Gary Klinsky Children's Centers (GKCC)
GKCC provides after-school learning opportunities to children from low-income families who attend some of New York City's lowest performing schools. GKCC provides hands-on lessons in history, sociology, ecology, science, geography, and technology, plus focused explorations into special-interest subjects including journalism, photography, poetry, entrepreneurship, and government.
Lessons are presented to children through multi-sensory activities and are provided in the context of academically stimulating themes. GKCC enhances children's reading, writing, and math skills, and helps them to develop their creativity, confidence, and enthusiasm for learning. The five GKCC centers serve nearly 1,000 children, from kindergarten through middle school.
Our Mission
To provide a safe and educationally stimulating after-school environment for every child who seeks one.
We believe that even in the harshest neighborhoods, there are children and parents eager for more education. Given the extra academic time and attention, these children have a greater opportunity to succeed in future academic, social, and economic endeavors.
We implement our mission by providing students with thousands of hours of personalized attention from caring and creative teachers, giving the students the benefit of a first-rate education. The extra school hours provided by GKCC add the equivalent of three and a half years of class time for students who attend regularly during the critical years of kindergarten through fifth grade.
As a result, the children gain a lifelong love of learning; an appreciation of themselves and their community; a sense of the world's opportunities; skills for adolescence and adulthood -- all within a safe and happy environment among friends.
Our curriculum is designed to create tangible improvements in math and literacy. Thematic units are developed to incorporate language arts, math, science, drama, art, music, dance and field trips in an atmosphere of fun and friendship so that the children want to attend.
GKCC divides the school year into two semesters (fall and spring), with each semester having a distinct theme around which the curriculum for all classes is built.
Report Card
GKCC is designed to ensure children's enjoyment while pursuing academic rigor. Consistent and thorough evaluations are central to providing the most effective programming. At GKCC we measure our success by assessing quantifiable and tangible results.
Teaching plans are focused on improving reading and math skills and all students are tested several times by the schools with standardized Board of Education tests and other diagnostics including:
* The city math and reading tests in grades 3, 5, 6, 7
* The state math and English Language Arts tests in grades 4 and 8
Students in the districts in which GKCC operates score consistently well below New York City averages (an average of 12% lower).
In general, GKCC participants performed better than other students at their own school, and in their district, in Department of Education administered state and city reading and math test scores.
GKCC Parents, Teachers, Principals and Students consistently provide us with positive feedback.
DOE Reading and Math Test Scores
Reading Scores: over the course of one year, GKCC students improved on average by an entire rank (eg. From a 3 to a 4 out of 4). Many students jumped 2 ranks.
Math Scores: over the course of one year, GKCC students improved on average by an entire rank (eg. From a 3 to a 4 out of 4). Many students jumped 2 ranks.
GKCC children compared to their School and District:
Percentage of students at or above grade level (levels 3 & 4)
- On average, 26% more GKCC students scored at or above grade level on the DOE Reading Tests than students at their school.
- On average, 21% more GKCC students scored at or above grade level on the DOE Reading Test than students in their district.
- On average, 20% more GKCC students scored at or above grade level on the DOE Math Tests than students at their school.
- On average, 12% more GKCC students scored at or above grade level on the DOE Math Tests than students in their district.
