For several years now the city (and
Manhattan especially) has been facing a kind of perfect storm scenario over its
growing population of school-age children and a shortage of seats in public
schools and private schools. The very short answer? More schools. This week we
offer an updated list of new private schools (nursery and ongoing), including
the city’s first Mandarin-immersion school on the Upper West Side, and a high-profile global-minded
Pre-K through 12 school coming to Chelsea. We’ll report back on new school
plans in the public school and charter school arenas in two weeks, but for now
we refer you to the ever-helpful InsideSchools.org and to
the Department of Education’s website for more info.
Avenues. With a global mindset that extends across disciplines like geography,
history and economic development, this
highly anticipated K-12 school has positioned itself as a school of the
future. Opening in the fall of 2012, the
physical plant is currently being converted from a Cass Gilbert-designed
landmark building in Chelsea into a state-of-the-art school
building. The 215,000-square-foot
campus will boast a 20,000-square-foot dining floor, 10 floors of classrooms,
open air “studios” for independent study, and a large gymnasium. Academically,
Avenues plans to promote across-the-board rigorous academics with a
special emphasis on global awareness, including fluency in a second language. 259 10th Avenue, 212- 935-5000; Avenues.org.
Bilingual Buds. The city’s first
Mandarin-immersion preschool (up to age 6) is off to a great start, attracting
a diverse mix of families, all of whom value the advantages of beginning a
culturally diverse bilingual education at young age. Housed in a warm
contemporary space on the Upper West Side, the program also offers Mommy and me and after school classes, and a
summer camp travel program, but the core is the nursery school, a spin-off from a very successful program
started in New Jersey a few years ago. “Our program focuses on making children
culturally aware, linguistically capable, and intellectually curious,” says
Sharon Huang, Bilingual Buds founder and director. The school, which can
accommodate 60 students, features state-of-the art renovations and a teaching
staff of highly qualified bilingual educators. 180 Riverside Blvd., 212-787-8088, bilingualbudsnyc.com.
Blue School. Open since September
2008, Blue School
was founded by Matt Goldman, Phil Stanton and Chris Wink—the original three
members of the Blue Man Group. The school, which recently secured a permanent 33,168
square foot location in downtown Manhattan, offers programs for children from age 2 through fifth grade. “Blue School is
an educational program where creativity is cherished and children are
encouraged to fall in love with the joy of curiosity and learning,” says
Goldman. Students learn through exploration, self expression, open
communication, active play and group collaboration. 241
Water Street, 646-602-7066, theblueschool.org.
The Goddard School. The Goddard School, a
private preschool for children ages 6 weeks to 6 years, plans to open a
facility on the Upper West Side
later this year. Operating 360 schools in 39 states, Goddard is known
throughout the country for its focus on each individual child, as well as its
wide range of enrichment activities designed to build each child’s emotional,
social, cognitive and physical skills. The physical space of the school will be a state-of-the art, custom designed learning center, which will include an indoor gym and outdoor patio. 2495 Broadway, 212-712-2727, goddardschool.com.
Mandell School. Long regarded as one of Manhattan’s most sought-after nursery
schools, the Mandell School currently comprises pre-nursery
through eighth grade, with grades 6 through 8 added this past year. Head of
school Gabriella Rowe intends for the growing institution to continue to
operate under the philosophy with which it was founded in 1939: If a school
provides structure, stimulation and a safe environment where children feel
loved, kids can achieve anything. “Middle schoolers will gain not only a greater consciousness about the
world around them, but they’ll also be able to study the science of it, the
math of it and the socio-economic impact of it,” Rowe says. The school is
housed in a brand new, eco-friendly building on the Upper West Side. 128 West 95th Street, 212-222-2925, mandellschool.org.
Speyer Legacy School. The Speyer Legacy School was designed specifically with the
needs of gifted learners in mind. Open since September 2009, the school offers
kindergarten and a combined first and second grade class, and plans to grow
through eighth grade by the fall of 2015. The mission of the school is to provide a nurturing
environment enabling advanced learners to realize their full potential alongside
classmates and teachers who share their passion for learning. “Our plan is to
create this program around the children rather than create the program and
bring the children to it,” explains head of school Connie Williams Coulianos.
The school emphasizes social and emotional as well as intellectual development.
15 West 86th Street, 212-581-4000, speyerlegacyschool.org.
World Class Learning
Academy New York. The World Class
Learning Group, based in London and known for building highly-competitive
educational institutions across the globe, has recently opened a new
international primary school in the East Village; the WCL Academy opened its
doors in January 2011 for students in its Nursery program (three years of age),
and in September 2011 for students ages 3-11. It will be the latest addition to
the WCL Group’s British Schools of America, which include schools in Boston,
Charlotte, Chicago, Houston and Washington, DC, as well as abroad. The school
will use the National Curriculum for England and the International Primary
Curriculum, which is taught in 800 private and public schools in 58 countries
around the world and is gaining in popularity as more educators learn of its
success. “The World Class Learning Academy is a school that does not gamble
with children’s education, and we know what we can deliver,” says head of school John Taylor. “If parents in the city are looking for this kind of
specialized education for their children, I believe they would do well to put
their trust in us.” wclacademy.org.
