YCS is a neighborhood elementary school that opened on Manhattan’s Upper East Side in September 2009. Our school is located in a neighborhood that is rich with cultural institutions, parks, historic landmarks, family run businesses and community based organizations. We pride ourselves in the relationships that we have been developing with these organizations and community businesses in order to meet the needs of our students.
Our neighborhood school is a diverse community of collaborative thinkers in which each member of the community brings a unique set of talents and skills. Our commitment to a child-centered, engaging education encourages all students to achieve high academic standards, meet and exceed their own personal goals, and realize social success. We achieve this goal by providing our student body with the strategies to take responsibility for their learning by continuously engaging them in rigorous and creative learning experiences. All grades engage in multiple thematic studies, presented using an integrated, cross-curricular approach that emphasizes research. Units are designed to provide rigorous and creative learning experiences. Students sustain a sense of curiosity that is met by incorporating the community into units to provide authentic learning experiences. Our students will emerge from our school active learners and positive members of the community.