We provide our students with the experiences, knowledge, and skills to be prepared for success in college. Our staff members our extremely committed to each students success.

Some of the structures and opportunities in place to support student learning include:

New York Performance Standards

Leaders is a member of the New York Performance Standards Consortium, which means that Leaders students complete Performance-Based Assessment Tasks, or PBATS, in place of Regents Exams in all subjects except English (students do receive a Regents Diploma.) PBATS are in-depth analytical papers that students research, develop, and revise in every class. In 11th and 12th grade, students publicly defend their PBATs before a panel of teachers and visiting experts during a process called Mastery Passages. PBATs and Passages prepare students for college-level work. To find out more about the Consortium visit: http://www.performanceassessment.org/

Crew

Every student at Leaders belongs to a Crew, a group of 15 students and a Crew Advisor who meet daily and stay together until graduation. Crew provides our students with opportunities for social and emotional growth, character and leadership development, and  thoughtful self-reflection. Crew also ensures consistent communication with students’ families.

Intensives

Twice a year, regular classes are suspended for a full week and students have the opportunity to explore a topic of their choice in-depth with visits from experts and fieldwork in the city and around the country. In the past, intensives have included topics such as the Psychology of Fear, the Chemistry of Ice Cream, True Detective, and Backcountry Camping.

Student-Led Conferences

Twice a year, students present their strengths, growth areas, and goals to an audience of their peers, teachers, and families.  These Student-Led Conferences take the place of traditional parent-teacher conferences, and keep students accountable for their own academic performance and allow students to lead their own learning.

Learning Expeditions

Leaders students engage in interdisciplinary Learning Expeditions, in-depth studies of a single theme or topic. Learning Expeditions include rigorous projects and purposeful fieldwork, often outside of the classroom and led by a field expert. Students frequently present their final product, designed during the Expedition, to the public.

Restorative Practices

We take an approach to discipline that’s focused on changing behavior and repairing harm. Instead of punitive measures or handing out punishments, restorative practices allow students to reflect on and learn from their mistakes, and resolve conflicts as a community.  Leaders is one of five NYC Department of Education Restorative Justice Mentor Schools.

Student Leadership

Our students take on a wide range of leadership roles to strengthen our community. Leadership opportunities include: Peer Mediators, Peer Mentors, Reading Mentors, Youth Ambassadors, Crew Council, and Justice League.

AP for All

Leaders also participates in the campus-wide AP for All program which allows any Junior or Senior who wants to challenge themselves to take advanced placement courses. Some AP course offerings include: AP Calculus, AP English, AP Environmental Science, AP Human Geography, AP US History, AP Spanish, and AP Chinese.

Internships

College Preparation

As part of our commitment to college prep, leaders provides

• A full-time college counselor to support students and families in the application process
• A full-time internship and community service coordinator to organize internships and summer opportunities for students
• College and Career Dreams, a mandatory class designed to help all of our students develop thoughtful plans for life after high school.
• The College March, when seniors at Leaders march their march their college application materials out the front doors of our school and straight to the local post office, cheered on by the entire school.

Athletics: Leaders Offers a Full Slate of PSAL Sports, Including:

• Badminton
• Baseball/Softball
• Basketball
• Bowling
• Cricket
• Football
• Girls Flag Football
• Handball
• Soccer
• Table Tennis
• Tennis
• Track
• Volleyball
• Wrestling

Click here for more information about PSAL at Leaders