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At ECFS, we don’t teach students what to think, what to question, or what to explore — but how to think, how to question, and how to explore.
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The Ethical Culture Fieldston School was founded in 1878 by Felix Adler to ensure that all children would have access to an education. Then known as the Workingman’s School, it emphasized moral education, psychological development, and integration of the creative and manual arts with academics — key components of what we now know as progressive education. We challenge our students through an innovative, experiential academic program, preparing them to become lifelong passionate learners, critical thinkers, and ethical leaders. We strive to bring out the best in all our students so that they can bring out the best in those around them. The school has a long history of equity and inclusion deeply rooted in our mission and the educational philosophy of our founder. Foundational to our community are a student body and faculty that reflect the pluralism and socioeconomic diversity of metropolitan New York. Our academic program is built around ten core tenets of progressive education. Developed by our own faculty and staff, these tenets guide us in every area of the curriculum.
ETHICAL
CHALLENGING
RELEVANT
PLAYFUL
INCLUSIVE
RESPONSIVE
EMPOWERING
EXPERIENTIAL
HEALTHY
INTERDEPENDENT
ETHICAL
We see ethics as the study of how we take care of our world, ourselves, and each other; ethics is at the core of all that we do. At Ethical Culture, 5th Graders take a deep dive into the study of human rights. After attempting to define what they are — using sources such as The United Nations Declaration of Human Rights — students then reflect on ways they can exercise power over their choices, weighing justice or mercy, truth or loyalty, and individual or community. Through this investigation, 5th Graders gain awareness of their own personal code of ethics. The ethics curriculum for each grade aims to nurture our students’ capacity for morality and empathy and provide the framework and knowledge necessary to live an ethical life. We teach our students how to think critically and then act with compassion. Throughout our curriculum, both teachers and students are encouraged to broaden their worldviews, question the status quo, and practice ethical decision-making.
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Each year, students from our Middle School participate in a day of community service with Rise Against Hunger, an organization that aims to eradicate world hunger by 2030. Together with volunteers from all corners of ECFS, the students pack over 10,000 meals to be shipped to developing nations around the world. Our community often comes together to make a global impact — with our students leading the way.
“I’ve had students wrestle with issues facing their community by giving opposing viewpoints to characters in a play they are writing. In a way, each play tackles some sort of ethical dilemma — and a character must make a choice and face the consequences of their choice. Writing these plays, a student must attempt to understand both sides of an issue.” — William Norman, Middle and Upper School theatre and dance teacher
Our theatre and dance department challenges students to connect the work they are doing to contemporary global issues. Whether it’s reimagining the themes in Oklahoma! or performing choreography based on the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, students use their art to question the world around them.
CHALLENGING
We believe the most valuable learning experience is one that involves reflection, detailed investigation, critical analysis, and contextualized understanding. We provide our students with opportunities to practice these skills from a young age. The Science Research program is a competitive, two-year initiative for sophomores and juniors. Those who are accepted learn advanced laboratory techniques, such as how to use a micropipette, a centrifuge, and a PCR machine. Our students use these tools to extract and analyze DNA from specimens they collect in nearby Van Cortlandt Park. Students spend the first year of the program planning their independent summer project in a research lab, where they will collect data to analyze in the second year. The summer after the first year is one of the most distinctive — and most rewarding — aspects of the entire program. Students have the opportunity to do research in a real lab, a rare experience for high schoolers.
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Our 7th Graders don’t test their engineering skills by sitting at a desk answering questions, but rather by presenting their work to a panel of “investors,” just like on the show Shark Tank. Students go through the entire engineering design process, from brainstorming and prototyping to troubleshooting and finally wiring and programming their inventions. At the conclusion, they present the features and benefits of their projects to a panel of “sharks” and hope they get the highest bidder!
Who knew we could learn so much from a single bird? At Fieldston Lower, 1st Graders each choose a type of bird to study, then spend the year engaging with that bird in every discipline: they study its anatomy, visit its habitat and ecosystem, write stories about it, and bring it to life with clay and paint.
RELEVANT
We draw connections between theoretical abstractions and the practical needs of today’s world, not only helping our students of all ages learn better, but also allowing them to see the power they have to effect change. In math, 7th Graders learn real-world skills while also keeping ethics and morality top of mind. Students study fractions by learning to perform complex financial calculations like profit margin and payout ratio. The lesson culminates with a project analyzing the finances of major food companies, such as Chiquita and McDonald’s. At the end of the project, we ask students to consider questions such as, “Why does a salad cost more than a Big Mac?” The lesson moves from mathematics to ethics as students question why healthy foods cost more — and the ramifications this inequity has on our society.
