When a prospective parent visited Logos Harrisburg recently, Mr. Davenport, the kindergarten teacher, was in the throws of organizing his classroom, and the mother’s two children were engaged with Miss Liz.  This mom’s tears at the prospect of her children attending a “safe school” in a “loving supportive environment” spoke volumes. This is why we exist and why we work so hard to staff, fund, and support New City School.

This summer, New City School affiliated with Logos Academy in York, PA.  (Logos Academy York) We are honored to be associated with this institution and its 20 years of providing a rich, Christ-centered education, accessible to all students, no matter the income of their families.  We anticipate maintaining Logos York’s exemplary standards through partnership with this fine organization.

Currently, exemplary schooling is not broadly available in Harrisburg. In 2016, Mayor Papenfuse said, “We live in a city where kids are not getting a quality education.”  Sadly, some 7th and 8th-grade classes in Harrisburg have scored a zero-percent efficiency in math. The high-school graduation rate hovers at 45 percent. Some students earn “street cred” by not performing, pushing back at a misfunded and understaffed system, and in some cases doing prison time, at a cost of over $19,000 per student.

Our prospective parents should have other options for their children, regardless of their zip code or income.  This is why we exist and why we need you to partner with us, in some form.

We are in this for the long haul. On August 27th, 11 students entered Logos Academy Harrisburg as the class of 2031.  Our goal is to add a grade a year–at least through eighth grade–and to see these students graduate with “intelligence plus character.”  Martin Luther King, Jr., called these qualities “the true goal of education.”

For this to happen we need collaborative partners: collaborative family partners who make our teachers’ investment during the school day pay off to its fullest in the home, and collaborative community partners who invest in our students by volunteering in the classroom and by providing resources and supplies.

The first step is to schedule a visit.  Come and see what we are doing. Meet the students and our staff, and see for yourself the environment that moves parents to tears and inspires our investors.

We are in a cash-flow crunch.  August has proven to be a month of high expenses and low income–expenses much higher than anticipated and income lower than forecast.  Nonetheless, we are optimistic about the last quarter of this year. We have significant funding coming through the Pennsylvania Tax Credit program and a number of promising financial commitments from several of our investors. Help us through these lean times by donating today.

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Visit New City School on any given day and you may discover the room peppered with small groups of children.  One group of four year-olds is hovering around the “sensory table,” playing in dirt and what was last week’s pinto beans, which have sprouted into plants.  Another group is at the playdough table making caterpillars; others may be playing in shaving cream on the red table, “drawing.” Are they just playing?

Miss Liz moves around the room reminding children to “use their words” when the playdough tool is taken or asking the students open-ended questions at the sensory table: “What do you see when you look carefully at these plants?” Or asking Lena to draw the letter “L” in the shaving cream. Are they learning or playing?

When New York City launched its large preschool program in 2014, Shael Polakow-Suransky* noted, “While grown-ups recognize that pretending helps children find their way into the world, many adults think of play as separate from formal learning. The reality is quite different. As they play, children develop vital cognitive, linguistic, social and emotional skills. They make discoveries, build knowledge, experiment with literacy and math and learn to self-regulate and interact with others in socially appropriate ways. Play is also fun and interesting, which makes school a place where children look forward to spending their time. It is so deeply formative for children that it must be at the core of our early childhood curriculum.”

In that same NY Times Op Ed piece, Ms. Polakow-Suransky  goes on to say, “Play has long-lasting benefits. What is referred to as self-regulation in preschool becomes resiliency in high school.”

New City School is investing in children like Lena, Jamari, and Clay to establish the building blocks for a long and prosperous life.  We believe in the value of a high-quality early education of both mind and soul. ur Christ-centered classroom and faith-based curriculum not only provide a foundation for success in education, but for life itself, for the very best education equips both the soul and the mind.

*Shael Polakow-Suransky, who served as senior deputy chancellor of the New York City Department of Education from 2011-14, is the president of Bank Street College. (Oct 21, 2015 NY Times article)

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Jamari’s mom, Asia, and his step-dad, Naquan, are committed parents who work to get Jamari to school each day and sacrifice to pay his tuition.  You’ll see Naquan carting the playground toys inside at the end to the day and even sweeping up the leaves and trash that gather in the court yard.  They want Jamari at New City School next year and are eager to do their part to see NCS prosper.  They well know the challenges of their district public school and don’t believe Jamari would do well in that setting.  It’s investors like you who have given Asia and Naquan an option for their child’s education.

Please consider a donation to New City School so that students like Jamari can have quality early education options.   Today, your gift can have an even greater impact, thanks to The Foundation for Enhancing Communities.  New City School has been awarded a  1:1 matching challenge grant for $7,500. Every gift of up to $500 from new donors will be matched by TFEC. Are you already giving to New City School? Any increase from last year’s donations will also be matched, up to $500 per donor. Will you consider partnering financially with us for the first time or increasing your gift?  

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No one enjoys taxes. Period. Did you know there is a way that you can give a life changing scholarship to a student at New City School instead of paying your state tax liability?

