Dr. Alice Farkouh, a longtime Brooklyn educator whose leadership shaped generations of students and teachers, died on Jan. 1. She was 86.
A scholar, mentor and administrator, Dr. Farkouh devoted her life to public education in New York City. She served for a decade as principal of Fort Hamilton High School in Bay Ridge and previously held leadership roles at Curtis High School in Staten Island and Prospect Heights High School in Brooklyn. She began her career as a mathematics teacher, a subject she championed throughout her professional life, firmly believing that every student could succeed with the right support.
Dr. Farkouh earned her doctorate in education from Teachers College, Columbia University, and held advanced degrees in mathematics and educational administration. Beyond the city’s public schools, she held senior roles at Poly Prep Country Day School, Adelphi Academy, and the College of Staten Island, and contributed to national mathematics publications and textbooks.
In 2010, she released her memoir, “Never Say You Can’t: Memoirs of a Lebanese-Syrian American Educator,” where she told the story of her personal educational journey.
Her impact was felt deeply in the communities she led. A. Fantis School, where she served as principal from 2006 to 2015, credited her with steering the school through a pivotal period.
In a statement, the school wrote, “At a critical time when our school faced closure, Dr. Farkouh, through her dynamic and tenacious leadership, transformed A. Fantis, paving the way for the work we continue to do today. She set a high bar for student achievement and success and was the ultimate professional educational leader.”
On Instagram, the Fort Hamilton High School Alumni wrote that “Dr. Farkouh was more than just an administrator; she was a visionary leader who saw the ‘highest star’ in every student who walked our halls.”
It continued by listing her accomplishments from her ten-year tenure, including the construction of the Thomas F. Greene Natatorium, the establishment of the Army Jr. ROTC Program and the Marching Regiment, the first courtroom and the Culinary Arts classroom.
Outside her professional life, she was a devoted mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She was predeceased by her husband of 50 years, Charles Farkouh, and is survived by her three children, seven grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and extended family.
