WE SEE IN EDUCATION THE OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD A BETTER SOCIETY. BANK STREET COLLEGE MISSION STATEMENT
Progressive means you’re encouraged to find your own ways to solve problems and be a contributing member to the community. Zoe, Upper School Student
Welcome to Bank Street PROGRESSIVE SCHOOL
NEW YORK CITY’S LEADING PRESCHOOL-8TH GRADE
Bank Street School for Children provides students, from preschool through eighth grade, with an education that engages their natural curiosity, nurtures critical thinking, and helps to develop a sense of community and social Throughresponsibility.ateaching approach that is fundamentally hands-on and child-centered, Bank Street students develop the courage and confidence to think independently, work collaboratively, understand themselves and others more deeply, and make informed meaning of the world around them.
WHAT IS CURRICULUM”?“INQUIRY-BASED Children learn best when they arrive at their own meaning. Bank Street teachers encourage and facilitate student questioning, collaboration,exploration,anddiscovery.
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Progressive education begins at Bank Street with a dynamic, experiential, inquiry-based curriculum responsive to the needs of the whole child at every stage of development. Bank Street children are immersed in joyful learning through age-appropriate challenges relevant to their lives. Collaboration, as a cornerstone of socialization and community.
At Bank Street, learning becomes an active, lifelong endeavor in which children and adults alike engage as careful observers, experimenters, and creative thinkers. Society Begins With A Progressive Education
Bank Street School for Children is a pioneer of progressive education. But what is a progressive education? What kind of student thrives in it and what kind of adult does it produce? What kind of world does it seek to build?
INDEPENDENT THINKERS. PROBLEM SOLVERS. PERSPECTIVE-TAKERS.
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UpperMani, StudentSchool
At Bank Street, have to do the problem.behindthinkingtheYou are not told how to solve have to work to find the
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Lisa, Parent My son learns best when he experiences things firsthand. Bank Street kids spend so much time outdoors and on field trips, engaging directly with the real world.
Our educators look for the teachable moments within each child’s reach, and assist students as they develop new understandings.
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A DYNAMIC CURRICULUM THAT FEEDS CHILDREN’S NATURAL CURIOSITIES
In our classrooms, hallways, gym, art room, and shop; on stage and in nearby Riverside Park; on the streets and in the cultural institutions of New York City, Bank Street students discover the world around them by entering into and engaging with it.
OUTSIDE ON THE SIDEWALK, an Upper School student calculates the height of the building by measuring its shadow.
Teachers design curriculum knowing that learning takes place within a social and emotional context. The direction of the study connects directly to children’s personal experiences and interests.
IN THE LOBBY Middle School students organize a neighborhood march in support of civil rights.
ON THE PLAY DECK Lower School students pour water down the slide, investigating how water flows down an incline.
We are also proud of our newly renovated facilities, including an innovative science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM) lab, two outdoor play spaces, and a state-of-the-art auditorium, on the diverse and vibrant Upper West Side.
The World Is Our Classroom
Our goal is for our graduates to succeed in high school and beyond, and to become intelligent, creative, resourceful, and compassionate citizens of the world.
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PREPARING CHILD FOR LIFE AFTER BANK STREET
With teachers as their guides and the curriculum as a road map, children explore and delight in the journey, following off-ramps of inquiry that lead to unique discoveries. Bank Street teachers also pay close attention to environmental factors and the world around us, and sensibly incorporate current events into our teaching and learning practices. Think of our approach to curriculum as taking the scenic route. While we still arrive at the same destination together, the experiences are richer, and the learning results in deeper understandings.
Scenic Journey
A
EACH
Our school is divided into the Lower School (Preschool, Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, and Grade 1), Middle School (Grades 2-4), and Upper School (Grades 5-8) in order to accommodate the differing developmental stages and curricular needs of our children.
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LOWER SCHOOL 3/4s, 4/5s, 5/6s, 6/7s
The journey from dependence to independence, from concrete thinking to abstract thinking, continues in the Middle School. Teachers and specialists in art, shop, drama, math, music, physical education, movement, Spanish, and science support the holistic development of each of their students. All Middle School children also participate in our highly acclaimed four-year Racial Justice and Advocacy curriculum.
