407 James Street
New Haven, CT 06513
Phone: 203-773-0390
Fax: 203-773-0364

Opened: July 1999
Grades: Five to eight
Number of Students in 2009-10: 272
Student Demographics in 2009-10:
44% Boys, 56% Girls
98% African American or Hispanic
68% Qualify for Free and Reduced Lunch

Overview

Amistad Academy Middle, the Achievement First flagship, opened in New Haven in 1999 and celebrated its 10th year of operation in 2009. The school was profiled in the PBS documentary “Closing the Achievement Gap” (2004) and was named Connecticut’s 2006 Title I Distinguished School after having the greatest performance gains of any middle school in the state. The school gathers every week for Morning Circle, where students are recognized by teachers and peers for academic achievement and strong character skills. Town Meetings take place every six weeks and build school spirit with music, skits, cheers and awards. Amistad Academy Middle’s robust after-school enrichment program, Encore!, offers students daily expert instruction in theater, karate, dance, orchestra, volleyball, step team, graphic design and other arts and athletic activities.

School Leader

Matt Taylor is the principal of Amistad Academy Middle School, a role he transitioned to in July 2005 after teaching seventh and eighth grade language arts and seventh grade science at Amistad Academy for two years. During this time, Mr. Taylor also served as the director of Amistad Academy's Encore! program, helping to design, develop and fine-tune this after-school enrichment program. Mr. Taylor's popularity with Amistad Academy students is based not only on his top-notch singing and rapping—which are often showcased at Amistad Academy's monthly Town Meetings—but on his amazing results as a teacher. As a seventh-grade reading teacher, Mr. Taylor's students, on average, went up 24 national percentile points in reading comprehension. Before coming to Amistad Academy, Mr. Taylor taught in public schools from Chicago, Boston and Miami to New Haven. Mr. Taylor earned his Ed.M. and completed his principal's training at the Harvard University School of Education. In addition, he holds an M.S. in elementary education from Barry University and a B.A. in history from Carleton College, where he graduated magna cum laude.