Exclusive | Knicks champs, legends to celebrate Earl Monroe Charter Schools new Bronx building: Like Elvis, Springsteen and The Beatles together
The Knicks now have something else extra special to celebrate.The country’s first hoops-themed school — a Bronx charter named after one of the NBA team’s all-time greats — saw all 97 students in its second graduating class accepted into college in June and is set to open sparkling new digs this fall.“The school went crazy for the Knicks this year,” said Dan Klores, a Peabody Award-winning producer and playwright who founded the school, the Earl Monroe New Renaissance Basketball Charter.“But here’s what parents want to know: 100% of the kids are getting into college.That’s the bottom line,” Klores said.He added that current star point guard and Brooklyn native Jose Alvarado will be one of three Knicks from this year’s championship group attending the new school’s ceremony Oct.
15.He did not divulge the other two Knicks who will be attending but said three players from its 1973 championship team — school namesake Earl “The Pearl” Monroe, Walt “Clyde” Frazier and Bill Bradley — will also be on hand, along with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.“It’s going to be like Elvis [Presley], [Bruce] Springsteen and The Beatles together,” Klores quipped of the appearing lineup.The school has been moved from 1617 Parkview Ave.to a new five-story building at 647 Elton Ave.
in the Mott Haven section of the South Bronx.The school focuses not just on athletics but the business surrounding professional basketball — ranging from broadcast journalism, business, arena entertainment, sports apparel, nutrition, physical therapy, psychology, print and digital media, the law and marketing.Students get hands-on experience in many fields, not just sports, and honor students get to study abroad.The new 69,000-square-foot building will house a broadcast studio with podcast and editing rooms.Sportscasters Marv Albert and Mike Greenberg serve on the school’s advisory board.Students will also benefit from dance and music studios, an 800-foot garden on the...