The Upper School uniquely attends to the socio-emotional and cognitive interests and needs of our older children. Homerooms are co-taught by a math/science teacher and a humanities teacher who, along with specialists, encourage students to be both inquisitive and critical of the world and structures around them, and prepare them to graduate with the skills to succeed in high school and beyond.
Bank Street’s interconnected learning model starts in the Lower School with social studies at its core. Whether in the block area, on our enclosed play deck, at the art table, or solving problems with friends, teaching teams foster students’ social and emotional resilience, intellectual curiosity, and expanding knowledge of the world around them.
MIDDLE SCHOOL 7/8s, 8/9s, 9/10s
UPPER SCHOOL 10/11s, 11/12s, 12/13s, 13/14s
Academic Program Overview
Bella, UpperStudentSchool At Bank Street, we learn through textbooksnotexperience,throughor other ways. A project that really stood out to me was the Hudson River model.makingWhenthis, I was learning the geography of New York and making art with my hands at the same time.
With an emphasis on connecting teaching and learning meaningfully to the outside world from an early age, children know that they have a stake in building a better society.
DEEPER LEARNING FROM RELEVANT EXPERIENCES
The topics of study are guided by students’ ever-expanding knowledge of the world. Lower School children might study the park, a restaurant, or how people do their jobs; Middle School children study how neighborhoods function, civil rights movements throughout history, and the settlement of New Amsterdam; and Upper School students explore China, world religions, and the history and practices of constitutional democracy.
Social Studies
Social studies provides students with opportunities to study human communities and the natural world. In multiple ways, the curriculum focuses on the interrelationship and interaction between individuals and their environment.
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Rooted in expression and purpose, the literacy program at the School for Children offers multiple points of entry for students with a wide range of learning styles.
In the 5/6s through the Middle School grades, teachers, along with the support of literacy experts and learning specialists, design lessons to teach these skills directly, set standards for their use, and then provide opportunities for practice to promote fluency.
Language Arts
IGNITING PASSION FOR READING, WRITING, SPEAKING, AND LISTENING Bank Street values equally the capacity to speak and to listen, to write and to read, and applies these necessary skills to authentic tasks that connect students to the outside world through their intellectual, emotional, and social selves.
& Literacy
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Learning a new language broadens a child’s view of the world while providing the opportunity to examine, explore, and experience different cultures.
Library & Related Programs
Culture plays a significant role in the language curriculum. Beyond language skills, our teachers prepare children to live and work in a multicultural society by exposing them to the richness and diversity of cultures in both Spanish- and French-speaking countries.
Our Children’s Library is home to over 83,000 children’s books, one of the largest circulating collections in the metropolitan area, and includes a large selection of libros en español. These resources support the school’s curriculum and sustain students’ growth as independent learners and lifelong readers. Each year, Upper School students participate as jurors in a mock Newbery Award selection process.
TOWARD GLOBAL COMMUNICATION
Language study prepares students to become lifelong learners and enlightened, broadminded, and curious citizens of the world.
World Languages
AND UNDERSTANDING
In addition, the Bank Street Center for Children’s Literature, including the Children’s Book Committee, creates, identifies, and advocates for the highest quality literature for all children from infancy through adolescence. Bank Street Middle Schoolers participate in reading and selecting books for consideration for the coveted annual Cook Prize and Irma Black Awards.
David, UpperTeacherSchool Bank engagemathapproachrigorousStreet’stoeducationpreparesstudentstocomplexconceptsboththroughdiscussionanddebate,as well as by demonstrating proficiency on assessments.traditional
At Bank Street, we use mathematics to explore, to summarize, and to express patterns and relationships, both in the real world and in the abstract. We educate students who go out into the world and solve problems, who appreciate the elegance of mathematical concepts, and who also can articulate them to others.
Mathematics
MAKING SENSE OF THE WORLD THROUGH PROBLEM-SOLVING AND QUANTITATIVE REASONING
Our problem-centered and inquiry-based approach enables students to develop their own understandings of mathematical concepts and techniques.
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Teachers serve as guides during structured explorations, introducing a wide range of materials and fostering an environment where students confidently ask questions and engage in creative problem-solving. Across each division, our approach is aligned with national standards for mathematics and embodies best practices of instruction.
