Core Academics
Our educational program has a dual focus: a rigorous, standards-based educational program and an arts-rich curriculum with music class for every child, every day. Our rigorous core curriculum is aligned with Common Core Learning Standards, and informed by our commitment to provide our students with a foundational liberal arts education. The school prides itself on fostering a culture of high expectations for all of our students in all subject areas.
The process of inquiry and critical thinking, both as a teaching method and a learning goal, are part of our daily instruction in all four core subject areas: English language arts, math, humanities, and science.
English Language Arts
MCS believes that a truly comprehensive approach to literacy education is one that targets the individual strengths of each student. Our ELA program teaches critical reading of both literary and informational texts, and fosters creative and personal expression through writing portfolios that form the basis for weekly conferences. We help our students form strong reading and writing skills through extended literacy periods with customized instruction.
Math and Science
Through our math curriculum, students gain an understanding of mathematical concepts, build confidence through daily problem-solving exercises, and learn by applying mathematical principles and processes to real-world issues and challenges. In science, through multi-sensory, hands-on inquiry and investigation, students learn how to formulate questions, conduct experiments, and communicate their results to help prepare them for life in an increasingly complex scientific and technological world. Our math and science curriculum support one another to reinforce concepts such as measurement and unit conversion.
Humanities
MCS uses humanities as a vehicle of inquiry into the historical and social forces that have created our present world. Students study the history of civilizations and cultures in a way that acknowledges a diversity of world views and traditions. We emphasize connections between the classroom and community through specific units of study about the Lower East Side, immigration to New York City, and the Harlem Renaissance.
