Welcome to The Renaissance Charter School!
Mission Statement
Developing Leaders for the Renaissance of New York
Renaissance is based on the conviction that a change in the destiny of a single individual can lead to a change in the destiny of a community, nation, and ultimately humankind.
Our mission as a PK-12 school is to foster educated, responsible, humanistic young leaders who will through their own personal growth spark a renaissance in New York.
Our graduates will be global citizens with an abiding respect for peace, human rights, the environment, and sustainable development.
Renaissance is committed to graduating individuals who are competent, powerful thinkers, engaged citizens, and life-long learners who will create the renaissance of New York.
About The Renaissance Charter School - Jackson Heights
In a small, village-like setting, Renaissance provides a supportive environment. Staff and parents work together to develop students’ academic and leadership skills. Teachers collaborate on developing integrated subject matter, innovative approaches to learning, and improved practice. This ideal faculty-student ratio helps strengthen each student’s sense of belonging.
Opened in 1993, the Renaissance Charter School in Jackson Heights is one of the first charter schools in New York City.
The PK-12 program of Renaissance enables students and families to enjoy a sense of continuity and stability as the students progress from elementary school to high school. Among the school’s myriad attributes is its liberating atmosphere – informal work settings replace traditional desks and chairs. To further enhance its accommodating learning culture, Renaissance encourages students of various age groups to work together, yet places a high value on individual performance.
Student Body
Renaissance has close to 700 predominantly minority students (68% Hispanic, 4% African-American, 18% Asian, 8% White, .5% Native American, .5% Native Hawaiian, and 2% Multi-Racial). Seventy-seven percent receive free or reduced meals.
Many students enter Renaissance as English Language Learners (ELL), and most quickly gain proficiency. The school has an inclusion model for both ELL and special education students, including its partnership with NYC DOE’s District 75 that allows a group of autistic students to be mainstreamed. The majority of the students come from the neighborhoods of Jackson Heights, East Elmhurst, North Corona, Astoria and Long Island City. These communities are characterized by the rich ethnic diversity that is reflected in its student body.
Principal's Letter
Hello and welcome to The Renaissance Charter School website. It is with great pride that we offer you this virtual tour of one of New York City’s oldest and the first K-12 charter school. Our school marks its 30th anniversary this year, having first opened our doors to students in a co-located space in Long Island City in 1993. We are now gearing up for our seventh charter cycle since 2000. With the exciting addition of a Pre-Kindergarten class started in the fall of 2014, we have fulfilled the dream of giving our families the opportunity to nurture their children through the Renaissance experience from the very beginning of their academic journey. As evidenced by having been picked as one of the best High Schools in New York City by US News and World Report and the NY Daily News “Best In Class” series multiple times since 2012, that journey is indeed an example of academic excellence.
Renaissance is committed to graduating individuals who are competent, powerful thinkers, engaged citizens, and life-long learners who will create the renaissance of New York.
Whether you are a member of our Renaissance family or a visitor to our site, when you read this part of our vision statement, I hope it creates a series of questions for you such as –
What skills do our students need to be competent and competitive in this global world we live in?
Where do standardized examinations fit into the vision?
How does arts education, an important sequence in our PK-12 program, support the mission?
What does it mean to be a powerful thinker or an engaged citizen?
How do we blend our humanistic philosophy with continually meeting and exceeding high standards?
What type of supports do parents need to be partners in this vision?
How do we empower our students to live the vision? How do we help foster happiness at school?
Every day we must always keep our vision in sight. As a charter school, we are fortunate to have many freedoms not afforded to regular public schools to design the program that best meets the needs of our community. However, with this autonomy comes high accountability. Many people see this as a trade-off. We here at Renaissance see it as a win-win situation.
We must continue to strive to educate our students so that each and every one of them becomes the vision. This vision is more than standardized test scores (although they do matter). It means teaching students to be proficient writers, readers, critical thinkers, imaginative problem solvers, scientific analysts, artists and / or art appreciators who are geographically literate, physically and emotionally healthy, and proponents of social justice and kind people – in short, people who care. We owe them no less than our full commitment to this. We believe it is the best investment we can make for all of our futures.
Stacey Gauthier,
Principal of The Renaissance Charter School