Principal's Message

Dear Visitors,
  
It is with great pleasure that I welcome you to the BELL Academy- a middle school that has been recognized for its unique approach to student learning. BELL offers each student an opportunity to find and develop his or her unique profile of gifts and talents. We are an application school and receive hundreds of applications for admission every year.  Based on the Renzulli Schoolwide Enrichment Model (SEM), developed by Drs. Joseph Renzulli and Sally Reis at the University of Connecticut, the goal of the school is to provide challenging, in-depth, enjoyable learning experiences for all students. This collaborative school culture focuses on the development of talents and provides a broad range of advanced-level enrichment activities. The ways in which students respond to these enrichment experiences are used as stepping stones for follow-up advanced learning and in-depth projects and investigations. The school culture celebrates individuality, creativity, and diversity to develop creative problem solvers who feel they can make a difference in the world. SEM provides both a pedagogy of enrichment learning and teaching that provides rigorous instruction to motivate and challenge students, along with a continuum of services that takes full advantage of the expertise of the faculty, the resources of the community, and the parents. This provides advanced opportunities for students both in and outside of the curriculum.

Our teachers and support staff work hard to prepare our students for the demands of the Common Core Learning Standards, which ensures that our graduates are well equipped with the skills necessary to compete in our global economy.  We focus on College and Career Readiness skills by engaging our students in cooperative learning, student government, and many other leadership opportunities.

Our rigorous and vibrant enrichment cluster program, which includes students and staff members sharing in intensive mini-courses of their interest, has produced high-end products that have been contributed to society via our local community and beyond.  Our enrichment program has become a model for other schools from around the country and the world, which has opened doors for us to welcome visitors who would like to implement our program.

Our small, family-like, safe and nurturing environment has provided an exemplary education for our students and our graduates have done amazingly well in high school. We have received commendations for the high number of students who are offered seats at NYC specialized high schools. We have been contacted by these schools and have established ongoing collaborations with them. We have an active parent community that engages in fundraising activities, school social functions, and all facets of student events.  Volunteers, resident artists, content specialists, and other collaborators assist with daily instruction.  We have a state-of-the-art video conferencing initiative in which all students are exposed to virtual trips with professional institutions and other students all over the world.  Our incredible and welcoming staff bonds with each and every student on a daily basis, creating an atmosphere that is unique.

Thank you for stopping by and if you have any further questions or if you are interested in admission to our school, please feel free to contact us anytime for details.

Sincerely,

David Abbott

Principal