Academically and socially, Bank Street aims to develop each student’s ability to access, make meaning of, and share new learning.
We help students understand and utilize new technologies, make thoughtful use of social media, and examine the impact of their digital footprints.
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Science
Science requires evidence, obtained by observation and measurement. Students make meaning of the world as a result of their own discoveries.
ESSENTIAL LITERACY FOR THE DIGITAL AGE
TAKING IN THE WORLD WITH ALL FIVE SENSES ALERT
Technology also provides teachers tools to review, record, and communicate the growth and development of their students and enables parents to be active partners in their children’s education.
Each year, through Science Expo, Upper School students design and conduct their own original experiments and present their results over a daylong exhibition of learning. Younger students attend the Expo with their older “buddies” as a way of building community and promoting a love of science. Technology
The science program at Bank Street starts with what students already know about the physical world and provides investigative experiences, including age-appropriate classroom experiments, that expand their knowledge.
Bank Street has helped me to harness the power of my messiness, to see order where others see chaos, to inspire creative thought and action. For this I am eternally grateful. Finlay, Class of ‘15
Progressive education considers art, music, and movement as essential as math, science, and other academic disciplines. Gabriel, Class of ‘87
ACTING ON OUR PRINCIPLES
VISUAL LITERACY AND CREATIVE EXPRESSION
At Bank Street, children construct a visual language as they reflect upon their experiences and express their understandings of the world. Our students regularly visit New York’s major art institutions for historical context and inspiration.
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Drama is an integral part of Bank Street’s curriculum. It takes the form of dramatic play in the Lower School, formal classes in the Middle School, and a culminating musical production in the Upper School. Through the theatrical arts, students develop their selfexpression and come to value their uniqueness as creative individuals. We believe that the very act of inhabiting another character deepens a child’s respect, appreciation, and empathy for others.
Drama
Bank Street students explore painting, drawing, clay, collage, construction, and woodworking from ages 3 to 14. Whether in the studio or through integrated art, children learn and grow through interacting with materials at each stage of their development.
Art & Shop
Our music curriculum enables each child to experience appreciation for and success in music from a wide range of world cultures. Teachers challenge all children to acquire listening, interpretive, rhythmic, and melodic skills, as well as music literacy.
DEVELOPING BODY AND MIND
THE SOUND OF COMMUNITY
Physical education teachers introduce activities based on their understanding of children’s cognitive and physical development in order to give all children an opportunity to succeed.
Annual winter and spring concerts serve as culminating celebrations of the musical growth and talents of our students. In addition, private group lessons held after school afford students opportunities to deepen their instrumental skills.
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Our physical education and movement program is designed for children to experience healthy, enjoyable, and challenging physical activity as a regular component of their lives. Teachers encourage and support the participation of all students in activities, allowing them to develop at their own pace, free from any pressure to perform at certain skill levels for a particular age.
Physical Education & Movement
Students translate their personal associations to music into a deeper understanding of its importance in family, community, history, and social justice movements.
Music
Physical education and movement classes encourage children to take risks by trying new activities, engage in spatial/physical problem-solving, and learn good sportsmanship and teamwork skills.
Everyone feels like they have a special place at Bank Street. It’s like a second home. Maddy, Upper School Student
Bank Street Kids... (in their own words)
This backdrop is reproduced from IN THE CITY, one of The Bank Street Reader series of books published by The Macmillan Company in the 1960s and ‘70s.
…try to be aware of everything that is affecting everyone, not just what affects them. ...can’t wait for the first day of school, and cry on the last. …are respectful and polite and have a deeper understanding of a lot of academic concepts. ...actually like to work in groups on projects. …look at things from all perspectives before making a decision on how to solve a problem.
…carry the Bank Street mindset that everyone should be treated fairly no matter their race, gender, religion, gender identity, class, family structure, or sexual orientation. …are able to look critically at how the world works, and if they don’t think it’s right, they say what they think.
…take action for what they believe in. …love coming to class because they know that their opinion is valued and heard by their peers and teachers.
Community and advocacy are at the heart of our work.
