Welcome to Avenues

Grade
11

Neighborhood
Downtown Manhattan

Previous school
PS 89

Language track
Spanish

Academic interests
I love writing and discussing so my favorite class last year was English with Mr. Goodman. The teachers are what make every class special. Science and advanced physics were difficult classes for me last year, but my teacher helped me in every way possible.

Extracurricular involvements
School and club volleyball, school and club track & field, art, piano, volunteer work regarding food insecurity, leadership team of food & hunger advocacy club at Avenues, founder of a home and charity organizing business.

#1 reasons I’d recommend Avenues
Avenues is an innovative school. It uses a discussion and project-based education that makes you fall in love with learning and helps you cultivate passion in many areas of your life.

Memorable project, assignment, or experience
Last year I had half of the year to create a project that combined science, world course, English, and art. I ended up making, digitally publishing, and sharing three student-written books that can be read in three languages. These languages were: English + Spanish, English + Chinese, and English + Portuguese. We shared these books with Avenues São Paulo, Avenues Shenzhen, and Avenues NY through online read-alouds. We wanted to bring many communities from all over the world together by spreading awareness on the worldwide dilemma of the contaminated oceans. We created this project with the mission to impact the younger generations and inspire them to take action and make change. We built stronger bonds with the students from every Avenues campus and truly lived up to Avenues’ core values. Our website is www.planetoverplastics.org if you want to learn more and read the digital book!

Favorite thing about Avenues
My favorite thing about Avenues is the passionate teachers, the innovative learning system, Global Journey trips, and the unique opportunities we are given.

Favorite Avenues Tradition
My favorite Avenues tradition is the Global Journeys trips. I have taken one to Italy, Brazil (for volleyball at the São Paulo campus), and Guatemala. They have all been very memorable and life-changing.

Place at Avenues you’ll most likely find me
I will be in the incredible gym playing volleyball, the cafeteria eating the delicious food, the art studio, or meeting with my teachers.

Three words you’d use to describe Avenues
Innovative, inspiring, empathetic.

Something I didn’t know I liked until I came to Avenues
When I left my old school after 3rd grade I was so scared because I didn’t know what to expect. The number one thing I remember from my first year at Avenues were my teachers. I had never spoken a word of Spanish in my life and this uncertainty frightened me. But my Spanish teacher, along with my main teacher Ms. Crawford, made me feel at home. I never spoke up at my old school in fear of being judged but after I came to Avenues I found my voice. I also discovered confidence and other characteristics I never knew I had. I didn’t know that I would look forward to going to school, working on projects, and talking comfortably with my peers and teachers. I was surprised by the way they taught us because I finally understood and didn’t dread doing school work. Avenues has helped make me the person I am today and I know without a doubt I wouldn’t be the same person I am today without Avenues. I didn’t know the amount of gratitude and love I have for my teachers and school.

Grade
7

Neighborhood
New Jersey

Previous school
Saint Ann’s School

Language track
Mandarin

Grade started at Avenues
6

Academic interests
STEAM.

Extracurricular involvements
I am in the chess club, mystery mania, Lego league, Chinese bookmaking club, and a Dungeons and Dragons club.

#1 reason I’d recommend Avenues
All of the people here are very kind and welcoming.

Memorable project, assignment, or experience
A STEAM summative assessment that was about a trophic cascade.

Favorite thing about Avenues
All of the choices.

Favorite Avenuess tradition
Closing circle mafia games.

Place at Avenues you’ll most likely find me
On the 6th floor in room 600.

Something I didn’t know I liked until I came to Avenues
Talking to other people.

What are you working on for Mastery
A series of unessential Dungeons and Dragons modules

Neighborhood
Downtown Manhattan

Year your family joined Avenues
2019

Number of children at Avenues
2

Grade of children
Nursery & Kindergarten

Previous school before Avenues
Montessori Soho

Language track
Mandarin

Langues spoken at home
English, Portuguese

Why did you choose Avenues?
We love the immersion program, the technology, the brand new facilties, the leadership, and the inquisitive method of learning.

Favorite thing about Avenues
Innovation, community, parent support.

Describe Avenues in three words
Supportive, engaged, cutting edge.

Neighborhood
UWS

Year your family joined Avenues
2013

Number of children at Avenues
2

Grade your children started at Avenues
Kindergarten

Current grade of your children
Grade 4 and Grade 6

Previous school before Avenues
Central Park Montessori

Language Track
Mandarin

Languages spoken at home
English, Mandarin

Why did you choose Avenues?
Immersion, facilities.

Favorite thing about Avenues
Kids love going to school and don't like to miss any days.

Three words you’d use to describe Avenues
Adaptive, global mindset, innovative.

College/University:
Stanford University

Major:
Political Science

Plans for after graduation:
Public office

How did Avenues prepare you for college?
Avenues taught me to always be open-minded and flexible in whatever I did. This is something that has helped me a lot so far this year as a college freshman.

What is the most valuable skill you developed at Avenues?
Definitely my discussion skills! By being encouraged to voice my opinions in my classes, I learned how to synthesize and express my thoughts in an effective way.

What did you enjoy most about being part of the Avenues community?
The unconditional support from faculty, staff, and peers who wanted to see me succeed in anything that I pursued.

Favorite thing about Avenues
The wide array of opportunities that extend outside of the classroom, such as the Mastery program, Global Journeys trips, 5th Term, and club experiences.

Hometown
Mexico

Degrees and schooling
BA, Childhood Education, Normal Puebla, Mexico
M.S.Ed., Early Childhood Education, City College of N.Y.
M.S., Bilingual Special Education in Early childhood and Childhood Education, City College of N.Y.

