Raising compassionate emerging leaders.

at a glance.

Corlears believes in partnering as a community to raise leaders in the 21st century through an 2017-18 Tuition education that develops creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and communication. 2s and 3s Half-Day: $28,355 Through an integrated project based, social studies approach and a focus on mathematics and 3s and 4s Full-Day: $41,185 social justice education, the Corlears journey is transformative during the most crucial formative Kindergarten-5th Grade: $42,930 years.

Average Class Size Teacher:Student 13 Students Total 144 Ratio 1:7 Location 324 West 15th Street Chelsea, City Outplacement Program Comprehensive support places students amongst their top choices Nursery School for middle school. 2s program Preschool Ages 3/4s program Kindergarten & Lower Grades K-2nd Grade Upper Grades 3rd-5th Grade At the Intersection

Life at Corlears is an intersection of multiple perspectives, Throughout the school year, students engage in with students at the center. Students learn concepts by explorations that give them new insights for answering engaging in problem-solving activities that teachers develop questions and for developing new interests, skills, and in response to the educational goals of our rich curriculum conceptual understandings. and student interests. Corlears’ small size and specific focus on elementary education allow us Our Program to create the ideal environment for student learning and leadership.

• Intellectual development through discussion and writing is a key component of our students’ core studies.

• Learning to reason in science, mathematics, writing, and speaking is our highest priority and is explicitly taught.

• Respect for all children and their individual emotional and social development, as well as a deep appreciation of our cultural differences, are keys to our school’s character— empathy is at its core.

• We combine student learning with the amazing resources of ’s history, art, culture, and science to empower our students to innovate, think critically, and problem solve. We cultivate their awareness and their desire to make a difference in the world.

• Our students develop a variety of ways to solve problems flexibly and creatively. We use multi-age teaching in thoughtful and dynamic ways to increase learning and build collaboration and leadership skills.

Outplacement Program A comprehensive Outplacement Program guides every family through the middle school admissions process and begins in the spring of a student’s fourth grade year. This successful one-on-one guidance program places students in highly competitive schools throughout New York City. Kindness, respect, and integrity are integrated in every interaction at Our Values Corlears.

Raising Compassionate Leaders Corlears’ small, nurturing setting allows young children to grow and thrive in an environment that supports their specific needs.

Students emerge as confident, compassionate leaders -- ready to take make an impact in their communities.

From the youngest ages, students learn compassion, empathy , and respect-- laying the groundwork for the social justice and responsibility work that is explored and enacted in the upper grades.

Self reflection and sharing allows children to learn about one another in an age appropriate way -- learning about cultural differences through topics such as nationality, racial identity, food, skin tone and culture. As children progess they delve deeper into these topics, ultimately working on projects that focus on philanthropy, activism and leadership.

Corlears is exceptionally aware of the broader global community and reaches out to outside groups every opportunity that arises.

Compassion and respect for others is a theme that underlies everything we do. Corlears children and the adults in their lives learn from multiple perspectives of those around them Our Faculty exemplifies the very values we teach our students. With advanced Our Teachers degrees, and focus in early childhood, they lead with knowledge and compassion.

Building the Foundation for Joy in Learning The teachers of Corlears are at the heart of our program. All of our head teachers come to us having completed a master’s degree program in early childhood or elementary education, in addition to several years of previous teaching experience. Our assistant teachers are required to be in, or starting, a master’s program in early childhood upon hiring. This ensures a deep level of investment on the part of the teachers as well as allows us to delve more deeply into cultivating a professional learning community for our entire faculty.

Assistant teachers at Corlears are seen as “head teachers in training” and are expertly mentored by their respective head teachers. Many assistant teachers have gone on to become head teachers within the Corlears community. We maintain a baseline of professional development requirements for all 2s-10s teachers, in areas of math, literacy, social emotional development, classroom management ,and diversity training, all of which must be completed within the first two years upon hiring.

We know that excellent teachers are vital to implementing and maintaining a strong early childhood program.

The teachers at Corlears are extremely committed to the collaborative process in developing and designing curriculum and experiences for young children, and know and appreciate the value of learning at these critical years. Nursery & PreSchool Ages 2s and 3/4s

2s- Communication, Exploration, and Play Social emotional development and language are at the heart of the 2s program. Our 2s learn as they play and explore with paint, dough, puzzles, manipulatives, and building blocks. Our early childhood teachers help each child develop a strong social language through which to communicate with their peers and adults. Students are encouraged to ask questions, and our teachers support these two-year-olds as they begin the journey to discover the world around them.

3/4s - Peer Modeling & Developing a Sense of Community The 3/4s engage in a two-year journey that will ultimately prepare them for Kindergarten. Beginning in the 3s, children take steps toward becoming active participants in their learning and in building community. Utilizing the peer mentoring model with the 4s, the 3s are able to stretch their thinking and their learning alongside their peers. Leadership skills begin to develop in the 4s as they take on the role of young mentor to their 3 year-old peers; reinforcing learning and skills through this partnership.

