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Think Excellence. Be Excellent. Inspire Excellence.
EMPOWERINGEXCELLENCE20 YEARS FOR OVER
456781011121314WelcomeMission & HistoryRISE UPOur ApproachScholar StatsCampus LifeAthleticsTestimonialsFACE TeamHigh School AcceptancesTABLE OF Contents1617College OutcomesExcellence Community Schools is a three-time National Blue Ribbon School Recipient. Awarded by the U.S. Department of Education, it is the highest honor for high achieving American public and private schools working to close education gaps among diverse populations.18Our CampusesSingle-Gender Options
We thank you for your interest and invite you to learn more about our mission, history, approach to instruction, and campuses. Excellence Community Schools (ECS) was developed to increase our impact and enhance our National Blue Ribbon award-winning model as we expand to serve more scholars, families, and communities. Our schools cultivate lifelong learners equipped with the courage to dream, the skills to succeed, and the unrelenting pursuit of excellence. Whether it is through our high expectations for academics and conduct, our co-curricular programming, our community-based partnerships, the creative arts, or technology, we strive to provide our scholars with the competitive edge they need to compete for seats in prestigious high schools, universities, and chosen career paths. We believe that schools are the heartbeat of a community. High-quality schools have the power to elevate entire communities, from raising property values to bringing together generations of family members, and embracing a multitude of cultures all invested in the future generation of scholars, innovators, leaders, workforce, and global citizens. ECS is a charter management organization driving the expansion of our nationally recognized model. We aim to change the longstanding narrative of inequality in historically underserved communities by closing achievement, opportunity, and creativity gaps. The two blue flags in our logo underpin our commitment to uphold the high quality of education that earned three of our schools a National Blue Ribbon Award, as well as a highly competitive award from the U.S. Department of Education for the replication and expansion of high-quality charter schools. This is a personal investment for us. We want the best for our scholars in the same manner that we want the best for our own children. Through the levers of high academic standards, community pride, accountability, positive work habits, and persistence, our schools are preparing our next generation of innovators and problem-solvers so we can cultivate safer, healthier, compassionate, confident, and informed citizens for a brighter and unified future. Sincerely, Dr. Charlene Reid Dr. Denniston Reid Co-CEOs, Excellence Community SchoolsGreetings from Our CEOs 4
MISSION Excellence Community Schools (ECS) in NYC and Stamford prepare students for admission to top high schools by fostering their intellectual, artistic, social, emotional, and ethical growth through a rigorous academic curriculum focused on college readiness. HISTORY Founded in July 2016, ECS supports Bronx Excellence and Stamford Excellence schools. ECS was among 15 recipients nationwide to receive a grant from the U.S. Department of Education in 2016 for high-quality charter school replication. Bronx Excellence, established in 2004, started as a K-5 charter school in the Bronx. Under then Principal Dr. Charlene Reid, it gained recognition for creating a supportive learning environment and high student achievement, receiving a full five- year renewal from SUNY in 2009. By 2012, it was the highest performing K-8 public charter school in New York and a U.S. Department of Education National Blue Ribbon School. Bronx Excellence 2 and Stamford Excellence won National Blue Ribbon awards in 2023. In 2025, Excellence Community Schools expanded its offerings to include single-gender schools Boys Prep and Girls Prep I & II.5
