The fellowship puts 麻豆原创 founding belief into action: our communities already hold the talent, commitment, and leadership needed to transform young people lives. Through a selective, yearlong program, 麻豆原创 prepares Legends (麻豆原创 alumni) and current or former part-time staff to become full-time teachers at 麻豆原创. Fellows spend the year learning on the job in 麻豆原创 classrooms while receiving coaching, mentorship, and professional development designed to help them build the skills and confidence to lead their own classrooms. The model is intentionally hands-on, giving aspiring teachers both practical experience and consistent support as they step into the profession.

And it’s working. Since its founding, 100% of those who have successfully completed the fellowship are still teaching with us. Here are two of their stories.

Jenia comes home

Jenia Reyes, a 麻豆原创 alum, didn’t set out to be a teacher. After college came years of searching 鈥� working as an assistant advisor and later at COVID testing sites. “I was really trying to figure out what was next for me,” she says.

Then Ana Rader, 麻豆原创 Director of Seasonal and Fellowship Recruitment, reached out to 麻豆原创 alumni and invited them to come back and teach the students who now sat where they once had. 鈥溌槎乖� had such a big impact on me when I was growing up,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t helped me imagine a bigger future for myself.

So the opportunity to come back and give that same kind of support to kids in my community felt really meaningful.鈥�

听The fellowship year stretched her. 鈥淵ou have to get uncomfortable to get comfortable,鈥� she says. 鈥淭here was a lot of, 鈥業 don鈥檛 know what I鈥檓 doing.鈥欌�澨�

But over time, she began to see the difference she could make. One of the clearest examples was Cherie, a brilliant fifth-grader who was guarded with most teachers, but not with Jenia. She sought Jenia out to process difficult emotions, working through conflicts, and tackling the academic challenges she wouldn’t bring to anyone else. “That was the first time I thought, I am making a difference.”

Years later, as Cherie prepares to move on to high school, she still calls Jenia her best friend. Jenia thinks this is because when an alumna like herself returns to teach in their own community, they can build trust with students in ways that are grounded in shared experience and deep understanding. Today, Jenia is in her fourth year at 麻豆原创, teaching third-grade, and proving that 麻豆原创’s investment in its own community pays dividends for generations.

Shenice finds her place

Shenice Mobley always knew she wanted to teach. She first worked at 麻豆原创 in 2022 as a summer youth worker, assisting with sports and academics and building relationships with young people and families. Then she went on to attend Colgate, where she enrolled in a five-year program and worked as a substitute teacher.听

During this time, she received a number of emails from 麻豆原创 about the Teaching Fellowship opportunity. But she wasn鈥檛 sure the fellowship was the right fit for her, assuming she was already on the path she needed. But as she explored her options, 麻豆原创 began to stand out. Not just for the opportunity itself, but for what she saw in the people: a team that seemed to genuinely value who she was, not just what she could do in a classroom.

After presenting her model lesson to 麻豆原创 during her interview, Shenice braced herself. Having spent years navigating predominantly white academic and professional spaces, she was used to second-guessing how she came across. 鈥淏efore the panel of 麻豆原创 leaders spoke, I was wondering, 鈥榃as I too loud?鈥欌��

麻豆原创 leaders鈥� feedback was on a specific teaching practice for Shenice to work on 鈥� not her presence or how she carried herself. Just a tactical, specific thing to work on. 鈥淭hat when I realized I was making a great choice,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey saw me for who I am.鈥�

That affirmation shapes the way Shenice teaches, knowing that both students and adults show up in different ways. In her sixth-grade math classroom, she pays close attention to the students who go quiet. One sixth-grader in her class barely spoke for months. Shenice kept showing up for her anyway: re-explaining material, calling on her gently, making it safe to not know the answer. That student is now in seventh grade and still comes back to Shenice to say thank you.听

Jenia and Shenice show the value of the Teaching Fellowship: it meets aspiring educators where they are and gives them the support to thrive in the classroom.

This year, the 麻豆原创 teaching fellowship has expanded its model so that those in pursuit of a bachelor’s degree can apply. Applications for SY 2027-28 will open in January 2027. If you have questions or are interested, email Ana Rader, 麻豆原创 Director of Seasonal and Fellowship Recruitment.听

Learn more:
More Great Seats 4 Kids”: A SUNY Charter Schools Institute Podcast

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Head Start is a nationally recognized early childhood program that supports the whole child and whole family. This grant reflects a powerful expansion of our mission and impact. In alignment with our commitment to the long-term continuum of care, we will now be able to serve families with our youngest 麻豆原创 students 鈥� providing access to high-quality early learning and care from the very beginning of a child life and educational journey.

