About
Our Mission
The Growing Up Green Charter School (GUGCS) supports children to be conscious, contributing members of their community through a rigorous, anti-racist, anti-bias, curriculum and an engaging green culture. Graduates of GUGCS will be prepared to attend high-performing schools where their interdisciplinary academic foundation, knowledge of sustainability, and strong sense of self sets them apart as leaders and social justice advocates of the future.
Our Vision
GUGCS envisions an inclusive and diverse school community devoted to doing the work to create an equitable space. GUGCS places students at the center of their education through authentic, relevant, and rigorous learning experiences grounded in inquiry. Graduates of GUGCS will be innately curious learners, open-minded thinkers, compassionate critics, productive problem-solvers, and passionate challengers of the status quo who embrace differences. Graduates will act to promote an environmentally sustainable future and will face personal and social adversity with a growth mindset.
Core Values
Kindness
Kindness is being generous and considerate with ourselves and others.
Collaboration
Collaboration is the practice of working together.
Courage
Courage is the ability to bravely speak, think and act for what we believe.
Social Justice
Social Justice is our practice of actively taking a stance to fight against inequities and injustices to strive for a more equitable future for all.
Key Design Elements
Green Education
Green principles inform the curriculum, instruction and culture of our schools. A segment of each day at GUGCS’ is known as Explore and Discover (ED) Time, where many of our green themes emerge as students work on interdisciplinary social studies projects that incorporate skills from all other subjects.Hands-On Learning in the Local Environment: Our model uses a multi-sensory approach that is enhanced by weekly visits to the school’s Science Lab and regular field trips.
Actionable Assessment System
Growing Up Green uses internally developed “Looking Forward, Looking Back” assessments to guide curriculum development and instructional planning, evaluate programs, focus professional development and hold teachers accountable.
Deliberate School Culture
At Growing Up Green, sustainability refers not only to resources, but to relationships as well. We use the Responsive Classroom approach school-wide to build social skills and foster a positive learning environment.
Professional Environments
Growing Up Green expects teachers to be active learners and models of lifelong learning for students.
Intervention and Support Systems
At Growing Up Green, we utilize many internal data systems, which quickly identify struggling students so that we can immediately apply supports and interventions to ensure each student makes continued progress.
History
Growing Up Green Charter Schools first opened in 2009 in Long Island City serving 150 students in kindergarten and first grade. It has since expanded to include two schools, grades K-8 which serve almost 1,500 students from across Queens. Both our Jamaica and Long Island City schools support a diverse population of learners who graduate 8th grade to go on to some of the top-performing high schools in New York.
This success over more than 15 years is no accident. It is a result of an outstanding team of administrators, teachers, social workers, deans, and operations folks who each day are committed to seeing that children at Growing Up Green receive the academic, social, and emotional support they need to succeed at the highest level. Our success is also because of the strong relationships we have with the families of Growing Up Green and the relationships we have developed with community leaders in Queens.
