Bronx Prep, a charter school located in the South Bronx, was founded in the belief that all children in America deserve an education enabling them to fulfill their potential and realize their dreams. To prepare our students for enrollment at competitive colleges, Bronx Prep is committed to providing a quality education for middle and high school students that challenges them to achieve at the highest levels.

The New York State Charter Law was passed in 1998. A year later, Bronx Prep's founders submitted an application to open a charter school. We were one of fourteen schools chartered by the SUNY Charter Schools Institute out of ninety applicants in 1999, and in the spring of 2005, we were one of the first schools to be re-chartered for a full five-year term. We opened our doors to our founding 100 fifth- and sixth-graders in 2000. We currently serve nearly 600 students in grades 5-12. We graduated our first high school class last spring, and 100% of them were admitted to four-year colleges!

Accountability

Bronx Prep is accountable to students, parents, our charter authorizers at the State University of New York, supporters and the South Bronx Community overall.

In the fall of 2004 Bronx Prep was intensively reviewed by our authorizers. We are thrilled to announce that our charter was renewed for a full five-year term. To see the SUNY Charter Schools Institute's report to the Board of Directors visit http://www.newyorkcharters.org/pdf/RenewalReports/Bronx_Prep05.pdf

Q & A

What follows are answers to the most commonly asked questions about charter schools and our plans for the future of Bronx Prep.

What is a charter school?

Charter schools are public schools that are tuition free but operate independently from local school boards. They are given greater freedom in exchange for accountability. Bronx Prep is overseen by the SUNY Charter Schools Institute and the charter is up for renewal every five years. Renewal is based on meeting pre-negotiated academic and other performance objectives. Bronx Prep's charter was renewed in the spring of 2005 for a full five-year term. The charter school movement is one of the fastest growing education reform efforts in the United States.

What is the history of charter schools?

In the 1992-93 school year, three charter schools opened in the United States. As of October 2005, there are more than 3600 charter schools nationwide serving nore than a million children. Charter schools are located in urban, suburban and rural school districts and have received popular political support from Democrats and Republicans.

Who can attend a charter school?

As public schools, charter schools are open by choice to all interested families. After siblings of current students are admitted, the remaining places are awarded by lottery.

How can I apply?

We are currently accepting applications for the 2009-2010 school year for incoming 5th Grade Students. Please click one of the options below:
Click Here for the English Application
Click Here for the Spanish Application

How are charter schools funded?

Charter schools receive a portion of the per pupil funds allocated to traditional public schools and little or no public funding for facilities. Bronx Prep receives approximately 80 percent of the per pupil funding allocated to traditional public schools. We receive no funding for facilities.

How do charter schools impact local public schools?

According to research conducted for the National Study of Charter Schools by the U.S. Department of Education, charter schools encourage the introduction of new educational programs in local public schools and, in some cases, the creation of new traditional public schools with programs similar to those of charter schools. Although the charter school movement is a recent development, there is convincing evidence that the competition created by the presence of charter schools promotes reform in public schools.

Why does Bronx Prep need to raise additional funds?

The charter school funding formula provides us with 80% of the per pupil funding that traditional public schools receive and no funding for facilities. We use these public funds to support our core academic program, yet we must also raise additional funds to run a high-quality, comprehensive program with an extended-day and extended-year.

Since we do not receive state or local aid for the cost of facilities, we must provide for them with private funds. There were no suitable buildings available either for rent or purchase that met the school's needs in the South Bronx. Our only option, in order to have a facility that would serve our grades 5-12 program, was to build our own facility. In order to do so, we had to launch a capital campaign to raise the funds to finance this project independently. Therefore, we are currently seeking funding for both operating and capital purposes.

How will my gift to Bronx Prep make a difference?

You can contribute to either our operating fund or our capital fund. A gift towards our operating fund will go directly to providing our students with a rigorous college preparatory education. A gift toward our capital campaign will go directly towards funding the construction of our new campus, helping us to realize the goal of providing a quality education for our students.