RISE UP With the following strategies, ECS advances student achievement by creating a culture that inculcates positive work habits and develops lifelong scholars. Students feel safe, interconnected, and empowered to take educational risks to stretch the boundaries of their learning. The school fosters character development and encourages students to continuously “RISE UP” and demonstrate the virtues of: R I S EespectntegrityuccesstiquetteTreat others the way you want to be treated.Behave in a way that shows you know right from wrong.Accomplish the goals you set for yourself.Be polite and considerate in every situation. U PnityrideWork together like a family.Be proud of your hard work. 6
Our Approach Our model is based on our flagship school, Bronx Excellence. As a network, we offer an inclusive, supportive learning environment that seeks to develop high-level analytical and critical thinking skills in all of our scholars. We differ from other charter management organizations because of our National Blue Ribbon award-winning Excellence Model. The Excellence Model This model is the basis for the 2012 National Blue Ribbon Schools Award from the U.S. Department of Education in the category of Exemplary High-Performing Schools. Key elements of our model include: Organizational Learning High Academic and Behavioral Standards Flexible Learning Groups Commitment to Academic Performance Accountability Broad Liberal Arts Education Mandatory Uniforms Extended School Days Active Family Engagement and Collaboration with the Community 7
OUR SCHOLARSO U T P E R F O R MBronx Charter School for Excellence is a network of ten high-achieving charter schools dedicated to academic excellence. Since opening in 2004, our schools have consistently outperformed local districts, as well as NYC and NYS averages. Four of our charters have earned the prestigious National Blue Ribbon distinction.Bronx Excellence Community Schools8
Stamford Charter School for Excellence is a high-achieving charter school committed to academic excellence. Since opening in 2015, Stamford Excellence has consistently outperformed both the local district and the Connecticut state averages. The school has earned the prestigious National Blue Ribbon distinction and, for two consecutive years, Stamford Excellence has been named a School of Distinction by the Connecticut State Department of Education.Stamford Charter School for Excellence9
Campus Life Scholars have participated in various activities on campus and during field trips, enhancing their educational experience. Activities include: Chess matches for strategic thinking Dance classes for fitness and artistic expression Music lessons for auditory skills and creativity Drama productions for confidence and teamwork Art workshops celebrating cultural heritage Scholars also engage in enrichment opportunities such as: Acting camps for performance skills Test preparation programs for academic success Sports clinics for athletic abilities and teamwork Visits to cultural institutions and museums Internships at companies like Google and Albert Einstein Community service projects These experiences help scholars develop essential skills, form friendships, and create lasting memories. 10
40 Recreational Sports (Clinics) 25 Athletic Teams 13 Championship Wins 11
“To be a principal of one of our National Blue Ribbon Schools has been a tremendous honor. Our teachers and staff have done so much to prepare our scholars for such a rigorous academic curriculum and they show them so much love that we've been able to achieve the results that we have.” - Sharleen Morris, Deputy Chief of School Performance“I had amazing teachers that helped me whenever I needed it. The whole staff supported me and really brought me to where I am today.” - Toran, ECS Class of ‘24"[My son] attended a different school for kindergarten. He was one of the brightest kids in his class, and I wanted him to be in a place where I felt like he was going to be challenged. ECS did that for him, and I appreciated that even though sometimes the work was a little hard the staff was very supportive. - Jana (Alumni Parent), ECS Class of ‘24“ECS has stayed with me throughout. They've helped me find programs I'm interested in that pertain to careers that I want to explore.” - Gloria, ECS Class of ‘21TESTIMONIALSExcellenceExcellenceExcellence 12
