officers and helped gain funds for the school to be renovated. In 1994 the school's $54 million modernization was officially launched and completed in 1998. Genco also oversaw faculty turnover by terminating some teachers and hiring others she deemed more qualified. Programs such as the Pre-Teaching Academy and Humanities aided Walton's good reputation. Principal Genco and her administration implemented the Walton Plan to target lateness and loitering around campus, and to encourage the faculty to show interest in every student's progress. In 1997, Walton was named a New American High School for serving as a model for schools nationwide that have achieved high levels of success. The next year, the School Construction Authority had declared the completion of Walton's renovation. Principal Genco was concerned that not all of the building's modernization were complete. She and the SCA held a meeting and the agency threatened to close the school down. Genco consulted the news media, such as WABC-TV, WNBC-TV, the New York Daily News, etc. She addressed issues like the peeling paint around the building, lack of heat, poor architecture, and the mismanagement of the pool. In 1999, the SCA agreed with Genco, shortly before her retirement, to repair the school's roof. In 2002, another principal persuaded the agency to modernize the exterior of the building which was completed in 2005. However, the swimming pool, with mini-columns and beautifully tiled, was never repaired despite the SCA contract. On April 19, 1998, Walton celebrated its 75th anniversary by throwing a birthday party inside the lunchroom and holding a luncheon at Maestro's Restaurant for all the graduating classes throughout the school's history. The Periwinkle (yearbook) also acknowledged the anniversary. In 1999, Valerie Vallade, an alumna of Walton, was appointed as the sixth principal and increased the graduation rate. She retired in 2002, when Patricia Friedman (former Assistant Principal of English) was appointed as Interim Acting Principal. However, truancy and unlawful activity increased. Allegedly, some faculty members berated Friedman for this and called for her resignation. A new principal, John Tornifolio, took over in 2004. In that year, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the Department of Education labeled Walton as an "Impact School." More than twenty School Safety Officers were assigned and surveillance cameras were installed around campus. Walton High School faced a phase-out in 2005 because of overcrowding and criminal activity. Numerous advocates, such as the Walton High School Alumni Association, failed to persuade