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Charter Elementary Schools NYC

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Elementary School

Embracing the Power of Ideas

Developing confident, self-directed, well-educated students begins in elementary school. Our students develop the habits of mind and intellectual foundations critical to their success in our middle and high schools. Minimizing direct instruction, teachers encourage hands-on exploration, peer-to-peer discussion, and real-life problem-solving to solidify knowledge.

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Elementary School

A Day in the Life

Each day begins with a warm welcome. Success Academy students feel like valued members of their close-knit community of teachers and peers—because they are!

Elementary student shaking teacher’s hand

Opening Doors Through Reading

Children who love and excel at reading can teach themselves anything! Our literacy and writing program introduces elementary students to thought-provoking ideas through authors, characters, and themes reflecting the diversity of our classrooms.

Stretching the Boundaries of Problem-Solving

Our hands-on math & science program helps students build a broad foundation of knowledge that supports them in accelerated Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) studies in middle school, college-level STEM in high school, and beyond.

Enriching Experiences Beyond the Classroom

Students are introduced to an exciting world of arts and sports to further explore their talents. We believe providing ample opportunities for expression outside the classroom is critical to a rich education.

Fostering Emotional Growth and Independence

The elementary years are foundational to helping children develop the skills to navigate life confidently and productively. Our educators collaborate with social-emotional specialists to help students take steps toward independence.
Elementary student laying on mat smiling with a book

Reading

Our reading program develops students into passionate, highly skilled readers who approach each text with the desire and ability to uncover its deepest meaning. Starting in kindergarten, students work through themes as a group during guided reading and make their own selections for independent reading.
Elementary student working on a writing project

Writing

Our comprehensive K-12 writing program sets students up to be powerful writers who express their ideas with clarity and purpose. We provide plenty of opportunities for practice and revision to focus on the quality of ideas, and ensure kids start mastering sentences and write strong paragraphs by Grade 4. In addition, we provide free handwriting books for all K-4 families to practice at home.

History

Our elementary school history program builds the foundation for advanced history. In Grades K-2, history is woven into English lessons through project-based learning units where students learn about history through reading, writing, art, and science. In Grades 3-4, students study history as a separate subject, exploring topics ranging from cuisine and Indigenous people of the polar regions to the role of African Americans in the War of Independence.

Science

Starting in kindergarten, students have science each day with a dedicated science teacher. They study topics in life, physical, and earth sciences, conducting experiments and discussing observations, data, and results the same way true scientists do. Students draw on relevant experiences and connect their learning to social, political, or environmental concerns that affect them or their communities. To better equip students for STEM careers, we begin introducing math problem-solving in second-grade science to develop proficiency in data and analysis.

Technology & Engineering

Students study engineering and computer science from Kindergarten to 12th grade through inquiry-based projects that range from designing and building to programming. Students may be asked to program a robot to reach a set destination or compare the speed at which different objects fall to the floor.

Math

Our approach gives students a powerful conceptual understanding of mathematics, along with computational fluency so they can confidently solve unfamiliar problems. Students have two blocks of math, including problem-solving, so they can develop their own methods to answer rich and socially relevant questions.

Field Trips

We take learning beyond the classroom in up to eight field trips a year. These include visits to local bridges to study engineering, trips to museums for observations and analyses, and fun activities like apple picking and zoo visits.

Visual Arts

Students learn to visually engage with their own ideas and the world around them through experimentation with materials and mediums such as clay, collage, digital art, drawing, painting, printmaking, and textiles. They are also exposed to the work of great historic and contemporary artists and art history concepts to deepen their understanding of the impact of art on life.

Chess

Students fall in love with thinking strategically through our rigorous, engaging, and hands-on chess instruction. After mastering the basic moves and rules they need to develop strategies to checkmate their opponent, they gain heightened analytical instincts, impulse control, and the confidence to compete in tournaments—where our teams regularly place among the top in the nation!

Dance

Access to a wide variety of dance styles ensures that all students have the opportunity to explore their creativity, discover new passions, and hone their talents starting in kindergarten. Our dance programs include styles such as Ballet, Jazz, Hip Hop, Modern, and West African, among others.

Performing Arts

All students have talents, and it is our job to help identify and cultivate them. Starting in elementary school, students express themselves, expand their imaginations, and develop their voices through performing arts. Through classes in dance, music, and theater, they engage with ideas, their peers, and the world around them.

Athletics

Sports really motivate kids. They encourage students to be more involved in school and show them the importance of practice, discipline, and hard work. We’re dedicated to making sure all kids have equal chances to try out, learn, train, and compete in sports. Our program starts with basic athletic skills in elementary school and offers more specialized training and competition as students move through middle and high school.

Clubs

As vital outlets for creativity, self-expression, and leadership, school-based clubs, such as arts, sports, and music, are open to students at a school or network level. Students are selected for our school-based afterschool clubs based on performance in tryouts, in-school evaluation, and interest, and our competitive network clubs comprise students selected from multiple Success Academy schools.

Confidence

Teachers promote a positive culture that boosts students’ confidence and independence, and they learn to understand, manage, and express their emotions. Our educators have a number of options to help guide students’ emotional well-being, gain confidence, set and achieve positive goals, collaborate well, and navigate difficult situations more effectively.

Relationship-Building

In Morning Meeting, students have the opportunity to build relationships and develop empathy with teachers and peers through team-building activities, setting the tone for interactions throughout the day. These daily meetings also allow students the opportunity to expand on their oral communication skills, creating a safe learning space in which to explore and take risks and form a community of open-minded learners.

Courtesy

We practice civility. Saying “please” and “thank you,” looking individuals in the eye when talking, and being respectful to students and adults alike is part of our culture. Students learn “active listening”—really listening to the speaker and thinking deeply about what is being said, which is critical to a child’s development.

Regulating Emotions

Students have access to a wealth of resources that support them in recognizing and managing their emotions. Classrooms provide a selection of books that can be used to facilitate classroom conversations around key social-emotional themes and a collection of therapeutic tools available to teachers to help students learn to regulate their feelings when they interfere with their ability to participate in the classroom.

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With 57 free public charter schools, Success Academy is open to all New York State children. Find locations near you in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, or Queens.

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