School Vision

 

Our Mission Statement

  • We believe that every child can fulfill their potential one successful step at a time.

  • We believe that through personalized academic plans, student academic needs are addressed as we seek to cultivate the strengths of each student within an interactive and safe learning community.

  • Each student is provided with a strong core curriculum supported by educational possibilities that are barrier free and differentiated to include a variety of learning experiences.

  • We believe that 21st century skills developed within the context of academic achievement will lead students to become successful and productive global citizens.

Student pathways and opportunities 

All students receive social and emotional support in the Youth Development and Advisory program. They will receive academic support with the Personalized Educational Program that offers timely interventions and enrichments. The smaller school and class size will benefit students as they have more one-on-one interaction with teachers, mentors, and faculty advisors.

 
 

Academic learning experiences 

High expectations are reflected in challenging curriculum aligned to state standards, graduation requirements, students’ learning, personal, and career goals.

  • Office Hours- Tutoring, Extended Day Programs

  • Teaching metacognitive skills to students to take control of their own learning

  • Credit recovery opportunities with blended learning programs

  • We have 2 semesters (Fall/Spring) and Summer (for credit recovery). 3 Progress reports are sent home each semester.

  • Blended learning with integrated technology, virtual and face-to-face classroom instruction

  • Off-site learning at cultural institutions, neighborhood health clubs

  • Differentiated instruction, collaborative learning, and multidisciplinary approach to teaching and learning

  • 21st Century and professional skills across-the-curriculum: Information and communication skills; thinking and problem solving; interpersonal and self-directional skills

  • AP courses with direct college affiliation online, offsite or onsite; dual/concurrent credit; e-portfolios, and evolving post-secondary plan

 

Structures that support youth development 

Safe, respectful, and personalized learning environment

  • Student learning progress and needs are reflected in a unique Personalized Educational Program with timely diagnosis of students’ educational needs and strengths with appropriate interventions and enrichments.

  • Advisory which will address personal, emotional, behavioral, and academic growth, as well as targeted guidance services.

  • Every student will have a Faculty Advisor to mentor them throughout their high school career.

  • Students will participate in extracurricular activities to engage and educate them to achieve personally and academically.

 
 

Real world learning experiences 

  • Career exploration and community service to support the needs of the surrounding community and the individual student’s goals and aspirations

  • Extended learning opportunities including job shadowing and internships


Teacher support 

  • Teacher collaboration and common planning time

  • Professional development based on teacher and student needs and interests

  • Shared decision making process including student, family, teacher and community voice

Partnerships with educational support organizations 

  • Focus on increasing student learning and engagement, supporting and improving class room instruction, providing teachers with intensive training and coaching, and increasing leadership capacity.


Family support 

  • Family workshops and programs (for example, Financial Literacy, Understanding Your Child’s Transcript, College and Career Exploration)

  • Information about Student Progress is transparent to parents (for example, daily communication with parents via phone, e-mail, letters, home visits; Parent – Student Handbook with translations, etc.)

  • Opportunities for parent collaboration: volunteering, trip chaperoning, career days, college fairs and fundraising, etc.

  • Shared decision making process including student, family, teacher and community voice


Community involvement 

  • Community outreach and involvement, as well as creative partnerships and support systems.

    • For example, senior capstone project with L+M Development company in midtown, the real estate company behind Essex Crossing works with our seniors every year, resulting in paid internships and even one graduate becoming a full time employee!

    • We also partner with CityArts, who sends resident artists to work with students on student led murals that beautify our school each year.

    • These partnerships are crucial in creating lifelong learners with a positive sense of their worth and a belief in their ability to succeed.