The structure of each day takes shape as morning meeting and routines are embedded with rich learning opportunities, and emergent literacy and math concept work begins. 4s also begin to explore the use of technology while working once a week in small groups with our technology teacher.

Children are inspired to ask questions and think deeply. Literacy, math and science are woven throughout these investigations. 2s and 3/4s Kindergarten

Making Connections and Building Skills Each day begins with a morning meeting, a rich opportunity for children to connect and become active participants in their learning. Engaging routines and activities provide opportunities for whole group discussion and mini-lessons that transition students into the day while encouraging communication and collaboration.

Our curriculum integrates social studies, science, math, art, and technology and fosters a growing understanding of how everything in our world is interconnected.

In Kindergarten at Corlears, children start to actively apply the emergent literacy and math skills they began developing in their preschool years. Kindergarteners are introduced to literacy through a joyful, dynamic program that incorporates the Reading and Writing Workshop model. Small group instruction, along with phonics and movement activities, bring reading and writing to life, and challenge the students at a developmentally appropriate pace.

New observation and critical thinking skills are cultivated through the Kindergartners’ social studies investigations as the children move out of the classroom and into the neighborhood. As they explore the surrounding community, they begin to understand new roles and responsibilities.

Children spend time in the science lab and focus on science topics related to their social studies explorations, cultivating critical thinking skills. The art studio is where our Kindergarteners express their ideas in numerous ways through paint, clay, and recycled materials.

iPads are introduced as a tool to support learning, as our educational technologist collaborates with Kindergarten faculty to enhance math and literacy instruction. Lower Grades 1st/2nd Grades

Conceptual Understanding and Creative Problem-Solving Our multi-age 1st and 2nd grade classrooms cultivate a dynamic learning community both through active collaboration among students and independent learning.

As the first multi-age instruction classrooms in the Lower Grades at Corlears, 1st and 2nd graders work together in different groupings to share the learning experience. Older students take on leadership and peer mentoring roles. Children spend time working in small groups, where the teacher can focus on individual students.

At this multi-grade level, Corlears students have a strong foundation for whole-group discussion and inquiry-based learning.

Students’ developing skills inspire them to take on more challenges, stretch themselves, and participate in their own learning at every step. The math workshop model emphasizes an understanding of concepts, combined with computational fluency, and allows children to think more deeply about math and problem solving. This approach encourages children to utilize sophisticated language to discuss their mathematical thinking, helping them to become flexible mathematicians.

Through their social studies investigations, students’ literacy skills become more proficient and their math skills are put to practical use. In the 1st and 2nd grades, students delve more deeply into the idea of community, and the services a community needs to sustain itself. Exploring to the rich resources of New York City brings the curriculum alive. As students explore technology, music, art, and physical education they continue to grow intellectually, culturally, and physically. Upper Grades 3rd/4th, and 5th Grades

Conceptual Understanding and Creative Problem-Solving Leadership, Service Learning and Preparing for Next Steps Our multi-age 1st and 2nd grade classrooms cultivate a dynamic learning community both The upper grades provide a unique pre-middle school experience that only a school focused on through active collaboration among students and independent learning. the elementary years can provide, by grouping kids in both single-age and multi-age classrooms, continuing the peer mentoring model, and creating opportunity for exceptional leadership. As the first multi-age instruction classrooms in the Lower Grades at Corlears, 1st and 2nd graders work together in different groupings to share the learning experience. Older A focus on leadership runs throughout Corlears and culminates in a dynamic way in the 10s. students take on leadership and peer mentoring roles. Children spend time working in small groups, where the teacher can focus on individual students. Our 5th graders lead every Friday assembly, guide their community meetings, and initiate year-long At this multi-grade level, Corlears students have a strong foundation for whole-group service projects— working to make a difference in the school, their immediate neighborhood, and discussion and inquiry-based learning. the global community. 4th graders continue to hone their leadership abilities as they welcome and mentor their 3rd Grade peers. Overnight trips provide time for students to bond, experience the Students’ developing skills inspire them to take on more challenges, stretch themselves, and participate in their own learning at every step. The math workshop model emphasizes natural wonders of the outdoors, and to challenge themselves. Through their core studies in social an understanding of concepts, combined with computational fluency, and allows children studies and the connections to science, math, the arts, and technology, our students reach new to think more deeply about math and problem solving. This approach encourages children levels of thinking and are able to absorb, organize, analyze, and build on new data and information. to utilize sophisticated language to discuss their mathematical thinking, helping them to Corlears students learn to solve problems and work collaboratively, and to look with a critical eye become flexible mathematicians. towards making a difference in the world. Through their social studies investigations, students’ literacy skills become more proficient and their math skills are put to practical use. In the 1st and 2nd grades, students delve more deeply Graduates of Corlears are vibrant, intelligent and compassionate young critical thinkers. into the idea of community, and the services a community needs to sustain itself. Exploring to the They leave Corlears poised and ready to take the next steps into middle school. rich resources of New York City brings the curriculum alive. As students explore technology, music, art, and physical education they continue to grow intellectually, culturally, and physically. Corlears is committed to creating an environment and shaping a Diversity curriculum that embrace difference.

