Mission: College and Contribution

Leadership Prep is about College and Contribution. As an elementary school, we teach students the academic skills, knowledge and personal traits necessary to succeed in high school, college, and beyond. Through academic achievement, our students prepare to contribute as leaders in their communities. Our approach is based on the practices proven effective at the highest performing urban public schools in the country.

We believe that an outstanding education, based on strong mastery of academic skills and knowledge, prepares young people to build positive futures for themselves and become, as adults, community leaders. A culture of academic excellence-in which all children are expected to read on or above grade level, in which all children are expected to master one year of high school algebra by the end of grade 8, and in which all children are expected to act in respectful and honorable ways-is key to that development. Leadership Prep is dedicated to providing the outstanding education necessary to develop leaders.

Leadership Prep currently serves 250 students in grades K-3. We will add a grade as our students move up and take in new kindergarteners each year until we serve students in grades K through 8.


Inspiration

Leadership Prep is based on the practices and approaches of the highest performing urban public schools in the country. These "No Excuses" schools use structure, academic rigor, and extra support to achieve college success and exemplary character. Through reliance on the practice and approaches proven to work at successful schools, we will ensure that our students achieve at the highest levels in high school, college, and beyond.


History

In September of 2004 a group of concerned citizens from Bedford-Stuyvesant and the City at large began meeting to discuss the possibility of creating a new, high-performing public school for the children of Bedford-Stuyvesant. These people were alarmed and dismayed by the large number of students who were dropping of high school and the small numbers of students completing college. They shared the strong belief that education creates opportunity in life. They sought to provide more students from Bedford-Stuyvesant with an elementary school education that prepares them to achieve at the highest levels in high school, college, and beyond. This group applied to the State and was chartered in July 2005 to open a public, charter, elementary school in Bedford-Stuyvesant.