Educators & Staff

* Phone extensions in parentheses()

Yusef AbdulSabur , HS History - (Ext. 1513)

Gicel Adon, HS Spanish - (Ext. 1515)

Christine Algozo, HS Science - (Ext. 1301)

Elaine Alkhas, MS Literacy

Tara Almonte, Executive Assitant to Head of School- (Ext. 2263)

William Bausch, HS Spanish

Cynthia Blackman, Carrera Program - (Ext. 1444)

David Burgreen, HS/MS Artistic(Guitar) - (Ext. )

Valerie Cadet-Simpkins, HS English - (Ext. 1418)

Delfin Cintron, Facilities Manager - (Ext. 1103)

Sharon Collins, HS Math - (Ext. 1414)

Christopher Crespo, Custodian - (Ext. 2105)

Frances Cuadro, Administrative Assistant, Finance and Operations - (Ext. 1201)

Selena Daniels, HS/MS Artistic(Music) - (Ext. 2411)

Danielle Dargan, MS Math - (Ext.1412)

Roshni Daswani, MS ELA - (Ext. 1207)

Sabrina Davis, MS ELA - (Ext. 2423)

Lisa Dolgoff, MS Science - (Ext. )

Margo Doolittle, Director of Development and Marketing - (Ext. 2243)

John Anthony Dora, Special Education- (Ext. )

Michael Douglas, HS Grade Science - (Ext. 2410)

Claudia Duran, Food Service Coordinator - (Ext. 1109)

Shaunte Edmonds, 7th Grade Literacy - (Ext. 1405)

Latoya Egbert, Special Education- (Ext. 1315)

Scott Endsley, Art - (Ext. 1202)

Margaret Ewing, HS Math - (Ext. 1212)

Maria Figueroa, Assistant Director, Finance - (Ext. 2253)

Lourdes Flores, HS Spanish - (Ext. 2518)

Lindsay Fram - Carrera Program- (Ext. 2406)

Sarah Fuentes, 5th Grade Math /Science - (Ext. 1309)

Tare Gantt, 7th Grade Science - (Ext. 1404)

Fred Givens, High School Principal & Director of Schoolwide Programs - (Ext. 1425)

Seth Glogower, HS Math - (Ext. 2414)

Sharon Greer-Mboutou, Carrera Program - (Ext. 1104)

Petrice Grimaldi, MS ELA- (Ext. 1409)

Andrea Hernandez, MS Math - (Ext. )

Derek Hernandez, MS Math - (Ext. )

Daniel Hew, MS Math - (Ext. )

Lewis Hicks, 6th Grade Math / Science - (Ext. 1204)

Monique Jackson, MS Science - (Ext. 1306)

Phyllis Jones, Student Aide - (Ext. 1234)

Terrence Joseph, HS English - (Ext. 1512)

Jennifer Kaplan, Carrera Program - (Ext. 1001)

Jacqueline King-Robinson, Middle School Principal - (Ext. 1223)

Dr. Geoffrey Kiorpes, HS/MS Artistic (Music)- (Ext. 1210)

Daniel Kurz, HS History - (Ext. 1445)

Marna Lehnert, HS Science - (Ext. 1518)

John Leonardi, HS History - (Ext. )

Jessica London, College Advisor - (Ext. 1423)

Debra McBride, Parent Coordinator- (Ext. 1200)

Matthew McLaughlin, MS Science - (Ext. 1305)

Melissa Meza, Special Education - (Ext. 1312)

Yesenia Michel, 8th Grade Math - (Ext. 1409)

Paul Ness, Chief Financial and Operating Officer - (Ext. 2223)

Jamie Neuner, MS History- (Ext. )

Jonathan Ng, MS History - (Ext. 2223)

Alfredo Nunez, Technology Manager - (Ext. 1102)

Queenette Nwobodo, HS Counselor - (Ext. 1443)

Jennifer O'Neil, HS Spanish - (Ext.

Mike Ortiz, Assistant Facilities Manager - (Ext. 1105)

Barbara Pacheco, MS History - (Ext. 1205)

Sandra Pedrosa, Receptionist - (Ext. 1100)

Elvani Pennil, 7th Grade Literacy - (Ext. 1406)

Kate Quarfordt, Theater - (Ext. 1313)

Sonia Reid, Nurse - (Ext. 1106)

Daniel Reynolds, 8th Grade Literacy - (Ext. )

Isolene Roberts, Special Education - (Ext. 1000)

Jenny Rodriguez, College Counselor - (Ext. 1433)

Shirley Rodriguez, MS Administrative Assistant - (Ext. 1203)

Carmen Rosa, Assistant Food Service Coordinator - (Ext. 1107)

Steve Rosefort, Guidance - (Ext. 1243)

Sarah K. Rosenberg, HS Spanish - (Ext.)

James Russell, MS History - (Ext. 1304)

Katrina Scherben, MS Science- (Ext. 1101)

Paige Schwarz, MS Literacy - (Ext. 1322)

Kate Sedlack - Dance - (Ext.

