Misson

The Lefferts Gardens Charter School (LGCS) will utilize an environmental science program to develop academically motivated and civic-minded students to succeed in competitive high school and college programs. The proximity of several community-based environmental institutions provides a unique opportunity for learning that extends beyond the classroom. Graduates of LGCS will leave with an understanding of the relationship among science, the environment, and the everyday world.

Vision

The Lefferts Gardens Charter School is a community-centered elementary school with a unique focus on environmental science. Our school will be well-positioned to collaborate with local resources such as the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Through experiential learning and the application of the scientific method, students will develop skills in goal-setting, hypothesizing, experimenting, observing, reviewing data, and reasoning. Such skills will ensure that all students graduate with the knowledge, values, and tools to be quality stewards of their community and environment.

Educational Philosophy

The interdisciplinary environmental science curriculum will foster students’ capacities to think critically about their environment both locally and globally. The use of the scientific method of inquiry will complement our research-based reading/language arts and math programs. The school will draw heavily on local resources such as the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens and the Prospect Park Zoo to create on-site experiential learning opportunities. We believe children will best succeed in a school environment that brings together parents, teachers, and community resources. Significant staff planning and professional development is necessary to build connections among reading, writing, math, science, social studies and the arts to create a truly interdisciplinary curriculum that will benefit children across the learning spectrum. Intensive training on administration, analysis, and follow-up of classroom assessment will be a significant part of summer professional development and supported year-round with allocated staff time. The science curriculum and assessments will be aligned with the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) standards as well as New York State standards. We support the core philosophy of the AAAS:
The first priority of science education is basic science literacy for all students, including those in groups that have traditionally been served poorly by science education, so that as adults they can participate fully in a world that is increasingly being shaped by science and technology.

PHOTO CREDITS

The banner photos shown are stock photos and are not actual LGCS students, yet! Please join us in imagining your child here at Lefferts Gardens Charter School and make it happen: apply today!

Stock photos

Red Panda by Wally G.

Ian and e coli - by Richard Masoner