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SCHOOL IN THE SQUARE PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL
NEW YORK, NY · EIN 810932728 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE B29 · Education · Large ($10M-$50M) · schoolinthesquare.org
revenue
$27.2M
expenses
$28.9M
net assets
$716
employees
214
volunteers
12
program ratio
78%
mission · from form 990

S2'S MISSION IS TO ENGAGE, EDUCATE, AND EMPOWER ADOLESCENTS IN WASHINGTON HEIGHTS, A NEIGHBORHOOD IN UPPER MANHATTAN, TO RESPOND MINDFULLY AND CREATIVELY TO LIFE'S OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES, THROUGH THE OPERATION OF A CHARTER SCHOOL.

profile · synthesized from sources

School in the Square Public Charter School is a tuition-free public charter school serving students from Pre-K through 11th grade in Washington Heights and Inwood, Manhattan. The school partners with families to engage, educate, and empower adolescents through a "relationships first" philosophy. It emphasizes academic success, social-emotional support, and community resources, including a monthly food pantry and family counseling.

named programs · 3 · from sources

What they call their work

Family Support Programs
Includes a monthly food pantry, coat and toy drives, counseling services, and family resource hubs to support student well-being and family stability.
Social-Emotional Support
Team-based support system providing students with tools to navigate challenges, build resilience, and grow socially and emotionally.
Summer Boost
Free summer learning program for current and incoming S2 students in grades K–9, offering focused instruction in English Language Arts and math, enrichment activities, and daily meals.
activities · 9 groups

What they do

  • Play-Based Early Childhood Education 1 activity
    • Deliver developmentally appropriate classroom instruction
      Designs classroom learning activities that develop children’s social, language, and cognitive skills through investigation and collaborative play. Operates learning centers within classrooms to encourage exploratory learning aligned with curriculum goals.
  • Summer Academic Enrichment Programs 1 activity
    • Deliver summer learning and enrichment programs
      Runs a summer program that includes at least three hours of daily instruction in English language arts and math, along with rotating activities in art, sports, and field trips. The Summer Boost program serves breakfast and lunch daily and has demonstrated academic gains, with participants achieving approximately four additional weeks of math learning and two additional weeks of reading progress compared to non-participants.
  • Safe and Inclusive School Environment 1 activity
    • Implement inclusive and supportive learning environments
      Maintains a safe and supportive learning environment free from harassment, intimidation, bullying, and discrimination based on protected characteristics. Uses a “relationships first” approach grounded in intentional listening and mutual understanding to support students, families, and staff.
  • Interscholastic and Inclusive School Sports Programs 1 activity
    • Offer interscholastic sports programs
      Provides students with opportunities to participate in multiple sports teams each season, including volleyball, basketball, soccer, and flag football.
  • After-School Academic and Enrichment Programs 1 activity
    • Offer student tutoring and supplementary programs
      Provides student tutoring through volunteer engagement and offers supplementary academic and enrichment programs at no cost or reduced cost to families.
  • Food Distribution and Hunger Relief 1 activity
    • Operate a biweekly food pantry for families
      Distributes fresh produce, canned goods, dry staples, and personal care items biweekly at no cost to current and alumni families, serving approximately 300 families per month. The program has distributed 83 tons of food since inception.
  • Charter School Operations 1 activity
    • Operate a tuition-free public charter school
      Provides free public charter education to over 800 students in Pre-K through 11th grade across four campuses in Washington Heights, Inwood, and the Bronx, with plans to expand to 12th grade by the 2027–28 school year. The school offers a comprehensive academic program aligned with Common Core standards, including English language arts, math, sciences, social studies, Spanish, arts, and physical education.
  • Community Event-Based Giving Programs 1 activity
    • Provide family support and community engagement programs
      Supports families through the Family Council, urgent needs assistance, parent leadership development, and connections to local resources. Organizes seasonal coat and toy drives and hosts open houses and welcome events for prospective families.
  • Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Programs 1 activity
    • Provide social-emotional learning and support services
      Offers social-emotional learning (SEL) instruction and support to all students through dedicated SEL curricula and a Social-Emotional Support team. The program teaches skills in self-awareness, self-management, relationship building, and responsible decision-making, supported by 12:1 student-to-teacher Placita groups that foster goal-setting and self-advocacy.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$27.24M
Contributions & grants$26.84M99%
Program service revenue$163K1%
Investment income$82K0%
Other revenue$154K
expenses
Total expenses$28.85M
Program expenses78%
Admin / overhead22%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$15.45M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$91.84M
Cash$1.13M
Investments$1.58M
Liabilities$91.84M
Net assets$716
Liquid reserves1.1 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue +29.3%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 10
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
EVAN MEYERS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 40 $340K
YEOU JEY VASCONCELOS HEAD OF SCHOOLS 40 $292K
JUMAANE SAUNDERS PRINCIPAL 40 $234K
PANOREA PANAGIOSOULIS PRINCIPAL 40 $195K
CAROLYN DISBROW COO 40 $182K
KIMBERLY GUILLEN ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL 40 $172K
LUIS ALFREDO GALLEGOS ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL 40 $160K
HANNAH WERNO PRINCIPAL 40 $152K
SHELLEY MURRAY ASSESSMENT COORDINATOR 40 $151K
REBECCA MORALES SCHOOL COUNSELOR 40 $132K
board members · 12
  • ANDREW CAVANNA — TRUSTEE
  • ANDREW HENRIQUEZ — TRUSTEE
  • JOEL TALISH — TRUSTEE
  • LORI LANDGARTEN — TRUSTEE
  • LUCY VASSERMAN — TRUSTEE
  • MICHAEL POLLACK — TRUSTEE
  • MICHELLE DELONG — SECRETARY
  • MINDY TUCKER — TREASURER
  • PETER GATOF — TRUSTEE
  • SCOTT GOTTLIEB — TRUSTEE
  • SCOTT LEVENSON — CHAIR
  • WALTER RENDON — TRUSTEE
relationships · 14