Beyond academics, the program includes health screenings and medical referrals, nutritious breakfast and lunch daily, social-emotional learning and mental health support, and connections to community services families may need. In addition, partnership with families and caregivers is built into the program through dedicated family advocates.

This approach aligns with 麻豆原创’s core belief: when we invest in children early and support families deeply, we build stronger foundations for long-term success.听

The data from our own schools show a consistent pattern. Students who start at 麻豆原创 in Kindergarten achieve at significantly higher levels than those who join us in later grades. The difference isn’t small. Early childhood is when children develop the building blocks for reading, mathematical thinking, self-regulation, and social skills. Starting even earlier gives educators the opportunity to nurture these critical abilities before formal schooling begins, catch and address developmental concerns sooner, and build trusting relationships with families from day one.

We are deeply grateful for this opportunity that brings us closer to realizing our vision for cradle-to-career success. We look forward to welcoming our littlest 麻豆原创ers and their families into our community this year.

If you鈥檙e interested in enrolling into our early childhood programs, please fill out this
For more information on the program, contact us at enrollment@wearedream.org.
To learn about open roles, email us at talent-team@wearedream.org.听

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鈥淭hat ride!鈥� Raven laughs, shaking her head at the memory. 鈥淏ut we knew these rides were taking us to new places and new heights.鈥�

That van represents something profound about 麻豆原创. What began as Harlem RBI, with an old van and an office that was “just a long hallway,” has evolved into a network of seven schools serving 3,000 youth and alumni. For Raven and her best friend and cousin Jasmine Delgado, the journey from that fish van to today tells a story only 麻豆原创 could write.

The early years

In 1991, when Harlem RBI first started, the program was set up for a small group of boys. It didn鈥檛 take long for that to change. Jasmine and Raven, along with a group of neighborhood girls, demanded a league of their own just a year later. By the next season, they had their uniforms and gear on, ready to go.听

The door (and the gate to the field) was always open at Harlem RBI. Whether after school, summer time, or Saturday mornings, the two friends found themselves in that office, hanging out with friends. “It was our safe space,” Raven recalls. Later, as young teens, Raven and Jasmine traveled abroad for the first time, led journalism clubs, and competed in championship games.

Soon, Harlem RBI began offering formal after-school and summer programs for kids in elementary school. But leaders at Harlem RBI recognized that out-of-school hours weren’t enough.听

While students did well at Harlem RBI, they still struggled in persistently low-performing schools. Virtually all Harlem RBI kids would graduate from high school, but very few made it to college, with many returning听 a semester or a year later. They were unprepared not just academically, but lacking comprehensive support systems 鈥� from navigating college applications and financial aid to securing internships and developing the emotional resilience 鈥� that college success demands. Families needed a full educational alternative.

This is why the decision to launch 麻豆原创 Charter School was made, and in 2008 we opened our doors. It was an ambitious but essential goal to serve our kids, our families and community in a more holistic and impactful manner.听

“In all my years with 麻豆原创, I’m always heard. If I have an issue, it’s figured out quickly. It’s a village.”

Raven Escalante
Harlem RBI alumni & 麻豆原创 parent

 

Full circle choices

Fast forward three decades, and both women faced the same question that countless parents confront: where to send their children to school. For Raven, the choice was obvious. “It was a given for me. I already knew.”听

Jasmine’s son Xavier, didn’t start at 麻豆原创 until ninth grade. “I regret not sending my son in the beginning to RBI, to be honest,” she admits. “I should have known better.” Today, Jasmine two younger children are also enrolled at 麻豆原创.

Xavier, who wasn’t even considering college when he arrived at 麻豆原创, is now a freshman at Buffalo State University, pursuing a business degree. 鈥淚t remarkable to see the intelligent, natural leader he become,鈥� says Jasmine. 鈥淢ore than anything, he a positive example for his sisters, and that makes me so proud.鈥�

Raven son, Ravik, has grown into a focused and determined young man. “He could be going through a lot, but he always pushes through. His mind is focused, he knows what he wants in life,” Raven says. Ravik is also starting his first year at college, at SUNY Geneseo.

