South Bronx Classical Charter School - Bronx, NY

South Bronx Classical is a high-performing K-8 public charter school that offers Latin, debate, character education and a Common Core aligned curriculum. Despite serving students deemed 'at-risk,’ it outperforms over 90% of schools in the state.

It believes that teacher growth creates student growth, which creates organizational growth. Thus it consistently develops and supports teachers, providing a multitude of differentiated, high-impact professional development opportunities that allow both seasoned teachers to sharpen their practice and new teachers to rapidly acquire skills that lead to significant academic and behavioral gains in scholars.

Its curriculum is highly structured and dynamic, and detailed and rigorous lesson plans are revised annually based on student performance data, allowing teachers to know that every day they are providing scholars with the skills and knowledge they need to excel in high school, college and beyond.

Teachers, scholars and administrators maintain a high degree of order so teachers can focus on teaching and scholars on learning. They take advantage of every minute of the day to maximize instructional gains. Consistent enforcement of character expectations minimizes distractions and encourages productive citizenship. The comprehensive teacher support systems enable teachers to focus more on instruction and transform their classroom into an environment focused on learning.

The school's organization model includes Grade Team Leaders, to whom classroom teachers report. This greatly empowers teachers to make the best decisions for their scholars. Similarly, many of the administrators participate in tutoring. These combine to remove the boundaries between teachers and administration.