At New City School® we recognize that students must be prepared for tomorrow's challenges with a rigorous academic curriculum. Our students average more than three years above grade level on standardized tests. But those achievements form only the foundation. At New City we work towards genuine understanding. Our students are taught how to discover the question, work as members of a team, and solve the problem. These skills will continue to be the hallmarks of successful members of society. We rely on more than just textbooks. By teaching through experiences we ensure that our students don't just memorize facts, but develop a genuine understanding of the curriculum. Here are a few examples of how our teachers turn familiar elementary school units into memorable events students are still talking about years later. First graders create and present plant museums. Third graders research and build Our use of Multiple Intelligences theory as a basis for curriculum enhances the strength of our academic program. It allows children to develop in many different ways and to use their range of strengths and talents in learning and growing. Our kids learn how to solve problems while appreciating the fun and excitement of the process! New City School® helps students find the pathways to learning that best fit their talents. At the same time, kids learn to appreciate the strengths of others, a big step toward understanding differences and building bridges of cooperation towards common goals. Our students graduate with confidence about their futures. Their success, both as achievers and group leaders, is noted often by their secondary school teachers. We are proud they attend schools such as Chaminade, Crossroads, John Burroughs, Mary Institute Country Day, St. Louis Priory, Villa Duchesne, Visitation Academy, and Whitfield as well as local parochial and public schools.
The Name The Biome reflects our belief that the learning environment is critical to student success and must be responsive to the talents and individual academic needs of children. Just as a savannah biome supports a diverse array of life and interactions, The Biome will support the diverse academic needs and abilities of our students, and will encourage meaningful interaction of students and adults who will contribute positively to the school and larger communities. Curriculum Approach The Biome will be a model for integrating student-centered learning, project-based opportunities, and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics) within a nurturing, academic ecosystem. The Biome’s curriculum and overall course of study will include the following core features: • Intensive provision of concentrated literacy and math instruction in the early grades; • Ongoing use of integrated/multidisciplinary units and lessons from kindergarten through grade 8; • Annual STEAM-focused and project-based thematic units, beginning in kindergarten and increasing in rigor and emphasis through grade 8; and • Year-end culminating portfolio presentations for 3rd – 8th graders. Initially, school leadership will use research-based purchased curriculum in literacy, math, science, and social studies to provide a foundation for ongoing curriculum development; however, the curriculum will ultimately be customized by experts with the aid of experienced classroom and school leaders, thereby ensuring that the curriculum remains rigorous and applicable to real-world settings. Grades Served The Biome will begin serving students in kindergarten and first grade, and will grow by one grade each year, eventually operating as a K-8 school by 2022-23. Student Benefits The Biome’s students will be dynamic and creative thinkers, working within an innovative environment with expert classroom leaders in whole- and small-group settings to first develop the core math and literacy skills that serve as prerequisites for ongoing learning, and then apply these skills in progressively challenging and aligned lessons and projects. A strong foundation of literacy and math in the early grades (K-2) will ensure that The Biome’s students will be prepared to engage in accelerated STEAM coursework and projects, culminating in students leaving The Biome with a portfolio of work exemplifying their experience and learning over the course of nine years. Students will benefit from a school climate that respects and nurtures their individuality, while enabling them to grow in confidence through real, measurable achievement. The Biome’s students will graduate from 8th grade well-exposed to STEAM coursework and careers, comfortable with and energized by interacting with a variety of stakeholders in their community, and on track to thrive in high school.
Soldan International Studies High School is a public magnet high school in the Academy neighborhood of St. Louis, Missouri that is part of the St. Louis Public Schools. From its opening in 1909, Soldan was known for its wealthy and predominantly Jewish student population. Starting in the 1950s, the student population underwent a rapid change in demographics; by the mid-1960s, it was predominantly African American. In the early 1990s, the school was renovated and reopened as a magnet school with a focus on international relations.Soldan currently offers its students several athletic and academic opportunities, including cross country, football, soccer, tennis, softball and volleyball. Its dropout rate is lower than the state average, and it is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. It has several notable alumni and former students, including politicians, authors, academics, and athletes.HistoryConstruction and early yearsBy the end of the 1890s, the population of the city had increased to more than 575,000, but since 1855, the St. Louis Public Schools had operated only one high school. To meet the need for greater space for high school students, the school district built two new high schools in 1904. Three years later, the district began building a fourth high school, which would become Soldan. Known during its construction as Union Avenue High School and renamed Soldan High School upon opening, the school was named for Frank Louis Soldan, the superintendent of St. Louis schools from 1895 until his death in 1908. Land acquisition costs for the building were $10,000, and construction cost $630,000.
The mission of Union Avenue Opera is to provide professional opportunities for gifted, emerging artists and to offer vibrant and affordable opera experiences in original languages to audiences that reflect the breadth and diversity of the St. Louis region. Believing that the arts are vital to the health and reputation of a community, Union Avenue Opera is committed to its urban setting, educational outreach and artistic integrity.