Learning Environment

Our learning community is small, safe, nurturing and student-centered. We are committed to creating an environment where students are: dedicated to learning, open-minded, open-hearted, true to themselves, responsible to the community, and active in improving the world. All of our professionals are committed to being a part of young people’s lives in order to help them develop a strong sense of self. We have a family-friendly environment and we welcome experts in various fields (science, history, math, art etc) to share their experiences with our students.

As with science, our goal is to help students develop the habits of mind of professionals in various disciplines. Furthermore, there is a strong emphasis on literacy across the curriculum. All students study math, science, literature, social studies, foreign language, physical education, technology, drama and art. Our classrooms are made up of diverse learners. Teachers use an array of constructivist strategies and differentiate learning to help students make sense of their experiences and see the complexity and interrelatedness of disciplines. Classroom activities vary. For example, there are large groups for both discussion and instruction, such as response to literature or introduction to a science topic. Small groups work on collaborative projects and hands-on experiments.

Additionally, we have many partnerships which allow us to enhance learning and provide greater individualized instruction for our students. Some of our partners include: NYU School of Medicine, Columbia University, The American Museum of Natural History, The Bronx Zoo, The NY Botanical Gardens, The Space Center, and The NY Hall of Science.