Bronx Preparatory Charter School

The Bronx Preparatory Charter School
Address
3872 3rd Ave, Bronx, NY 10457 Bronx, NY 10457 United States
Information
Type	Public (Charter) Middle High
Established	2000
Dean	Mr. Cook
Principal	Ms. Deolivera and Ms. Flores
Faculty	41
Grades	6–12
Enrollment	525
Website	[1]

Bronx Preparatory Charter School is a public middle and high school in the South Bronx. Comprising students in grades 5-12, Bronx Prep graduated its first class of seniors in June 2007. The school is located in a modern facility designed and constructed specifically for Bronx Prep at 3872 Third Avenue.

The founder of Bronx Prep is Kristin Kearns Jordan. She was also the first executive director of Bronx Prep until 2007, when she passed the reigns to Dr. Samona Tait-Johnson. The position of director was subsequently renamed Head of School. Following Dr. Tait's tenure, Edwina Branch Smith served as Head of School. Nancy Garvey and Debbie Evangelakos, both Bronx Prep Board members, are currently serving as interim Co-Heads of School. The High School Principal is Fred Givens. The Interim Acting Middle School Principal is Judith Stoddart. Bronx Prep was founded on the belief that all children in America deserve an education enabling them to fulfill their potential and realize their dreams.

Bronx Prep opened its doors in 2000 with its inaugural class of 100 5th and 6th graders. As one of fourteen schools chartered by the SUNY Charter Schools Institute out of ninety applicants in 1999, Bronx Prep was one of the first schools to be re-chartered for a full five-year term in 2004. In 2004 the school moved to the building which formerly occupied Junior High School 149 on 149th St. and Willis Avenue. Bronx Prep reached capacity of 700-800 students in grades 5-12 by 2011.

The combination of a middle and high school makes Bronx Prep unique among charter schools in New York City. This was done to prepare students for enrollment at competitive colleges. The mission of the Bronx Preparatory Charter School is to prepare underserved middle and high school students for higher education, civic involvement and lifelong success through a structured, caring environment of high academic expectations.

Charter schools are public schools which receive public funds though operate independently from local school boards. Bronx Prep is accountable to the SUNY Charter Schools Institute and the charter is up for renewal every five years. Students for Bronx Prep are selected through a lottery system and enter Bronx Prep as fifth graders. Selected students attend middle school at Bronx Prep for grades 5-8, and then, upon successful completion of requirements, are promoted to Bronx Prep's high school.

The high school at Bronx Prep has many similarities to other New York City public high schools. Students at Bronx Prep take Regents exams in all of their core subjects. High school students, called visionaries and luminaries, attend college trips across the country. Bronx Prep also offers Advanced Placement courses, including AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC, AP English-Language, AP English-Literature, AP Spanish-Language, AP Environmental Science, AP Global History, AP US History and AP Statistics.

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