Division you teach
Early Learning Center

Years of teaching experience
35 years

Number of years you've worked at Avenues
8 years

Describe your teaching philosophy
Children learn by doing— allowing them to explore, sing, dance, cook, and do art is the best way for them to truly enjoy and express all their ideas. Observing and listening to all their conversations allows me to plan activities that will engage them in play and learning.

Why did you choose to come to Avenues?
I felt that I needed to grow and learn from a new perspective of education and Avenues is a school with a global vision that allows students and faculty to be prepared for the future by being active members of the rapid changes that allow us to be at the forefront of education.

What do you enjoy most about being part of the Avenues community?
Our strong sense of community where everyone is supported and respected as a unique individual and the sense of belonging allows me to grow and feel comfortable to speak and be heard.

What do you enjoy most about teaching at Avenues?
The constant innovation in learning, and how parents are engaged and in continuous collaboration and partnership with faculty with a common goal to raise students as global learners with exceptional and unique talents.

Favorite thing about Avenues
Strong sense of community, always ready for changes and adaptation, great support for professional growth.

Describe Avenues in three words
Innovative, global, transformative.

College/University
The University of Chicago

College major/minor
Philosophy

How did Avenues prepare you for college?
Avenues has given me a toolbox that I will take with me for the rest of my life. From the skills I acquired over my four years at Avenues, I feel confident in my ability to tackle any problems that come my way.

What did you enjoy most about being part of the Avenues community?
There were many aspects of the Avenues community that made me deeply enjoy being apart of it. I think most notable were the diversity of passions within the Avenues student body and faculty that I did not fully appreciate until now being in college. Even if you were not in class, learning occured, whether it be in the hallways or at lunch, due to the variation of passions among students I could always depend on hearing about something from a peer.

Grade
10

Neighborhood
Midtown

Previous school
PS 212 Midtown West

Grade started at Avenues
Grade 6

Language track
Spanish

Academic interests
I'm interested in stocks, so I'm going to take part in the stock club.

Extracurricular involvements
Basketball

#1 reason I’d recommend Avenues
It has everything! It was overwhelming at first but then I realized how extraordinary it is and that I have time to pursue the things I’m interested in. If there’s something I’m interested in, Avenues has a class or club for that subject.

Place at Avenues you’ll most likely find me
You’ll either find me in the gym or in class, because I love basketball so in the morning I play every chance I get. During school hours I'm either in class or in the hallways during a break just talking with people. In the afternoon you'll probably see me back in the gym or on the 8th floor doing homework.

Hometown
McLean, Virginia

Degrees and schooling
Bachelor of Arts in English (Pre-Education & Creative Writing) Minor in Leadership and Social Change, Virginia Tech
Masters of Arts in the Teaching of English, Teachers College, Columbia University

Division you teach
Middle Grades

Years of teaching experience
7 years

Number of years you've worked at Avenues
2 year

Describe your teaching philosophy
I believe students learn best when they grapple with material through multiple, diverse learning modalities, as this allows them to develop nuanced insights on the topic. Specifically, I have learned that collaboration among the Humanities department is crucial to student learning and growth. For example, instead of just learning about the Holocaust in history class through a teacher’s lecture, class discussion, or textbook excerpt, students need to read about it in English class through Josef’s words in Refugee by Alan Gratz, a novel about three childrens’ search for refuge. Students need to engage in a silent gallery walk on Kristallnacht, the Night of Broken Glass, in order to see the images of destroyed property that night. They need to read first-hand stories about those who lived during that time period and engage in dialogue over whose right is it to share and embody such stories, exploring whether we can give justice to such events through our own imagination and perspective work. This intersectionality helps students view topics and people, both in events and novels, as multifaceted and complex, enabling students to create their own informed opinions along the way.

Why did you choose to come to Avenues?
One of the biggest reasons why I chose to come to Avenues is because of how progressive the school is and how much they both emphasize and provide the time for collaboration.

What do you enjoy most about being part of the Avenues community?
I like how much of an effort they have made to make me feel welcome. It's been an odd year to join (in a pandemic!) but I still feel like Avenues is home. :)

How is Avenues' approach to teaching and learning different from other schools that you've worked in?
A lot of schools emphasize collaboration, but Avenues is the first school I've been at that actually provides the time and space for it.

How would you describe Avenues students?
Energetic and excited to learn.

What's different about Avenues’ curriculum?
I would say the biggest difference is how Avenues captures reports -- reporting on outcomes instead of using traditional letter grades in 6th and 7th grade has been so new to me. It's been amazing though - I see the difference in how students approach learning and the revision process. This model truly sets students up for a growth mindset.

How is Avenues preparing students for an uncertain future?
Having Crew allows us the time and flexibility to talk to our students about current events and ways to make a difference in age-appropriate ways that feel right to our group of students.

What's one thing that you hope your students will grasp by the time they graduate?
How to be humble activists. :)

Neighborhood
UES

Year your family joined Avenues
2009

Number of children at Avenues
One who currently attends and one who graduated (and now attends the University of Pennsylvania).

Grade your children started at Avenues
Grade 8 & Grade 4

Current grade of your children
My oldest son graduated in 2018, my other son is currently in Grade 12.

Previous school before Avenues
Browning

Language Track
Spanish

Languages spoken at home
English. Spanish

Why did you choose Avenues?
We wanted a more forward-thinking school that didn’t just teach the basics but showed kids the world in a bigger picture and taught them how to dream big and give them the tools to accomplish their goals.

Favorite thing about Avenues
The kids!!! They are the coolest smartest most imaginative group that always amazes in their thinking and work!

Three words you’d use to describe Avenues
Innovative, forward-thinking, inclusive.

College/University
University of St Andrews

Grade started at Avenues
4

Language track
Mandarin

Academic interests
Physics, mathematics, chemistry.