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Immigration affects every one of us, every day — a lesson 4th Graders at Ethical Culture learn as they engage with the topic throughout the year. Students have the opportunity to interview members of our community who have immigrated, and they embark on class trips to Ellis Island, the Tenement Museum, the Jewish Museum, and the Museum of Chinese in America.
In Media and the (Mis) Information Age, an Upper School ethics and media course, students use contemporary issues — including “fake news,” social media, and Beyoncé’s Lemonade — to explore how our media-driven culture shapes our identities. Using this knowledge, they create mini-documentaries on digital activism.
PLAYFUL
We offer an academic experience that is demanding and challenging — yet at the same time, we understand that joy, laughter, play, and movement are integral to our development as humans. Shall we dance? At Fieldston Lower, 5th Graders study ballroom dancing — specifically, the waltz, tango, cha-cha, and swing — during P.E. classes each winter. Teachers pair up students based on how they interact with each other, but the students decide if they wish to lead or follow for each of the dances, regardless of gender identity. Throughout the lesson, learning extends far beyond memorizing dance routines. Studying ballroom dance has been shown to encourage and enhance social skills, foster respect and cooperation, and help students have a stronger sense of empathy and tolerance. Learning to dance also provides moments of joy and laughter, not to mention a sense of accomplishment. The lesson culminates with a formal performance in which students present their choreographed dances to family and friends.
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The percussion ensemble in the Middle and Upper Schools offers students the opportunity to study rhythm and tempo, learn to read music, and experience playing an instrument — all while mastering the music of artists such as Childish Gambino, Travis Scott, and Queen. Each year, students handpick their own repertoire, often choosing contemporary or unconventional artists.
Who knew science could be so sweet? 7th Graders use Oreos and sprinkles to create models of the six stages of mitosis, the process by which a cell divides itself. The lesson is both informative and delicious!
INCLUSIVE
Our faculty, administration, and families are committed to ensuring that all students feel a sense of belonging in our school and have opportunities to be affirmed and validated in the spaces they occupy. In 2013, ECFS launched a program called CARe (Conversations about Race and Empathy). CARe involves students and families from 3rd–5th Grade and creates a space to engage our students in conversations about race and support positive racial identity development. Children participate in the CARe program in one of two ways: they can either choose a general discussion group or an affinity group. A general discussion group is open to students of all racial backgrounds, while an affinity group gathers children around a shared racial or ethnic identity. Each group — led by two trained faculty co-facilitators — follows an age-appropriate curriculum. Our goal is to give all our students the context, reflection time, skill, and strategies to know and advocate for themselves, even as they learn to become upstanders and advocate for others. We want every member of our community to have the understanding, empathy, and skills to address and interrupt any and all forms of bias and injustice.
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An inclusive English curriculum means studying works that feature diversity in both the authors telling the story and the actual stories being told. In Middle School, students read literature that introduces them to a diverse array of perspectives and narratives. Recent assignments include The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros, The Complete Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi, and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon.
Are you interested in scuba diving? Do you enjoy impractical mathematics? Are you looking for a space to share your appreciation for the culture and history of Harlem? Good news: there’s a club for that! Whether you choose to join one of over 60 student-run clubs or start your own, it’s easy to find your place at ECFS.
RESPONSIVE
Learning happens best when students are motivated, when they are supported, and when they feel that their curiosities and interests shape what they learn. Throughout the year, we realign our curricula to match what inspires our students. No two iterations of Spanish for Heritage Speakers, an Upper School language course, are the same — that’s because each year’s curriculum is driven by student interest. A class fascinated by Cuba might explore the country’s mental health services or its classical and modern dance, while a literature-loving group might read Isabel Allende’s House of the Spirits, Gabriel García Márquez’s A Hundred Years of Solitude, and the Popol Wuj, a Mayan sacred text. One year, galvanized by recent events, students focused their research on the DREAMers and the DREAM Act. An entire unit focused on drug trafficking; not only did students investigate the toll this problem takes on both Latin America and the United States, but they also established connections between the long history of U.S. policies in the region and the drug trafficking and immigration crises.
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6th Graders spend four weeks writing, choreographing, and rehearsing a three-act musical based on a folktale. The project gives students of different learning styles the ability to grow in a way that feels comfortable: those who excel by thinking and creating get to lay the groundwork for the musical, while those who excel by moving and doing have the chance to perform in front of their peers.
How do researchers know deep sea creatures exist? When one 2nd Grader at Fieldston Lower asked the question, the ensuing discussion about underwater exploration led to a field trip to see a former World War II submarine. Back at school, students designed a cardboard submarine that filled half the classroom. The much-anticipated submarine unit now covers topics from engineering principles to Handel’s Water Music.
