Welcome

Below are the start and end times for the current, 2022–23 school year. We expect that our schedule will largely remain the same for the 2023–24 school year. While information is subject to change, we wanted to give you a broad sense of what to expect in advance. We will share more specific information by division as the start of school nears. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Small World 1s Early Morning Session
8:15–10:15 a.m.

Small World 1s Late Morning Session
10:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.

Small World 2s Morning Session
8:15–11:15 a.m.

Small World 2s Afternoon Session
12:00–3:00 p.m.

Small World Full Day
8:15 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Early Learning Center
Chinese: 8:15 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. 
Spanish: 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Lower Division
8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Upper Division
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday:
Grades 6 and 7: 8:50 a.m. to 3:40 p.m.
Grades 8–12: 9:00 a.m. to 3:40 p.m.
Wednesday:
Grades 6 and 7: 8:50 a.m. to 2:35 p.m.
Grades 8–12: 9:00 a.m. to 2:35 p.m.

The Avenues Health Office is happy to welcome new students and families and we look forward to starting a new school year with you!

Each year, student health information is collected through Magnus, our online health database. Magnus is accessible through the parent portal, Avenues OPEN. New families will be given access to Magnus, and to OPEN, during the summer.

All health forms for the upcoming school year are due no later than August 15, 2023 (August 1, 2023 for fall athletes). Students are unable to start classes and/or participate in athletic events until their health forms are completed. Blank forms can be found here or downloaded directly through Magnus once access is acquired.

• Immunization record: Students must be immunized according to the NYS guidelines in order to attend school. Per New York State law, we are unable to accept any religious exemptions for immunizations. If you plan to submit a request for a medical immunization exemption, please reach out to the health office.
• Annual physical within the last 365 days*: We will accept annual physical exam forms that have been completed by a healthcare provider within the United States. *
• Over-the-Counter Medications Form: This form is required if you would like your child to receive any over-the-counter medications on campus (ex: Tylenol or Benadryl).
• Forms applicable to your child (medication, allergy, asthma, seizure and diabetes action plans): If a section in the Magnus is not applicable to your child (ie. They do not have allergies or seizures), please mark it as “N/A” to avoid follow-up correspondence about missing information.
• School Health Policies and Guidelines, Consent to Treat and Covid-19 Consent: These documents can be found in Magnus. Please read through and e-sign each one.
• Vital Health Record: The VHR contains emergency contact information and parent/guardian-reported health history for your child.

All forms must be uploaded into Magnus as the health office does not accept forms directly. You can find helpful information in our Health Office Handbook. If you have any questions or concerns at any time, please feel free to contact us via telephone or email.

259 (SW/LD/UD): 646-664-0910 | 536 (ELC): 646-664-0907 | nurse-ny@avenues.org

At Avenues, the meals we serve each day are nutrient-rich, delicious and culturally diverse. We want all students to develop agency in their meal decisions while developing a positive relationship with food. We create balanced menus that are low in added sugars, preservative-free, and meet the unique needs of students ranging from age two to 18.

As one school with many campuses, we strive to expose students to global cuisine. We serve a variety of international dishes using culturally appropriate ingredients and techniques which honor those traditions. We also aim to minimize our ecological impact and carbon footprint by choosing local and seasonal produce, where feasible.**

Lunch
Each day, students and colleagues are offered a protein-based entrée with a minimum of two coordinating side dishes, one of which is a starch and the other a vegetable. Vegetarian options, as well as vegan, gluten-free, and more are available daily and additional options include a sandwich, grain/pasta side, fresh fruit, and salad.

Snack
Each student from nursery through 5th grade receives two snacks per day—one hand fruit (local or organic when possible) and one other option, including homemade banana bread, homemade yogurt bread, organic string cheese, organic yogurt or applesauce (no sugar added). Students in grades 6–12 receive one snack per day, and students have a choice between a hand fruit or another option.

Allergies
Our food program seeks to minimize the risk of allergic reaction by avoiding some ingredients and clearly communicating when others are used. We prepare individually wrapped plates for students in the ELC who have documented food allergies.

Peanuts, tree nuts (including coconut) and sesame are never used, and breads and baked goods are purchased from peanut and tree nut-free bakeries. Fish, shellfish, soy, milk, eggs, wheat and gluten are also clearly labeled in accordance with the FDA allergy labeling laws.

Sustainability
Our program is designed to minimize ecological impact and to support Avenues’ Zero Waste initiative. Leftover foods are re-used or donated to local partners. Where possible, foods will be local, seasonal and organic. Our flatware, bowls, plates and containers are either biodegradable or recyclable. We also encourage students to bring in their own reusable cutlery and water bottle.