Extracurricular involvements
Spice Club, Asian Awareness, Student Ambassador, International Student Council.

Memorable project, assignment, or experience
In 10th grade, I went on a trip to Shenzhen, China as a part of the Mastery Academy. With students from the São Paulo campus, my team designed and built a 3D printer from scratch.

Favorite Avenuess tradition
Days of Seniors.

Place at Avenues you’ll most likely find me
At the Table Tennis table.

Three words you’d use to describe Avenues
Adventurous, novel, fun.

Neighborhood
Harlem

Year your family joined Avenues
2019

Number of children at Avenues
1

Grade your child started at Avenues
Pre-K

Current grade of your child
Grade 1

Previous school before Avenues
Petit Poussins Too

Language Track
Spanish

Languages spoken at home
English, French

Why did you choose Avenues?
We chose Avenues because it provided a unique, global perspective on education.

Favorite thing about Avenues
The dedication of the teachers and staff in making sure the children are both academically and emotionally well supported.

Three words you’d use to describe Avenues
Community, innovative, perceptive.

Hometown
Taiwan

Degrees and schooling
Master's degree, Childhood Education with Bilingual Extension, Hunter College
NYS Childhood Education 1-6 grades, with Bilingual Extension
Teachers College of Columbia University, TCSOL Certification Program
Durham University, Master's Degree, TESOL

Division you teach
Middle Grades

Years of teaching experience
13 years

Number of years you've worked at Avenues
8 years

Describe your teaching philosophy
Knowledge is power, and it helps one to build up one’s capabilities, and hopefully, one can make a positive influence on our world. I love a quote from anonymous that, “this world did not need more successful people, but instead, we need more good people.” The question then becomes "what to teach?" It has been my fourth year teaching middle graders in the U.S. If you asked me the same question four years ago, my answer would be “content knowledge”, but now, I always tell my students that “middle grade is not all about academics, it is important that you are learning to understand more about yourself, identify and discover your own strength and the area of growth. Start from there, let's learn and explore.” In my lesson, explicit teaching and learning objectives are the foundation of designing a lesson plan, whether it be for an individual lesson, a unit, or an entire course. The purpose should correspond to the topics that related to students’ daily life experiences and connect to the world outside of the classroom. Why language education and robotics? Besides the importance of the content knowledge of acquiring the mainstream language, it is also essential to have a second language that either keeps your mother language of your community or other languages. I also have a passion for robotic study, and this is new to me as well. Through the development of technology, our future generation is entirely facing a different world. The current job opportunities that we offer today might not be available in the next ten years.

Why did you choose to come to Avenues?
I agree with the school’s mission to prepare students to be global citizens. I also like how many opportunities we have as a teacher; there is so much professional development. I enjoy learning and working at an innovative school.

What do you enjoy most about being part of the Avenues community?
I love my co-workers, everyone here is so talented and willing to work as a team.

What do you enjoy most about teaching at Avenues?
Besides regular academic courses, you also get to teach your own passion through Minimester or winter seminar.

How would you describe Avenues students?
Enjoy learning, curious learners, and not shy to express themselves.

What's different about Avenues’ curriculum?
Project-based learning.

How do you challenge and support your students?
Knowing where they are and pushing them to the next level of success. Set goals with students.

Favorite thing about Avenues
Global Journeys. Robotics team.

Describe Avenues in three words
Innovative, challenging, inspiring.

College/University
Cornell University

College major/minor
Computer Science

Year you graduated from Avenues
2020

How did Avenues prepare you for college?
Prior to attending Avenues, I knew that I wanted to pursue a career in computer science. Nevertheless, I was unsure of the type of work I would like to do. Avenues provided me with the opportunity to explore potential careers through interdisciplinary projects that merged my interests with the school curriculum. This resulted in an immersive experience that taught me that it is possible to apply my passions in so many different settings.

What is the most valuable skill you developed at Avenues?
I can safely say that the most valuable thing I have developed from my time at Avenues is the confidence to network with others. In 10th grade, I was part of the Mastery Learning System (MLS) where I conducted research on video game development in order to create a game by the end of the year. To my surprise, this was an extremely rigorous process that did not only require knowledge in programming, but also in storytelling, art, and music. It would have been incredibly difficult to embark on this journey by myself, so I had to reach out for help. With the help of my teacher, Mr. Gutkowski, I drafted an email to an Avenues parent asking them for guidance. I was once again surprised at the fact that I actually received an email back and even more so upon reading that they would be happy to help out. I am extremely grateful for all the help I received and don't know what I would have done without it.

Most impactful or memorable experience you had at Avenues?
Participating in Global Journeys to study environmental sustainability in Uruguay (9th grade) and astronomy/indigenous rights in Hawaii (11th grade).

#1 reason you'd recommend Avenues?
The diverse curriculum.

Three words you’d use to describe Avenues
Innovative, adaptive, inclusive.

College/University
University of Pennsylvania

Grade you entered Avenues
Grade 8

Year you graduated from Avenues
2018

College major/minor
PPE program - Philosophy Politics Economics

How did Avenues prepare you for college?
Avenues gave me the skills and confidence to compete at the highest levels of education. I learned to become self-motivated and work well with others.

What is the most valuable skill you developed at Avenues?
The skill I most value is to be able to clearly and confidently express my ideas and knowledge.

Most impactful or memorable experience you had at Avenues?
The Mastery program was the most impactful for me. I was allowed to follow my passion in engineering and built an electric go-cart from scratch in my Junior year and in my Senior year my team built an augmented reality sandbox that the lower school used in science.

#1 reason you'd recommend Avenues?
I recommend Avenues to anyone who wants the opportunity to learn in a highly competitive yet very supportive school alongside other smart, motivated students.

