High School II

High School II looks at Central Park East Secondary School, a successful alternative high school in New York’s Spanish Harlem, 85–95% of whose graduates go on to four-year colleges. The film illustrates the school’s emphasis on the “Habits of Mind” program — which focuses on weighing evidence, awareness of multiple points of view, seeing connections and relationships, speculating on possibilities, and assessing values — by showing classroom activities in the humanities and sciences; family conferences; discussions of race, class, and gender; faculty meetings; disciplinary problems; sex education; conflict resolution by students; and student council meetings.

“I worked on High School II for two days, filling in for the regular Assistant Camera. As John Davey, the DP / Camera Operator, pulled his own focus, the position was reduced to loading 16mm magazines. Mr. Wiseman said a total of four words to me each day: ‘Good morning’ when we started, and ‘Thank you,’ when we finished. Mr. Wiseman never cut during the 11 minutes the 400-foot loads ran. He and Mr. Davey would shoot one magazine after another, all day long, stopping only to tail slate and reload. Their focus on their work, while we were shooting, was remarkable. I have never witnessed that level of concentration on any set I have worked on since. It is little wonder that Mr. Wiseman is one of the great filmmakers.”

– Lodge Kerrigan (Keane, NYFF42)