named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
Advisory Program (DREAM)
Advisory curriculum built on Diversity, Respect, Empowerment, Advocacy, and Motivation to support student development and community leadership.
College Counseling Program
Comprehensive college guidance including 1:1 application support, college trips, financial aid workshops, and a grade-specific college advising course starting in junior year.
Dual-Language Program
Immersive instruction in both Spanish and English, alternating weekly for core subjects to develop bilingual proficiency and academic excellence.
Mini-Mester
Two-week accelerated summer course focusing on language development through field trips and culturally responsive education in cities like Washington D.C. and Philadelphia.
activities · 8 groups
What they do
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College Preparatory Secondary Education 1 activity
- Bilingual education program for grades 6–12Provides academic instruction in Spanish and English to prepare students in grades 6–12 for college and leadership, using a dual-language model and co-teaching approach to support mutual language development and academic excellence.
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Individualized Academic Support 1 activity
- Co-teaching instructional modelImplements a co-teaching model in which two teachers collaboratively plan and deliver instruction, monitor student progress, and manage classrooms to enhance learning outcomes.
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College Access and Success Support 1 activity
- College preparation and counseling servicesOffers grade-specific college counseling starting in junior year, organizes college visits beginning in 9th grade, hosts college representative sessions, provides parent workshops on financial aid and applications, and delivers one-on-one senior counseling to support college readiness and transitions.
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Interscholastic and Inclusive School Sports Programs 1 activity
- Interscholastic sports programsOperates soccer, volleyball, baseball, softball, basketball, and flag football teams for male and female students at both middle and high school levels.
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Child & Youth Meal Programs 1 activity
- Nutritious meal service for studentsProvides nutritious meals to middle and high school students to support physical and cognitive development, academic performance, and overall well-being.
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Educational Field Trips and Experiential Outings 1 activity
- Real-world field learning programConducts monthly field lessons and operates a two-week June Mini-Mester program with field trips to culturally significant sites such as the Statue of Liberty, the Bronx Zoo, Washington D.C., and Philadelphia to apply classroom knowledge in real-world contexts.
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Student Progress Assessment & Program Evaluation 1 activity
- Standardized academic assessment systemAdministers interim assessments every six weeks using Scholastic Reading Inventory, Scholastic Math Inventory, and NWEA tools to monitor student progress and inform instruction.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- New York State Seal of Biliteracy preparation and recognitionEncourages and prepares all students to earn the New York State Seal of Biliteracy, recognizing graduates who attain high proficiency in English and one or more world languages.
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financials · form 990 · fy2023
revenue
Total revenue$16.57M
Contributions & grants$4.14M25%
Program service revenue$12.11M73%
Investment income$260K2%
Other revenue$66K
expenses
Total expenses$17.99M
Program expenses81%
Admin / overhead19%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$11.99M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$38.70M
Cash$832K
Investments$5.87M
Liabilities$33.08M
Net assets$5.62M
Liquid reserves4.5 mo
5 years on record · 2019–2023 · YoY revenue +0.1%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2023
Who runs it
paid leadership · 5
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| MELISSA MELKONIAN | PRINCIPAL | 40 | $272K |
| NICHOLAS GALLAGHER | CHIEF OF STA | 40 | $214K |
| BEATRIZ BANUELOS | MIDDLE SCHOO | 40 | $206K |
| JESUS A GARCIA | HIGH SCHOOL | 40 | $181K |
| GREGORIO MIRANDA | HIGH SCHOOL | 40 | $181K |
board members · 5
- ANGELO CABRERA — BOARD MEMBER
- LUZ M ROJAS — CHAIRMAN
- PATRICIA SIMON — BOARD MEMBER
- ROSELIN ESPINAL — TREASURER
- ZULEIKA MARTINEZ — SECRETARY
relationships · 6
Who they work with
- Board on Track Partner — Uses Board on Track's public portal for board governance transparency.
- CUNY Partner — College partner for student visits and application support.
- Michael Duque Partner — Dean of Curriculum and Instruction quoted supporting the co-teaching model; individual affiliation not specified
- Red Rabbit Partner — Partner organization that provides scratch-made, culturally informed, nutritious meals to students at The American Dream School.
- SUNY Partner — College partner for student visits and application support.
- Zoom Partner — Hosts the school's public admissions lottery via Zoom webinar.
strategies · 4
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Biliteracy Through Dual-Language Instructionmethodology: dual_language_educationBy alternating weekly between English and Spanish as the language of instruction in core subjects, we develop bilingualism and academic excellence, because immersive, content-integrated language learning deepens cognitive engagement and long-term language retention.
- Culturally Responsive Education Through Community Integrationmethodology: culturally-responsive-community-partnershipBy integrating community members' cultural experiences into the curriculum and fostering a "village" model, we strengthen student belonging and learning, because education is more effective when it reflects and is co-constructed with students' cultural and familial contexts.
- Experiential Learning for Critical Thinkingmethodology: experiential_learningBy using field studies and project-based learning as core components, we deepen understanding and build critical thinking, because real-world experiences make abstract concepts tangible and increase student engagement.
- Nutrition as a Foundation for Learningmethodology: nutrition_supports_learningBy providing nutrient-rich, culturally familiar meals, we improve academic performance and emotional well-being, because physical and cognitive development depend on reliable, high-quality nutrition and a sense of cultural affirmation.