How did Avenues change the way you think?
Avenues taught me to be proactive in my learning, to not be afraid to fail, and to be confident in my abilities.

Why did you choose to come to Avenues?
I wanted to be a part of a new school that wasn’t traditional, rather, forward-thinking in the way they taught.

What did you enjoy most about being part of the Avenues community?
I still have many friends still in my life from Avenues though we are at different colleges. The bonds created in such a small class will stay with me always.

Favorite thing about Avenues
The ability to follow my passions with support and guidance helped me get into my first-choice college.

Three words you’d use to describe Avenues
Competitive, innovative, fun!

Neighborhood
Harlem

Year your family joined Avenues
Our first child joined in 2019, and our second child joined in 2021

Number of children at Avenues
2

Grade your children started at Avenues
Grade 9

Current grade of your child
Grade 9 & Grade 10

Previous school before Avenues
Speyer Legacy School

Language Track
Spanish

Languages spoken at home
English

Why did you choose Avenues?
We really appreciated the global focus. Now more than ever, we should learn to think globally.

Favorite thing about Avenues
The ability for students to experiment and ultimately discover their passion.

Three words you’d use to describe Avenues
Innovative, humble, kind.

Grade
11

Neighborhood
Downtown Manhattan

Previous school
San José, Argentina

Grade started at Avenues
9

Language track
Spanish

Academic interests
English, language arts.

Extracurricular involvements
Basketball, Lacrosse, Volleyball, Black Student Union, Latinx Student Union, WOCA (Women of Color Association), Service Learning Club, DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) Club, Model UN.

Favorite thing about Avenues
My favorite thing about Avenues is the faculty, and more specifically their willingness to support all of our needs. Whether it be through the daily office hours that all of the teachers provide or the ease in which we are able to reach out to any of the faculty when we're in doubt; I've never encountered such a high level of availability from the faculty, and regard for my personal improvement.

Place at Avenues you’ll most likely find me
You'll most likely find me on the 10th floor at the beautiful basketball court or studying on the 9th floor commons.

Three words you’d use to describe Avenues
Welcoming, supportive, advanced.

Grade
12

Neighborhood
Downtown Manhattan

Previous school
Manhattan Charter School

Grade started at Avenues
6

Language track
Spanish

Academic interests
Psychology and coding.

Extracurricular involvements
Women of Color Association (WOCA), LatinX, Food and Hunger Advocacy Club, Google's Code Next.

Something I didn’t know I liked until I came to Avenues
I never knew how much I loved to write before coming into Avenues. Beforehand I was under the notion that writing for school only consisted of essays and analytical papers; however, Avenues helped me foster a love for writing different kinds of stories. In English class, I wrote stories about my culture, life experiences, and books that I was interested in. I now love to write leisurely and spend time out of class journaling.

Memorable project, assignment, or experience
One of my favorite projects at Avenues was in the 10th grade, where we had to research a product in terms of where it was first manufactured, the sustainability of the production, and more. My group focused on a fish taco from Tacombi, a restaurant in Chelsea, and we were able to go to the restaurant, talk to the workers there, and taste some of the food. As a way to present the project, my groupmates and I got together and recorded the process of making a fish taco. This was such a fun and interesting experience, and I really enjoyed incorporating cooking into a school project.

Place at Avenues you’ll most likely find me
The 9th-floor commons or the 10th-floor writing center.

Grade
12

Neighborhood
Brooklyn

Previous school
BASIS Independent Brooklyn

Grade started at Avenues
9

Language track
Spanish

Academic interests
Psychology, sociology, and English.

Extracurricular involvements
Assembly Committee, Model UN, Zero Waste Club, D4i, Volleyball, and Lacrosse

#1 reason I’d recommend Avenues
Avenues really allows you to explore yourself and your interests in a healthy academic environment.

Memorable project, assignment, or experience
My first Ambassador Tour and Open House.

Favorite thing about Avenues
The teachers.

Favorite Avenues tradition
Earth Day.

Place at Avenues you’ll most likely find me
9th Floor Commons.

Three words you’d use to describe Avenues
Exciting, encouraging, accepting.

Something I didn’t know I liked until I came to Avenues
Writing personal narratives.

Neighborhood
Midtown

Year your family joined Avenues
2016

Number of children at Avenues
2

Grade your children started at Avenues
Small World & Nursery

Current grade of your children
Grade 3 & Kindergarten

Language Track
Mandarin

Languages spoken at home
English

Previous school before Avenues
International Preschools

Why did you choose Avenues?
The main thing that drew us to Avenues was language immersion. We also loved the school's commitment to thinking about the future of education.

Favorite thing about Avenues
The people! Everyone (teachers, students, parents, administrators) has been so engaged in the school and community.

Three words you’d use to describe Avenues
Global. Community-Driven. Innovative.

Grade
9

Neighborhood
Downtown Manhattan

Grade started at Avenues
Kindergarten

Language track
Spanish

Academic interests
Science, English.

Extracurricular involvements
Tap dancing, piano, Tae Kwon Do, math, coding, writing, volleyball.

Memorable project, assignment, or experience
Last year in 7th grade, our cell-abrasion with our cell models. Another experience (that is ongoing) is Seedbank, the Avenues program which gives students the resources to bring their ideas (usually organizations and/or products) for solutions to global-scale problems (on a local scale) to life. My friend and I are a part of it with our idea, Seed Box (which tackles the issue of food access), and it's been very exciting to see our idea start to come to life!

Favorite Avenues tradition
Pi Day (and many others!)

What are you working on for Mastery
I'm working on a science experiment, the effect of sound on zooplankton in the Hudson River. It sounds fancy, but really what I'm doing is testing different man-made noises on zooplankton and seeing how it impacts them (whether it hurts them, movement, etc.).

