HIGH SCHOOL
UNWRAPPED
MARCH 4, 2015
DRAFT
“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.”
This line from our mission statement sums up our high-school in a nutshell.
We want our HS students to be leaders who challenge the status-quo, people
who care about the world around them, and want to make their communities,
both in and out of school, better places to live and learn.
We strive every day to teach students to be proficient writers, readers, artists,
critical thinkers, geographically literate, imaginative problem solvers, scientific
analysts, physically and emotionally healthy, and proponents of social justice.
We care about your child’s character as much as their academic rank.
A word about small…
Renaissance HS is a small school.
No doubt about it. We have about 220 students 9-12.
And that’s just the way we like it. Why?
 We know you – from teachers to office staff to school safety officers to…
 Your teachers know how you learn, what your strengths are, where you need help.
 We have the flexibility to add experiential learning to your plate whenever the opportunity arises-which means more artists and other experts in your classes, more trips, more leadership
opportunities and internships.
 Students in small schools perform better academically,
graduate at higher levels, are more likely to attend college,
and earn higher salaries later on in life.*
 You heard about that BIG fish in the small pond?
That could be you.
*Raywid,“Small Schools: A ReformThat Works,” Educational Leadership, 55(4),p.34-39
We can prove it, too. For the last several years …
 The percentage of Renaissance high school students meeting
standards on Regents exams exceeded the district levels by 6 to 19
percentage points.
 We have maintained a school attendance rate of above 95%.
 We have maintained a 92-98% graduation rate.
 97-100% college acceptance rate, with 100% happening more often
than not.
 We received an A for college & Career Readiness from the DOE
 We were the only charter school named as one of NYC’s top high
schools by Daily News, AM NY and US News & World Report
Not to mention some of our fantastic alumni. They are …

Artists - Cathy Messier (class of 2007) a graduate of Brandeis, playwright & actor. Lisette Lopez (class
of 2010) won a prestigious internship with the art department of the Museum of Natural History. Daniel
Sanchez (class of 2006), working in the film industry in NYC as a production assistant, and
writer/producer of documentaries.

Health Professionals – Samantha Aaron (class of 2006), working as a research scientist at the NYC
Department of Mental Health after finishing her master’s in Public Health.

Law Professionals – Sam Gauthier (class of 2008), getting his law degree from CUNY Law after
graduating from Trinity College, Hartford.
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Engineering Professionals - Jonathan Rivas (class of 2008), working as Engineer’s Assistant at Hazen
& Sawyer Environmental Engineers;
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Education Professionals – Claudia Martinez (class of 2006), got her Master’s in Education from
Harvard. Jose Mane (class of 1999) is teaching Global Humanities at Renaissance, and is doing postgraduate work at Columbia. Pierre Dizon (class of 2005) is teaching MS Social Studies and has his
education degree in Special Education. Alex Smith (class of 2000) is our Sports coordinator and teaches
recess here at Renaissance. Girelle Guzman (class of 2002) developed our Leadership & Internship
program at Renaissance, now working for a global construction firm.

Entrepreneurs – Deep Patel (class of 2005), owns a chain of convenience stores in upstate New York,
AND the fuel company that supplies his gas stations!

Innovators – Luvana Chowdhury (class of 2009), was a Fulbright Scholar finalist for developing a microchip to detect Dengue Fever; Tsechu Dolma (class of 2010), received a Brower Youth Award in
recognition of her efforts to create a model for sustainable food security in Nepal.