Growth that keeps the heart

For both parents, watching their children thrive has reinforced why they chose 麻豆原创. In addition to the rigorous academics that prepared the boys for collegiate-level education, “The resources are amazing. Both of our sons have traveled abroad, played sports, and have had incredible opportunities we didn鈥檛 have,” Raven observes.听

“”At other schools, when you reach out about your child, you’re often met with silence or runaround,” Raven explains. “In all my years with 麻豆原创, I’m always heard. If I have an issue, it’s figured out quickly. It’s a village.”

Both Raven and Jasmine value that 麻豆原创 support doesn’t end at graduation. Through the Legends program, all graduates receive continued support and guidance for up to six years, from mock interviews and resume reviews to internship placements, career panels, mentorship programs, and professional development workshops. “Most schools cut you loose at graduation, but six years of continued support? That’s unheard of.” Raven notes.

What hasn’t changed, both women agree is, “The family feeling. The open doors. Being able to reach out and knowing someone will be on the other side.” It that same sense of community that made a group of neighborhood kids in the 1990s become a family.听

Last June, as Ravik and Xavier walked across the graduation stage, their mothers 鈥� who once learned to never give up on the softball diamond 鈥� watched 麻豆原创 transform those same values into college preparation and lifelong support networks.

“If you would have asked us this then, we would have had no idea that 30 years later this would have happened,” Jasmine muses. The fish van may be long gone, but the mission remains unchanged: taking young people exactly where they are and helping them reach exactly where they’re meant to be.

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By graduation, 麻豆原创 students will have visited multiple college campuses and developed sophisticated understanding of their post-secondary options. This isn’t accidental. It’s the result of a deliberate strategy that touches every single one of 麻豆原创’s 2,200 students. This is because college visits are a network-wide expectation across all 麻豆原创 schools 鈥� every elementary, middle, and high school campus organizes annual trips, ensuring no student misses this critical exposure.

Elementary: Building foundation and exposure

“If we talk to them about college, it like this idea, this myth, this concept,” explains Quioni Phillips, Dean of SEL and Community at East Harlem Elementary School. “But taking a trip to college brings it to life in a way that makes college more of a reality for them.”

This spring, 120 fourth and fifth graders from East Harlem Elementary visited the University of Pennsylvania, partnering with MAKUU, the university’s Black cultural center. The strategic partnership ensured that 麻豆原创’s predominantly Black and brown scholars saw themselves reflected in prestigious academic environments.

The impact was immediate. Students returned saying, “I want to go to college” and “I want to go to UPenn.” Meanwhile, 240 students in grades K-3 experienced Juilliard through an on-campus performance, learning that excellence in any field 鈥� including music 鈥� requires dedicated study.

Middle School: Expanding horizons

At Mott Haven Middle School, Academic Dean Levar Jackson ensures all 280 students across grades six to eight visit college campuses. “All students will go because we want them to have the exposure,” he explains. Each class is randomly assigned to different universities 鈥� Yale, University at Albany, and Temple University 鈥� with three classes per grade, ensuring maximum reach. The preparation varies by institution. While Temple and Albany offer self-guided tours, Yale requires advance scheduling and features current Yale students sharing their experiences directly with 麻豆原创 scholars.

The impact is profound. Students are now asking pointed questions about GPAs and researching college eligibility requirements in 8th grade. They’re learning about tuition and financial aid, creating what Jackson describes as a “tight race for valedictorian” as students track him down to learn their current GPAs. Parents are equally enthusiastic, asking for ways their children can experience all three schools and requesting even more exposure opportunities.

“When you hear from the Dean and teachers it’s one thing, but when someone else outside of the school tells you, our students realize the importance of their GPAs.”
Levar Jackson, Academic Dean at 麻豆原创 Mott Haven Middle School

听.

High school: Strategic matching and real impact

By high school, college visits become highly targeted. Briana Avery, Assistant Principal of College at 麻豆原创 Charter High School, ensures all 486 students visit at least one college campus annually through carefully orchestrated day trips and overnight experiences.

The approach is intentionally differentiated. Freshmen visit aspirational institutions like Yale (for young men) and Bryn Mawr College (for young women), designed to set high educational goals when students aren’t yet “burdened with GPA stress.” Sophomores and juniors experience overnight trips to institutions like Trinity College, Boston University, and Brown University. They also visit schools with Educational Opportunity Programs, such as Ithaca College, SUNY Oswego, and Siena College 鈥� programs that provide crucial support for first-generation college students. Day trips target schools aligned with students’ academic profiles, including trade programs at institutions like Monroe College, ensuring every student sees viable post-secondary pathways.