Neighborhood
Harlem

Year your family joined Avenues
2020

Number of children at Avenues
1

Grade of child
Grade 1

Language track
Mandarin

Languages spoken at home
French, English

Why did you choose Avenues?
We were excited about Avenues' forward-thinking, innovative and global approach to education. The opportunities for Chinese language immersion and STEM learning were of particular interest. We felt these could play a critical role in preparing our child for the world of the future.

Favorite thing about Avenues
Some of our favorite things about Avenues are the small class sizes, student-teacher ratio, and the educators' ability to build a class community culture centered on the bolstering of student's sense of self-agency.

Describe Avenues in three words
Forward-thinking, self-reflective, responsive.

Grade
8

Neighborhood
Chelsea

Previous school
Horace Mann

Grade started at Avenues
Kindergarten

Language track
Spanish

Academic interests
English, art, High-Intensity Practice (HIP) & math.

Extracurricular involvements
D&D Club, Run Club & Girls Who Math.

#1 reason I’d recommend Avenues
I would recommend Avenues because the teachers are always inspiring you to do what you are good at and grow in the areas that you’d like to improve.

Memorable project or experience
A memorable project was Page to Stage when we turned a book into a puppet show.

Favorite thing about Avenues
I love that the teachers are supportive of us when working on our projects.

Favorite Avenues tradition
Spirit Week!

Place you’ll most likely find me
The Annex (Acting Studio on the 3rd floor).

Three words you’d use to describe Avenues
Fun, inspiring, unique.

Something you didn’t know you liked until you came to Avenues
I didn't know that I liked running until I came to Avenues.

College/University
Skidmore College

Grade started at Avenues
9

Language track
Spanish

Academic interests
Humanities.

Extracurricular involvements
Law Review, Ambassadors, D4i, Model UN, Fashion Club, Varsity Tennis, Varsity Crew.

Something I didn’t know I liked until I came to Avenues
Learning. Although an untraditional answer, I believe that my time at Avenues has truly fostered a love for learning that I did not know I had prior to attending the school.

Favorite thing about Avenues
My favorite thing about Avenues is the love that every single student has for the things that they are passionate about. From drums to bioplastics to coding, everyone truly takes advantage of the opportunities to explore, discover, practice, or develop what they love.

Memorable project, assignment, or experience
I always talk about the integrated history and science project that I helped out with last year. The Freshman class had a mock Model UN conference, and as a Junior involved in the Model UN club, I got to chair one of the committees. Just from facilitating a day of discourse, I learned so much from my peers, and I was incredibly impressed by their knowledgeability and poise when discussing difficult and complicated issues. Just watching them was so fun for me, and it was the type of project that makes Avenues, Avenues.

Favorite Avenues Tradition
Community Day

Place at Avenues you’ll most likely find me
The cafe!!

Neighborhood
Chelsea

Year your family joined Avenues
2012

Number of children at Avenues
3

Previous school before Avenues
San Jose Day Nursery

Grade of children
Grades 5, 7 & 8

Language track
Mandarin

Languages spoken at home
English

Why did you choose Avenues?
Living downtown, we were delighted to have a neighborhood private school option that wasn’t too progressive. The superior facilities and technology was also a big factor.

Favorite thing about Avenues
They take feedback very seriously and are continuously improving the school.

Describe Avenues in three words
Kids love school!

Hometown
Hastings-on-Hudson, NY

Degrees and schooling
BA in Spanish, Middlebury College
MA Primary and Special Education, Manhattanville College
MA Immersion Education, University of Minnesota

Division you teach
Lower Division

Years of teaching experience
12 years

Number of years you've worked at Avenues
10 years

Describe your teaching philosophy
Students learn when they are engaged and feel a strong sense of belonging and agency. Therefore, it's all about classroom community and student inquiry. Regardless of where the student interests take us in a given year, we can teach the grade-level skills through their passions. I like to give students choice and voice in their learning so they feel empowered and delight in the learning process.

Why did you choose to come to Avenues?
One word. Freedom. Avenues grants its teachers the freedom to be creative. I have worked at Avenues since its inception in 2012, and not once have I taught a unit the same way. Avenues gifts teachers the freedom to iterate and design learning experiences for our students based on their interests and abilities and current events.

What do you enjoy most about being part of the Avenues community?
Collaboration within and across divisions. It's wonderful as a 5th-grade Spanish teacher to work with an English Pre-K teacher or an Upper Division music teacher and have our students be the beneficiaries of our interdivisional collaboration. The people who work at Avenues make it fun to be here each day. It's also wonderful to all be in one building. I love walking through the hallways and having my former students from 6, 7, 8 years ago say hello. While we're a big school, there is still a sense of community and familiarity.

How would you describe Avenues students?
Avenues students come to school eager to learn, share, and grow. Their tenacity, open-mindedness, and creativity blow me away every day!

What's different about Avenues’ curriculum?
The Avenues curriculum is always evolving. There is not a single unit I have taught in my 11 years at Avenues that has remained unchanged. The best part about the curriculum is that it changes and evolved based on the interests of the students and the expertise of the teachers. This allows us to ensure the curriculum is relevant and engaging year after year.

What's one thing that you hope your students will grasp by the time they graduate?
Be kind to others. It all comes down to kindness.

How do you challenge and support your students?
I meet students where they are and work on challenging them within their proximal zone of development. Depending on their needs, I have a toolkit from which I can scaffold challenges in math or writing by creating extensions or teaching more advanced concepts that are related to the topic we're currently investigating. Every student will need a slightly different strategy to raise their skill level.

Favorite thing about Avenues
The people here put a smile on my face every day. The security guards, my fellow teachers, the students, the cleaning crew, the admissions staff, the chefs, the crossing guards. Everyone here is kind and welcoming.

