This city school gives both teachers and students high amounts of personal freedom for development and sets the limit for class size at 20.
Central Park East Secondary School (CPESS) is part of the Coalition for Essential Schools and therefore is guided by its principles. The school was founded in 1985 as a public school in Community School District 4 in New York City. It operates in partnership with District 4, the Alternative High School Division of the Board of Education, and the Coalition for Essential Schools. It began with seventh graders, and a grade was added each year so that it comprises grades 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11/12. Application to the school is open to all students in New York City, particularly those entering seventh, eighth, and ninth grade. The enrollment at its full size is 450 students.
A key element of the school's program is the Community Service/Learning Program directed by Community Service Coordinator Ann Purdy. The philosophy behind this program is that students are part of a larger community, and they should participate in and benefit from regular community service. Students spend a minimum of three hours each week in a wide range of community service activities. The time that students spend in service activities also helps provide time for teachers' collaborative planning. Community service activities occur between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., Monday through Thursday. With students out in the community during these hours, teachers are allowed one morning per week, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., for collaborative planning. Four groups of teachers divide up the four mornings available. No one is out on Friday mornings - all teachers have class in the morning and students go home at 1 p.m. Teachers then have time to eat lunch and to meet from 1:45 p.m. to 3 p.m. for staff development. Therefore, teachers have this time each week for professional development, along with 2.5 hours on Monday for professional planning.
The CPESS curriculum allows highly individualized design in order to promote innovation in education. Therefore, a brief description of that design is necessary for clarity. CPESS offers a common core curriculum for all students in grades seven through ten that is organized around two major fields: mathematics/science for half of the school day and humanities (art, history, social studies, and literature) for the other half. Interrelationships between different subjects of study are integrated and communications skills are taught in all subjects by all staff. At the end of tenth grade, students enter the Senior Institute. Each student has a Graduation Committee, which comprises the student, a family member, a staff member, an adult chosen by the student, another student, and an advisor. The committee prepares a personal program of study designed to prepare the student for graduation and the world of work.
Teachers who work with the eleventh and twelfth grade students also are part of an Advisory System; they advise a small group of students and act as liaisons to the home. Advisors meet with students three times a week, on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, for 45 to 60 minutes. This part of the program is important because the advisor/coach helps the student prepare a Process Portfolio of his or her work. The portfolio is a graduation requirement intended to allow students to demonstrate their knowledge and mastery of skills.
Both teachers and students at CPESS are given high amounts of personal freedom for development. While teachers do not receive extra pay for working at CPESS, class size at the school is kept very small by most city or other school standards. A maximum of 20 students per class is set. In addition, students receive a substantial amount of individual attention, which brings the home and school together.
CPESS has excellent print materials that give more detail on the program.
Contact person:
Ann Purdy
Community Service Coordinator
Central Park East Secondary School
1573 Madison Ave.
New York, NY 10029
Posted on March 6, 1995
URL: http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/envrnmnt/go/94-4cent.htm