Avenues is committed to fostering a positive and inclusive school environment in which everyone embraces and models our community values of Welcome, Safety and Respect. School leadership, faculty, staff, parents, students and partners are all essential parts of a safe community. 

More detailed information about our protocols and procedures will be shared with families closer to the start of the school year. Should you have any questions, security can always be reached at 646-664-0992 in the main building and 646-664-0947 in the ELC and Co.Lab.

Access to the Building

All main exterior doors will be locked and secure at all times, except during morning arrival and afternoon dismissal. All visitors will be screened and identified while on campus. Each faculty and staff member (whether campus employee or partner organization) is required to wear a lanyard with their ID badge while on the school property at all times. All visitors ( including parents without permanent IDs) will be issued a temporary ID and lanyard to be worn while they remain in the school after being cleared. Wearing the lanyard will ensure that all students and colleagues on campus know that you are a safe adult and are part of our Avenues community. 

School employees and partner staff will have black lanyards, parents will have white lanyards and visitors will have a different colored lanyard for the day. Please note that all students in the Upper Division need to have their mobile IDs installed on their smartphones and are expected to badge into the building each time they enter. All those who do not have or do not wish to use the mobile ID option must have a physical ID badge and follow the same protocol as above. 

Drop-off/Pick-up Procedures

All arriving students will be received and greeted during drop-off by Avenues staff and dismissed by Avenues staff in an organized process. All areas related to drop-off and pick-up will be staffed for student safety as well as for pedestrian and vehicular traffic. Specific procedures will be developed for each type of vehicular drop-off—private vehicle, car service, taxi or bus. You can expect to receive more detailed information about drop-off and pick-up procedures from your divisions in August. 

Emergency Planning/Response

Avenues New York will organize and maintain an incident management team led by the director of security and consisting of up to several people employed by the school. Avenues New York will conduct safety training for all teachers and staff before the school year begins as required by section 2801-a of NYS Education Law. In addition, we will conduct safety drills as directed by the primary incident commander throughout the school year, including but not limited to fire and lockdown drills.

Communication

In the event of an emergency, Avenues New York will proactively communicate before, during and after with local and regional emergency personnel. Internal communication will occur through text message, email, as well as through two-way radios and over the emergency public address system; external communication to our families and caregivers will occur via texts, email, phone calls and messages posted on the school’s community portal, Avenues OPEN.

Emergency communication for faculty/staff will be conducted using an app that provides emergency alerts, checklists, maps and various other resources to be used in the event of an emergency.

Our Style Guide reinforces a sense of belonging by making our students easily recognizable to one another and other members of our community. It provides us with a sense of identity with enough flexibility for individuals to personalize their choice of clothing. What the Style Guide is intended to accomplish are the following:

• Define an Avenues identity.
• Avoid advertising differences in economic circumstances.

Small World, ELC, Lower Division Guidelines

• Students may wear solid color gray, white or black clothing from any source.
• We ask that there be no words, images, brands or logos prominently visible. An exception is for official Avenues branding and logos.
• Shoes should be safe for wear in school. Closed shoes and sneakers are best; sneakers are required for Small World and ELC.
• Students should wear boots in rainy and snowy weather.

Upper Division Guidelines

• Students may wear solid color gray, white, blue or black clothing from any source.
• We ask that there be no words, brands, images or logos prominently visible. An exception is for official Avenues branding and logos.
• Shoes should be safe for the stairs and surfaces in school.
• During Wellness and Movement (WAM), athletic clothing and sneakers are required. Clothing may be gray, white, blue or black.
• We ask that students exhibit sensitivity to differences in economic circumstances in their choice of shoes and accessories as well as clothing.

The Avenues Store
Parents, students and colleagues can now purchase Avenues branded merchandise to showcase our collective Avenues pride. There is a wide variety of branded merchandise available and more will be added in the future.
The Avenues Store

If you are unable to provide transportation or have your child walk to campus, the following transportation options are available to your family. Please reach out to transportation-ny@avenues.org with any questions.

Office of Pupil Transportation (OPT) Yellow Bus Service
Free public bus service is provided to all eligible students in kindergarten through 6th grade by the Department of Education. Drivers and routes are not directly managed by Avenues, and we cannot guarantee that we will be provided routes that are dedicated to Avenues families. Additionally, there are no bus matrons/attendants on OPT buses.

OPT works with each individual school to determine routes, stops and the appropriate number of students per bus. Bus stops are typically within .25 miles of your home and are centrally located within your neighborhood. Due to distance restrictions, OPT bus stops are only available within Manhattan, below 100th Street on the Upper West Side and below 63rd Street on the Upper East Side. We typically receive our routes from OPT in August and will notify registered families at that time.