And more… alums like Brandee Williams (class of 2005) who is here tonight, is a public relations
professional; or Conor McCoy (class of 2004), an investment broker, is talking to us about giving back to
his alma mater, by joining the Friends of Renaissance board.
ACRONYMS!
TRCS (RENAISSANCE)
CSG (COLLABORATIVE SCHOOL GOVERNANCE)
ELL (ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS)
ELA (ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS
TLC (THE LEARNING CENTER)
ICT (INTEGRATED COLLABORATIVE TEACHING)
AP (ADVANCED PLACEMENT)
SAT (SCHOLASTIC APTITUTE TEST)
ACT (AMERICAN COLLEGE TEST)
TREA (TEENS FOR RACIAL AND ETHNIC AWAKENING)
Why TRCS?
• Staff and Curriculum
• Advisories
• AP Courses
• College and Career Office
• Leadership Program
• College Now
• Extracurricular Activities
• College Acceptance
• Student Government
• Individual Attention
• Your Student Has a Voice!
English Language Arts (ELA)
Miyo Tubridy, ELA Coach
Ariel Sacks – 9th Grade Humanities (ELA)
Miyo Tubridy – 10th Grade ELA, 12th Grade ELA
Ariel
Miyo
Sandra Fritz – 11th Grade ELA, AP English Literature
Vincent Chen – 11th Grade ELA
Ellie Shrier – ELA ICT
Vincent
Nicole Jollon – Literacy
Ellie
Nicole
All the above staff also teach writer's workshops—small groups of students working
on targeted writing skills based on students' needs. Additional writing workshop
teachers often include Jose Mane — Humanities, Tammy Park – ELL and other
literacy teachers as needed.
Sandra
Math
Ram
Ram Buenaventura, Math Coach
Erin Chae – Pre-Calculus, Integrated Algebra, Algebra 2/Trigonometry
Tara Gangarossa – Calculus, Geometry, Algebra 2/Trigonometry
Edward Tan – Algebra and Geometry ICT
Yianna Vasiliou – Geometry
Tara
Erin
Edward (ET)
All the above staff also teach 9th grade math skills classes—small groups of
students working on targeted math skills based on students' needs.
Yianna
Science
Dan Fanelli, Science Coach
Richard Doherty – Physics
Riaad Etheridge – Living Environment, Agriculture
Dan Fanelli – Earth Science
Richard
Dan
Yaacov
Yaacov Levy – Chemistry, AP Biology
Danielle Randone – Science ICT
All the above staff also teach science skills classes—small
groups of students working on targeted science skills based on
students' needs.
Riaad
Danielle
Social Studies
Jose Mane, Social Studies Coach
Jose Mane – 9th Grade Humanities (Global History & Geography)
Jason George – 10th Grade Global History & Geography, AP
World History
Jose
Thandi Guimaraes – 11th Grade US History, 12th Grade
Economics, AP US History
In addition to the above core classes, we offer 10th grade Global Labs;
small group, project-based learning experiences that support the content in
Global History & Geography. Global labs are taught by various staff
members who come with a variety of content knowledge from the arts,
science, language arts and social studies. Current Global Lab teachers are
Curtis Anderson - TLC, Lisa Burns - TLC, Robert Evangelista – Art, and
Everett Boyd – Music.
Thandi
Thandi
Jason
Arts
Everett Boyd, Arts Coach
Everett Boyd – Music
Robert Evangelista – Art
Everett
Robert
Rebekah
Rebekah Slotnick – Drama
9th grade students take an introductory course in all three HS arts classes
before choosing an Arts major to follow through 11th grade.
Curtis
In addition, there is an arts elective for 8th-12th grade students that meets once
a week during the Wednesday Leadership program time that offers students
the opportunity to explore another arts medium or get involved in a multi-media
project. Teachers: Curtis Anderson - Drama & Stage Direction; Lisa Burns Singing & Songwriting; Robert Evangelista – Art, Costuming & Set Design;
Everett Boyd – Music & Sound Design.
Lisa
Foreign Language
Marta Bolivar, Coach
Marta Bolivar – 9th, 10th, 11th Grade Spanish; AP Spanish Literature
Lisjane Gaviria - 9th, 10th, 11th Grade Spanish
Lisjane
In addition to helping students gain fluency and preparing students to take the
Spanish Comprehensive Regents exam, Renaissance often offers advanced
Spanish Honors courses in Spanish Literature and Language, culminating in
students taking the AP Spanish Literature and AP Spanish Language exams.
Each year we schedule Honors or AP classes depending on the demand.
We have also facilitated individualized online learning courses in other
languages, such as French and Arabic. Students interested in pursuing
another foreign language should speak to their Advisor.
Marta
Physical Education
Vinny Garelick – PE Teacher; Boys Varsity Baseball and Basketball Coach
Alex Smith – Sports Coordinator
PSAL (Public School Athletic League) and Charter
School Athletic League team sports offered at
Renaissance include Boys Varsity Basketball, Boys
Varsity Baseball, Girls Varsity Volleyball, Boys
Soccer, Girls Soccer and Girls Softball. Teams are
formed depending on student interest and
commitment.
Vinny
Alex
Curriculum
Typical program:
9th Grade:
• Algebra (Erin)/Geometry (Tara)
• Global Studies/Humanities (Jose)
• Living Environment (Riaad)
• ELA (Ariel)
• Spanish (Lisjane/Marta)
• Health (Suzanne)
• College Bound (Maura)
• Arts
• Advisory
• Physical Education
(Vinny/Raymond)
10th Grade:
• Geometry (Yianna/Tara)
• Global Studies (Jason)
• Global Lab
• ELA (Miyo)
• Chemistry (Yaacov)
• College Bound (Maura)
• Spanish (Lisjane/Marta)
• Arts Major
• Advisory
• PE (Vinny/Raymond)
• AP Classes (various)
Curriculum
Typical program:
11th Grade:
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12th Grade:
Algebra 2/Trig (Tara)
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US History (Thandi)
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ELA (Sandra/Vincent)
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Spanish (Lisjane/Marta)
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Physics (Richard) or Agriculture (Riaad) •
College Bound (Ana/Maura)
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Arts Major
Advisory
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Physical Education
AP Classes (various)
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Senior Seminar
Pre-Calculus or Calculus (Tara/Erin)
ELA (Miyo)
Government/Economics (Thandi)
College Bound (Ana/Maura)
Advanced Agriculture (Riaad) or
