York Preparatory School

Infobox Secondary school
name = York Preparatory School

established = 1969
type = Private coeducational
city = Manhattan
state = New York
country = USA
accreditation = Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
founder = Ronald Stewart and Jayme Stewart
principal = Chris Durnford
students = approx. 340
grades = 6-12
mascot = panther
colors = blue and yellow
newspaper = The Paw
yearbook = The Legend
website = [http://www.yorkprep.org/default.asp?bhcp=1 York Prep]

York Preparatory School is an independent. prestigious [cite web |url= http://www.mtvnetworks.co.uk/?q=node/18 |title= Ice-T's Rap School |accessdate=2008-09-27 |work = MTV Networks] university-preparatory school in the Lincoln Center area New York City.

Overview

The coeducational school provides instruction to approximately 340 students between 6th and 12th grades.cite web | url = http://www.nysais.org/page.cfm?p=259 | title = York Preparatory School | work = New York State Association of Independent Schools | accessdate = 2008-09-03] . The student:teacher ratio is 6:1. [citation |publication-date = 2008 |title = Best New York City Private & Selective Public high Schools |publication-place = New York |publisher = The Princeton Review, Inc. | page = 194]

York Prep is approved by the New York State Board of Regents and accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.. [cite web |url= http://www.css-msa.org/search.php?MODE=VIEW(NY306)&org=CSS |title= Directory of Members |accessdate=2008-09-19 |work = Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools: Commission on Secondary Schools]

History

York Prep started in 1969 with 139 students in grades 6-12 and by 1972 had 212. [cite news |first= Sandi |last= Cushman |title= “A Private School Should Fit Your Child’s Needs” |publisher= Sunday News |location= New York |page= 128 |date= 1972-06-11 |accessdate=2008-09-22] The school is family-based, with founder Ronald Stewart serving as headmaster and his wife Jayme Stewart as director of college guidance. Jayme Stewart, who has shared college entry tips with CNN, [cite web | first = Eric | last = Schurenberg | coauthors = Jan Alexander | date = 1989-05-01 | title = The agony of college admissions | url = http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/moneymag_archive/1989/05/01/85114/index.htm | publisher = CNN | accessdate = 2009-09-03] is also the author of a 1991 book, "How to Get into the College of Your Choice: And How to Finance It". [cite news | first = Tessa | last = Melvin | title = If you're thinking of living in | date = 1994-11-06 | work = The New York Times | url = http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE0D9173EF935A35752C1A962958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all | accessdate = 2009-09-03] Their son-in-law, Chris Durnford, is the principal.

Academics

The curriculum provides a foundation in the traditional core subjects of a liberal arts education--English, mathematics, social studies, science, and foreign language. In addition, students can choose from a wide range of specialized electives. [cite web |title = “Learning at York” |url = http://www.yorkprep.org/academics/learning/ |publisher = York Prep School | accessdate = 2009-09-23]

The school uses a system called “tracking,” which places students in one of several ability groups available in every subject area. This allows students to work at an advanced pace through Honors courses, AP classes, and the Scholars Program, in subjects in which they excel, and at a moderate pace in those subjects where they need more guidance. Also, York Prep’s Jump Start Program enables students with different learning styles to function successfully in an academically-challenging mainstream setting. Study skills, test-taking skills, and organizational skills are key components of this supplemental program. [citation |publication-date = 2008 |title = Best New York City Private & Selective Public high Schools |publication-place = New York |publisher = The Princeton Review, Inc. | page = 193]

Parents are kept informed of a student's progress through individual reports posted every week on Edline, a component of the York Prep web site. Each family sign in with a unique password and can see their child's progress in all academic subjects. [cite web |url = http://www.petersons.com/pschools/code/IDD.asp?orderLineNum=917852-1&reprjid=11&inunId=2620&typeVC=InstVC&sponsor=1 |title = York Preparatory School: School Close-Up |work = Peterson's |accessdate: 2008-09-18]

Facilities

The school, which then housed 250 students, made news in 1997 when it expanded in an unusual transaction, trading property with Ramaz School. [cite news|first = Mervyn |last=Rothstein | title=School plans to build at another's site| url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A00EED8173BF932A15756C0A961958260 | work = The New York Times | date = 1997-05-21 | accessdate = 2008-09-03] Ramaz purchased a new building for York Preparatory at 68th Street and traded that for the existing school at East 85th Street.

The new site--a seven-level granite building--houses three computer labs, a large gym, an art studio, and two professionally equipped science labs. [citation |publication-date = 2005 |title = The Bunting and Lyon Blue Book |publication-place = Wallingford, CT |publisher = Bunting and Lyon, Inc. | page = 304]

York Prep in film and television

*The front of the school was featured in the film "Elf" starring Will Ferrell.
*The school and several of its students were featured in the series "Ice-T's Rap School", a 6-part reality show aired on VH1 in 2006 where the rapper introduced eight of York Prep's students to rap and rap culture. [cite news | first = Adam | last = Buckman | title = Gift rapped | work = New York Post | url = http://www.nypost.com/seven/10172006/tv/gift_rapped_tv_adam_buckman.htm | date = 2006-10-17 | accessdate = 2008-09-03 ]

Notable alumni

*Liv Tyler, model and actress [cite news | first = Madeline | Maguire | title = Liv Tyler | url = http://www.okmagazine.com.au/celebrities.html?p=celebrityProfile&celebrityId=85 | work = Ok! Online | accessdate = 2008-09-16]
*Kelly Klein, photographer and ex-wife of Calvin Klein [cite news | title = Celebrity Prep Schools| url = http://www.celebrityprepschools.com/part5.htm | work = Ok! Online | accessdate = 2008-09-16]
*Robert E. Chambers, alumnicite news | first =Sabrina | last=Tavernise | title= Drugs send Chambers, '86 killer, back to jail | work = The New York Times | url = http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/30/nyregion/30chambers.html?pagewanted=all | date = 2005-08-30 |accessdate = 2008-09-03]
*Alexis Rockman, artist [cite news | first = Sarah | last = Bernard | title = Jungle Boy | url = http://nymag.com/nymetro/arts/features/3905/ | work = New York Magazine| date = 2000-10-09 | accessdate = 2008-09-18]
*James De La Vega, artist [cite news | first = Colin | last = Fleming | title = Spanish Harlem's Hero | url = http://www.smithsonianmag.com/specialsections/innovators/de-la-vega.html | work = Smithsonian Magazine | date = 2007-10 | accessdate = 2008-09-16]
* [http://www.mitchellschorr.com Mitchell Schorr] , artist

References