Describe Avenues in three words
Collaborative. Supportive. Engaging.

Hometown
Brooklyn, NY

Degrees and schooling
BA, Middlebury College
Graduate Certificate, Johns Hopkins University
MBA, Cornell University

Division you teach
Upper Grades

Number of years you've worked at Avenues
3 years

Describe your teaching philosophy
Connect what's learned in the classroom to what happens outside of the classroom through meaningful, authentic service.

Why did you choose to come to Avenues?
I wanted to take my experience in NYC Community Relations and knowledge of Chinese language to a place where I can help make a positive impact on our future - our students.

What do you enjoy most about being part of the Avenues community?
I enjoy engaging students, faculty, and families about opportunities to help volunteers and connect directly with our community partners.

What do you enjoy most about teaching at Avenues?
I enjoyed teaching students how to take what they learned and put it into real-life practice.

How is Avenues' approach to teaching and learning different from other schools that you've taught?
Avenues values a connection to a local and global experience. While each school has its own special culture because of its geography and language, but globally, we are one.

How would you describe Avenues students?
Avenues students are worldly, curious, and want to do the right thing. As a faculty/staff member my role is to help guide them on that path.

What's different about Avenues’ curriculum?
The Avenues World Elements serve as a comprehensive guide that covers all the areas students, staff and faculty should have experience through their classes and during their tenure at Avenues.

How is Avenues preparing students for an uncertain future?
Avenues has taken steps to address those uncertainties head-on. Regarding COVID-19, the school put many protocols in place to reduce community spread. Regarding race relations, the administration has engaged directly with staff and students on understanding and addressing these issues, and finally, we encourage our students to play a leadership role in responding to these issues in a thoughtful way.

What's one thing that you hope your students will grasp by the time they graduate?
For the students I work with, I hope they have a better understanding of how to engage the world around them, face real challenges, and the connection between the local and the global, the past and the present, and its connection to the future.

How do you challenge and support your students?
I challenge our students by asking them questions and letting them decide what they believe is the best course of action to solve an issue. As long as what they do encourages Avenues' values of Welcome, Safety, and Respect, how they choose to operate is a great way to build each students' executive functionality and basic skills for life.

Favorite thing about Avenues
My favorite thing about Avenues is feeling proud walking into a school that's willing to continuously adapt, become more inclusive, and ensure the safety and security of its students, faculty, and staff. I am also proud to engage with such great families that all not only care about the well-being of the Avenues community but our greater community around us - Chelsea - and our even greater community around us - New York City.

Describe Avenues in three words
Welcome, Safety and Respect come to mind first thing, but I would also add adaptive, meaningful, and nurturing.

College/University
Tufts University

Grade started at Avenues
4

Language track at Avenues
Spanish

Academic Interests
Physics, math, English.

Extracurricular involvements at Avenues
Tri-season athlete (soccer, basketball, baseball), Zero Waste Club, Food and Hunger Advocacy Club, Athletic Council, Robotics mentor.

#1 reason I’d recommend Avenues
You get to learn through project-based work, instead of merely taking notes on lectures and being quizzed on them, you actually get to experience the things that you're learning.

Memorable project, assignment, or experience
In 11th-grade biochemistry class, we had the chance to bake our own bread to examine cellular respiration, but it was a really cool application of what we were learning. Also, it was so much fun to get to bake with classmates.

Favorite thing about Avenues
I think my favorite thing would be how dedicated the teachers are to their students and how passionate they are about their subjects. Every teacher that I have had has not only advanced my learning, but looked to learn from students as well, and that makes me feel like a more valued member of the classroom and community.

Favorite Avenues tradition
Filing down the stairs at the end of each year and high fiving all of the teachers and staff.

Something I didn't know I liked until I came to Avenues
Physics + astrophysics.

Grade
12

Neighborhood
Queens

Previous school
PS 171

Grade started at Avenues
7

Language Track
Mandarin

Academic Interests
Computer science, politics, and government.

Extracurricular Involvements
Google Code Next.

#1 reason I’d recommend Avenues
Avenues gives the student body the space to voice their concerns or ideas, and are very receptive to student suggestions.

Favorite thing about Avenues
The discussion-oriented learning is really great for classroom engagement and allows for students to share beliefs, thoughts, and ideas in a way most schools I have attended never managed to do.

Favorite Avenues tradition
Global Journeys is a really cool program that allows students to go abroad and study a specific topic related to whatever country they are visiting.

Place at Avenues you’ll most likely find me
The 10th-floor commons- the most relaxing and quiet place in the building.

Three words you’d use to describe Avenues
Innovative, creative, freeing.

Something I didn't know I liked until I came to Avenues
Computers and technology.

Neighborhood
Chelsea

Year your family joined Avenues
2016

Number of children at Avenues
3

Current grade of your children
Nursery, Kindergarten, Grade 3

Language Track
Mandarin

Languages spoken at home
English, French

Why did you choose Avenues?
Language immersion, no fundraising, the integration of technology into the curriculum, adaptive nature of the school— they’re willing to change if needed.

Favorite thing about Avenues
The community, the language program, teachers are strong and they love kids!

Hometown
Dorado, Puerto Rico

Degrees and schooling
Bachelor of Arts Degree in Special Education with a specialty in Visual Impairments, University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus
Master’s of Liberal Arts, Stony Brook University

Division you teach
Early Learning Center

Years of teaching experience
12 years

Number of years you've worked at Avenues
8 years

Why did you choose to come to Avenues?
I chose to come to Avenues because of the attractive immersion program and the quality of education.

What do you enjoy most about being part of the Avenues community?
The Avenues community is like no other. At Avenues, there is a sense of pride to work in such a school. Everyone is well prepared and open to new ways of teaching. But what I enjoy the most about being part of the Avenues community is that feeling of belonging. It feels like we're all part of a family. A family that cares for each other, learn from one another, and help each other.

