Susan E. Wagner High School

The school has seen some hardship throughout its legacy. In October 2021, there was a viral incident of a student with a knife partaking in a violent brawl at the school.[5] In December 2021, there were two back-back firearm incidents at the school. The first with a student being beat up and pistol whipped right outside the school. The second, being the next day, involved two students from Wagner being involved in a shooting. Both incidents resulted in a lockdown.[6] The following week, the students, led by Principal Cugini, staged a walkout captured by multiple news outlets.[6][7][8] At the walk out, students were chanting for increased safety at the school. Since these incidents, many reforms and new procedures have gone into place, such as hall sweeps, increased security, and metal detectors. However, throughout these incidents Cugini made sure to note the schools resilience and upsides.[9]

Wagner offers multiple Elective Courses. These include:

• Holocaust Literature
• African American Literature
• Poetry
• Creative Writing[11]
• Psychology [12]
• Forensic Science
• Anatomy & Physiology
• Astronomy
• Geology
• EMT[13]
• Intro to College Mathematics[14]
• Spanish 7/8 Culture
• Spanish 7/8 Grammar
• Italian 7/8 Culture [15]

Wagner offers multiple Advanced Placement Courses. These include:

• AP Psychology
• AP English Literature & Composition
• AP US History
• AP Calculus AB
• AP English Language & Composition
• AP Spanish Language & Culture
• AP Environmental Science
• AP Chemistry
• AP Computer Science Principles
• AP Computer Science Java (debuting Fall 2023)
• AP Biology
• AP US Government & Politics
• AP World History

Wagner offers College Now courses through the City University of New York College Now (Kingsborough and College of Staten Island), Wagner College, and St. John's University. There are courses in all subjects included.[16] Courses include but are not limited too:

• Behavioral & Social Science
• Nutritional Science
• Introduction to Computer Concepts
• Communications

All "scholar" classes are weighted by 1.05, meaning that the average of the class is multiplied by 1.05. The weighted average of the class is the grade that is used in the configuration of the final average. To become a scholar, you must have above a 88 overall average. To remain in the program you must maintain above an 85 average in at least three scholars classes. An overall average below 88 will result in scholars probation and eventually removal from the program. All students must be inducted in the school's branch of National Honor Society, receive an Advanced Regents Diploma, and will take most, if not all, regents examinations New York State offers.

The Scholars Academy has tough requirements, students must take each math course from Algebra I to Pre-Calculus. They must take Living Environment, Chemistry, & Physics, and three years of a foreign language (Spanish, Italian, or French). Students in the academy are required to take numerous AP Courses, starting with AP World History in sophomore year. Students in the academy receive the option of three tracks; a STEM Track (Students take AP Biology and then AP Computer Science for two years), a Humanities Track (Students take Latin and Student Teaching) and an Arts track.[18]

The school has numerous bands: Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, Concert Band, Jazz Band, and a Marching Band. The school also has a wide range of Required Music courses, such as Beginning Instruments, and Guitar courses. The advanced bands perform throughout the city, as well as annual trips to compete in locations such as Florida, Washington D.C., and Boston. In addition to instrumental music, Wagner has an Intermediate, Advanced, & Concert Chorus, along with a Chamber Choir.[20]

Students in the Visual Arts Academy are placed in two tracks based on what they auditioned for, Drawing or Photography & Graphic Design. Students who choose to take art beginning as a freshman will take either Required Art, Ninth Grade Major Art, or Intro to Photography. Students will have classes on all major types of visual arts throughout their time in the academy. In Photography, students explore types of photography, graphic design, and including creativity in taking pictures.[21][22]

Students in the Theatre Academy take four years of advanced theatre courses. Students will start with Acting, then Musical Theatre, then Advanced Acting, then Playwriting, and finally Directing. Created by Diana Zerega, the longtime Coordinator of the program, Wagner's theatre program is often considered second only to Laguardia High School's, the city's largest performing arts high school.[23]

In 2011, the school was awarded a $200,000 from Borough President James Molinaro to retrofit their auditorium after their production of Les Misérables. The retrofit was complete in time for their Spring Musical of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street in 2012. The theatre program has also been invited to the historic St. George Theater to perform Les Misérables and Sweeney Todd.

Founded at Midwood High School (Brooklyn, New York) in 1947, "SING" is a student-run theater production that includes script/acting, dancing, art, a chorus, and a band. Students are judged on areas including originality, singing, art, acting, band, script, and dancing. There are three groups: Sophmen (freshmen and sophomores conjoined), Juniors, and Seniors. Susan E. Wagner's SING program began in 1974, and averages nearly 200 to 250 participants yearly. Each student will end up spending about 300 hours on the show, however the students often have a strong pride from it.[25]

The International Festival is a student-run production that showcases an assortment of food and a three-hour show presenting the diversity of the school through a collection of dances, fashion, songs, plays, and exhibitions from all around the world.[26] This production includes over 20 cultural-based club with the goal of performing.

Having over 30 Junior Varsity and Varsity teams, Wagner has a very large Athletics Department. The school's Boys Bowling Team has been very successful. In 2021, it won the PSAL Bowling Championship for the third year in a row.[27] Wagner has teams in Badminton, Basketball, Bowling, Cross Country, Flag Football, Golf, Golf, Gymnastics, Handball, Indoor Track, Lacrosse, Outdoor Track, Soccer, Softball, Stunt, Swimming, Table Tennis, Tennis, Volleyball, and more.[28]