AND CONFRONT INJUSTICE
We view diversity broadly. In developmentally appropriate ways, we explore aspects of identity including race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, family structure, ability, and learning styles. We design lessons and shape teaching methods to better develop children’s abilities to become advocates for social justice and allies in an inclusive community. Our work is grounded in supporting positive identity development for all students.
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Our Strength Is In Our Diversity
The power of diversity involves adults as well as children.
The School for Children actively seeks families, faculty, and staff from diverse backgrounds who are willing partners in the quest for social justice. Each child and adult should be able to see themselves reflected in the larger community and engage with people whose lived experiences differ.
Bank Street is committed to the progressive ideal that schools should represent and improve the societies in which they exist. ARE SEE
TAUGHT TO
Students become upstanders (individuals who recognize when something is wrong and act to make it right) rather than bystanders and learn to engage difference through curiosity, decency, and respect.
STUDENTS
UpperEvie, StudentSchool
I think of Bank Street as a school that not just teaches us subjects such as math or social studies, but also educates us about other things too, like the Racial Justice and curriculum.Advocacy
Talking with my classmates, my teachers, and my affinity group has emboldened me to ask myself,questionstoughofmypeers,myteachers,myfamily,andmycommunity.BankStreet’scommitmenttosocialjusticehasencouragedme work unafraid and to speak up for things I feel strongly about.
to
Ava, Class of ‘15
Affinity Bank Street
A PLACE TO CALL YOUR OWN A positive sense of identity is central to creating an inclusive and thriving community. The term affinity group refers to people who share a common identity. Some may call this self-segregation; we call it a safe haven for children and adults to discuss important issues without judgment. Affinity groups offer a venue to share experiences, reflect, engage in dialogue, and provide support. Bank Street affinity groups host schoolwide events — such as the annual talent show and the Pride Day march — and host guest speakers. These activities ultimately strengthen the ties of the entire Bank Street community. STUDENT GROUPS • Adoption Affinity Group • Banana Splits (Children with Divorced Parents) • Gender Spectrum Alliance • Kids of Color (KOC) • Multiracial Affinity Group • White Anti-Racist Affinity Group (WAAG) PARENT GROUPS • Adoption Affinity Group • Learning Diversity Support • LGBTQIA+ Group (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, Intersex, Asexual) • Parents of Children of Color (POCOC) • Raising Gender-Diverse Children • White Anti-Racist Affinity Group (WAAG) FACULTY GROUPS • Educators of Color (EOC) • White Anti-Racist Affinity Group (WAAG)
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Groups At
“[Students of Bank Street-trained teachers] are happily and deeply engaged in robust and meaningful learning experiences. [Their] capacities to read, write, analyze, problem-solve, inquire, and think creatively extend far beyond what is seen in many classrooms today.”
The Threads They Follow: Bank Street Teachers in a Changing World, A STUDY BY STANFORD UNIVERSITY’S CENTER FOR OPPORTUNITY POLICY IN EDUCATION
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PROFESSIONAL LEARNERS MAKE THE BEST TEACHERS
The School for Children is a working model of the Bank Street Graduate School of Education’s approach to teaching and learning.
And Bank Street’s influence in the broader educational community extends — through our Graduate School alumni, our contributions to policy and research, and our professional development efforts — across the country and around the world.
The education children receive in the School for Children is directly linked to the training our teachers experience in the Graduate School, widely considered the gold standard for progressive teacher and school leader Indeed,preparation.more than two-thirds of our teachers have earned graduate degrees at the Bank Street Graduate School of Education. Many schools are proud of their Bank Streettrained teachers. We are Bank Street.
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A School Within A College
Bank Street-trained educators go to the top of the pile when they apply for jobs. They know kids, they know child development, and they know how to meet the needs of individual learners.
Independent School Head
Ava,
In Washington, DC, I asked Congressman John Lewis about the discipline required to remain peaceful when surrounded by so much hate. He told me that love is the answer. Love is a powerful gift, and Bank Street has taught me how to use it. Class of ‘15
31 LINKING GENERATIONS OF BANK STREET KIDS Bank Street traditions and special events occur regularly throughout the school year, from the highly-anticipated all-school “Bank Street’s Got Talent” show, presented by our Parents of Children of Color affinity group, to multinight field trips to Philadelphia and Washington, DC. Whether it’s a buddy class in which older students mentor younger ones, or mock elections that take over the entire school, each is a reminder that a progressive education produces citizens who are creative, productive, and contributing members of society. Some traditions even span generations. Special Traditions & Events They include: • Parent Band Assemblies • Winter and Spring Concerts • Lower School Hoedown • Fall Fair • Spring Auction & Benefit • Spirit Day • Field Day • Ellis Island field trip and immigration simulation • Overnight field trips to sleepaway Washington,Philadelphia,camp,andDC.
