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.​​​​​
Donate to Summer Steps
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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 26, 2023 – July 28, 2023, 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, 2023.
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