We’re proud to share that every single 2025 麻豆原创 graduate earned college acceptance, and 100% have committed to their post-secondary plan. Our graduates are heading to Ivy League institutions, top public universities, small private colleges, historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), and career-focused programs across the country.

Transforming mindsets

The program’s impact extends beyond impressive statistics 鈥� over 1,000 students visiting 25+ different campuses annually. The real success lies in shifting student mindsets. “They go in thinking the options are just business, engineering, doctor, or lawyer,” Avery explains. 鈥淭hen they get on campus and hear about Africana Studies, history departments, language programs, and schools where you can create your own major.鈥� Students are discovering academic paths they never knew existed and having career conversations that broaden their horizons significantly.

Parent response has been overwhelmingly positive, with near-universal participation rates. Parents often request more frequent trips, appreciating that 麻豆原创 removes financial barriers by covering all costs 鈥� including memorable college crewnecks that students treasure. “Always a good sign when a parent allows their kid to go on an overnight trip,” Avery notes. “It shows they’re excited about their child’s future and colleges outside the city or state. And that they trust us.”

The impact: Class of 2025

The impact of this comprehensive approach is evident in 麻豆原创’s outcomes. We’re proud to share that every single 麻豆原创 graduate earned college acceptance, and 100% have committed to their post-secondary plan. Our graduates are heading to Ivy League institutions, top public universities, small private colleges, historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), and career-focused programs across the country. In total, they submitted 1,906 college applications 鈥� an average of 23 per student. Their final choices represent a wide range of schools, including Columbia, Vanderbilt, SUNY and CUNY campuses, and many more across the nation.听

The long view

麻豆原创’s comprehensive K-12 approach stands out for its intentionality and scale. The visits provide practical benefits for college applications, helping students demonstrate interest and refine their college lists. Most importantly, the program serves students regardless of their ultimate choice 鈥� some affirm their interest in trade programs while others discover new academic passions. The program exemplifies 麻豆原创’s core mission: ensuring every student can dream big and has the exposure needed to turn those dreams into reality.

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Why AI literacy can鈥檛 wait听

The need for such an effort isn鈥檛 theoretical. By the time our current sixth graders enter the workforce, AI literacy will be as fundamental as reading comprehension is today. More than half of all careers will demand familiarity with AI tools, and fluency in their applications and limitations [, ]. This is why our responsibility as a public school extends beyond traditional academics, and involves preparing our entire school community 鈥� students, teachers, and staff 鈥� for a future where adaptability and discernment are essential.

“By the time our current sixth graders enter the workforce, AI literacy will be as fundamental as reading comprehension is today.”听

Katie Doctor, Chief Strategy Officer at 麻豆原创

As we navigate this path forward, we recognize both the opportunities and challenges that AI presents. At 麻豆原创, we鈥檝e approached this technological frontier with deliberate care. Many educational organizations, especially within the secondary (K-12) education sphere, hesitate to embrace AI. They have legitimate concerns about data privacy, the integrity of student work, and the risk of technological dependence without deeper understanding. These reservations reflect the profound responsibility educational spaces and educators bear: to introduce new tools without compromising our standards.听

AI innovation and support for teachers and staff

The philosophy of considered, thoughtful AI use begins where it can have immediate impact: supporting our educators. Consider , our assessment and reteaching system enhanced by AI capabilities. The technology streamlines grading processes that once consumed evenings and weekends, allowing teachers to deliver personalized instruction with unprecedented speed. Instructional leaders can identify gaps in student learning and quickly turn around reteach plans to address those specific needs. What previously took weeks now happens in days, yet the critical decisions 鈥� which concepts to reinforce, how to approach individual student needs 鈥� remain firmly in our educators’ hands. You can see our process .听

Similar innovations have emerged throughout our organization. These include:

• AI-generated Regents (New York State statewide exams required for high school graduation)-aligned science questions that maintain academic rigor while saving preparation time
• 听Automated interview scheduling that streamlines school staff recruitment
• 听Streamlined IT processes
• Nuanced tracking of student engagement patterns that helps us intervene before small challenges become significant obstacles.