Who they work with

  • Andrew Walker Partner — Chief Academic Officer at School in the Square, part of the leadership team advancing the school's educational model.
  • Bloomberg Philanthropies Funder — Supports the Summer Boost program
  • Consejo Familiar Partner — Family advisory council involved in school-family collaboration and resource access.
  • Evan Meyers Partner — Executive Director and Founder of School in the Square, leading the organization's vision and operations.
  • Evan Meyers Partner — Founded School in the Square in 2016 after completing a principal apprenticeship and School Leadership studies.
  • Family Council Partner — Collaborates with families through the Family Council as part of its family support programs.
  • Family Council Partner — Collaborative body where families participate in shaping programs and community initiatives.
  • Inwood Government — Location of early childhood and elementary school campuses
  • Mary Fasano Partner — Leadership team member at School in the Square, involved in advancing the school's educational and community goals.
  • Next Generation Leaders Partner — Group of early-career professionals who contribute time, talent, and support to the school and its students.
  • ParentSquare Partner — Uses ParentSquare for school communications, event reminders, and announcements to families.
  • SchoolMint Partner — Partner organization used for online application processing.
  • Tempest Whyte Partner — Leadership team member at School in the Square, contributing to the implementation of the school's educational mission.
  • Washington Heights Government — Location of middle and high school campuses
strategies · 5

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.

  • Community-as-Hub Model
    methodology: community_as_hub
    By organizing the school as a public square and community anchor, we strengthen student and family engagement, because shared spaces for learning, support, and celebration foster collective ownership, mutual support, and sustained participation across generations.
  • Comprehensive Student Support
    methodology: comprehensive_student_support
    By integrating academics, arts, counseling, athletics, and family supports, we empower students holistically, because sustained engagement and growth require addressing academic, emotional, and social needs simultaneously.
  • Family Well-Being as Foundation for Student Success
    methodology: family_well_being_support
    By supporting family well-being and capacity, we improve student outcomes, because children thrive academically when their families are stable, resourced, and empowered as partners in education.
  • Relationships-First Education
    methodology: relationships_first
    By prioritizing strong, trusting relationships between students, teachers, and families, we foster emotional safety and engagement, because students learn best when they feel known, heard, and supported, and families participate more actively when they feel included as partners in the community.
  • Resonant and Experiential Learning
    methodology: experiential_learning
    By designing learning experiences that connect to students' lives, identities, and aspirations, we increase engagement and academic thriving, because education becomes meaningful when it reflects students' realities and future goals.