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OUR CORE VALUES
Be open-hearted
Be responsible to your community
Be open-minded
Take action to improve the world around you
Have a passion for learning
Be true to yourself
EDUCATIONAL MISSION
The Salk School is one of a handful of collaborative schools started in 1995. The school opened a few months after the death of Jonas Salk, M.D., developer of the first polio vaccine. A graduate of the NYU School of Medicine, Dr. Salk endorsed the school by granting NYU and District 2 the use of his name. The Salk School’s mission is to take advantage of young people’s natural curiosity and to engage them in learning that is personally meaningful, socially responsible and academically rigorous. Our goal is to help students develop the habits of mind of various experts and become lifelong learners who are reflective, creative and independent thinkers by having them engage with powerful ideas across the content areas. Additionally, we help students think critically and solve problems to improve their communities. Committed to excellence and equity, we seek to prepare all students for the challenges of the 21st century. We work with a number of professionals in the field of science and take advantage of the numerous cultural institutions in New York City in order to empower students with the knowledge and practice to behave and think like scientists. According to Bruce Alberts, Editor-in-Chief of Science magazine, “scientists share a common way of reaching conclusions that is based not only on evidence and logic, but also requires honesty, creativity, and openness to new ideas.” Students leave Salk understanding that science is a way of making sense of the natural world through observation, experimentation, and an open and critical exchange of ideas. Additionally, students leave appreciating that science ideally is humanity’s attempt to make the world better for all living things and to ensure the health of our planet.
OUR SCIENCE FOCUS
Our academic program – with an enriched science education program that emphasizes inquiry and writing –is rigorous and engaging. We work with a number of professionals in the field of science and take advantage of the numerous cultural institutions in New York City in order to empower students with the knowledge and practice to behave and think like scientists. According to Bruce Alberts, Editor-in-Chief of Science magazine, “scientists share a common way of reaching conclusions that is based not only on evidence and logic, but also requires honesty, creativity, and openness to new ideas. ”Students leave Salk understanding that science is a way of making sense of the natural world through observation, experimentation, and an open and critical exchange of ideas. Additionally, students leave appreciating that science ideally is humanity’s attempt to make the world better for all living things and to ensure the health of our planet.
VIRTUAL OPEN HOUSE VIDEO
We work to foster the skills and habits that ensure this mindset, which include:
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Being open to new ideas
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Developing and asking questions
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Identifying problems
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Formulating hypotheses and making predictions
Collecting and organizing evidence
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Using logic and evidence to support claims
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Maintaining a skeptical attitude
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Synthesizing, analyzing, and evaluating information
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Considering and evaluating alternatives
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Communicating conclusions effectively through writing, speaking and the use of technology
PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE
The Salk School is one of a handful of collaborative schools started in 1995. Salk has a strong collegial culture of learners where teachers focus on fostering a love of learning in children and work closely with families to nurture students’ voices. We want students to graduate with a passion for ideas and to believe in themselves and their power to make the world better. Our academics-- with an enriched science education program that emphasizes inquiry and writing –is rigorous and engaging. We work with professionals in the field of science and take advantage of numerous cultural institutions in New York City in order to empower students with the knowledge and practice to behave and think like scientists. Students leave Salk understanding that science is a way of making sense of the natural world through observation, experimentation, and an open and critical exchange of ideas. In other subject areas our goal is the same-- to help students develop the habits of mind of professionals in various disciplines. All students study math, science, literature, social studies, foreign language, physical education, technology, drama, and art. There is a strong emphasis on literacy across the curriculum. Our learning community is small, safe, nurturing and student-centered. We are committed to creating an environment where students are: dedicated to learning, open-minded, open-hearted, true to themselves, responsible to the community, and active in improving the world. All of our professionals are committed to being a part of young people’s lives in order to help them develop a strong sense of self. We have a family friendly environment, and we welcome experts in various fields to share their experiences with our students.
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How is Salk organized?Our school is organized into grade teams (6th grade team, 7th grade team, 8th grade team made up of teachers of every subject area that your child studies. Each team has a team leader.
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What are our core values?We have six core values: to be open-hearted, to be open-minded, to have a passion for learning, to be true to yourself, to be responsible to your community, to take action to improve the world around you.
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Does Salk have a guidance department?We have a full time guidance counselor, Alex Ferrantelli, aferrantelli@schools.nyc.gov , and social worker, Lorin Schneider, lschneider2@schools.nyc.gov. Please reach out to them if your child needs any counseling support or if you are in need of resources.
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Does Salk accept and support students who are English Language Learners?Yes, we do. We have an ENL teacher, Melinda Reid. She can be reached at mreid14@schools.nyc.gov.