EMPOWERING
Our education is about the process more than the product. In addition to the knowledge they need to succeed, students acquire practical skills, self-awareness, and a mindset for growth and resilience that will sustain them when they face new challenges later in life. Reduce waste and save money? Middle School students can accomplish both by visiting the school’s Restart Center. After receiving training, students learn to solve common problems like replacing a cracked digital screen or a faulty part themselves — and, in doing so, develop financial and environmental responsibility. The Restart Center constitutes part of the technology department’s initiative to remind students that technology facilitates but does not replace fundamental life skills. In tandem with our faculty’s work teaching students about privacy policies, artificial intelligence, and other ethical implications of technology, the Restart Center steers students to consider how they can consume electronics sustainably and, when possible, to do without them entirely.
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Whether or not they intend to become master carpenters, students at Ethical Culture build a variety of projects in social studies workshop: everything from personalized door-knockers to a donation box for the front lobby. Beyond mastering tools for measuring, drilling, and cutting, they learn to view design as a way to empower themselves and their community.
When one sophomore approached our Athletic Director about starting a table tennis team, he was told to come back once he had established sufficient interest. After founding a club and growing its membership over two years, the student got the green light — and, in its inaugural year, the team won the league championship. A banner now hangs in the gym as a lasting reminder that determination really pays off!
EXPERIENTIAL
Our entire curriculum is built from the ground up to utilize hands-on, project-based, design-centered approaches to education. We want our students to not only see, hear, and think, but also make, do, and feel. Our signature City Semester program immerses selected juniors and seniors in New York, using the city as their classroom. Throughout the full-day, semester-long course, students study Mott Haven, a community in the South Bronx facing rapid gentrification, and another neighborhood of their own choosing, from Astoria to Flushing to Coney Island. City Semester incorporates all academic subjects in a unified course of study. A three-day canoe trip down the Bronx River serves not only as a good workout, but also as a chance to explore a complex ecosystem. An assignment to interview immigrant communities in Spanish or Mandarin is an opportunity to practice a second language. As part of their service learning work, students partner each year with local organizations to make a direct impact on the community. When students draft policy memos for one of their culminating projects, they draw upon the entire spectrum of what they have learned, from statistics to sociology and ethics to essay-writing.
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Why read about aquatic life when you can feel it splash around in your hand instead? As part of their yearlong focus on bodies of water, 2nd Graders at Fieldston Lower visit rivers and ponds around New York, going seining in Yonkers, fishing with bamboo rods in Van Cortlandt Park, and sailing and trawling at the South Street Seaport.
Our longstanding relationships with organizations throughout New York offer students glimpses of the city’s many resources. For example, a trip to the Adaptive Design Association, a non-profit serving children with special needs, gives 7th Graders the chance to design tools and furniture for differently abled people.
HEALTHY
We believe in nurturing the whole child. We work diligently to ensure nutritious food options; a safe, wellmaintained physical environment; a healthy approach to technology; and robust P.E., wellness, and athletics opportunities. A successful interscholastic athletics program is vital to the sense of pride that members of our community feel. Participation in athletics promotes the development of physical, mental, and social skills; a positive self-image; an understanding of teamwork and cooperation; and a sharing of personal experiences. Our program is designed to empower student athletes while instilling self-confidence and creating leaders. ECFS makes every effort to hire the most qualified coaches we can find to ensure our students’ athletics experience is the best it can be. Like our academic colleagues, we take our coaching roles seriously. We seek to cultivate in individual athletes the dedication, discipline, and spirit of personal sacrifice a successful team depends upon. Making such a commitment nurtures integrity, loyalty, and overall character in our students and thus supports the mission of the school.
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During the five-week Science and Ethics of Sexuality unit, 7th Graders explore not only the anatomical but also the social and emotional dimensions of sexuality by discussing topics such as relationships, intimacy, gender identity and expression, and sexual orientation. Our faculty remind students that making healthy decisions requires strong communication skills, respect for self and others, and careful thought about one’s values and choices.
“Every one of my Spanish lessons incorporates validation and exploration of feelings; gratitude for our abilities, passions, and curiosity; and songs about noticing how our bodies move.” — Cristina Ross, Spanish teacher at Ethical Culture
Mindfulness — the practice of thoughtful observation, introspection, and appreciation — finds itself in many parts of our curriculum, even appearing in places you might not expect.
