School in the Square

About

School in the Square was founded in 2016 by Evan Meyers, who became determined to create a best-in-class public charter school serving northern Manhattan after experiencing firsthand the challenges facing students in one of NYC's lowest-performing districts - where 73% of students could not read at grade level, and 50% of teachers left within just a few years. Based on the concept of the public square as the heart of a community, School in the Square is a place where students, families, and educators gather to learn from, support, and celebrate one another. Operating four campuses in Washington Heights and Inwood, the school serves more than 800 students from PreK through high school with a tuition-free, bilingual public charter model. The school's mission is to engage, educate, and empower students to respond mindfully and creatively to life's opportunities and challenges. Built on a "relationships first" philosophy, students learn best when they feel safe, known, understood, and heard, while parents are motivated to partner when actively invited to participate in their children's educational journey. The school offers personalized learning, social-emotional support, advisory programs, and real-world lessons that extend beyond the classroom, including volunteer teaching artists and community-based programming.