OPPORTUNITIES BEYOND THE CLASSROOM ABOUND At Bank Street, extracurricular activities for children of all ages run throughout the year. Our After School Program enables students to pursue creative, intellectual, physical, and social interests, while offering a vital benefit to working parents from the end-ofschool through 6:00 PM daily. KIDS CLUB FOR LOWER & MIDDLE SCHOOL In an atmosphere that is both caring and nurturing, our After School Program offers children the opportunity to engage in a variety of activities from art, basic cooking, storytelling, dramatic play, and outdoor fun. Extended Day Clubs & After School Activities A sampling of activities include: • Art • Chess • Clay • Coding • Cooking • Dance • Drama • Homework Club • Martial Arts • Music Lessons • Rock Band • Woodworking 32
MiddleIvan, StudentSchool I love the afterschool andbecauseprogramit’sfunyouhavelotsofchoices for what you want to do.
Bank Street has taught me to try new things and come out of my shell. It also made me feel comfortable asking questions and has helped me respect other people’s opinions even when I don’t agree with them. Josh, Class of ‘13
For Upper School students interested in competitive sports, our interscholastic sports programs meet after school hours twice a week for practices and games against other schools.
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A ZEST FOR LEARNING, YEAR-ROUND
INTERSCHOLASTIC SPORTS
Bank Street Athletics
Bank Street Summer Camp is a recreational, and educational program for children ages 4 through 13. Accredited by the American Camp Association, a typical weekly schedule may include art, swimming, outdoor adventures to local parks and museums, and field trips within the city and beyond. Our outstanding staff is Bank Street trained — many are graduates of the Bank Street School for Children or the Graduate School — and we’re proud that so many former campers return as counselors. Specialists in their field lead our thematic camper experiences, including activities such as: Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math (STEAM)
Summer Camp
The School for Children believes that economic diversity enriches the educational opportunity for all families, and participation by a wide range of families is critical to the vitality of our school. Because we regard socioeconomic diversity as a core educational value, the School for Children dedicates a significant portion of our annual operating budget to support financial aid.
This reflects the range of development that exists in any classroom at a given time, and honors specific moments in our students’ lives. Here’s a helpful hint: for the 6/7s and up, simply subtract five from the first number to find your child’s traditional grade.
Our admissions process reflects the values Bank Street holds most dear. Parents are invited to spend meaningful time in classrooms at each of the division levels to experience firsthand our unique approach to teaching and learning, and during the parent interview they are provided personalized feedback, based in our knowledge of child development, about their child’s visit to the school.
WHAT GRADE IS MY CHILD IN?
Progressive
Referring to groups of children by the span of their ages over the course of a year is a long-standing tradition at Bank Street. Thus, kindergarten is often referred to as the 5/6s, fourth graders are the 9/10s, and our graduating class, traditionally classified as eighth graders, are the 13/14s.
A Approach To Admissions & Financial Aid
36 RESPECT. COMPASSION. COLLABORATION.
Nic, Parent What admissionstheprocessdemonstrated is how quickly and how well Bank ourunderstandsStreetkids.
As an older buddy, I like that you get a chance to learn about younger children, play with them, and teach them.
UpperNadira,SchoolStudent
At Bank Street, Upper School students assume greater responsibilities as leaders, role models, and mentors for younger children. These additional responsibilities facilitate their maturation and contribute to a strong sense of self.
By eighth grade, Bank Street students have acquired a high degree of self-knowledge. They recognize the kind of learners they are, can identify clearly the qualities they seek in the next school they attend, and take a leadership position in collaborating with parents, trusted teachers, and administrators throughout the high school application process.