Stacey Williams Seeley - Director of Development - (Ext. 2212)

Starlight Serra - HS Administrative Assistant - (Ext. 1415)

Miranda Small - MS Art - (Ext. 2202)

Deirdra Smith, Middle School Dean - (Ext. 1233)

Samrong So, MS Literacy - (Ext. 1405)

Daniel Soltman, MS History (Ext. 2512)

Marcus Swanepoel, MS Literacy - (Ext. 1303)

Sadibou Sylla, MS Math - (Ext. 2310)

Dr. Samona Tait, Head of School - (Ext. 2233)

Jesse Tandler, MS ELA- (Ext. 1307)

Charles Thomas, Gym Teacher - (Ext. 2115)

Rashaunda Tyson, HS ELA - (Ext. 1410)

Jenna Van Sickle, MS Math - (Ext. 2406)

Juan Vasquez, MS Math - (Ext. )

Angelina Ventura, MS Math - (Ext. 1310)

Sandra Waddell, MS Math - (Ext. 1234)

Ross Weller, MS Literacy - (Ext. 1205)

Spechell Williams, Carrera Program - (Ext. 2213)

Wellington Willmore, Phys Ed - (Ext. 2115)

Rashana Wilson, MS Literacy - (Ext. )

Erik Yazdani, High School Science - (Ext. 1418)

Advisory Board
E. Stanley O'Neal

Peter M. Flanigan
UBS Warburg

Bruce Kovner
Caxton Corporation

Board of Directors

Scott Nelson, Chair of the Board
Rye Country Day School

Lawrence Bascom, Audit and Nominating Committee Chair

Carlton Charles
Moody's Corporation

Lilieth Ferguson, Parent Representative

Lee Flanagan, Accountability Committee Chair

Nancy Garvey, Finance Committee Chair

Philip Gelston
Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP

Steve Guggenheimer
Neuberger Berman

Kristin Kearns Jordan
Founder

Angel Morales
Merrill Lynch and Co.

Andrew Paul
Tudor Investment Corporation

Richard Schubart
Phillips Exeter Academy

Ravi Suria
Moore Capital Management

Margie Thorne, Development Committee Chair

Alison Weaver
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum

Philip Wharton
Avalon Bay Communities, Inc.

Bronx Prep Council

Josh Porter, Council Chair

Dana Alpert

Steve Bottini

Jamie Davidson, Development Co-Chair

Margo Doolittle

Jessica Dvorett

Elizabeth Dodson

Isaac Flanagan

Jonathan Goldstein

Olga Gorodetsky

Adam Guren

Jessica Hamerslough

Lara Jacobs
 
Kristen Luneberg

Emily Milligan

Angel Morales

Anne Rabbino

Sara Recktenwald
Goldman Sachs

David Roman, Development Co-Chair

Staci Williams Seeley

Kimberly Siebel

Sharon Simpson
SJS Projects

Peter Stein

Courtney Thomas

Ben Tishler, Volunteer Co-Chair

Alison Weaver

Sara Zambrelli

PAC – Parents Advisory Council

Our Parent Association works closely with our principal, administrators and teachers to support the Bronx Prep program and all of our hard-working scholars.

Contact Information:
Phone: 718-294-0841, ext. 1200 - Debra McBride, Parent Coordinator

Parent Association Board Members

Lilieth Ferguson
President

Andrew McKie
Vice President

Catherine Payne
Secretary

Sandra Weddell
Treasurer

Terry Ham
Grade Delegate

Phyllis Jones
Grade Delegate

Larry Patterson
Grade Delegate

Mario Villafranca
Grade Delegate

Lisa Wiley
Grade Delegate

Employment Opportunities Available

Bronx Preparatory Charter School is a college preparatory middle and high school serving low-income students in the South Bronx. Bronx Prep is a growing school and each year recruits talented professionals to accomodate our expansion.

Please contact Tara Almonte at 718-294-0841, ext. 2263 or talmonte@bronxprep.org to inquire about current opportunities or send a cover letter and resume to the attention of Tara Almonte at Bronx Preparatory Charter School, 3872 Third Avenue, Bronx, NY 10457 or fax to 718-294-2381.

Bronx Prep In The News

During its first year, Bronx Prep was chronicled by the New York Times and since then, the school’s innovative methods and student academic achievement have been featured on several national television programs and publications.

Click below to read the article "Groundbreaking held for new Bronx Preparatory School":
http://www.bxtimes.com/News/2002/1219/Boroughwide_News/020.html

Click below to read the New York Times series on Bronx Prep:
www.nytimes.com/learning/bronxprep

Other Articles

New York Daily News: CHARTER SCHOOL TO PUT PUPIL PERFORMANCE 1ST