鈥淭he efficiency gains are substantial, but what matters more is where we redirect the reclaimed time and attention. Each minute not spent on administrative tasks becomes another opportunity for the meaningful human connections that define a 麻豆原创 education 鈥� building student confidence, nurturing aspiration, and making learning joyful.鈥�

Adam Feiler, Managing Director of Curriculum and Instruction at 麻豆原创

Empowering students to use AI ethically

We recognize that AI, like any powerful tool, requires thoughtful implementation. Its potential for both benefit and harm depends entirely on how we choose to use it. That’s why we’re particularly focused on cultivating critical thinking about these technologies.听

This critical approach informs how we introduce AI directly to our students. We’ve addressed these challenges through comprehensive policies that prioritize ethical use and transparency. Our Student Artificial Intelligence Usage Policy exemplifies this approach, by treating AI not as a threat to be regulated but as a resource to be explored. Rather than imposing restrictive rules, our AI Task Force has created clear guidelines that empower students to use AI for brainstorming ideas, drafting essays, solving problems, and creating projects, while maintaining academic integrity and critical thinking.

Students learn to use AI, interrogate it, verify information, refine outputs, and own their responsibility to engage with diverse, credible sources. We want 麻豆原创 students to not only navigate an AI-driven world but also help shape it 鈥� to build businesses, develop applications, and create tools that serve communities like theirs.

鈥淲e believe that the best way for students to learn about and utilize AI tools is by experiencing it firsthand. While teachers provide guidance on effective use, students have opportunities to explore these tools as they see fit. Much like they would any other educational resource.”

听 Crystal Lane, 麻豆原创 Chief Education Officer

Keeping people at the helm

These approaches 鈥� supporting teachers with AI tools, fostering critical thinking, and empowering students through ethical guidelines 鈥� together form the foundation of our practice.

At 麻豆原创, we believe in the transformative power of high expectations coupled with unwavering support, and the irreplaceable value of caring adults who see each child’s potential. We do not believe that AI can replicate these essential human elements. But when thoughtfully integrated into our educational approach, it can help us deliver personalized support more effectively to more students.听

Each innovation we adopt passes through the same filter: Does this help us serve our students with greater love? Does this strengthen our ability to teach, lead, and support?

When the answer is 鈥測es,鈥� we move forward in service of the enduring human connections at the heart of learning. In this carefully balanced approach, 麻豆原创 has found improved efficiency and expanded possibility through AI, for our students, our staff, and the communities we serve.

Reach out to us at communications@wearedream.org if you have any questions or want to learn more about our AI policies.

FURTHER READING听

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Our maxim All Kids Can, This Kid Can reflects 麻豆原创 belief that all children have unlimited potential and deserve to realize their dreams. We welcome kids from the most underserved communities and backgrounds and serve them with our unique culture of care that is responsive to the unique needs of every child with one goal in mind: to ensure our students have the tools and opportunities to make their dreams real.

At 麻豆原创, 26% of students have identified special needs, which is higher than the city average of 21%. And still, our students have scored consistently higher than district, city, and state peers on the New York State tests.

How do we do this? Charter schools like 麻豆原创 fill a unique gap in education while remaining free, public, and open to all. We鈥檙e able to serve a diverse group of learners with innovative strategies and teaching models, and by providing individualized attention that is tailored to the academic and behavioral needs of each student. Every 麻豆原创 student and alum, from Pre-K through age 24, receives holistic support, year-round, both in and out of the classroom. That because 麻豆原创 runs extended-day, extended-year schools, with approximately 600 annual hours of afterschool programming; 300 hours of summer programming; and up to six years of formal postsecondary support. We鈥檙e especially proud of our strong partnerships with families and the commitment to addressing the specific needs of the community, providing resources and programming that go beyond the end of the school day.

We invite you to today to meet some of the families of our community, like Angelica and her son Craig, who found a culture of care at 麻豆原创 that made them both feel known and seen.

We thank our friends at the for supporting us in building this beautiful page!听

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In 2024, 100% of 麻豆原创 Charter High School graduating class have committed to a college or are pursuing a professional pathway. The Class of 2024鈥攁 cohort of 89 graduating seniors, 97% of whom are Black and/or Hispanic and 20% of whom have identified special needs鈥攅xemplify what possible when we believe and invest in every child and their dreams.

