2018 Blackboard Award Honoree: Cesar Elias Sanchez

Editor’s note: To read profiles of all 2018 Blackboard Awards honorees, click HERE!

Cesar Elias Sanchez
Grade 4, Science
KIPP: Washington Heights Middle School

Tell us about some of the special joys and challenges you’ve experienced as
a teacher.

One of my biggest joys is witnessing the growth of students’ belief in themselves
as they achieve goals and master concepts. Madeline is a student who struggled in reading and thought she wouldn’t be able to achieve the goal of reading a million words. Daily check-ins and constant communication with her family showed her that she had a whole team of teachers behind her. This support translated into Madeline surpassing her goal of a million words by the end of the year.

Please share a special project or achievement that you are particularly proud of from this year.

Though this year my students are out-performing the previous cohort on every major assessment and should exceed our NY State Science Test mastery proficiency of 90 percent in 2017, what I am most proud of is my work with their families in connecting them to advocacy resources. I have the opportunity to help educate our families on the importance of registering to vote and voting, link them to citizenship classes, and build connections between them and our local politicians so their voices are heard.

Cesar Elias Sanchez with publisher of *New York Family* John Hurley. Photo by Daniel S. Burnstein.

What keeps you motivated and committed to being a dedicated and hard-working educator?

My motivation and commitment is Shayden R. and others like him. He’s intelligent and charming, and he’s grown up in an environment that has told him that he must present a tough exterior at all times. Underneath is a kid who believes in supporting his teammates. When our baseball team welcomed two young ladies for the first time this year, Shayden vigorously defended them from the jeers of the opposing team. In my role as baseball coach, I am able to highlight these moments and tell him it’s okay to be vulnerable and there for others.

What do you love about your school?

I love that we are a team and a family. This idea that we work with and support each other is the foundation of the way in which we interact as a staff, with our families, and with our students. We understand that by building strong relationships and providing each other with critical feedback we will become the educators that our children deserve.

Lycee Francais de New York

One of the most renowned bilingual French schools in North America. We welcome students from more than 50 nationalities each year and prepare them to be thinkers, leaders and innovators at home in the world.

FlexSchool

Our mission is to provide an engaging&nbsp;learning experience in a supportive environment where students are free to explore their&nbsp;passions, embrace their challenges and find a community of teachers and friends who&nbsp;understand and accept them as they are. Academics: To meet the unique needs of gifted and 2e learners &ndash; students who may have co-occurring&nbsp;learning challenges along with their gifts &ndash; we provide a gifted-level curriculum with built-in&nbsp;scaffolding, developed by credentialed experts in both gifted education and special education,&nbsp;as well as subject-area experts. Small, discussion-based classes ensure our students can&nbsp;engage in stimulating conversation with intellectual peers while receiving individualized attention&nbsp;and support. Talent Development and Experiential Learning: Central to our program is our strengths-based, interest-based approach to learning. All&nbsp;FlexSchool students pursue personal passion projects and choose from a diverse menu of&nbsp;enrichment activities and electives designed to support exploration and talent development. Our&nbsp;signature FlexFriday experiential learning program provides essential connections between&nbsp;classroom learning and the real world. Executive Functioning and Learning Support: All FlexSchool students have access to an extensive range of accommodations, including&nbsp;breaks as needed, daily executive functioning support, flexible seating, extended time, assistive&nbsp;technology and more. Learning Specialist support is available on every FlexSchool campus. Social-Emotional Learning and School Counseling: Our caring team of certified school counselors, under the guidance of a consulting psychologist,&nbsp;provide robust social-emotional learning and social pragmatics programming. Students are&nbsp;welcome to visit the school counselor at any time &ndash; no appointment necessary. FlexSchool&nbsp;counselors also maintain a collaborative relationship with parents and outside providers. Rolling admissions: We understand that student needs don&rsquo;t always neatly align with the academic calendar, so&nbsp;FlexSchool admits students on a rolling basis. To learn more, join FlexSchool founder Jacqui&nbsp;Byrne live via Zoom for a Virtual Open House. To receive a call from our admissions team,&nbsp;inquire online, email us at [email protected] or call 908-279-0787.

Buckley Country Day School

Founded in 1923, Buckley Country Day School is a co-educational independent day school serving 350 children in grades Toddler through Eight. We focus on developing a rigorous curriculum and teaching evolving skills required for the students&rsquo; future, while remaining committed to a liberal arts, classical education dedicated to nurturing the &ldquo;whole child.&rdquo;