named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
Academic Curriculum
Arts-integrated academics in Humanities (using Wit & Wisdom), Math (using iReadyMath), and Science (aligned with Next Generation Science Standards), with all 8th graders taking the Living Environment Regents.
Core Arts Program
Required arts instruction three times a week, with 6th graders in piano, 7th graders in visual art, and 8th graders in Creative Connections integrating academic topics with art forms.
Ensemble Electives
Elective arts courses including Theater, Digital Storytelling, CSA Writers, Visual Art, Dance, Piano, Strings, Vocal Music, and Music Technology, offered three times a week.
Social-Emotional Learning (Responsive Classroom)
Daily advisory, small groups, and evidence-based SEL practices fostering community, behavior management, and student engagement across the school day.
activities · 7 groups
What they do
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Comprehensive K–12 Arts Education 3 activities
- Host annual student performances and public exhibitionsOrganizes and presents annual public performances including piano recitals, winter showcases, Shakespeare plays, spring musicals, NYSMA competitions, juried visual art shows, and literary arts events. These include student-submitted creative writing and a literary magazine.
- Offer elective ensemble arts programsProvides ensemble arts electives three to four times per week for all students in theater, digital storytelling, creative writing, visual art, dance, piano, strings, vocal music, music technology, and other disciplines, with participation culminating in public performances and exhibitions.
- Provide required arts instruction by grade levelOffers required piano instruction three times per week for all 6th-grade students, required visual art instruction at the same frequency for 7th graders, and a required interdisciplinary course called Creative Connections for 8th graders that integrates academics with in-depth exploration of an art form.
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Comprehensive K–8 Academic Curriculum 1 activity
- Deliver integrated arts and academic curriculumImplements arts-integrated instruction across core academic subjects to enhance student comprehension, retention, and engagement. This includes using the Wit & Wisdom curriculum for Humanities and i-Ready Math for problem-based math learning, alongside Next Generation Science Standards-aligned science instruction.
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Perinatal Support Services 1 activity
- Ensure academic and extracurricular continuity for pregnant studentsAllows pregnant students to remain in regular education and extracurricular activities during pregnancy and ensures they can return to the same academic and extracurricular program after giving birth.
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Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Programs 1 activity
- Foster student community and social-emotional developmentSupports student well-being through daily morning advisory, small group sessions, restorative conflict resolution practices, and strong adult-student relationships. Builds community via circle discussions, clubs such as Student Government, and partnerships with Manhattan Youth for after-school programming including sports.
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Charter School Admissions Lottery Management 1 activity
- Manage student enrollment and admissions processConducts an annual admissions lottery (e.g., 2025 lottery scheduled for April 11), accepts applications for immediate enrollment in select grades, maintains a waiting list, and automatically enrolls all eligible applicants.
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Charter School Operations 1 activity
- Operate an arts-based charter school in Lower ManhattanProvides a comprehensive middle school education integrating rigorous academics with intensive arts training for students in grades 6–8. The school is located in the Lower Manhattan neighborhood of New York City and operates under a charter school model.
