William McKinley I.S. 259 is a large Title 1 middle school, located in the southwestern section of Brooklyn, New York, and is part of Community School District 20. The school serves approximately 1,600 students in Grades 6–8.

Fifteen percent (15%) of students, totaling 241, are students with disabilities (SWD), and 13.5% percent, totaling 216, are English language learners (ELL). We have a diverse student population comprised of 49% Asian, 24% White, 23% Hispanic, and 1% Black. The number of students that qualify for ‘free or reduced lunch’ is 1136, totaling 71% of the student body). The student body is comprised of 862 males (54%) and 737 females (46%).

We are currently in our 3rd year of being a Recognition School 

(with the prior 6 years being in "Good Standing").

OUR MISSION, VISION, & INSTRUCTIONAL FOCUS

Our Vision:

Through the collaborative efforts of staff, teachers, administrators, parents, and community partners, McKinley empowers students to flourish while providing socio-emotional support with diverse curricular and extracurricular programs, inclusive of the arts, sports, and technology that encompass the "McKinley Experience."  Students are immersed in rigorous instruction that provides opportunities for exploration, investigation, problem-solving, critical thinking, and self-discovery all while striving for academic excellence, social maturity, and physical and mental fitness. We embrace the challenges of middle school and come together as a community to be "The Pride of Bay Ridge." 


Our Mission:

We are driven by our shared goal to explore, develop, and celebrate our individuality within our McKinley community.  Our founding principle recognizes that all McKinleyans, both students and staff, can discover, achieve, and thrive.  Our mission is to manifest a learning environment that provides access to opportunity for all students.  Here we work to open the doors, knock down the barriers and give everyone what they need to reach their max potential. Through carefully curated programs and initiatives McKinley is making the steps to provide a learning community that is guided by cultural responsibility, equity and social emotional academic awareness. Within our teacher designed curricular units, we seek to embed the rigorous instruction needed to support all learners with the lens of bias, perspective, historical relevance, innovation and culture.  The process of adapting curriculum and creating educational opportunities is guided by data driven inquiry and research.  In order to bring the McKinley vision to fruition we strive to be ever changing and evolving with the world around us.


Our Instructional Focus:

McKinley’s instructional focus bridges social-emotional and culturally responsive education to build advanced literacy skills across content areas. The inclusion of voice and choice are embraced through diversified texts, and class discussions are driven through students’ perspective and cultural experiences. Moreover, students’ vocabulary acquisition is strengthened and developed through reading, writing, and speaking skills, which ultimately foster abstract thinking and learning. Our focus manifests in classroom instruction, which emphasizes opportunities for students to engage in rigorous curricula while exploring critical thinking and individuality. 


OVERVIEW OF PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES

McKinley has a legacy of providing its students with an academically challenging program while supporting the idea of community and trust with our robust after school and enrichment programs. We believe so strongly in creating and maintaining a robust after school program (academic and extracurricular), that, as a school, we conducted a School Based Option (vote) to modify the teacher’s contract and the start and end times to the school day. That said, over 95% of the staff voted to have the additional 155 minutes per week, otherwise referred to as the "extended day time" (which includes time for professional development and parent engagement), spread out over Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday mornings, to have student dismissal be consistently 2:55 (where our after-school programs can be maintained Monday through Friday without interruption).

Many of these after school programs are academic, but many of them are also geared towards physical and mental fitness, demonstrating that the leadership team and McKinley IS 259 prioritizes the physical and emotional wellness of our students, as well as the academic wellness. For a list of our current before and after school programs, please go to the student tab and scroll down to “after school activities,” or review our ongoing announcements.

McKinley's Overall Instructional Initiatives for the 2023-2024 school year include a Regent-tracked Program in grades 6, 7, & 8 (six classes on the 6th grade level, 7 classes on the 7th grade, and 7 classes on the 8th grade).

In addition to our Core academic programs, McKinley prides itself on having a large Visual & Performing Arts program that include Visual Arts, Chorus, Keyboard, Theater, Drama, Strings, Marching Band, and Band/Orchestra Program. If students do not have these programs as electives in their everyday schedule, we offer them after school.

We are a Community School, which not only helps fund some of our after-school programs through the NYC Community School Grant, but is a 7th grade course that every single student receives while at McKinley. It is in this Business Connections class where we provide college and career readiness skills- they take college tours, learn how to right a resume, etc. 

