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Summer Steps at
The Brick Church School

About Summer Steps

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Summer Steps is a program for four- and five-year-old children who will be entering kindergarten or applying to kindergarten at an independent school the following fall, and whose family taxable income is under $80,000 or if the family is paying less than 10% of the ongoing school tuition or less than 20% of the early childhood school tuition.  In 2023, the program will run from Monday, June 26 through Friday, July 28. Hours are from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. with an optional early drop-off at 8:00 a.m. and optional extended day until 6:00 p.m.

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Program Description

 

Summer Steps prepares children for optimal participation and success in kindergarten aiming to facilitate cognitive, social, emotional and physical development through a wide variety of learning experiences. Class time is balanced to include teacher-initiated activities designed to assist with specific school readiness skill development and child-initiated exploration of a wide variety of materials and centers designed to stimulate, engage, and foster excitement and enthusiasm for learning.

 

Children have both whole group and small group experiences with an emphasis on successful participation as a classroom community member. In addition to classroom activities, there is outdoor play time with climbing equipment, and sprinklers, music and movement class, and art studio class. Field trips are included as well.

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Summer Steps believes in working together with children’s families. Discussion groups for parents/guardians facilitated by child development professionals are offered during the program.​​​​​

Apply to Summer Steps​​​​

 

Family income is the sole factor in determining whether a child is eligible to apply to Summer Steps. Children from all racial, ethnic, and religious backgrounds and family configurations are encouraged to apply if they meet the income requirements. Families accepted into the program are asked to pay a nominal fee (between $20 and $50 a week, depending on income level) per child.

 

If your child is entering or applying to kindergarten next fall and you fit the income criteria, you may download the application and family expectations here.​Please mail along with the first two pages of your most recently completed tax return to:Summer Steps at The Brick Church School62 E. 92nd St.New York, NY 10128​Or email all documents to aschack@brickchurch.org.

Summer Steps​​​​ Board & Partner Schools

 

Family income is the sole factor in determining whether a child is eligible to apply to Summer Steps. Children from all racial, ethnic, and religious backgrounds and family configurations are encouraged to apply if they meet the income requirements. Families accepted into the program are asked to pay a nominal fee (between $20 and $50 a week, depending on income level) per child.

 

If your child is entering or applying to kindergarten next fall and you fit the income criteria, you may download the application and family expectations here.​Please mail along with the first two pages of your most recently completed tax return to:Summer Steps at The Brick Church School62 E. 92nd St.New York, NY 10128​Or email all documents to aschack@brickchurch.org.

Summer Steps Board
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Helen Pennoyer, Chair

Nura Abdul-Karim

Sallie Abelow

Paul Burke

Mia Campbell

Shannon Caspersen

Lise Evans

Inzata Fofana

Linda Greenberg

Joy Hurd

Heather Johnson

Cheryl Kelly

Cindy Ketchum

Jacqueline Pelzer

Jean Renfield-Miller

Chris Robinson

Harry van Dyke

Margaret Warden

Claude Wasserstein

Felicia Wilks

Jouli Yohannes

 

Ex-Officio:

Lydia Spinelli

Tom Evans

Marie Fabian

Summer Steps Partner Schools
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Partner Schools are ongoing schools that provide financial support to Summer Steps.  Partner Schools demonstrate their commitment to our shared goal of preparing low income students for success in kindergarten and beyond. Students enrolling in partner school kindergartens are guaranteed admission to Summer Steps if their family income meets the guidlines. Summer Steps also welcomes Partner High School students to apply to volunteer as Teaching Fellows.

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PARTNER SCHOOLS:

The Allen-Stevenson School
The Birch Wathen Lenox School 
The Brearley School
The Browning School
The Buckley School

The Cathedral School of St. John the Divine

The Chapin School
Collegiate School
Columbia Grammar & Prep 
Convent of the Sacred Heart
The Dalton School

Dwight School

Ethical Culture Fieldston

Friends Seminary
Grace Church School

The Hewitt School
Horace Mann School
Marymount School of New York
The Nightingale-Bamford School
The Riverdale Country School

Rodeph Sholom School
The Spence School
St. Bernard’s School
Saint David’s School
The Town School

Trevor Day School

Trinity School

Village Community School

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EARLY CHILDHOOD SCHOOL PARTNER:
West Side Montessori School 

High School Teaching Fellows

 

Summer Steps welcomes high school teaching fellows from our partner schools. Students must commit to all five weeks: June 23, 2025 – July 25, 2025, and volunteer either from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. or 12:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.

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Partner Schools should recommend students they feel will be a good fit for the program. A letter of reference from a teacher, counselor or school administrator is required.  Teaching fellows are supervised by certified teachers and there are training sessions and discussion groups for them. Interested students should download the application and submit it by May 14, 2025.

 

Completed forms may be emailed to lspinelli.summersteps@brickchurch.org or left at the school office at 62 E 92nd Street.

Additional Program Information

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Teachers & Administrators

Director of Summer Steps:

Lydia Spinelli, Ed.D., former Director of The Brick Church School for 36 years, lspinelli.summersteps@brickchurch.org

Program Administrator:

Anne Schack | aschack@brickchurch.org

Summer Steps Teachers:

Teachers are New York State Certified Early Childhood Educators with experience teaching at The Brick Church School and other independent schools including Summer Steps Partner Schools. Our highly-skilled staff is supported by a child psychologist and speech and language therapist.

College interns and high school teaching fellows from Partner schools support the teachers.

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Collaborating Program

Summer Steps is proud to collaborate with Early Steps. Early Steps is an organization whose mission is to promote racial diversity in New York City Independent Schools by increasing enrollment of students of color at the kindergarten and first grade level.

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Donate

To donate to Summer Steps, please click here. Please note that all other “Donate” links on this site direct funds to The Brick Church School.

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Contact Us

Summer Steps 
at The Brick Church School
62 East 92nd Street (between Park and Madison)
New York, NY 10128
212-289-5683

aschack@brickchurch.org

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