What do you enjoy most about teaching at Avenues?
What I enjoy the most about teaching at Avenues is that you don't stop learning and reinventing yourself and your teaching. I feel like you learn something new every day and that's exciting.

How would you describe Avenues students?
Avenues students are like sponges, ready to soak in and learn anything that comes their way.

Describe Avenues in three words
Innovative, unique, at the forefront.

Neighborhood
Chelsea

Year your family joined Avenues
2012

Number of children at Avenues
2

Grade your children started at Avenues
Nursery

Current grade of your children
Grade 3 & Grade 7

Language Track
Spanish

Languages spoken at home
English, Arabic, French

Why did you choose Avenues?
We really liked the global nature of the school. The bi-lingual program combined with challenging academics is a true asset.

Favorite thing about Avenues
The community of families is great.

Three words you’d use to describe Avenues
Global, inclusive, high-tech.

Neighborhood
Downtown Manhattan

Year your family joined Avenues
2013

Number of children at Avenues
1

Grade your child started at Avenues
Nursery

Current grade of your child
Grade 5

Language Track
Spanish

Languages spoken at home
English

Why did you choose Avenues?
We loved Avenues for many reasons, but our daughter is LatinX and so the Spanish immersion sealed the deal.

Favorite thing about Avenues
Our daughter's experience in the classroom has been consistently phenomenal, year in and year out.

Three words you’d use to describe Avenues
Impressive, comprehensive, caring.

Grade
10

Neighborhood
Downtown Manhattan

Previous school
PS 276

Grade started at Avenues
5

Language track
Mandarin

Academic interests
In general, humanities and science. Reading and writing, both fiction or nonfiction. Biochemistry, quantum physics, and psychology I find particularly fascinating as well.

Extracurricular involvements
Penumbra (school fiction magazine), Highliner (school newspaper), Mastery, tennis.

#1 reason I’d recommend Avenues
The Avenues philosophy acknowledges that each individual has something unique to bring to the table. This creates a student-centered and student-driven environment, reinforced and -- better yet -- encouraged by the Avenues faculty.

What are you working on for Mastery
In 7th grade, my friend and I 3D printed a section of Shanghai during a Mastery Minimester course. We 3D printed scale models of Shanghai's landmarks, such as the Oriental Pearl Tower, Shanghai Tower, Jinmao Tower, etc.

Grade
12

Neighborhood
Downtown Manhattan

Previous school
Knightsbridge School

Grade started at Avenues
5

Language track
Spanish

Academic interests
Humanities, Spanish, sciences, art.

Extracurricular involvements
Avenues Ambassadors, Student Council, Food and Hunger Advocacy Club, Model UN, International Student Council, Tennis

#1 reason I’d recommend Avenues
The community of kind, welcoming, and driven students and faculty.

Favorite Avenues tradition
The World's Fair.

Place at Avenues you’ll most likely find me
The 9th Floor Commons.

Three words you’d use to describe Avenues
Open, global-minded, innovative.

Hometown
Detroit, Michigan

Degrees and schooling
Bachelor of Dance Arts, University of Michigan
Master of Fine Arts in Film Production/Directing, University of Miami

Division you teach
Middle Grades

Years of teaching experience
15+ years

Number of years you've worked at Avenues
4 years

Describe your teaching philosophy
I believe that we were all born to dance, move, and express ourselves creatively. I want my students to tap into their natural way of moving, and explore their uniqueness through movement, and tell stories without words.

Why did you choose to come to Avenues?
I love that Avenues is always open to change and finding new approaches to learning. We are constantly trying to be better! Avenues is not afraid to take the lead and our community is full of so many creative talented individuals.

What do you enjoy most about being part of the Avenues community?
I love that we have the freedom to collaborate and create a curriculum that addresses the needs of our students going into the world.

What do you enjoy most about teaching at Avenues?
I love that the students always ask questions and are not afraid to express their point of view.

How is Avenues' approach to teaching and learning different from other schools that you've worked in?
I think we are constantly asking for feedback and reflecting on the best methods to become better educators.

How would you describe Avenues students?
Curious, confident, and ready to meet challenges!

What's different about Avenues’ curriculum?
Avenues is always finding ways to be more inclusive and to understand different points of view.

How is Avenues preparing students for an uncertain future?
Avenues believes in student-driven work and students taking ownership. This philosophy makes them accountable and fearless in using their minds and creativity to solve world problems.

What's one thing that you hope your students will grasp by the time they graduate?
Empathy and a profound understanding of those less fortunate.

How do you challenge and support your students?
I believe history and understanding the foundation of any subject is relevant and important. I always try to go back to history and show the relation to current events, etc.

Favorite thing about Avenues
I love that we keep expanding and becoming more diverse! It is a worldwide community and I look forward to seeing the other campuses.

Describe Avenues in three words
Innovative, awareness, transformative.

Hometown
Colombia

Degrees and schooling
MA in TESOL, BA in Bilingual Education

Division you teach
Early Learning Center

Years of teaching experience
12 years

Number of years you've worked at Avenues
6 years

Describe your teaching philosophy
I believe my role as a teacher is to embrace students' uniqueness to learn and grow. Being reflective in my practice and working hard to meet all my students' needs is my top priority. I firmly think that every day is an opportunity to learn and become a better teacher. Social, emotional, and academic progress go along with critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and the power of creativity and curiosity all of which I aim to have my students experience once they walk into my classroom.

Why did you choose to come to Avenues?
I have worked in different bilingual schools in the USA and I have found Avenues the most amazing place to work and enjoy bilingualism in every corner. Every language is respected, valued, and appreciated by every one of the members of this big family. This allows me to breathe and live cultural diversity and opens up a door for all students, faculty, and staff to see the nuances of how the world should be.