Due to varied divisional dismissal times, 6th graders are only eligible for morning service and will receive a MetroCard to support their commute home. Additionally, please note that arrival and departure times typically coincide with Lower Division arrival and departure times.

If you are interested in OPT bus service, please fill out the following form. While you are welcome to opt into the service at any time, if we receive your response after June 30, OPT might not be able to accommodate any further stop requests.

Selby Bus Corporation Private Bus Service
Selby is a private bus company that provides pick-up and drop-off service at a cost to Avenues families. Selby buses are equipped with GPS and car seats for nursery students. Selby routes are generated from family interest so Selby won't know exact routes or which neighborhoods they can service until after registration closes in the early summer. If Selby is unable to provide service to your address due to a lack of interest, your deposit will be refunded in full after the deadline.

Anticipated costs for the 2023–24 school year are below. Please note that due to varied divisional dismissal times, 6th–12th graders are only eligible for morning service and will receive a MetroCard to support their commute home.

• Nursery through 5th Grade Round Trip: $7,120
• Nursery 5th Grade AM or PM only: $4,770
• Grades 6–12 AM Only: $3,560

If you are interested in Selby bus service, please register here by June 1. If you are completing a round trip contract, a 50% deposit is due with the submission of your contract, with the remainder being due June 30. If you are completing a one-way-only contract, payment in full is due with contract submission.

If you have any questions regarding Selby bus service, please reach out to avenues@superselby.com. Additionally, their FAQs can be found here.

Student MetroCard Provided by Office of Pupil Transportation (OPT)
If you do not opt into OPT bus service, your student will receive a MetroCard. Full-fare student MetroCards are available free of charge for children in grades K–12 who meet the eligibility requirement and do not opt into OPT bus service. The card allows students to ride both subways and city buses. Three rides per day are permitted Monday–Friday between 5:30 a.m.–8:30 p.m. Students must live 1/2 mile or more from school to qualify.

Avenues: The World School recognizes the power of technology in the learning experience. We want technology to facilitate creativity, innovation, collaboration and communication among all students, faculty and staff across the globe.

The technology team works in partnership with our entire community to ensure the success of the technology program. We value the leadership potential of all students and expect them to follow the same community norms of Welcome, Safety and Respect while responsibly navigating our digital tools and resources.

To support the successful implementation of our Visionary Technology Integration Program, we want to make sure our students have access to state-of-the-art tools and resources and develop the necessary skills to use them safely and responsibly. Below is a brief summary of the individual devices to which they have access.

Equipment

• Students in kindergarten through 5th grade are issued an iPad with all necessary accessories and AppleCare+ Protection.
• Students in grades 6–12 receive an iPad, an Apple Pencil and a MacBook with all necessary accessories and AppleCare+ Protection.

Digital Citizenship

• Avenues has partnered with Common Sense Media as a part of their Supporter School Program.
• Throughout the school year, students will participate in digital citizenship activities and discussions. We encourage you to explore the Common Sense Media website, which contains a wealth of resources on the use of media and technology: Family Tips on Digital Life from Common Sense Media.
• Parents should discuss individual family values and expectations regarding technology use at home.

2023–24 Athletic Program (Grades 7–12)

We are thrilled to share more information about our 2023–24 athletic seasons for students entering grades 7–12. Upon course registration, student-athletes should indicate their fall, winter and spring athletic and/or Wellness and Movement choices so we can plan accordingly. Teams that will be offered throughout the year will be shared soon. Fall tryout and preseason dates are included below.

If your child will be in grades 7–12, please discuss with them whether they have an interest in participating on a school team and make sure they make that selection when they chose their courses. If a selection is not made, all interested athletes can still inform the athletics department by emailing athletics-ny@avenues.org with their team selection(s). The athletics department will also have an athletic information night for athletes and parents, which will be announced soon.

Tentative competition schedules for teams will be posted by the end of May. Over the summer, coaches will send an email to fall athletes with more details about the fall pre-season.

Fall 2023 Preseason and Tryout Dates

• Varsity Soccer: August 21–24
• Varsity Volleyball: August 21–24
• JV Volleyball: August 28–31
• JV Soccer: August 28–31
• Varsity Cross Country: August 28–31
• Varsity Tennis: August 28–31

Avenues’ Extensions programs create opportunities for our students to explore, discover and build new connections beyond the classroom while fulfilling the core mission of Avenues The World School.

Extensions After School Programming  (Nursery–8th Grade)

Avenues’ after-school program is committed to providing high quality engaging and enriching learning experiences beyond the classroom for Early Learning Center and Lower Division students. The after-school faculty and staff create an environment that is safe, nurturing and conducive to each student’s cognitive, social, emotional and physical growth. Children are encouraged to explore the world around them and develop their interests while cultivating their academic and interpersonal growth through hands-on, cross-grade enrichment activities and fun and engaging experiences.

