The 2019 Blackboard Awards For Schools & Principals

On Monday, January 14, the 2019 Blackboard Awards for Schools and Principals, presented by New York Family, honored 14 of the city’s finest schools and principals in a special ceremony at the New York Institute of Technology (NYIT). The event was hosted by Vicki Schneps, the president and publisher of Schneps Media, and Mia Weber, the executive editor of New York Family. Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer and Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. were both on-hand to each present an Award.

For photos from the event, click Here.

The Blackboard Awards honor excellence in local education in all sectors (public, private, charter, and parochial), and all grade levels (nursery through high school). The annual schools and principals’ ceremony is in the winter, and the annual teachers’ ceremony in the spring. Parents are welcome and encouraged to nominate their beloved schools and educators, and we typically hear from several thousand local families in the course of the year. We also have a board of advisors, experts in local education, who make recommendations as well (in fact, with the 2019 Blackboard Awards for Teachers coming up next, we would especially welcome nominations for wonderful teachers right now).

The 2019 Blackboard Awards for Schools & Principals Honorees are:

A.C.E. Academy for Scholars PS 290q
Principal Jose Jimenez

Atlas School
Executive Director Amanda Friedman

The Caedmon School
Principal Matthew Stuart 

Family Life Academy Charter School 2
Principal Kathy Ortiz-Herscher

Mark Twain IS 239 for the Gifted and Talented
Principal Karen Ditolla

Nelson Mandela School for Social Justice
Principal & Founder Tabari Zaid Bomani

Our Lady of Lourdes School
Principal Suzanne Kaszynski & Former Principal Cathy Hufnagel

The Park Preschool
Executive Director Kevin Artale & Educational Director Ellen Offen

P.S. 452
Principal David Scott Parker

P.S. 198 The Isidor and Ida Straus School
Principal Katharine DeBenedictis

River East Elementary School
Principal Michael Panetta

The River School P.S. 281
Principal Jessica Orleans

The Scholars’ Academy
Principal Brian O’Connell

Speyer Legacy School
Co-Founding Trustee Jennifer Selendy

Relevant Directory Listings

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Little Thinkers Montessori

<p><span id="docs-internal-guid-9a98e501-7fff-fad4-efd7-d3e426e785a9"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">During the school year, LTM  preschool curriculum is individualized, multi-aged, and thoughtfully guided to match each student’s needs.  </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Children learn through the academic and experiential process, developed by Dr. Maria Montessori, and influenced by the culturally diverse atmosphere of Brooklyn.  The primary goal of LTM’s Montessori program is to use the “whole-child” approach to help each child reach their full potential in all areas of life. </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">LTM also offers an after school program for students in preK through 5th grade.  </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #222222; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Please contact the school to learn more about the programs offered.</span></span></p> <p><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Offering a Summer Program with full or half day sessions running for 7 weeks.  Activities include, Gardening, Science, Art, Yoga, Music, Dance and outside play with extended care available. </span></p>

The Cathedral School

<p>The Cathedral School is a Nursery School, Pre-K 4, and Kindergarten through 5th grade co- educational day school that offers a nurturing environment while preparing young minds for a rigorous academic education rooted in the principles of Hellenism. The curriculum integrates the most up to date educational methods while adhering to the ancient Greek tradition of paideia which views education as character formation, responsibility and the pursuit of excellence in all forms.</p>

Bay Ridge Prep

<p><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal;" data-sheets-value="{" data-sheets-userformat="{">An Independent K-12 College Preparatory School. With a student-centered environment and fresh approach to education, the school provides an enriching academic experience in a socially mature environment.</span></p>