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Who is the parent coordinator?Our parent coordinator, Patti Burr can be reached at pburr2@schools.nyc.govPatti sends an email every Friday, keeping you abreast of events at the school. Please be sure to read these communications thoroughly.
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Does Salk provide other special education services?Yes, we have speech and language, OT, SETSS, and any other service on a student's IEP. Krista Hanson (khanson3@schools.nyc.gov) is the head of our special education department. Please feel free to reach out to her with any questions about services.
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What communications can I expect from the principal?Rhonda (the principal) communicates with parents regularly via email, so be sure to check your email daily for communications from the chancellor and/or the principal. Our PA collaborates with us to offer many informational workshops about adolescent development, wellness, and the curriculum, so please know that you will have many opportunities to ask questions and raise concerns. Our Parent Coordinator, Patti Burr, sends out a Friday email with information and updates. Please make sure that your address, emails and phone numbers in NYCSA are up to date. We will be using these emails for messaging families.
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How do we contact the school?You can call the school at 212-614-8785 and ask for the person you need to talk with. Patti Burr, our parent coordinator, is a good person to reach out to, especially if you are not sure who the appropriate person to talk to is (212-614-8785 ext. 4230 or 347-563-5144).
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What classes are offered?We offer humanities (ELA and social studies), math, science, art, Spanish (7th and 8th grades), Drama, Advisory, and PE. All students take advanced classes in math and science in 8th grade and are eligible to take the Algebra Regents and the Biology Regents. Students are also able to take the Spanish Proficiency exam, which gives you a year of language credit in high school and allows you to continue on in the language at a more advanced level in high school.
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How large are classes?There are 2 ICT and 2 Gen Ed. classes in all 3 grades. Each class is about 30-33 students, however, we are working with our Superintendent to reduce class size in the coming years.
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How long are classes?Classes are an hour or more in length.
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What is advisory?Your child will have a class called “advisory.” Advisory is a class that has a strong social emotional learning component and places a strong emphasis on community building around our 6 core values. Advisory meets regularly to help students connect with each other and get support so that they have one adult to share any issues and concerns that may arise.
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Does Salk have an ICT program?Yes we do. In general we have four classes in each grade, two are ICT classes taught by two teachers--a learning specialist and a content specialist.
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Does Salk have an after school program?We have a wonderful after school program run by Manhattan Youth (MY). Classes include: debate, coding, theater, science olympiad, art portfolio, math counts, cooking, playwriting, fashion design, chess, DIY art. We also offer a wide-array of after school sports including basketball, volleyball, track and field, and baseball. The director of our after school program is Khadijha Henry. She can be reached at khenry@manhattanyouth.org
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How much homework can I expect?Students are expected to read each night for 30-45 minutes. In addition, homework ranges from 1-2 hours. We do not assign homework on holidays.
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What are the hours of the School day?The school day goes from 9:00am -3:20pm. (Children self-dismiss at 3:20pm.)
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How do I pick my child up early?Children cannot self-dismiss before 3:20pm. Only people 18+ on the blue card can pick up your child early. You or your emergency contact(s) will need to come to the main office to sign your child out of school. You must bring photo identification.
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How do I edit or remove the 'Frequently Asked Questions' title?You can edit the title from the FAQ 'Settings' tab in the Editor. To remove the title from your mobile app go to the 'Site & App' tab in your Owner's app and customize.
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Will my student be able to get a Metrocard?Metrocards are distributed to all eligible students twice a year: once in September and once at the beginning of February. The Department of Education and the MTA determine the formula for full and half fare based on the distance traveled. If metro cards are lost, forms for a replacement are found in the main office and need a parent signature.
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Is there a school bus that my child can take?No, we do not have busing for our students unless it is on a student’s IEP.
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Can students have cell phones?We have an out of sight, out of mind policy. We use the YONDR program so students can lock up all personal communication devices (cell phone, earbuds, wearable tech) upon entering the school building. We encourage students to leave valuable items at home. If you need to contact your child during the school day, please call the main office.
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What about skateboards and scooters?All skateboards and scooters should be locked up outside or in lockers (if in use). They cannot be used during the school day including at lunch time.
MEET OUR TEAM
Name | Assignment | Email |
|---|---|---|
Rhonda Perry | Principal | rperry3@schools.nyc.gov |
Marsha Wallace | Assistant Principal | mwallac@schools.nyc.gov |
Thomasina Forbes | School Secretary | tforbes4@schools.nyc.gov |
Michael DeCicco | Dean | mdecicco@schools.nyc.gov |
Patti Burr | Parent Coodinator | pburr2@schools.nyc.gov |