After school includes the programs below for students in nursery through grade 5, Monday through Friday between school dismissal and 5:00 p.m. Program lengths vary from semester-long classes to shorter-term experiences, granting students the opportunity to explore their interests and discover new ones.

After-School Enrichment Classes
Many of the world’s greatest scientists, artists, athletes and mathematicians got their start early, following their curiosity and passion beyond the formal school day. Inspired by the lives of these changemakers, we’ve curated a selection of after-school learning experiences for your young athletes, artists, performers, makers and global citizens. The range of classes engages students to explore their curiosity, excel in their passions, and just plain have fun.  Some examples of classes offered include Chess Strategies and Tactics, Game Animation and Coding, Mix It Up Dance, Super Sports Extravaganza, and Artistic Creation.

Our expert instructors ensure that students experience hands-on activities, gain new skills and build mastery over the course of the semester.

After Care
Stay&Play is Avenues’ after care program for nursery through 5th grade students offered Monday–Friday with dismissal ending at 5:00 p.m. We provide a safe, nurturing and stimulating environment for students to decompress after the school day, build friendships and enjoy a variety of age-appropriate supervised games, activities and enrichment opportunities.  Homework support, enriching activities, outdoor play, and opportunities to socialize with peers from different language tracks are built into each day.

Chess Team 
The prestigious Avenues Chess Team is open to students in kindergarten through 8th grade, with practice held on Fridays after school. Joining the team is a commitment: team members are expected to attend Chess Team training every Friday, regular weekend tournaments on campus and additional four major tournaments each year. Past tournaments have included the New York City Championship, New York State Championship, Grade Nationals and Super Nationals.

Lego Challenge Leagues
The Lego Challenge League teams research real-world problems such as food safety, recycling, and energy, and are challenged to develop a solution. They also design, build and program a robot using Lego technology, and compete on a table-top playing field. Students meet weekly throughout the school year, and work together to compete in Lego League tournaments in the spring.

Summer Programs

Summer@Avenues is full of joy, discovery and exploration! Imagine your child diving into play-based discovery in Spanish or Chinese, inventing and building a self-driving robot, discovering innovations from around the world, or creating collaborative art projects that bring their imaginations to life.  Avenues is offering two unique on-site camp experiences for nursery–grade 5 campers this summer, as well as Summer Online Language Learning for kindergarten–grade 12.

Avenues Language Immersion Camp
Our signature summer program offers rising nursery–grade 2 students an engaging and interactive experience delivered in two language tracks - Spanish or Chinese. Designed and led by Avenues faculty and staff and housed in the ELC & Co.Lab, Summer@Avenues is guided by the Avenues principles of language immersion, learning through play and student exploration. Sessions run weekly from July 3 through August 11.

Avenues Summer Online Language Learning
Whether you want to learn a new language (such as French or Japanese) or continue a familiar language (such as Chinese or Spanish), Avenues offers group classes and one-on-one language coaching for kindergarten–grade 12 students.  Sessions run from July 10 through August 18.

NORY@Avenues
For the curious inventors, tinkerers and engineers, Avenues is partnering with NORY to provide a hands-on STEM camp. Built to bring out the innovative problem-solver in your child through the lens of global discovery, this unique program is for rising nursery-grade 5 students. Sessions run weekly from June 26 through August 18.

Register for Summer Programs

Global Journeys

Five continents. Five campuses. A global community of Avenues students in grades 6–12.

Global Journeys create opportunities for students to experience the world from a new perspective, immerse themselves in another culture and further their language skills through authentic international community engagement. Programs are designed to be growth experiences, asking students to step outside their comfort zones. Students build understanding, empathy and appreciation for the diversity of the human experience.

Global Journeys programs are designed to have lasting benefits for students by addressing contemporary, global-scale issues alongside local experts who are knowledgeable about the needs and successes of host communities. Programs from the 2022–23 school year have included Germany, California, Brazil, Indonesia, Morocco and more.

All programs include:

• Pre-departure preparation and post-travel integration
• Facilitation by Avenues program leads across our campuses (faculty/staff)
• Clear learning outcomes and program focus
• For language programs, opportunities to practice language skills
• Opportunities to build cross-cultural competence with local residents and peers from across Avenues
• An emphasis on ethical and sustainable travel

At the heart of our programs is the kind of experiential education that prioritizes reciprocity in relationships through cooperative, cross-cultural participation. Global Journeys contribute to students’ development of the core competencies that will enable them to actively and critically engage with the world and help make it a more just and sustainable place.