The popular EITC and OSTC education tax credits (utilized traditionally by businesses) are now available to individuals. This is accomplished through joining a specially formed business entity for the purpose of obtaining the credit.

Working with your accountant,  the team at Logos Academy (our partner school),  is glad to explore if this might work for your tax situation.

Learn more by contacting Otto Monroy, Director of Advancement, [email protected], (717) 848-9835.  Be sure to reference New City School.

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We celebrate that Clay, and all New City School students, are known and loved in their classrooms. As a school built on the love of Christ, we are grateful when we see the fruit of this in comments like Clay’s or in the passion of students who love going to school and, likewise, dislike leaving at the end of the day.

One of the key priorities that makes New City School a successful program is parent and guardian investment. Notwithstanding the cold and flu season, we typically have 100% attendance in both classrooms–twenty students whose parents or guardians labor to make it work and twenty students who will soon be ready to enter kindergarten and succeed.

It truly is a parent partnership with the NCS staff–a partnership in which we recognize the parents’ key role in successful education of children.  Dr. Knight-Burney, Superintendent of the Harrisburg School District, once told me that she envied the position we were in; we can require parent investment.   As a seasoned educator, she knows well the value of parent investment to the education experience.   The partnership is more than bringing one’s child to school and reviewing numbers and letters.  It’s taking advantage of teachable moments,  cultivating a love for learning, and sharing the wonder of discovery through books and exploration of the world around them.  It’s reinforcing a culture of responsibility, respect, and kindness.

We are thrilled that Clay knows that his teachers love him. Similarly, we are ecstatic when we see parents and caregivers displaying love through the extraordinary effort it so often takes to bring children to school and to cultivate a love of learning in their home.

The post “I like going to school; my teachers love me.” appeared first on New City School.

While politicians debate and wrangle over solutions, students suffer and add to the growing list of those start behind and stay behind.  Even the most gifted of educators are challenged when they find themselves faced with a class of 25 kindergarteners, half of whom are struggling with significant behavioral or mental health issues.  This all to common scenario hinders the education process for everyone in such a classroom.

New City School was started as an alternative, particularly for those whose financial means prohibit other schooling choices.  Our small class size, strong teacher/student ratio and minimal tuition opens the way for New City School to be a viable option.

This is why we are adding a class of Kindergarteners this fall (September 2018) a class of first graders next fall (September 2019) and so on through 8th grade.  We are an alternative for students and families regardless of income.  We are a place for those who value a high-quality education of mind and soul.  For those who appreciate an education culture built on the love of Christ and who seek a classroom where genuine love and care is evident.

The post An Accessible Education Option appeared first on New City School.

Up until just a few years ago I did not realize how very important what we are doing really is. “Children who don’t get formal schooling until kindergarten start off a year behind in math and verbal skills and they never catch up” according to the authors of Cradle to Kindergarten: A New Plan to Combat Inequality. They base this claim on the growing body of research which has been following children since the 1940’s.

John Wetzel, Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections goes so far as to say,  “We can invest in early education now, or start building more prisons.”

Yet three quarters of our children, the children of Harrisburg, don’t have access to a quality kindergarten-readiness program. Many who do, cannot afford it. The average cost ranges from $4,460 to $13,158 per year ($372 to $1,100 monthly), according to the National Association of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies (NACCRRA).

Our cost to educate one child at New City School is just over $3000/year. Your support has enabled children like Jamari to attend New City School and to join the other 19 students being prepared to enter Kindergarten ready and able to learn.

We cannot do this alone. We need your investment to continue to serve these students and our community.  If you have not yet donated please do so.  Jamari is counting on you.

The post We Are Making A Difference appeared first on New City School.

We were excited to have all of our students who registered for our classes attend not just our first day but everyday. It’s a full classroom but thankfully we have a great team of teachers and volunteers.

It has been fun to see the growth in our students who have returned, as several are now in the older (4 & 5’s) Pre-K.  What a difference a year makes: following instructions, attentive to Miss Liz and able to participate in activities and lesson.

Our newest students are catching on fast.  We are thankful for the investment of their parents and guardians, which is evident in the effort that is made to get the children here and  to follow through on recommendations and opportunities. We are looking forward to a great school year.

The post School is Open appeared first on New City School.

Our commitment to making our quality education of mind and soul accessible to all children of Harrisburg means that our class for three year-olds remains tuition free.  Our afternoon program which offers a bit more for our older preschoolers, in preparation for Kindergarten, still provides each of our students with over 90% of the tuition costs covered by scholarships.

Interested in applying for enrollment?  Click here.

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We are blessed with an incredible teaching staff, Ms Liz and Ms. Melissa, and our  faithful volunteer, Carolyn Hansen.

A special thanks to Mel’s Rockin’ Barbecue for providing a great meal.  Thanks to the congregation of Second City Church for the generous donations to the students in crayons, books and assorted other goodies as special end of the year gift for the students.

The generous financial support from our donors enabled us to meet all of our first year expenses.  In addition, we already have a number of financial commitments for our next year!

We have eight remaining spots for the 2017-2018 school year. Apply here.  Our space is limited.

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