These robust after school programs help create a seamless day from the traditional school day to after school where students can enjoy anything from homework assistance to culinary arts. In the words of the 21st Century:

“Community Schools are a strategy to organize and share leadership to integrate social services into the fabric of the schools. Community Schools align resources with vision and purpose resulting in improved student learning, stronger families, and healthier communities. Community schools offer a holistic approach toward improving academic performance driven by strong, collaborative partnerships among principals, parents, teachers, and Community Based Organizations. In Community Schools, parents are the real active partners in their children's education, the school climate is joyful and positive, and expanding learning opportunities are abundant."-- NYC Community Schools


SCREENED PROGRAMS

IIM

(Superintendent Program)

INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION METHODS

VEJV


(Algebra Honors Program)

VIRTUAL ENTERPRISE JUNIOR VENTURES

IIM is a program designed to teach students a formal 7-step research process to find, evaluate and synthesize information in order to create and share research projects and presentations.

6th Grade - Social Studies based research.

7th Grade - Science based research.

8th Grade - Culminating Project - Independent

Students develop and research a question of their choice throughout the school year.  The students will use the IIM Process to write a complete research paper, create a poster or painting to share the research, and create a 3D model representing their findings.

VEJV is a program designed to teach students the tools and steps required to become young entrepreneurs prepared to enter the business world as future leaders. 


6th Grade: Technology skills for the business world. 

7th Grade:  Creating and developing business ideas. 

8th Grade: Culminating Project - Full Class

Students brainstorm and develop one business idea as whole group.  After applying and interviewing for positions within the company, the students spend the entire year launching and running the small business venture on their own. They participate in various business competitions throughout the year. 

HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT OFFERS:

Algebra I Regents - 8th Grade Honors/Screened (All students by 2028)

Biology Regents - 8th Grade Honors/Screened (All students by 2028)

US History and Government Regents - ALL 8th Grade Students

Spanish Proficiency Exam -  Selected 8th Grade Classes

BEFORE/AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES

McKinley has a robust offering of extracurricular activities. As a community school in partnership with Creative Connections, we are able to offer something for everyone. Clubs have varying meeting times ranging from mornings, after school, and Saturdays. Our list of programs is constantly growing as students request activities, but check out our current offerings!

 For current annoucements click here 

For current calendar click here

Cross Country & Track

Flag Football Clinic

Co-Ed Soccer Clinic

Aerobics Club 

Volleyball

Dance Club

Flag Club

Girls and Boys CHAMPS Basketball

Basketball club

Cheerleading Club 

Specialized HS Prep

French Help

Typing and Essay Prep Club

ELA Morning Tutorial

Math AM tutorial

Math and ELA Core Enrichment

ENL Saturday Academy 

Spanish Tutorial 

Animal Rescue Club

McKinley Green Team


Coding Club

Advanced Coding Club 

Newspaper Club

Lego Robotics

STEM

After school Concert/Marching Band

Advanced Piano

Beginners Piano

Advanced Chorus

Strategy Implementation Club

Starfish/International Student Council

Leadership Club

Cultural Connections Art After school program

Witches and Wizards Book Club and Writers Circle

Culinary Arts Club

Chess club

Photography Club

Yearbook Committee

Gardening Club

A PROUD COMMUNITY SCHOOL!

"Community schools offer an integrated focus on academics, health and wellness services, youth development, expanded learning opportunities like after-school and summer enrichment activities, and family and community supports to ensure that students are ready and able to learn, to graduate college, and to be career-ready. Each community school serves as a hub where parents/guardians and family members, community-based partners, community members, and school staff come together to coordinate and integrate a range of supports based on the assets and needs of individual students"

As a community school, we have a partnership with Creative Connections.  Creative Connections NYC is a youth development program founded in 2005 to meet the growing need for college and career readiness in New York City public schools.  Their mission is to empower students to achieve their college and career dreams. 

 Each of the Creative Connections programs offers a unique curriculum designed to empower students to discover their aspirations, develop their skills, and fulfill their educational and professional dreams.

DRAMA PRODUCTIONS

Little Shop of Horrors Fall 2022

Little Shop of Horrors:  Fall 2022

Matilda Jr - 2021

Frozen - 2020

Instagram
YouTube

A QUICK LOOK AROUND OUR BUILDING:

NATIONAL JUNIOR HONOR SOCIETY

Academic Requirements:



"The National Junior Honor Society is the nation's premier organization established to recognize outstanding middle level students. More than just an honor roll, NJHS serves to honor those students who have demonstrated excellence in the areas of scholarship, leadership, service, citizenship and character. These characteristics have been associated with membership in the organization since its beginning in 1929."

LEARN ABOUT OUR CURRICULUMS

SOME MORE MCKINLEY MOMENTS

HALLOWEEN AT MCKINLEY

SoleTech won first place in the NATION WIDE business pitch competition

If you still have questions after viewing the material provided, please contact any of the following staff members for a tour of McKinley.

WE ARE EXCITED TO WELCOME YOU TO THE MCKINLEY FAMILY!