Math instruction integrates community data—such as analyzing transit patterns or public health statistics relevant to residents of the South Bronx. Advanced Placement (AP) access has expanded significantly in the past five years, with PS 36 now offering AP Language & Literature, AP U.S. History, and AP Biology—subjects historically underrepresented in similar Bronx schools.

The school’s AP participation rate has surpassed 40%, a stark increase from 18% in 2016, signaling a growing culture of ambition. Teachers at PS 36 are not only pedagogical experts but also civic mentors. Annual “Community Empowerment Seminars” host local activists, housing advocates, and small business owners, creating direct links between classroom learning and real-world challenges.

This fusion of academic rigor and community context prepares students not just for college, but for civic leadership. < The school’s commitment to holistic development is evident in its extensive extracurricular offerings and intentional engagement beyond school walls. PS 36 boasts over 25 clubs and organizations, ranging from robotics and debate to poetry slams and social justice advocacy groups.

These programs are designed not as add-ons, but as critical spaces where students build confidence, identity, and connection. One notable initiative is the “PS 36 Action Network,” a student-led coalition that partners with local nonprofits to address food insecurity and youth mental health. Each semester, students design campaigns, secure funding, and implement services—such as free lunch distributions and peer counseling workshops—directly benefiting neighborhood families.

As student organizer Javi Rivera notes, “We’re not just learning; we’re solving problems—right here, in our community.” The school also maintains a robust partnership with the Bronx River Alliance and local libraries, expanding learning beyond school hours into public spaces. Taller sessions in makerspaces, digital media labs, and outdoor science labs provide students with access to tools and mentors rarely available in under-resourced schools. < Understanding that academic success depends on social and emotional well-being, PS 36 integrates wraparound support services directly into its daily operations.

The school garrison a full-time school counselor, social worker, and nurse—resources critical in a district historically strained by understaffing. Mental health check-ins are normalized, with interactive wellness circles and trauma-informed training for all staff. Nutrition and health remain central pillars: free breakfast programs guarantee nutritious morning meals for every student, while on-site clinics address chronic health issues that often disrupt learning.

For families facing instability, PS 36 connects parents to housing resources, job training, and small business grants through its Family Resource Center. One exemplary program, “Pathways to Graduation,” pairs at-risk students with mentorship and personalized learning plans, resulting in a 92% graduation rate—well above the national average for high-poverty schools. Guided by data analytics, counselors proactively identify students needing additional support, often intervening months before academic failure occurs.

< Despite its progress, PS 36 operates within a complex ecosystem of funding constraints and systemic inequities. Like most New York City public schools, it relies heavily on state and city appropriations, which often lag behind rising costs. Recent budget cycles have forced difficult trade-offs—delaying tech upgrades, reducing arts programming, and straining staffing levels.

Yet, community advocacy has proven pivotal in securing critical resources. A 2022 bond referendum included specific allocations for Bronx schools, leading to $8 million in dedicated funding for PS 36’s STEM expansion and facility renovations. Local private foundations and alumni networks supplement public dollars, underwriting annual field trips, advanced course materials, and teacher professional development.

These collaborative efforts underscore a broader truth: excellence in under-resourced schools demands more than classroom control—it requires collective investment. As Bronx Council Member CordFormsweet observed, “PS 36 is more than its walls. It’s a mirror of what’s possible when we invest in our people, our communities, and our future.” < Among the measures of success are the countless personal narratives that animate PS 36’s culture.

Take 17-year-old Amina Dubois, a first-generation Dominican who scored top in her AP Biology class and now leads a school initiative to plant urban gardens in housing projects. “School didn’t just teach me science—it taught me I belonged,” she says. “Now I’m going to community college to study environmental science.” Or Rafael Morales, a former student now in his sophomore year, who overcame learning disabilities with intensive support from PS 36’s intervention team.

“They didn’t label me—they helped me flexibility,” he recalls. “Now I’m in robotics, mentoring younger kids. I pay it forward.” These stories reflect a carefully cultivated environment where vulnerability is met with support, and potential is nurtured relentlessly.

Teachers describe a student body marked by quiet resilience—students who arrive hungry, stressed, but eager to engage when met with respect and vision. < As the Bronx continues its rapid revitalization, PS 36 stands at a crossroads of opportunity and challenge. With new transit lines, growing tech corridors, and rising housing pressures, the school must balance tradition with evolution.

Plans are underway to expand physical infrastructure, including a new innovation wing focused on green technology and digital arts. Digital equity remains a priority, with initiatives to provide every student with a laptop and high-speed internet access—eliminating the digital divide that once hindered learning. Equally central is deepening family and community engagement.

Leadership is piloting “Family University” workshops, rotating monthly sessions where parents learn budgeting, advocacy, and career development alongside their children. Such efforts aim to transform passive involvement into active partnership. The school’s vision, articulated by current principal Dr.

Jamal Carter, emphasizes “sustained transformation grounded in dignity and shared purpose.” PS 36 is not merely surviving transformation—it is shaping it, proving that in one of the city’s most complex neighborhoods, public education can be both a stabilizing force and a launching pad for greatness. In a borough defined by contrasts, PS 36 Bronx emerges not as an exception, but as a blueprint: a school where academic excellence, community agency, and human-centered design converge to empower students to lead, innovate, and redefine what’s possible.