Some local school students hosted a special guest on their first day back to the classroom. State Education Commissioner John King traveled to Western New York Wednesday.
King first visited Sweet Home High School in Amherst, then traveled to the Math, Science & Technology Preparatory School on East Delavan in Buffalo.
WBFO & AM-970's Eileen Buckley says King toured the school and interacted with students.
Senior Stella Gnohoue is from Africa. She bravely volunteered to stand up in her science classroom, greet the Education Commissioner and let him as her questions.
"I was maker at first, but in the past year I been working on it and last year I didn't get suspended," said Gnohoue.
King asked here what was the most interesting class.
"I would have to say it was English," said Gnohoue.
Gnohoue admitted she struggles with math, but she wants to study at SUNY Albany to become a doctor.
Student Randy Smith also spoke with Commissioner King.
"Two classes that I like here is global and Algebra two," said Smith.
King asked Smith what he liked about global.
"Well for me global was always easy, so when I got here I understood everything," said Smith.
The Math, Science & Technology Preparatory School is a "A College Board School", leaders and principal began the tour with a discussion of how the school is utilizing an Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Partnership grant, led by the University at Buffalo.
It provides new hands-on learning to offer a new way of teaching science in Buffalo schools. Commissioner King says it part of new core curriculum shifts.
"One of the things we heard here, teachers in areas like science and mathematics also thinking about how they support student literacy. and how student reading skills will help them," said King.
Rose Schneider is school principal.
"It has an outdoor learning lab," said Schneider.
But school principal Rose Schneider Schneider said she still struggles with some of the same issues other city schools are dealing with.
"I struggle with all the behavioral issues. Attendance that every school does," said Schneider.
Principal Schneider said the school "screams" that it believes in their students.