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Independent and Charter K-12 Schools 1 activity
- Support student academic achievement and high school admissionsProvides Regents exam preparation in Algebra and Living Environment, with over 76% of 8th graders passing the Living Environment exam and about 30% passing the Algebra I exam. Offers counseling and support resulting in nearly 80% of students accepted to one of their top three high school choices, including over 90% of applicants to arts-based high schools receiving at least one offer in 2022.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$6.88M
Contributions & grants$217K3%
Program service revenue$6.57M96%
Investment income$56K1%
Other revenue$36K
expenses
Total expenses$7.33M
Program expenses85%
Admin / overhead14%
Fundraising1%
Salaries & benefits$4.41M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$6.64M
Cash$1.30M
Investments$0
Liabilities$5.23M
Net assets$1.42M
Liquid reserves2.1 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -3.3%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 7
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| RANDALL WILLIAM ISERMAN | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR THRU 7/17/24 | 40 | $162K |
| GEOFFREY KIORPES | ARTISTIC DIRECTOR | 40 | $161K |
| ELISA MURPHY | CURRICULUM & DATA ADVISOR | 40 | $134K |
| DESIREE JONES | DIRECTOR OF SCHOOL COMM. CULT | 40 | $127K |
| AENGUS LUZ ORTIZ | DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATION | 40 | $122K |
| BOW YOUNG KIM | DEPT. HEAD - HUMANITIES | 40 | $121K |
| HANNAH JOY KEHN | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR THRU 12/31/24 | 40 | $112K |
board members · 9
- ADAM FALKNER — TRUSTEE
- LAURA BLANFEIN — BOARD CHAIR
- LAURENCE HEILBRONN — TRUSTEE
- MARK HALL — TRUSTEE
- MATTHIAS EDERER — TRUSTEE
- MAX OSSE — SECRETARY
- MICHELE MURPHY GASTELL — TRUSTEE
- PETER SACK — TREASURER
- STEPHEN MAK — TRUSTEE
relationships · 27
Who they work with
- Black Gotham Experience Partner — Partnership supporting student arts and cultural education
- Chicago Atlantic Group Partner — Peter Sack serves as Managing Director & Co-President
- Desiree Jones Government — Title IX Coordinator responsible for handling discrimination complaints at the school.
- Dr. Geoffrey Kiorpes Partner — Co-founder and instructor who launched the school's initial piano program
- Ethical Culture Fieldston School Partner — Shared trustee leadership with Laura Blankfein serving on both boards
- Fulcrum Analytics Partner — Max Osse serves as Senior Vice President, Information Technology
- Good Morning America Partner — Media partner that has highlighted the school's whole-child approach.
- Harvard University Project Zero Partner — References Harvard's Project Zero research on the impact of arts in education on academics, civic engagement, and social justice.
- Jamie Davidson Partner — Instructional leader and co-founder who helped integrate arts into the school's core mission
- Kate Quarfordt Partner — Co-founder and theater educator who developed the school's early theater programming
- Manhattan Youth Partner — Provides after-school programming, including sports, for CSA students.
- Manhattan Youth Partner — Provides after-school programming, including sports, in partnership with the school.
- NY Youth Orchestra Partner — Partnership supporting student music education and performance
- New York State Government — Follows New York State law requiring a lottery-based admissions process for charter schools.
- Oliver Scholars Partner — Mark Hall serves as Vice President of Admissions and Placement
- Pix 11 Partner — Media partner that has covered the school's curriculum and mentorship programs.
- Responsive Classroom Partner — Cites Responsive Classroom practices as aligned with arts-integrated instruction and references their published resources.
- SUNY Government — Charter school operating within the SUNY portfolio of schools
- SchoolMint Partner — Hosts the online application portal for admissions.
- Spence School Partner — Michele Murphy serves as Director of Curriculum
- St. Bernard's School Partner — Laurence Heilbronn serves as Treasurer
- The Berkeley Carroll School Partner — Stephen Mak serves as Assistant Head of School for Program and Innovation
- The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Partner — References the Kennedy Center's Changing Education Through The Arts program as a resource for arts integration.
- Theater for a New Audience Partner — Partnership supporting student theater and performance programs
- U.S. Department of Education Government — Follows ESSA Title I requirements through its Parent and Family Engagement Policy.
- Uncommon Schools Partner — Shared trustee leadership with Laura Blankfein serving on both boards
- Urban Word Partner — Adam Falkner serves as Chief Operating Officer
strategies · 3
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.
- Arts-Integrated Whole Child Educationmethodology: arts_integrationBy integrating arts, academics, and social-emotional learning within a co-taught, developmentally responsive environment, the school supports holistic student development because this interconnected approach deepens engagement, accessibility, and personal connection to learning.
- Equity-Centered Access and Enrollmentmethodology: equitable_accessBy removing academic or artistic barriers to entry and using a lottery-based admissions system with targeted enrollment preferences for at-risk students, the school ensures equitable access because this increases inclusion and representation of historically underserved populations in arts education.
- Restorative and Responsive Social-Emotional Learningmethodology: restorative-practicesBy grounding socioemotional development in restorative practices and the Responsive Classroom framework, the school builds positive community and behavior management because these approaches foster developmental responsiveness, belonging, and accountability across the school day.