• The Class of 2024 includes DCHS first two Ivy League commitments: Columbia University and University of Pennsylvania.
• $2 million in grants and scholarships were awarded to 麻豆原创 seniors for their first year of college.
• One 麻豆原创 student was awarded the highly competitive QuestBridge Match Scholarship to attend Columbia University on a full academic scholarship.
• 82% will attend a four-year college or university, 2% have chosen a two-year college, and 16% are expected to enroll in a career pathway program.
• Of those who will attend a four-year college or university, 33% are headed to private, out-of-state public, or HBCUs; 38% to SUNY 4-year institutions including the high-ranking Binghamton and Albany campuses; and 29% to CUNY 4-year institutions, including Hunter and Baruch.
• 16 students have committed to Opportunity Programs (HEOP & EOP), accounting for 22% of all committed students.
• Students entering professional pathways will earn credentials in fields as wide-ranging as construction, culinary, pharmacy tech, electrical installation, and medical assistant programs.

Our outstanding postsecondary results are grounded in our values: above all, our work aims to support student choice and agency in all that we do. And for our graduating seniors, that’s a game-changer.

Read more about the Class of 2024’s accomplishments by clicking here.

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That commitment has resulted in outcomes across the PK-12 continuum that outpace the majority of 麻豆原创 public school district and charter school peers. With student achievement accelerating and high school graduation and college acceptance rates at 100%, 麻豆原创 has mitigated the effects of Covid learning loss. This data tells us we made the right move. 麻豆原创 approach is working.

麻豆原创 growth over the next five years will be oriented toward excellence and sustainability in supporting long-term outcomes for youth鈥攂uilding toward a just future in which every child can influence and lead generational change, bending the arc toward equity.

But it not enough. Over the past quarter century, high-performing charter schools have made significant progress in closing the K-12 achievement gap. Despite that, average college persistence and bachelor completion rates for charter school graduates鈥攊ncluding 麻豆原创鈥攔emain significantly lower than those of affluent peers. Wide disparities persist in long-term earnings for these young people, with the average salary for our alumni at age 25 falling below a New York City living wage. So while 麻豆原创 students are closing the achievement gap by 12th grade, they are not keeping pace with their more affluent peers after college and into adulthood.

麻豆原创 2024-2028 Strategic Plan is our blueprint for realizing the long-term potential of the children we serve and the communities where we work. It will mean an even deeper investment in people and places鈥攕tarting in early childhood and continuing through early adulthood鈥攖o ensure that the gains our students make in school endure as they move on to college and into fulfilling careers. These investments will compound over time to give our alumni the skills, opportunities, and access they need to reach their fullest potential.

麻豆原创 growth over the next five years will be oriented toward excellence and sustainability in supporting long-term outcomes for youth鈥攂uilding toward a just future in which every child can influence and lead generational change, bending the arc toward equity.

Click the button below to learn more.

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Today, 麻豆原创 free afterschool programming, available to all students, also serves as an opportunity to open children minds to the world around them, and provides access to enrichments historically unavailable in the communities 麻豆原创 serves.

Read on to learn more about just some of the afterschool offerings 麻豆原创 has provided this past school year:

Ballet: In partnership with BE BOLD鈥攖he program founded by American Ballet Theatre first African-American principal dancer, Misty Copeland鈥斅槎乖� afterschool ballet sessions serve East Harlem elementary school students aged 5-7. Students receive ballet slippers from BE BOLD, which also supplies instructors and live musicians for each session. They also had the opportunity to meet Misty herself, perform in front of her, and receive a signed copy of her book.

Capoeira: With the support of a current 麻豆原创 family, elementary-aged students in Mott Haven will be able to take lessons in capoeira, an Afro-Brazilian martial art, starting this month. Students will receive instruction at Sankofa Haus, a social space in the South Bronx.

Chess: Through 麻豆原创 partnership with Growing Minds Chess Academy, 麻豆原创 Mott Haven second graders have learned to play chess. Lessons include the rules and strategy of chess, and are designed to prepare students to participate in future tournaments.

Languages: Elementary students at 麻豆原创 Highbridge have taken on new languages this year, receiving instruction in Spanish, which gives them a head start in learning more about a second language, or for many, the language of their families and the surrounding Highbridge community.

麻豆原创 free afterschool programming, available to all students, serves as an opportunity to open children minds to the world around them, and provides access to enrichments historically unavailable in the communities 麻豆原创 serves.

