New Life

Imagine being a troubled teenager and having one last shot at a high school education. You’ve been removed from several schools because of behavior problems and the fact that these schools couldn’t handle your special learning needs.

This is the dilemma facing students that I met recently during a tour of a new school developed in the heart of the Bronx, New York, by Lutheran Social Services of New York. It’s appropriately named the “New Life School” because it gives kids from grades 5-12 a chance for a fresh start both academically and socially.

Located in the middle of an industrial area, the school’s name reflects the signs of new life that are evident all around, as this famous borough of New York City is in the midst of a significant renaissance. If you haven’t been to this part of New York in recent years, make a point of visiting the next time you are in the city.

The commitment to new life is evident from the time one enters the school building. The entrance area includes a “water wall” with water running two stories down the face of a granite wall. The sitting area in front of this wall is regularly used by counselors and teachers as a place for quiet conversation with students.

Of course, schools are only as effective as their leaders and New Life School has an exceptional leader. Peter Anzalone is a young man who is totally dedicated to making a difference in the life of his students. It’s clear that his vision is not of an “alternative school,” but of a missional environment that helps kids reach their potential. He described how carefully he hires and supervises the teaching staff, knowing that there is no room for faint-hearted, mediocre or solo-artist teachers in this place.

It doesn’t take long to see why. Because of the extreme emotional and behavioral challenges the students at New Life face, the school experience is quite unique. The class sizes are very small and each class has a teacher and a full-time aide. In addition to the classrooms on each floor, there are several “time out” rooms used to temporarily segregate students whose behavior makes it impossible for them to remain in a class. A student is not allowed to leave class alone to use the restroom … he or she must be accompanied by a teacher, aide or administrator.

In spite of the daunting challenges, New Life School has, in a very short amount of time, already seen many hoped-for signs of new life. Peter is very proud that a large and growing number of students have passed the New York Regents exams, an accomplishment virtually unheard of in this type of school.

Reflecting on my visit to this wonderful school, three focus points stand out:

1. The investment by others in these students – New Life School has a contract with the New York City public school system to serve these students. I was told that the school receives about $32,000 per student per year for their twelve month school year. Do the math based on the current enrollment of 168 (they plan to be at their capacity of 240 soon) and the amount is quite impressive. While there is much to criticize these days about our public school system, thank God that the public cares enough about marginal, high-risk students to not easily quit on them. This something to be proud of as citizens.

2. The specific investment by Lutheran Social Services – Two words came immediately to my mind as I was touring the New Life School: cost and risk. It would have been very easy for LSS to take a pass on a venture like this. LSSNY has invested a great deal in the construction of this facility and has taken on significant debt. They are also subsidizing a portion of the operating costs not covered by their contract with the public school system. One significant bad incident with a student or teacher could cause considerable harm to the reputation and financial stability of LSS. Kudos to CEO Ron Drews and his staff and board for their mission vision pursued through the establishment of this unique place of learning.

3. Schools as places of health and healing – Perhaps there was a day when schools had a singular focus on academics. Not today. Today’s schools, whether public, private and/or faith-based, are serving students with myriad needs related to wellness of body, mind and spirit. These needs are vivid among the students at New Life. While teachers and administrators at this school cannot, due to the requirements of its contract with the public school system, share openly in classrooms the healing power of Christ, the leaders of Lutheran Social Services are following God’s call to serve these challenging and challenged students, knowing that God’s spirit is at work in the process as students experience care, build trusting relationships and experience a new outlook on life and learning.

As your Lenten journey of healing and hope continues, please keep New Life School, those who lead it and the students served by it in your prayers.

Pictured above from left to right: Ron Drews – CEO LSSNY, Rick Herman, Ausma Mursch – Good friend of Wheat Ridge Ministries, Peter Anzalone – Principal, New Life School, Jill Schumann – Executive Director, Lutheran Services in America, Marlene Lund – Director, Wheat Ridge Ministries’ Center for Urban Education Ministries, and Christine Connell – Executive Director for Agency Advancement, LSSNY (Photo by Bob Mursch)