New Heights Academy Charter School, honored with a Newsweek and World Report Silver medal, is actively seeking financial assistance from donors. The aim is to enhance their programs, facilities, equipment, and staff experiences. Established in 2006 by a dedicated group of educators, parents, and community members, this licensed charter school has been resourceful in stretching funding to meet the evolving needs of learners in the underserved and underfunded District 6 of Upper Manhattan. However, the Academy aspires to achieve even more for their scholars with increased funding.
New Heights Academy, a charter school distinguished by its specialized staff and unwavering commitment to excellence, is renowned for its students who are recognized as disciplined, bright, and empathetic individuals. This reputation is fostered by the school's college-like environment, where students are encouraged to cultivate independence throughout their educational journey. Serving students from 5th through 12th grade, New Heights Academy has achieved an outstanding 100% college acceptance rate over the past decade.
The accomplished charter school has been recognized by notable publications and educational organizations for its quality programs. New Heights was named a top institution for middle and high school students. It ranked #6 for its 5th through 8th grade programs. The school has also received numerous grants and donations from supply-filled backpacks to financial contributions amounting to $158,000.
Even with this assistance, New Heights Academy still requires funding. The school is ineligible for rental assistance stipends since its establishment predates the legislation. Moreover, the charter school faces substantial costs and narrow profit margins, which impact the available funding for teacher development and continuous facility maintenance and upgrades.
Once New Heights Academy receives financial support from donors, the school plans to distribute it immediately. As costs have risen post-pandemic, the Academy needs to set aside capital to pay for increasing building costs, increases in wages, upgrades to equipment, and to hire specialized instructors.
“New Heights Academy has made commendable progress in improving the educational outcomes of local students despite having less funding than traditional public schools and other charter school competitors,” says Executive Director Dr. Christina Dukes Brown. “We’ve demonstrated our expertise in managing budgets and making ends meet, but educational institutions and their students require ample funding to stay competitive, overcome talent shortages, and upgrade curriculums with in-demand topics like software development and AI. That’s why we’re looking for donor assistance, as it’s a critical way for us to remain successful.”
Supplemental funding will bring direct impacts to New Heights Academy’s services and the experiences of students. The entire staff is hopeful that funding targets can be met and improvements can be implemented as soon as possible.
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