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Welcome ¡Bienvenidos! 欢迎
Congratulations and a warm welcome to Avenues! We're thrilled to have you join our vibrant community.
The Upper Division Admissions Team,
Billy, Beth, Sharrie and Dave
What to do now!
1
Imersão linguística em inglês, com o suporte de dois professores por turma
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Imersão linguística em inglês, com o suporte de dois professores por turma
1
Imersão linguística em inglês, com o suporte de dois professores por turma
Meet your community!
Neighborhood where you live?
Brooklyn
What's your language track?
Spanish
What is one of your most memorable Avenues project or experience?
Page to Stage in 6th grade with Ms.Chadha! We adapted a book into a stage production that our class wrote, directed and starred in. The costumes and performance were off-broadway worthy. I also loved our field trip to Adventure Park in 7th grade.
What is your favorite thing about Avenues?
J-term is my favorite time of year. We are able to learn about specific topics of interest. And the people. I have made friends at Avenues that are curious, courageous and exciting. Friends that I probably couldn't meet anywhere else. Friends that I hope to have for a lifetime.
Three words you’d use to describe Avenues:
Rigorous, Innovative, Fun
Bonét, Grade 10
Neighborhood?
New Jersey
What's your language track?
Spanish
What is one of your most memorable Avenues project or experience?
In my freshman year, for our unit on the Odyssey, we read Homer's The Odyssey and hosted a mock trial on Odysseus as our unit-end project. The experience playing the role of a pivotal character (Athena) and facing both direct and cross examination helped me learn not only the traditional reading and writing skills, as well as develop the appreciation for classics, but also taught me public speaking & extemporaneous speaking, critical thinking, and collaboration and preparation skills.
What is your favorite thing about Avenues?
My favorite thing about Avenues is the community, especially the faculty. Everyone at Avenues is passionate about their unique interests and are always open to learning new ideas. With student-run clubs, interest-based electives, and programs such as J-Term, there is never a shortage of space to broaden one's horizons, meet new people, and create amazing projects. Personally, I am the Chief of Staff for Hi, Science, a STEM magazine that aims to "make science more accessible, engaging, and inspiring for those who find it hard not to fall asleep in Chemistry class." Additionally, with the support of the Avenues Institute for Mathematics (AIAM), my peers and I are creating a math competition open to all Avenues students in grades 6-12, an event we hope to host yearly.
Three words you’d use to describe Avenues:
Innovative, compassionate, unique
Kylan, Grade 12
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.
Nicole, Alumna '20
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 and number of years at Avenues
16 years teaching; 11 years at Avenues
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 an anonymous quote that says, “this world doesn't need more successful people, but instead, we need more good people.” The question then becomes "what to teach?" I always tell my students that “middle grades is not all about academics, it is important that you are learning to understand more about yourself, identify and discover your own strengths and areas of growth. Start from there, let's learn and explore.”
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 teachers; 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.
How would you describe Avenues students?
Enjoy learning, curious learners, and are 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. Setting goals with students.
Describe Avenues in three words
Innovative, challenging, inspiring.
Hsieh Laoshi
College/University
Brown University
Neighborhood?
Bronx
What's your language track?
Spanish
What is one of your most memorable Avenues project or experience?
World 10 - The time I worked on a podcast and website about the effect that censorship on public education and book bannings will have on liberal democracy. I interviewed activists and superintendent of public education in Long Island.
What is your favorite thing about Avenues?
The teachers and staff!
Three words you’d use to describe Avenues:
Innovative, Collaborative, Diverse
Aulanee, Alumna '25
College/University
Yale University
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.
Three words you’d use to describe Avenues:
Welcoming, supportive, advanced.
Maliya, Alumna '23
College/University:
Morehouse College
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.
Allen, Alumnus '24
Neighborhood where you live?
Chelsea
What's your language track?
Mandarin
What is one of your most memorable Avenues project or experience?
Project Nibbler with the Avenues R&D team stands out as a memorable project during my time at Avenues. We aimed to reduce single-use plastics and other waste products polluting the environment. Utilizing engineering, we were able to successfully develop an operational machine capable of transforming waste into practical household items like flowerpots. This project not only allowed me to contribute meaningfully to a pressing global issue but also embodied the core values of Avenues, where impactful learning and having fun converge seamlessly.
What is your favorite thing about Avenues?
My favorite thing about Avenues is how they support your passions. Ever since I was a kid, whether it be legos, snap circuits, or First Lego League, I have always been fascinated by engineering. At Avenues, I have many different ways to follow this passion, whether in robotics, mastery, talking to teachers, or the numerous other opportunities they provide.
Three words you’d use to describe Avenues:
Supportive, Opportunities, Creativity
Zenchi, Grade 12
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 occurred, 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.
Olivia, Alumna '20
Neighborhood?
Downtown Manhattan
What's your language track?
Spanish
What is one of your most memorable Avenues project or experience?
6th grade was a big year. We were finally returning to in person school and recovering from the drastic changes from the pandemic. It was my first time in middle school, and I had no idea what to expect. We were placed in pods to prevent the spread of illnesses, and I was worried only to see a few familiar faces. Immediately, I was welcomed into that class, which made that year so special for me. Kids would stay back after school and make little puzzles called "piggy poozles" for us to solve in the morning. These were little scavenger hunts, that would take us all over the classroom, and create a great start to our day. I will never forget the kindness of both students and staff, and I was so lucky to be placed in such an incredible pod.
What is your favorite thing about Avenues?
The amazing community who are always ready to support you and help you grow.
Three words you’d use to describe Avenues:
Community, Self-driven, Creative
Amita, Grade 11
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
35 years with 9 years at Avenues
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!
Mr. Tappe
What grades are your children in?
Grades 3, 5, and 8
Why did you choose Avenues?
We chose Avenues because of its project based, hands on learning and the immersion program. We also loved the global feel of the curriculum and campus.
What is your favorite thing about Avenues?
We love the community at Avenues and how much our children love going to school! Our girls are always coming home with fun stories of things they've learned and experienced during their school days.
Describe Avenues in 3 words
Energized, Reflective, Oneness
Joshi Family
Keep Exploring: Upper Division
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Class of 2026 Senior Retreat
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Inside Look: College Counseling
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See where our graduates go!
Welcome, welcome, welcome!
Todd Shy, Head of School
Matt Scott, Head of UD
Student Welcome!
