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| Buckham Hall at Buffalo State University is the future site of Leonardo da Vinci High School |
By Ariel Scarbrough
Leonardo da Vinci High School has moved out of D'Youville University and is in temporary quarters at School 8 on E. Utica Street while waiting to move to Buffalo State University in the coming years.
Renovations have not yet begun at Buffalo State's Buckham Hall, the former Campus West School, but Buffalo Schools officials believe the move will take place in about two years.
“Buffalo Public Schools and Buffalo State University are partnering to relocate the approximately 400 students attending Leonardo da Vinci High School to Buckham Hall after renovations are anticipated to be completed in 2025,” Buffalo Public Schools Public Relations Director Jeffrey Hammond said.
Da Vinci had been located within D’Youville for 30 years when then university decided it would no longer accommodate the high school. The partnership ended in June.
“Buffalo State can confirm it is working with Buffalo Public Schools on opening the Leonardo da Vinci High School on the Buffalo State University campus,” Buffalo State University Director of Communication and Content Strategy Geoffrey Nason said.
Da Vinci is a college preparatory school in the Buffalo Public School system. It is known for high academic achievement that included a 100% graduation rate last year. It is anticipated that this year's graduation rate will be 99%.
As a college preparatory high school, da Vinci has been fortunate to be physically located on a college campus.
The decision to locate da Vinci at Buffalo State was finalized by the New York State Legislature. on Oct. 25.
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| Leonardo da Vinci Principal Grogry Lodinsky |
“District officials were meeting with college and university representatives from throughout the area to determine their interest and their ability to accommodate a high school on their campus.” Gregory Lodinsky, da Vinci’s principal said.
Buffalo State has not started the process of renovating, but da Vinci will be housed within Buckham Hall and use the first floor and third floor, the auditorium, and the gym. The building is used currently for university classroom and is the site of several academic departments.
“What I am looking forward to most with the move to Buffalo State is the educational opportunities," Lodinsky said.
Da Vinci will have the full-on real college experience by walking through the college campus, taking classes with college students, and being taught by college professors. The students of da Vinci also have the option of taking co-credit college courses taught by da Vinci teachers.
The college courses the students will be taking will be free of charge. The objective for the students is that by the time the da Vinci students graduate they will earn enough credits to cover their first year of college.
