Transition to Middle School
In January 2011, BCSC's Board of Trustees approved funding for
the creation of an expanded, enhanced plan for Middle School
Placement and a new staff position to undertake these
responsibilities. Our goal is to ensure that for each of our
graduating 5th grade students, we generate middle school
options that meet his or her individual needs.
Our Director of Middle School Placement is touring many middle
schools and developing relationships within New York City's
education community in order to guide our students and their
families toward schools with high expectations and rigorous
instructional programs.
In addition to participating in the New
York Department of Education's Middle School Choice process
which provides access to District schools, BCSC is working closely
with a carefully selected group of independent and parochial
schools to ensure that our graduates are purposefully matched with
school communities that suit their individual goals and
interests. BCSC is working with our colleagues in other high
performing charter schools to identify available seats.
Gleaning best practices from other high performing schools, our
Middle School Placement plan includes a commitment to:
- Provide family meetings to assist in preparing and completing
applications;
- Conduct family workshops that address issues such as transition
to middle school, financial planning, and school choice
education;
- Recommend appropriately selected students to organizations such
as Prep for Prep, Summer on The Hill at Horace Mann, A Better
Chance, and other out-of-school time programs;
- Engage BCSC's school community, including parents, faculty and
staff in the Middle School Placement process.