INTERDEPENDENT
We live in community, and we recognize the responsibility each of us has to the greater whole. Our academic program is infused with the ideals of collaboration, care for others, and genuine engagement with our neighbors, both in and around our campuses. Kindergarteners at Fieldston Lower spend the year situating themselves as community members in their neighborhood. Every time they visit Riverdale Avenue with their class, they learn a little more about the world around them, whether it’s by exploring the room of safety deposit boxes at the bank, observing the press machine in action at the dry cleaner’s, or watching dough being pulled and shaped at the pizza parlor. These excursions encourage some of our youngest students to observe their surroundings in more detail: what does that sign say, who put it there, and how does it help the community? Knowledge in hand, they then return to the classroom to recreate what they’ve seen and whom they’ve met as a scale model constructed from building blocks and as characters in an interactive play.
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Through our Student-to-Student (STS) program, Middle School mentees are paired with Upper School mentors who coach them twice a week on issues ranging from self-esteem and intersectionality to conflict resolution and social justice. For many Middle Schoolers, the STS program is a welcome introduction to older peers whom they can regard as role models and approach with questions they are uncomfortable asking adults.
Having experienced the STS program as Middle Schoolers, our Upper School students have the chance to give back to the community as STS leaders themselves. In addition to twiceweekly meetings with their assigned cohort of Middle School students, STS leaders also attend two training classes with peers and faculty each week, developing curricula, reflecting on classroom experiences and topical readings, and honing their overall leadership skills.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW OUR CAMPUSES
HOW TO APPLY
ECFS has two lower schools, one located in the Bronx and one located at our Ethical Culture campus in Manhattan. Both locations are Pre-K–5th Grade, and both have automatic admission into our Middle School. The main reason a family might choose between the campuses is geography and proximity to home, though during our admissions process, you are welcome to indicate a preference for either location.
We’re not the right school for every child or every family, but we hope that during this process, you’ll discover if our focus on ethical education and our commitment to progressive pedagogy are a good fit for you.
All Middle and Upper School classes take place at the Bronx campus. Ethical Culture Campus 33 Central Park West New York, NY 10023 Bronx Campus 3901 Fieldston Road Bronx, NY 10471
CONTACT US “Choosing a school for your family can be challenging, so we want to make it as easy and streamlined for you as possible. If there is any point during this process when I or a member of the admissions team can answer any questions, alleviate any worries, or illuminate any part of our program, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.” — Charles Guerrero ’89, Director of Admissions, Financial Aid, and Institutional Research Ethical Culture (718) 329-7574 or admissions-ethical@ecfs.org Fieldston Lower (718) 329-7313 or admissions-fieldston-lower@ecfs.org Fieldston Middle/Upper (718) 329-7306 or admissions-fieldston@ecfs.org
Here’s what you’ll need to apply to ECFS. More details and printable forms are available at ecfs.org. Application (plus application fee) School report form Academic recommendations (2nd–12th Grade only) Official school transcript (6th–12th Grade only) Admissions testing (ECAA for Pre-K–1st Grade; ISEE for 2nd–12th Grade or SSAT for 6th– 12th Grade) Open Houses Each fall and spring, we offer group tours and open houses for those interested in learning a bit more about ECFS. Dates for those events are listed at ecfs.org. Application Our formal admissions process begins by submitting an online application at ecfs.org. All applicants for all grades must apply by November 1. There is a $100 non-refundable application fee. Fee waivers are available for families who qualify; please visit ecfs.org for more information. Visits and Interviews Once you apply, we will contact you to schedule an individual visit to one of our campuses. This visit is different for each age group, so check ecfs.org to learn more about what you’ll see and experience. If you are applying to a non-entry year, visits will be scheduled as spaces become available. Financial Aid ECFS’s commitment to financial aid is longstanding; as of 2019, we expect to grant more than $15 million to families, placing us among the top ranks of independent schools in the nation. Information on how to apply for financial aid is available at ecfs.org. Decisions Final decisions will go out in early February each year, consistent with the dates set by the Independent School Admission Association of Greater New York.
ECFS BY THE NUMBERS
FOUR DIVISIONS 1
Ethical Culture
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STUDENTS COME from every borough in New York City, Lower Westchester, New Jersey, and Connecticut; busing is available
Pre-K–5th Grade
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Fieldston Lower Pre-K–5th Grade
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Fieldston Middle 6th–8th Grade
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Fieldston Upper 9th–12th Grade
PRE-K 12TH GRADE
DROP-OFF in the lower schools can begin as early as 7:30 AM at Early Bird programming; students in the Middle and Upper schools may arrive after 8:00 AM
Educational and athletics programs are offered during most breaks and over summer vacation
10:1 1,700 FACULTY– STUDENTS TO–STUDENT
AFTER SCHOOL programs are offered until 5:30 PM for both lower schools
INTERNATIONAL STUDY opportunities are available beginning in 6TH GRADE; STUDY ABROAD programs are available to a limited number of students in the 11TH GRADE
ENROLLMENT IS CLOSE TO
RATIO
No mandatory homework until 3RD GRADE