The 2017-2018 Blackboard Awards For Schools & Principals

On Monday, December 4, the 2017-2018 Blackboard Awards for Schools and Principals, presented by New York Family, honored 15 of the city’s finest schools and principals in a special ceremony at the New York Institute of Technology (NYIT). Jackie Made, a multimedia editor and staff writer for The Hechinger Report, was the co-host, along with Jonathan Moore, president of Family Media, and Mia Weber, the executive editor of New York Family. The event was sponsored in part by Bright Kids, DK, NYIT, and the Yorkville Youth Athletic Association. Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer and New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer were both on-hand to each present an Award.

The Blackboard Awards honor excellence in local education in all sectors (public, private, charter, and parochial), and all grade levels (nursery through high school). The annual schools and principals’ ceremony is in the winter, and the annual teachers’ ceremony in the spring. Parents are welcome and encouraged to nominate their beloved schools and educators, and we typically hear from several thousand local families in the course of the year. We also have a board of advisors, experts in local education, who make recommendations as well (in fact, with the 2018 Blackboard Awards for Teachers coming up next, we would especially welcome nominations for wonderful teachers right now).

And the 2017-2018 Blackboard Awards for Schools & Principals Honorees are:

Brooklyn Urban Garden Charter School (BUGS)
Executive Director & Co-Founder: Susan Tenner
Founding Principal: Linda Rosenbury

Columbus Pre-School
Principal: Julie Kandall

Dr. Richard Izquierdo Health & Science Charter School
Principal: Richard Burke

East Side Elementary School – PS 267
Principal: Medea McEvoy

The Eubie Blake School – PS 25
Principal Anita M. Coley

High School for Environmental Studies
Principal: Amber Najmi-Shadid

Institute for Health Professions at Cambria Heights
Principal: Gareth Robinson

The Lower Lab School – PS 77
Principal: Sandra G. Miller

The Neighborhood School – PS 363
Principal: Dyanthe Spielberg

Nord Anglia International School New York
Principal: Craig Halsall

Our Lady of Pompeii School
Principal: Sr. Diane Mastroianni, ASCJ

Reece School
Executive Director: Dr. Duncan Lester

Saint Saviour High School
Principal: Dr. Paula McKeown

The Studio School
Principal: Janet C. Rotter

Yorkville Community School – PS 151
Principal: Samantha Kaplan

Mott Hall Charter School

Located in the Morrisania neighborhood of the South Bronx, the Mott Hall Charter School is a middle school for grades 6, 7 and 8. In its 12 th year, Mott Hall continues to live by its motto &ldquo;RISE to the Challenge&rdquo;; and through these RISE core values - Responsibility, Integrity, Scholarship, and Excellence - scholars are taught the character skills to overcome obstacles and are introduced to these attributes from the moment they walk through the door and reinforced throughout their time at Mott Hall. The Mott Hall Charter School teaches for the 21st Century through its unique approach to learning, providing a holistic educational experience grounded in evidence-based research on how students learn best. Mott Hall accomplishes this through a whole child approach, not merely addressing content but focusing on the key elements of mind, body, character, and social emotional health. Its distinctive mission prepares scholars to succeed in top high schools, colleges, and careers, becoming inquisitive, open-minded, and compassionate citizens of the world. Mott Hall Charter School offers a rigorous academic program grounded in the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program. Scholars are required to take three years of foreign language, coursework in the arts, and have the opportunity for Regents level classes in mathematics and science in 8th grade. All classes integrate technology and utilize elements of the AVID College and Career Readiness program to provide scholars with the organizational, time management, and study skills they need to succeed. Mott Hall Charter School&rsquo;s programs include access to community-based organizations focused on mentoring, adult civics classes, adult ESL classes, computer science classes, engaging online platforms to increase student learning, after school and Saturday tutoring, art, music, softball, basketball, and much more! Mott Hall is now offering a 6/7 Bridge 12:1:1 self-contained classroom: 1 classroom, 12 scholars, 1 educational teacher, and 1 full-time Special Education teacher.

Lycee Francais de New York

One of the most renowned bilingual French schools in North America. We welcome students from more than 50 nationalities each year and prepare them to be thinkers, leaders and innovators at home in the world.

Montessori Day School of Brooklyn

<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Montessori Day School of Brooklyn is a<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> warm and welcoming community serving children ages two to five. At MDS, they encourage every child&rsquo;s natural curiosity and readiness to learn and create a nurturing and fun atmosphere that promotes independence and self-esteem, and creates life-long learners. They work to ensure that our school community is as richly diverse as the city we live in. Their tuition assistance program provides access to an MDS education for all children. Applications open up each year on September 1st. The deadline to apply for the next school year is December 31st. Please reach out with any questions about admissions for the coming school year. &nbsp;