Baltimore Polytechnic Institute
1400 West Cold Spring Lane, 21209
410.396.7026
Charter/zoned school: Citywide school; students must meet certain criteria for admittance. Blue-Ribbon School of Excellence
Grades served: Ninth through twelfth
Application process and deadlines: Baltimore City public school students should contact their middle school guidance counselors to have their applications submitted by the December deadline. All other students should contact Mr. Karl Starks at the Office of Student Placement at 410.396.8605.
Uniform: White, orange, or navy blue Poly logo shirt; tan or navy blue khaki trousers, skirts, or shorts; and closed-toe shoes (dress or athletic).
Brief school history: Poly was founded in 1883 as a school for male students interested in manual arts. It quickly became recognized for preparing boys to enter careers in math and engineering. In 1952, Poly became Maryland's first public high school to racially integrate the student body. The school moved to its current location on Falls Road and W Cold Spring Lane in 1967; women became full-time students in 1974.
School Leadership
Principal: Dr. Barney J. Wilson
Contact information: 410.396.7026 (main office), 410.396.7030 (guidance office)
Dr. Barney J. Wilson graduated from Baltimore Polytechnic Institute in 1976 and earned a BS in electrical engineering, economics, and mathematics from Carnegie Mellon University, an MBA from Carnegie Mellon, and a Ed.D. Morgan State University in urban educational leadership. Dr. Wilson has been director of Baltimore Polytechnic Institute since 2004. Under his leadership, Poly is ranked as the number one public high school in the State of Maryland.
Vice Principals:
Mrs. Gretchen Lawson Ninth-grade level administrator
Mr. Robert Levine Tenth-grade level administrator
Mr. Matthew Woolston Eleventh-grade level administrator
Mrs. Jacqueline Williams Twelfth-grade level administrator
Academics
Baltimore Polytechnic Institute is a citywide high school offering college preparatory and advanced college preparatory curricula emphasizing the study of science, mathematics, and engineering. Each student’s academic records are reviewed every June of their high school career. Students who demonstrate success in our program will be invited to remain at Poly. Any student who accumulates three or more credits of failures will be automatically reassigned to the zoned high school. Poly's specialized programs incorporate the Maryland State requirements, and far exceed them. Seven credits are earned each year, with typical schedules as follows:
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Grade 9
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Grade 10
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Grade 11
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Grade 12
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English I
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English II
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English III
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English IV (A.P. Available)
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Algebra I or II
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Algebra II or Probability-Statistics/Trig.
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U.S. History or A.P. U.S. History
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Calculus (Intro., Advanced, or A.P.)
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Biology I
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Geometry
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Physics
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Elective**
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World History
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American Govt or AP Amer. Govt
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Math Analysis/Calculus I or Pre-Calculus
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Option Core (See chart)
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Modern Language
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Modern Language
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Science, Technology, and Society (sem.)
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Semester Pairs:
*Health/Phys. Ed
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Chemistry I
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Marine Biology or Architectural Drawing (sem.)
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Fundamentals of Engineering
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Impacts of Tech
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Fine Arts
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Senior year only electives include Material Processing, Vector Mechanics, Economics, Electricity, Organic Chemistry, Yearbook (year course), or a "cross-over" from science or engineering, as space permits.
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Grade 12 Option Core
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Science Option:
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Engineering Option:
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Chemistry II/Organic Chemistry
or A.P. Chemistry
plus either Biology (II or A.P.)
or A.P. Physics
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Engineering Practicum
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Advanced Physics (Electricity), Environmental Science, Genetics, Anatomy/Physiology, and Earth Systems or Science Research (replaces 2)
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Electricity/Mechanics, Surveying, CAD, and Environmental Science Chemistry (II or A.P.) or A.P. Physics may be used to replace some of these.
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ESOL (English as a second language): Poly has an ESOL teacher on staff
Special education: Full-inclusion setting
Approximately 97% of our students go on to college. The Class of 2008 was offered over $21 million in scholarships and financial aid.
Test Scores
Baltimore Polytechnic Institute met Adequate Yearly Progress in all categories for the last five years. More specifics on scores including the High School Assessments are available here.
