We Are a District 9 School... Our History

From the principal:

               The story of our school has been ten years in the making, and it's truly an inspiring one. Highbridge is located in the southwest corner of the Bronx, just west of Yankee Stadium. The neighborhood of Highbridge hasn't had a middle school in decades, and the community's students have had to leave the community, often traveling an hour or more on public transportation to get to the closest school. After fighting for many years, the Department of Education agreed and allotted funds for a new middle school, citing the growing population and the importance of having a school in the community. Around that time, the Yankee Stadium renovation and expansion occurred and Highbridge lost most of its public green space. This loss spurred the community to advocate for a “green” school, one constructed with the latest environmental features and technology. The DOE agreed to the community’s requests for a green school, but only if Highbridge could pay for the additional costs. And so, a community with an average income of less than $20,000 a year banded together once again, and raised several million dollars to make sure their children could learn in the greenest building in the Bronx, complete with a new science lab, a rooftop garden space, and green heating and lighting technology.

              I am happy to say that this first ten years have brought us great success so far in impacting academic outcomes for our students.  In addition to working hard to improve academic outcomes for our students, we have also been hard at work building relationships with the Highbridge community and our HBGS parents. In fact, our students’ parents consistently indicate that they are very satisfied with the quality of education at HBGS. These numbers demonstrate the commitment and hard work of our staff in communicating, connecting, and building relationships with our children’s families and their community. 

               I am tremendously humbled by the community's work and their love for their students. It is this shared love - love for our children - that motivates me to find the most qualified and capable team of teachers.

Sincerely,

Mr. Brillante