Describe Avenues in three words
Unique, versatile, diverse.

Hometown
Chengdu, China

Degrees and schooling
Master in Education, University of New Hampshire
Master in American Studies, Sichuan University
Bachelor in English Literature, Sichuan University

Division you teach
Lower Division

Years of teaching experience
20+ years

Number of years you've worked at Avenues
10 years

Describe your teaching philosophy
Be the teacher you wish you had. Inspire before instruct, guide instead of correct, pass on curiosity to and audacity to pursue truth. Be students' biggest cheerleader!

Why did you choose to come to Avenues?
People at Avenues share my values. Creativity is valued. Immersion leads the way. Way to go!

What do you enjoy most about being part of the Avenues community?
Interacting with phenomenal people, colleagues, students, and parents.

What do you enjoy most about teaching at Avenues?
Witnessing students' countless “Aha” moments.

How is Avenues' approach to teaching and learning different from other schools that you've worked in?
There's nothing called too new, too risky here.

How would you describe Avenues students?
Talented and daring. Dreamers and enjoy being encouraged to always dream, and never give up.

What's different about Avenues’ curriculum?
Immersion component.

How is Avenues preparing students for an uncertain future?
Listen to people who disagree with you respectfully. Empathy should be in the front and center.

What's one thing that you hope your students will grasp by the time they graduate?
If you set a goal, you need to take small steps to work toward that goal and never give up. Believe in yourself. Be grateful.

How do you challenge and support your students?
Always give them a harder task to solve and never forget to acknowledge their small achievements.

Favorite thing about Avenues
The smiles and glowing faces of the students and parents.

Describe Avenues in three words
Immersion pioneer; fertile for creativity; diversity (celebrated).

Neighborhood
Queens

Year your family joined Avenues
2019

Number of children at Avenues
1

Grade your child started at Avenues
Grade 6

Current grade of your child
Grade 8

Previous school before Avenues
PS 118- Brooklyn

Language Track
Mandarin

Languages spoken at home
English

Why did you choose Avenues?
We chose Avenues because on the tour my son felt welcomed by the students. We loved the world and language focus. It felt right from the moment we stepped into the building.

Favorite thing about Avenues
The teachers and staff!

Three words you’d use to describe Avenues
Welcoming, innovative, flexible.

Neighborhood
Chelsea

Year your family joined Avenues
2015

Number of children at Avenues
1

Grade your child started at Avenues
Nursery

Current grade of your child
Grade 4

Previous school before Avenues
Montessori at Flatiron

Language Track
Mandarin

Languages spoken at home
English, Korean

Why did you choose Avenues?
We believe in the power of bilingual education - it adds depth and complexity to the child’s thoughts and perspectives.

Favorite thing about Avenues
Bilingual education; Dr. Glazer’s 3rd-grade math club; constructive parent community; school’s thoughtful and effective response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Three words you’d use to describe Avenues
Global, innovative, caring.

Grade
12

Neighborhood
The Bronx

Previous school
Speyer Legacy School

Grade started at Avenues
9

Language track
Spanish

Academic interests
English, journalism, and chemistry.

Extracurricular involvements
Co-editor-in-chief of the Highliner, member of Law Review, member of Penumbra, varsity volleyball at Avenues, club volleyball at Asphalt Green, classical piano, and voice.

#1 reason I’d recommend Avenues
The number one reason I'd recommend Avenues is that it provides such a unique opportunity for education. More specifically, it is more of a self-guided or student-led approach to an education, which is wholly supported by teachers and staff. This gives students the opportunity to really take charge of their own education and learn in a way that works best for them and allows them to succeed.

Memorable project, assignment, or experience
One memorable assignment from my time at Avenues was in my 10th grade English class when we had to write an essay about a transformative experience with music. At first, I struggled a bit to come up with a meaningful topic that would translate to a good essay. For a few weeks I wrote about something that, at the time, seemed like my best, most powerful option, but then after meeting with my teacher about it, I was guided towards a topic that I never would have imagined to work so well for this assignment. This ended up being one of, if not the best, piece of writing that I've done in all my time in school, and it wouldn't have been possible without the support and encouragement of my teacher.

Favorite thing about Avenues
My favorite thing about Avenues is how supportive the teachers and staff are. More specifically, no matter how outlandish an idea may seem, teachers and staff are always open to listening and doing whatever they can to bring students' ideas to fruition.

Favorite Avenuess tradition
Fifth Term.

Place at Avenues you’ll most likely find me
9th Floor Commons.

Three words you’d use to describe Avenues
Unique, innovative, ambitious.

Something I didn’t know I liked until I came to Avenues
Harkness discussions.

Hometown
Commack, NY

Degrees and schooling
BS Mathematics, SUNY@Stony Brook
BS Physics, SUNY@Stony Brook
MS Physics, SUNY@New Paltz

Years of teaching experience
32 years

Number of years you’ve worked at Avenues
6 years

Division you teach
Upper Grades

What do you enjoy most about teaching at Avenues?
At Avenues I (and my colleagues) are given full support to work together in a fully organic, bottom-up way to make the time students spend in class feel like there are no walls. After all, the idea of "walled-up-knowledge" is about as far away from how the real world operates...why would a school ever act otherwise?

How is Avenues' approach to teaching and learning different from other schools that you've worked in?
When students get a clear message that how to think is much more important than what to think, they immediately begin adopting a more proactive stance with regard to their work ethic, their curiosity, and their motivation to center their learning and growth not toward a "test score" but instead toward becoming a positive causal agent in the greater community.

How do you challenge and support your students?
Real-world problems. Real-world scenarios. Real-world challenges!