Enrichment Activities
Gifted/talented programs: All of our students produce honors-level work. In addition all of our students are given the opportunity to take advanced placement courses.
Advanced Placement Courses
Biology
Calculus AB
Calculus BC
Chemistry
English Language
English Literature
Environmental Science
Psychology
Physics B
Physics C
Economics
Art History
Statistics
US Government
Comparative Govt. & Politics
US History
Ingenuity Project
The mission of the Ingenuity Project is to prepare highly capable and motivated Baltimore students to achieve at nationally competitive levels in mathematics and science. The goal is to give city students the classroom advantages that wealthier county and private schools offer their populations with the expectation that Ingenuity students will take advanced placement courses in high school, attend college, and ultimately be prepared to become leaders in their chosen professions.
Distinguishing characteristics of the Ingenuity at Poly program of studies include:
- Accelerated mathematics courses. Students must complete Algebra I before ninth grade
- Double periods for the science courses to accommodate laboratory/research sessions in biology, physics, and chemistry
- Research under the direction of mentor scientists during the summers and school year for sophomores, juniors, and seniors
- SAT II's at the completion of each science course (biology for freshman, physics and math for sophomores, chemistry for juniors)
- AP Calculus AB and AP Chemistry during the junior year and AP Calculus BC during the senior year followed by the AP examinations
- Mathematics competitions: Maryland Mathematics League, American Invitational Mathematics exam, University of Maryland Mathematics Competition, and others
- Science competitions: Intel Science Talent Search, Siemens Westinghouse Science and Technology Competition, Baltimore Science Fair at Towson University
- Computer lab open to Ingenuity students during lunch and after school
- Additional assistance for individual students as needed
Tutoring: Every teacher offers coach class/office hours during the week. In addition, our National Honor Society members offer tutoring.
After-school clubs:
Men’s sports
Baseball
Cross Country
Lacrosse
Swimming
Track & Field
Basketball
Football
Soccer
Tennis
Wrestling
Women’s sports
Badminton
Cheerleading
Lacrosse
Soccer
Swimming
Track and field
Basketball
Cross country
Modern dance
Softball
Tennis
Volleyball
Clubs and organizations
Aviation Explorer Club
Book Club
Chess Club
Computer Club
Concert Band
Debate Team
D.D.R.
Drama Club
Entrepreneur’s Club
Environmental club
Floetic Lyricist
Gay/Straight Alliance
Gospel choir
Healthy Living
International Club
It’s Academic
Japanese Rock club
Jazz Band
Jewish Culture Club
Law Club
Library Media Club
Marching Band
M.E.S.A. Club
N2Him
National Honor Society
National Society of Black Engineers
Physics Olympics
Poetry Club
Poly Cracker (yearbook)
Poly Math club
Poly Press (newspaper)
Rap Club
Science Fiction/Fantasy Club
S.H.O.P.
Students Government Association
TOAST ‘n’ JAM
Video Gaming Club
Teaching Staff and Classroom Management
Class Size: 1:28 teacher-student ratio
Teaching staff: Poly faculty have been educated at a wide variety of colleges and universities. The Maryland State Department of Education classifies 85.5% as being "highly qualified." Fifteen members of the Poly staff are Poly alumni.
Student Population
Number of students: There are currently 1448 students enrolled (49% male/51% female.) Seventy-five percent of the students are African American, 20% are Caucasian/white, 3% are Asian, and 2% are Hispanic.
More information on student demographics is available here.
Parent Involvement
Parent group name: P.P.F.A.
Number of times group meets per year: second Monday of the month at 6 pm
Facility Description
In 1967, under the leadership of Mr. Claude Burkert, principal from 1958–1969, the school was relocated to its present location on a 53-acre tract of land at Falls Road and Cold Spring Lane. This two-school campus complex includes five buildings and spacious grounds. Poly students attend academic classes in Dehuff Hall and engineering classes in Burkert Hall. Poly students share two buildings, the cafeteria/auditorium and gymnasium areas, with Western high school students. Although the buildings and grounds are shared, the two schools operate completely separate programs.