Neighborhood Charter School: Bronx

Neighborhood Charter School opened in 2019 with kindergarten and 1st grade and will expand by one grade per year until it is a full K-8 school. It is modeled on the high-performing Neighborhood Charter School in Harlem. 

There are two certified teachers in each class, one of whom is trained as a special education teacher. Kindergartners spend time weekly in a "learning lab" with blocks, standing easels, puppets, costumes and other items for dramatic play. In class, they work with math "manipulatives" such as snap cubes, shapes and fraction tiles.

Students study science daily, unusual in an elementary school. Fourth-graders read and study roughly ten novels as a class each school year in addition to books they choose. Starting in 4th grade, children study Spanish five days a week. 

Children wear uniforms and are referred to as “scholars.” They follow strict rules of behavior. For example they fold their hands during lessons and must make eye contact with the teacher. Scholars receive points, stickers, extra gym or other rewards for following routines. 

In this model, academics start in kindergarten and the day is long, according to a list of key design elements at NYsed.gov online. The long school day may not suit every child, said a former parent from the flagship school who felt the model was too intense for his child.

Principal Nicholas Carton has been with the network since 2016 and served as assistant principal of the Harlem school for one year.

A fee-based after school program is first-come, first-served and lasts until about 5:30 pm, the website shows. 

SPECIAL EDUCATION: Unlike some charters, Neighborhood schools make a point of welcoming children with disabilities and offers a fully-inclusive program for high-functioning children with autism. NCS offers all related services mandated on a child’s individual learning plan (e.g., physical therapy, occupational therapy, counseling, speech).

ADMISSIONS: Lottery with priority to siblings of current students, children of staff, and families living in District 7. Students applying for the Autism Spectrum Disorder program must fill out a separate application. See website for more information. (Lydie Raschka, web reports, June 2020)