the city’s School Construction Authority the and will open this week with about 140 students this school year and is expected to have the building’s maximum enrollment by the 2018-2019 school year.
Under the deal with Two Trees, which was ironed out as part of the 2010 rezoning process, the developer agreed to build a 45,000-square-foot public middle school as part of the attached 17-story mixed use residential building at 60 Water with 20 percent of the units going for affordable housing and the other 80 percent being market rate.
The building also includes a new Pre-K Center, providing 72 new free, full-day, high quality pre-K seats in the district. Under the deal, Two Trees has agreed to sell the school space to the Department of Education for $1.
“The success of the Dock Street School is a model that shows how the City can leverage real estate values to create public benefits like building new schools, creating space for cultural institutions or updating infrastructure,” said Two Trees Management Company CEO Jed Walentas.“Today represents a victory for good planning and strong leadership that delivered real benefits to the students and parents of District 13 at a bargain price for the City in addition to much needed affordable housing.”
By integrating art and design into the core STEAM curriculum, the school will offer an enriched academic experience in which students can find and explore new passions and become better prepared for college, careers and beyond. Instruction in these subjects will also incorporate programs built in partnership with local institutions, including cultural performances and workshops at St. Ann’s Warehouse, and recreational activities at Brooklyn Bridge Park.
“In partnership with staff, families and community members, we are proud to be a part of the team that gets to open the doors to this truly remarkable building for students to come in and learn,” said Dr. Melissa Vaughan, principal of The Dock Street School for STEAM Studies. “Students joining us this school year will become part of a special community of learners with access to the facilities, partnerships and innovative curriculum needed to succeed and thrive in the classroom and in their daily lives outside of school.”