Physics (Richard) or AP Bio (Yaacov)
Spanish (Lisjane) or AP Spanish
Literature (Marta)
Additional AP classes
PE (Vinny/Raymond)
Advisories
The advisory program focuses on creating a
safe space where advisors can enhance
students’ social-emotional development and
work on team -building. Three major goals
guide the work of Advisory:
❖ Support Students In Monitoring Academic Goals
❖ Support Students’ Social-Emotional Development
❖ Promote Community Service Through An Advisory-Developed Project or
Initiative
HS Advisors are drawn from the entire middle and high school staff, in order
to keep the size of the groups small. Students in 9th and 10th grades start
every day with an advisory. 11th and 12th graders meet with their advisory
groups weekly, and seniors have Senior Seminar and College Bound to
address senior-specific issues, plans, college applications and scholarship
essays, among other things.
AP Courses
● Biology
Advanced Placement Courses:
● World History
Students are encouraged to take AP
classes, to challenge themselves and
develop a competitive transcript that will
attract the college of their choice.
● Human Geography
Advisors will inform students when there
is an option to do higher level work in a
particular class. Because classes are
weighted, a student’s rank in the
graduating class will reflect the level of
difficulty of his or her coursework.
● Psychology
● Spanish Literature
● Spanish Language
● U.S. History
● English Literature
● English Language
College and Career Office
College/Career
Counselor/HS
Coordinator
Literacy Skills/
Senior Seminar
Teacher
Leadership Program
Coordinator
Ana Falla Riff
Maura Malarcher
Vacant
College and Career Office
We strive to help students create an academic and career portfolio that
reflects her/his aspirations, goals, dreams, and skills.
How?
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Create curricula that reflects our students’ needs.
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9th Grade
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10th Grade
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11th Grade
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12th Grade
Engage parents as partners in their children’s education.
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Grade meetings
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Financial Aid Workshops
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Individual meetings with parents/guardians
Work with faculty and staff to create individualized student plans.
College and Career Office
College and Career Office
Exposes students to academic and extracurricular leadership opportunities:
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City University of New York (CUNY) College Now Program
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The Opportunity Network
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Lafayette
Trinity (CT)
Brandeis
Sadie Nash Leadership Project
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OppNet Prep
OppNet Fellows
The Posse Foundation
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Queens College
■ Bronx Community College
■ School of Professional Studies
John Jay School of Criminal Justice
Saturation Model
Role Models Mentoring Program
Summer Leadership Institute
Social Justice Day
Career Day
College and Career Office
On-site Leadership Programs
•
Sadie Nash Leadership Project
•
Move This World
•
Students Care
•
Engineering for Kids
•
Global Kids
•
Culinary Arts
•
Teens for Racial and Ethnic Awakening (TREA)
•
Staff Assistants
https://vimeo.com/82225260
College and Career Office
Off-site Leadership Programs
•
Ace Mentor Program
• Jamaica Hospital
•
NYPD Explorers
• Possibility Project
•
READ Alliance
• Police Athletic League
•
YMCA
• 82nd Street Academics
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Super Kickers
• NYU High School Law Institute
•
Children’s Big Apple
• Good Guides Mentoring
•
Zany’s Furry Friends
• Urban Arts Partnership
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Faith in New York
• Cerami and Associates
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Ins and Outs Music
• Corona Vision
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Queens Library
• Michael Cervini Law
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NORC Roots & Branches Program
• Noguchi Museum Teen Board
Extracurricular Activities
• Robotics Club
• Tech Crew
• Rensizzle
• Sports Teams
START YOUR OWN CLUB
• Student Government
• Peer Mediation
• Yearbook Committee
• Future Farmers of America
• National Honor Society
• Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica
• Curtain Up! Drama Club
• Jazz Band
• Photography, Graphic Novel, Computer Animation…
• or… got another idea? Let us know!
Rensizzle Week
There is nothing like it: it's a Renaissance original! Over a dozen years ago, founding
teacher and current Board of Trustees Chairperson Sandra Geyer came up with the
idea of a full week of immersion experiences. "Rensizzle Week" was born! It has grown
to an average of 20 groups who spend a week out of traditional classes engaged in an
in-depth exploration of one subject, with an emphasis on its' relation to New York.
Last year we had groups investigating Asian culture, cultural impacts on cuisine,
culinary arts, dance, music, drama, human rights through arts, geology & astronomy,
the graphic novel, Lego robotics, journalism & media, water & nature, science, art and
NYC-themed museums; NYC landmarks, nutrition & fitness, survival skills, and
permaculture (Urban Farms).
College Acceptance
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City University University of New York (CUNY)
• Macaulay Honors at Hunter College
• Baruch College Honors
• Brooklyn, Queens, Hunter, City, BMCC, LaGuardia
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State University of New York (SUNY)
• Binghamton, Stony Brook, Albany, Buffalo, Fashion Institute of Technology, Cobleskill
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Private
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Barnard
College of St. Rose
Cornell
Hofstra
Juniata
Wellesley
New York University
Swarthmore
Union
Syracuse