Exploring Identities and Honoring Multiple Perspectives Corlears is dedicated to providing students with opportunities to view the world from multiple perspectives. We believe that awareness, empathy, and personal dignity can be expressly cultivated through the exploration of the languages we speak, the beliefs and traditions we observe, racial identities, our age, gender, sexual orientation, the configuration of our families and our socio- economic differences. Through active listening and questioning, we develop critical thinkers who are compassionate and informed.

The journey toward discovering joy and pride in our unique identities is cultivated in an atmosphere of trust and mutual respect.

Our understanding is that a truly progressive education, based on democratic principles, helps students to recognize social injustice and empowers them to take action toward social equity.

In our classrooms we encourage a diversity of thinking and urge students to develop creative solutions to the intellectual, social, and emotional challenges they encounter. Taking the time to consider the perspectives of others is a life skill that we teach daily and hope that our students will use both at Corlears and throughout their lives. Corlears students become young leaders of their community and Outplacement go on to some of the most prestigious schools in New York City.

Strengthening Skills and Succeeding in New Environments Corlears graduates high achieving, thoughtful and compassionate emerging leaders who go on to great middle school experiences in both private and public settings.

Each year Corlears graduates gain acceptance to 15-20 prestigious private and selective middle schools.

The desirability of Corlears students as applicants provides terrific school choice for our graduates, and all go on to one of their top three choices. As highly sought after candidates, schools are also meeting the financial needs of our students, and have provided nearly $1 million dollars in financial aid to Corlears graduates over the past four years. The reputation of Corlears’ students remains consistent -- with over half of the schools admitting multiple graduates over the past 4 years.

Our strong academic program and the thorough placement process ensure a great match middle school for each of our graduates. As a result, they have tremendous academic and social success. Corlears students become leaders in their new communities, taking on responsibilities and excelling in whatever opportunities their schools present. Where do Corlears graduates go? Beyond Corlears Our students go on to the best middle and upper schools in New York City, and continue their studies at fine universities and colleges throughout the world.

Middle/Upper Schools Colleges

Avenues School of the Future Albright College Mount Holyoke College Beacon High School The Studio School American University The Bates College NYU Brooklyn Friends School Trinity School Brown University Northwestern University United Nations International School Bryn Mawr College Reed College The California State University RISD York Preparatory School Carnegie Mellon University Penn State Clinton School for Writers and Artists MS 260 Clark University Skidmore College Connecticut College Syracuse University Dwight School Cornell University Trinity College Fieldston School Dartmouth Tufts University Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts Duke University University of Chicago Franklin & Marshall College University of Florida Institute for Collaborative Education (ICE) (IS/HS 407) George Washington University University of Maryland Léman Preparatory School Haverford College University of Michigan LREI Hobart and William Smith Colleges University of Southern California The NYC Lab School for Collaborative Studies (MS 312) Hofstra University Vassar College Nightingale-Bamford School Washington College Packer Collegiate School Johns Hopkins University Wheaton College Poly Preparatory Country Day School Lafayette College MIT What Parents Are Saying

“To my son, Corlears is a sacred space marrying play and learning where “Over the last couple of years at Corlears, my now five he feels 1,000 percent comfortable, confident and encouraged. To year old has grown into a confident boy who is eager to me, Corlears is where I entrust my son to the most devoted staff in collaborate with his classmates, loves to learn, and is now the world and wait after school, eager to watch new skills of my son’s reading to me at bedtime.” unfold...I could not imagine a more magical and special place to lay the foundation for a lifetime of learning, development and achievement.” — Parent of Kindergarten student

— Parent of 3/4s student

“As proud members of the Corlears community for the past seven years, we have been impressed, time and time again, by how well the school has supported the academic and social development of our son...there has been no greater thrill than seeing our child embrace learning, which we believe reflects greatly on both Corlears and its wonderful, dedicated teachers.”

— Parent of 8/9s student Please visit our website where you will find more information Learn More about our school culture, curriculum, and the admission process. www.corlearsschool.org/admission

Mission Statement Corlears students learn, play and grow together in a school designed for who they are at ages 2 through 10. During these crucial formative years, we build a foundation of compassion, critical thinking, imagination and leadership, and cultivate a joy and confidence in learning that serves our graduates throughout their lives.