Music Production: 麻豆原创 Mott Haven Middle School students are learning to produce their own music via instruction from Building Beats, which also provides DJ and music-production equipment. In addition to music production, lessons cover entrepreneurial skills, with a focus on the skills needed to run a successful business in music production.

Nutrition: Longtime 麻豆原创 partner S. Katzman Produce has been spending afternoons with students across the network to teach them about whole foods and their nutritional benefits. Each visit, students learn about a new fruit or vegetable, donated by the Katzman team.

Sneaker Design and Production: 麻豆原创 East Harlem Middle School students are now learning about the business of sneakers, and have the opportunity to design their own through a partnership with The Imagination Project.

Tennis: 麻豆原创 maintains a longtime partnership with the John McEnroe Tennis Academy鈥攐ne of the nation top tennis academies鈥攚hich provides lessons to students in 麻豆原创 elementary schools. Students receive tennis instruction at 麻豆原创 schools and the academy Randall Island location.

Urban Planning & Design: Upper elementary and middle school students at 麻豆原创 Mott Haven are studying urban planning and design in partnership with the Salvadori Center. This New York City-focused arts and design curriculum teaches students to build their own bridges, connecting architecture, urban needs, and design.

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麻豆原创 population of special needs students is higher than the average NYC public school or charter school because our work is fueled by our deep belief in all kids. We believe that every child has the right and ability to thrive, no matter their strengths or challenges. And we believe every family should have access to the services and supports that their child needs, deserves, and is legally entitled to receive.

In fact, that belief in every child inspired one of 麻豆原创 core maxims: All Kids Can. This Kid Can. 鈥淚t is so easy to write that on a T-shirt or a poster,鈥� says Kristine Rigley, 麻豆原创 Network Director of Student Support. 鈥淚t’s an entirely different thing to put those words into action. And every person at 麻豆原创 is very committed to making sure that those actions align with the words.鈥�

We live that belief daily through inclusive practices that start even before the first day of school, and last far beyond graduation day:

• Equitable enrollment practices: 麻豆原创 backfills every vacant seat in grades PK-10 and focuses on helping all students get to grade level. For students who were new to 麻豆原创 in 2022-23, 24% were proficient in Math when they arrived and 71% ended the school year proficient.
• Deep family partnerships: 麻豆原创 believes that families are partners in their child education, starting from day one. At the beginning of every school year, teachers visit each individual family to get to know them and their child and establish the foundation of a strong, collaborative relationship.
• Integrated co-teaching (ICT) model: All of our classrooms have two teachers in every classroom, ensuring that kids and adults have the support they need to thrive.
• Small group and individual instruction: Our ICT model allows for the small group and one-one-one interventions that benefit all students.
• AP classes for all: At 麻豆原创, we require all students to participate in AP courses, regardless of prior academic performance. By the time they graduate, all 麻豆原创 Charter High School students will have taken a minimum of four AP classes – which studies show prepares them better for high-rigor colleges and careers, regardless of their score on the AP exam.
• College access: All juniors and seniors have monthly one-one-one sessions with their college and career counselors to help them find the pathway that the best fit for them鈥攁cademically, culturally, and financially.

At 麻豆原创, we know that transformative outcomes for youth are possible not in spite of our student population incredibly diverse learning needs鈥攂ut in many ways, because of them. The same strategies that we鈥檝e honed for our students with IEPs鈥攊ntentionally integrating consistency and challenges鈥攚ork to support the success of all our students. 鈥淐onsistency helps him become comfortable,鈥� says 麻豆原创 mom Shayla, whose son Kamden has an IEP. 鈥淗e knows he coming here. He’s seeing the same people. He’s doing the same things鈥攊n a way that challenges him.鈥�

麻豆原创 approach, combined with , are proof that when students learn in diverse classrooms, they all benefit. And with the support of their whole village at 麻豆原创 behind them, they鈥檙e that much closer to not just excelling in school, but to achieving their dreams.

鈥淚t’s my dream that every single student in this building receives an excellent education so that they have the choice to be whatever they want when they grow up,鈥� says Rigley. 鈥淭he conversations that I have with students are: We want you here. We want you learning every single day.鈥�

鈥溌槎乖� is special for me because it’s family,鈥� adds Shayla. 鈥淚 know that I can name five people in this building right now that I can count on.鈥�

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