Family and Community Engagement (FACE) Family and Community Engagement (FACE) teams at ECS develop knowledge about the needs of the families and communities we serve to help our schools and network respond effectively with additional resources, in-school programming and services, extracurriculars, and other initiatives. FACE maintains regular contact with families, engaging with them early in their child's developmental and school readiness years by partnering with local early childhood centers, family and group daycares. They collaborate with early childhood centers and provide workshops on kindergarten readiness for families helping to facilitate scholar success in the classroom and home. In middle school, families are connected to High School Placement and Student Advancement staff to ensure scholars have a seamless transition on the journey toward high school and college. 13
HIGH SCHOOL ACCEPTANCESINDEPENDENT DAY & BOARDINGCATHOLICAcademy of Mount St. Ursula Archbishop Stepinac High School Cardinal Hayes High School Cardinal Spellman High School Fairfield College Preparatory School Fordham Preparatory School John F. Kennedy Catholic Preparatory School Iona Preparatory School La Salle Academy Marymount SchoolThe High School Placement (HSP) team provides alumni with opportunities to learn, develop, and celebrate their individual paths as ECS alumni. HSP aims to help our high school alumni thrive and become successful adults. Our alumni have been accepted to high schools such as:Avon Old Farms School Berkshire School Choate Rosemary Hall Church Farm School Collegiate School Convent of the Sacred Heart Dana Hall School Deerfield Academy Emma Willard School Ethical Culture Fieldston School Grace Church School Greens Farms Academy Greenwich Academy Greenwich Country Day School Horace Mann School King SchoolMarymount School of New York Northfield Mount Hermon School Oakwood Friends School Phillips Academy Andover Portsmouth Abbey School Riverdale Country School Sacred Heart Greenwich St. Luke's School St. Paul's School St. Stephen's Episcopal School Taft School The Brearley School The Browning School The Brunswick School The Chapin School The Calhoun SchoolThe Dalton School The Harvey School The Hewitt School The Hill School The Knox School The Lawrenceville School The Masters School The Nightingale-Bamford School The Packer Collegiate Institute The Peddie School The Spence School Trevor Day School Trinity School Westover School York Preparatory School 14Monsignor Scanlan High School Notre Dame Prep of Sacred Heart University Preston High School Sacred Heart High School Yonkers Salesian High School St. Jean Baptiste St. Joseph High School St. Raymond Academy for Girls St. Raymond High School for Boys Xavier High School
SELECTIVE PUBLICAcademy of Information Technology & Engineering Bard Early College (Bronx, Manhattan, Queens) Baruch College Campus High School Beacon High School Central Park East High School Columbia Secondary School High School of Fashion Industries Manhattan Center for Science and Math Manhattan Hunter Science High School Manhattan Village Academy NYC iSchool New Explorations into Science, Technology and Math Park East High School The Eagle Academy for Young Men (Bronx, Harlem) The High School of Art and Design Townsend Harris High School University Heights Secondary SchoolSPECIALIZEDBrooklyn Latin High School Brooklyn Technical School Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts High School for Math, Science and Engineering at City College High School of American Studies at Lehman College Stuyvesant High School The Bronx High School of ScienceCHARTERComp Sci High School Democracy Prep Dream Charter High School United Charter High School for Advanced Math and Science II University Prep Charter High School15
