Editor’s note: To read profiles of all 2015-2016 Blackboard Awards honorees, click HERE!
La Scuola D’italia Guglielmo Marconi
Principal: Dr. Maria Palandra
Pre-K-12
12 East 96th Street
Award: Outstanding School
Describe your school’s core educational philosophy.
La Scuola’s educational programs are rooted in the best Italian/European and American traditions for internationally-oriented studies. The preparation we offer aims to assist our students in two major ways: First, to acquire the skills and knowledge in the sciences, mathematics, history, literature, philosophy, languages, and the arts that will provide them with the foundation to excel academically in higher education and, second, to help them develop an understanding of the dynamic interaction among disciplines, cultures, and languages that will lead them to successful lives and careers.
Tell us about a few of the school’s achievements or distinguishing programs.
Our school has been successful in integrating aspects of the Italian and American school systems, as evidenced by the acceptance of our students to prestigious universities in the United States and Europe such as the University of Pennsylvania, Bocconi, King’s College, Imperial College, the University of Geneva, and many others. The school’s rich bilingual atmosphere, which makes it easier for students to express themselves in two languages with grace and ease, is also source of pride for us.
What’s new?
By far, the most significant new development for our school has been the acquisition of a new building in central Manhattan that will house all four divisions of La Scuola d’Italia… The new facility will provide students with a host of new resources, including a new science laboratory, a library media center, and a state-of-the-art auditorium, which together will enable us to expand our educational and extracurricular offerings.
What do you love about your school?
I love seeing the eagerness with which children come to us every day; the friendships that our students develop with each other and the respect they show to their classmates and their teachers; the rigorous and challenging curriculum that represents the foundation of our institution; the devotion with which our teachers work; the high quality of the programs that parents and teachers develop together, and the generosity of the families in sharing their unique skills and talents to enrich the school experience of our students.