BUILDING COMMUNITY, FROM BUDDIES TO MENTORS
The Value Of Preschool-8th Grade
In an eighth-grade school, early adolescents can be children longer as they grow in competence and confidence.
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A preschool through eighth grade school is a close-knit community that provides the support children need as they experience gradual and radical shifts in their physical, emotional, social, and cognitive development. As a result, Bank Street kids are known and cared for, feel safe and confident to ask questions, and have the courage to explore new ideas, face challenges, and make mistakes.
LOWER SCHOOL 3/4s, 4/5s, 5/6s, 6/7s • Open House • Online Application • Child Playdate • Confidential School Report • Parent Tour of School in Session • Parent Interview Applying To Bank Street The application deadline is in early December. Notifications are sent out in February, and parent responses are due in February and early March. MIDDLE SCHOOL 7/8s, 8/9s, 9/10s • Open House • Online Application • Academic Assessment/Interview and Classroom Visit • Last Year’s School Report • Corrected Written School Assignment from a Current Class • Confidential School Report • Parent Tour of School in Session • Parent Interview UPPER SCHOOL 10/11s, 11/12s, 12/13s, 13/14s • Open House • Online Application • Child Interview with Upper School Coordinator • Academic Assessments and Classroom Visit • Last Year’s School Report • Corrected Written School Assignment from a Current Class • Confidential School Report • ISEE or SSAT Entrance Exam • Parent Tour of School in Session • Parent Interview
Preparation for the high school application process begins in the spring of the 12/13s year. During the fall of their final year, students engage in a series of activities designed to ready them for life after Bank Street.
BANK STREET TEACHES CHILDREN HOW TO THINK, NOT WHAT TO THINK Our students learn how to reason and how to discover solutions for themselves. By the time they leave Bank Street, they’re equipped to meet any academic or social challenge.
Bank Street’s Director of High School Placement advises each family about the independent and public high school options most suitable for their child.
Upper School students engage in mock high school interviews with Bank Street administrators, and a thorough academic and citizenship profile is prepared to accompany their application.
Beyond Bank Street 41
At our eighth-grade graduation, each child is given the stage to reflect on their time at the school and the impact that the community and curriculum have had on their growth and development. The ceremony becomes a beautiful mosaic of original speeches, songs, dances, poetry, art, and film — with our students, as always, squarely at the center of their own learning. Our graduates leave us prepared for the next step in their educational journeys, and for life as empathetic, confident, and proactive contributors to a better society.
Bank Street students are coveted additions to the many high school communities they join after graduation. Each year at least 95% of our students are admitted to one of their top two high school choices.
CHILDREN AT THE CENTER OF THEIR OWN GRADUATION
I open my eyes and nine years have gone by, But I’m just not sure, How to describe it or the exact words to advise... Like a beautiful shell Washed away by the tide, This dream I’ve had, Of becoming confident and learning how to hold my head high, It started at Bank Street when I was only five. Neely, Class of ‘13
ClassAdam,of ’07 In terms of Bankcompetency,civicStreetpreparedmemorethananyotherinstitutionIattended Seminary,[Friends ‘11; Vassar, ‘15].
I love the social aspect of the school. I have friends in the fifth grade and the becausegrade,seventhnotwewereforcedbutjust ‘cause we talk and becamefriends. What potentialities in human beings — children, teachers, and ourselves — do we want to see develop? • A ZEST FOR LIVING that comes from taking in the world with all five senses alert • LIVELY INTELLECTUAL CURIOSITIES that turn the world into an exciting laboratory and keep one ever a learner • FLEXIBILITY when confronted with change and ability to relinquish patterns that no longer fit the present • THE COURAGE TO WORK unafraid and efficiently, in a world of new needs, new problems, and new ideas • GENTLENESS COMBINED WITH JUSTICE in passing judgments on other human beings • SENSITIVITY not only to the external formal rights of the “other fellow,” but to him as another human being seeking a good life through his own standards • A STRIVING TO LIVE DEMOCRATICALLY in and out of schools, as the best way to advance our concept of democracy OUR CREDO Lucy Mitchell,Sprague who founded Bank Street as the Bureau overExperimentsEducationalofacenturyago,wroteacredothatcontinuesto define the spirit of motivatesinquiryimaginativeandcriticalthatandguidesour work today.
