The 2019 Blackboard Awards For Schools & Principals

On Monday, January 14, the 2019 Blackboard Awards for Schools and Principals, presented by New York Family, honored 14 of the city’s finest schools and principals in a special ceremony at the New York Institute of Technology (NYIT). The event was hosted by Vicki Schneps, the president and publisher of Schneps Media, and Mia Weber, the executive editor of New York Family. Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer and Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. were both on-hand to each present an Award.

For photos from the event, click Here.

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 2019 Blackboard Awards for Teachers coming up next, we would especially welcome nominations for wonderful teachers right now).

The 2019 Blackboard Awards for Schools & Principals Honorees are:

A.C.E. Academy for Scholars PS 290q
Principal Jose Jimenez

Atlas School
Executive Director Amanda Friedman

The Caedmon School
Principal Matthew Stuart 

Family Life Academy Charter School 2
Principal Kathy Ortiz-Herscher

Mark Twain IS 239 for the Gifted and Talented
Principal Karen Ditolla

Nelson Mandela School for Social Justice
Principal & Founder Tabari Zaid Bomani

Our Lady of Lourdes School
Principal Suzanne Kaszynski & Former Principal Cathy Hufnagel

The Park Preschool
Executive Director Kevin Artale & Educational Director Ellen Offen

P.S. 452
Principal David Scott Parker

P.S. 198 The Isidor and Ida Straus School
Principal Katharine DeBenedictis

River East Elementary School
Principal Michael Panetta

The River School P.S. 281
Principal Jessica Orleans

The Scholars’ Academy
Principal Brian O’Connell

Speyer Legacy School
Co-Founding Trustee Jennifer Selendy

Relevant Directory Listings

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The Knox School

<p>The Knox School is Long Island’s oldest established private school. An inclusive environment provides students with a broad world perspective and a wide range of skills to prepare them for success after high school.  A Knox education unlocks every student’s potential.</p>

Speyer School

<p>Process over product. Empathy and analysis over memorized facts. These are what we emphasize at Speyer. Speyer was founded to provide an environment specifically designed for gifted students to foster their natural talents, to build a strong educational foundation through differentiated instruction, and to provide a limitless ceiling for growth and exploration. <br /><br />Yes, Speyer is a school for gifted learners — however the word "gifted" is not the most important part of that statement. Our focus is on the word "learners." We are passionate about challenging our students every day in their insatiable quest for learning and help them discover who they are as people. <br /><br />Speyer students cover more than geometry, chemistry, and history — they also learn how to collaborate, listen, and be a friend. Because of our intentional K-8 model, Speyer graduates attend and thrive at the top high schools in NYC and across the country and we send them there braver, kinder, and more prepared for the opportunities that lie ahead. <br /><br />Unlock your child's potential at Speyer, the only independent school in NYC designed for gifted learners. Speyer’s main Admissions entry points are Kindergarten, Fifth Grade, and Sixth Grade, though we review applications for all grades (space permitting).</p>

Williamsburg Northside School

<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family: tahoma, sans-serif;"> <div id="fsEl_7057" class="fsElement fsContent" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 40px; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: 'Suisse Int\'l', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; background-color: #ffffff;" data-use-new="true"> <div class="fsElementContent" style="box-sizing: border-box;"> <h2 style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 24px; line-height: 1.4; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; text-align: center;">Northside's Approach to Early Childhood Education</h2> <p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 20px; text-align: center;">Rooted in the Reggio Emilia Philosophy, we believe that children possess infinite potential and creativity, and when granted the trust and freedom to exercise autonomy over their own education, are able to construct their own knowledge within the context of an emergent curriculum. It is therefore our responsibility as a faculty of co-learners, to create an environment that is aesthetically pleasing, provocative in its material offerings, and supportive of the development of our students' unique identities. </p> <p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; text-align: center;">We do this through a multi-sensory approach, giving value to the 100 languages of children, which includes more creative forms of expression, such as music, movement, and art. Through these modes of self-expression, we are able to differentiate our approach to the learning styles and developmental needs of each child, and communicate the value and responsibility of each voice within our community, intentionally setting the groundwork for a lifetime love of learning.</p> </div> </div> </div>