COLLEGE OUTCOMESStudent Advancement at ECS provides support for alumni to and through college. The team connects scholars to opportunities such as college scholarships, alumni events, and more. A few of the colleges and universities ECS alumni have gone on to attend include:Adelphi University Alfred State University Arizona College of Nursing Bard College Bates College Berkeley College Boston College Brandeis University Brown University Bucknell University Case Western Reserve University Clark Atlanta University Colby College Colgate University College of Mount Saint Vincent Columbia University Coppin State University Cornell University CUNY Baruch College CUNY Brooklyn College CUNY Bronx Community College CUNY City College CUNY College of Staten Island CUNY Hunter College CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice CUNY Lehman College CUNY Queens College CUNY York College Dartmouth College Dean College Delaware State University Drexel University Fordham University George Washington University Hampton University Haverford College Hobart and William Smith Colleges Hofstra University Howard University Iona University Le Moyne College Manhattanville University Massachusetts Institute of Technology Mercy University Monroe College Morehouse College Morgan State University New York UniversityNorfolk State University Northeastern Univeristy Nova Southeastern University Pace University Parson’s School of Design Pennsylvania State University Post University Princeton University Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Rice University Rochester Institute of Technology Rutgers University Scranton University Skidmore College St. Francis College St. John’s University SUNY Albany SUNY Alfred SUNY Binghamton SUNY Brockport SUNY Buffalo State University SUNY Delhi SUNY Farmingdale SUNY Fashion Institute of Technology SUNY Maritime SUNY New Paltz SUNY Old Westbury SUNY Oneonta SUNY Oswego SUNY Plattsburgh SUNY Polytechnic SUNY Potsdam SUNY Purchase SUNY Stony Brook University SUNY University at Albany SUNY University of Buffalo Texas Tech University Tufts University University of Bridgeport University of Central Florida University of Houston University of New Haven University of North Carolina at Charlotte University of Pennsylvania University of Southern California Virginia Union University Washington University - St Louis Wesleyan University Yale University 16
Bronx Excellence 1 Elementary Parkchester | K-8 1960 Benedict Avenue Bronx, NY 10462 Bronx Excellence 2 Elementary Morris Park | K-4 1804 Holland Avenue Bronx, NY 10462 Bronx Excellence 3 Elementary Wakefield | K-4 3956 Carpenter Avenue Bronx, NY 10466 Bronx Excellence 4 Elementary Wakefield | K-4 4300 Murdock Avenue Bronx, NY 10466 Bronx Excellence 5 Elementary Fordham Heights | K-4 2195 Valentine Ave Bronx, NY 10457 Bronx Excellence 6 (Girls Prep) Longwood | K-5 681 Kelly Street Bronx, NY 10455 Bronx Excellence 8 (Girls Prep II) Bedford Park/Kingsbridge Heights | K-8 263 E 203rd St Bronx, NY 10455Bronx Excellence 1 Middle Parkchester | K-8 1952 Benedict Avenue Bronx, NY 10462 Bronx Excellence 2 Middle Morris Park | 5-8 1744 Williamsbridge Road Bronx, NY 10461 Bronx Excellence 3 Middle Allerton | 5-8 830 Mace Avenue Bronx, NY 10467 Bronx Excellence 4 Middle Williamsbridge | 5-8 1160 East 213th Street Bronx, NY 10469 Bronx Excellence 5 Middle Tremont | 5-8 1946 Bathgate Avenue Bronx, NY 10457 Bronx Excellence 7 (Boys Prep) South Bronx | K-8 192 E 151st Street Bronx, NY 10451DanburyNew HavenWaterbury311312313321328331333334336341342344345Stamford Excellence West Stamford | K-8 1 Schuyler Avenue Stamford, CT 06902Our CampusesOur CampusesBx21Bx22Bx39BxM10Bx8Bx31Bx39Bx16Bx39W54Bx42Bx41Bx40HarlemBx8Bx21Bx31BxM10Bx30W60W61Q44Bx22BxM6Bx4Bx11Our co-ed Bronx Excellence campuses are located in Districts 9 and 11. Single-gender Bronx campuses are located in Districts 7, 8 and 10. Stamford Excellence is six miles north of Greenwich and 20 miles south of Bridgeport. Our co-ed Bronx Excellence campuses are located in Districts 9 and 11. Single-gender Bronx campuses are located in Districts 7, 8 and 10. Stamford Excellence is six miles north of Greenwich and 20 miles south of Bridgeport.Q44Bx22BxM6Bx4Bx11Bx8Bx25Bx26Bx1Bx2Bx13Bx4Bx17Bx9Bx1Bx2Bx10Bx25Bx19Bx26Bx28Bx34Bx38 17W60W61W62Bx28Bx30Bx38Bx15Bx36Bx40Bx42HarlemNew HavenBx1Bx2
681 Kelly St | K-Grade 5GIRLS PREP263 East 203 St | K-Grade 8rd GIRLS PREP II192 East 151 St | K-Grade 8st BOYS PREP In 2025, Excellence Community Schools expanded its offerings to include single-gender schools Boys Prep and Girls Prep I & II. 18
B4EB4EB4EBOTANICAL GARDENBOTANICAL GARDENBOTANICAL GARDENWakefieldWakefieldWakefieldB3EB3EB3EBedford Park/Bedford Park/ Kingsbridge HeightsKingsbridge Heights Bedford Park/ Kingsbridge HeightsWestWest StamfordStamford West StamfordStamford, CTBPE &BPE & BPMBPM BPE & BPMGPEGPEGPEParkchesterParkchesterParkchesterThe Bronx, NY Bronx Excellence 1 (K-8) 1952-60 Benedict Avenue Bronx Excellence 2 Elementary (K-4) 1804 Holland Avenue Bronx Excellence 2 Middle (5-8) 1744 Williamsbridge Road Bronx Excellence 3 Elementary (K-4) 3956 Carpenter Avenue Bronx Excellence 3 & 4 Middle (5-8) 1160 E 213th Street Bronx Excellence 4 Elementary (K-4) 4300 Murdock Avenue Bronx Excellence 5 (K-7) 1946 Bathgate Avenue Boys Prep (K-8) 192 E 151st Street Girls Prep (K-5) 681 Kelly Street Girls Prep II (K-8) 263 E 203rd Street Stamford, CT Stamford Excellence (K-8) 1 Schuyler AvenueThe Bronx, NYB2EB2EB2ETremontTremontTremontMorris ParkMorris ParkMorris ParkWilliamsbridgeWilliamsbridgeWilliamsbridgeB5E &B5E & B5MB5M B5E & B5MB3M &B3M & B4MB4M B3M & B4MB2MB2MB2MB1E &B1E & B1MB1M B1E & B1MB = Bronx Excellence BP = Boys Prep S = Stamford Excellence GP = Girls PrepE = Elementary School M = Middle SchoolKeyGPE &GPE & GPMGPM GPE & GPMLongwoodLongwoodLongwoodSouth BronxSouth BronxSouth BronxS1E &S1E & S1MS1M S1E & S1M
B O T A N I C A L G A R D E NWakefieldKingsbridge HeightsWest StamfordStamford, CTBronx, NY Bronx Excellence 1 (K-8) 1952-60 Benedict Avenue Bronx Excellence 2 Elementary (K-4) 1804 Holland Avenue Bronx Excellence 2 Middle (5-8) 1744 Williamsbridge Road Bronx Excellence 3 Elementary (K-4) 3956 Carpenter Avenue Bronx Excellence 3 Middle (5-8) 830 Mace Avenue Bronx Excellence 4 Elementary (K-4) 4300 Murdock Avenue Bronx Excellence 4 Middle (5-8) 1160 E 213th Street Bronx Excellence 5 Elementary (K-4) 2195 Valentine Avenue Bronx Excellence 5 Middle (5-8) 1946 Bathgate Avenue Boys Prep (K-8) 192 E 151st Street Girls Prep (K-5) 681 Kelly Street Girls Prep II (K-8) 263 E 203rd Street Stamford, CT Stamford Excellence (K-8) 1 Schuyler AvenueLongwoodTremontBronx, NYBedford ParkV A N C O R T L A N D T P A R KWilliamsbridgeParkchesterMorris ParkFordham HeightsNN EE WW !! N E W !NEW!NEW!NEW!South BronxB1B2B2B5B5GP IIB3Stam.GPBPB4B4West BronxKK -- 88 TT HH GG RR AA DD EE K - 8 T H G R A D EKK -- 88 TT HH GG RR AA DD EE K - 8 T H G R A D EKK -- 88 TT HH GG RR AA DDEE K - 8 T H G R A DEKeyCo-Education School (Bronx)Dark Blue CircleK-8th Grade SchoolKK -- 88 TT HH GG RRAADDEE K - 8 T H G RADESingle-Gender SchoolDark Purple CircleMiddle SchoolLight Blue OutlineElementary SchoolDark Blue OutlineCo-Education School (Stamford)Light Blue Circle19KK -- 88 TT HH GG RR AA DDEE K - 8 T H G R A DEB3AllertonNN EE WW !! N E W !NEW!NEW!NEW!
RESPECT INTEGRITY UNITY PRIDE SUCCESS ETIQUETTE
# F i n d t h e B o b c a tAll Excellence Community Schools in the Bronx and Stamford are tuition-free, public charter schools with an extended school day, mandatory uniforms, and traditional services. Learn more about how to join our community Think Excellence. Be Excellent. Inspire Excellence.excellenceschools.org