BCS school culture values diversity, the education of the whole person and involvement of community.

Our college-preparatory program emphasizes project-based, interdisciplinary curriculum and collaborative work. Founding principles include developmentally appropriate curriculum and practice for adolescents that enables them to build academic and personal responsibility with increasing independence. As a deliberately diverse school, we explicitly teach the skills of cross-cultural competence, preparing our students to live and work in an increasingly global and integrated world. In teaching our students how to learn, we emphasize self-assessment, connections to mentor adults and 21st century research and communication skills.

An Expeditionary Learning School: In Expeditionary Learning™ schools, character growth and personal responsiblity are as important as academic skills. 

Crew: The Expeditionary Learning Advisory Model which creates a secure base for our students in which they are well-known by at least one teacher-advocate.

Performance Based Assessment: In lieu of Regents, BCS uses performance based and portfolio assessment.

Internship Program: All juniors at BCS participate in our semester-long Internship Program.  Students work under the direction of mentors in business, non-profit and government organizations. 

College Couseling Program: The BCS College Counseling program is committed to providing every student with the intensive individual support necessary to make a successful transition, academically and personally, to college life.

BCS Monthly Letter: Each month principal Alyce Barr and assistant principals Wanda Barbot and Scill Chan write a letter to the families of Middle School and High School students outlining upcoming events, sharing recent community acheivements and policy changes.

School features include:

• Partnership with NYC Outward Bound, to provide ongoing professional development and support to implement the expeditionary learning model
  
• Extensive use of technology: computers, laptops, software programs, video and digital cameras throughout curriculum
• Strong arts program including visual art, theater, and music partnerships
• WBCS, our student-run radio station
• Selective courses including Darkroom and Digital Photography, Computer Programming, Video, Radio, History of Rock & Roll, Digital Music
• Community Service Learning
• Intensive daily advisory Crew Program
• Student Government and afterschool sports, extracurricular, and academic activities
• Collaborative Team Teaching (CTT) classes and SETSS services for Special Education students
• Off-campus-lunch privileges for students with parent/school permission
  

The Middle School Experience

At BCS, an Expeditionary Learning Outward Bound school, our curriculum is designed around learning expeditions, which are multidisciplinary, project-based and relate to issues in our school community and the greater world. Each grade does one or two learning expeditions per year. When not engaged in an expedition, classes continue as usual with teachers and students involved in project-based learning of content and skills in each department.

School features specific to Middle School include:

• Sixth graders spend most of their day with a core teacher. To ease the transition to middle school, BCS students don't start switching classes until grade 7.
• 7th and 8th grade teachers loop with their students.
• Free Afterschool program for Wednesday early release

The High School Experience

We provide challenging, experiential learning environment that not only prepares students to successfully complete all requirements for a New York State  High School diploma and to pursue higher education, but calls on them to be caring and thoughtful world citizens. Students are engaged by a project- and inquiry-based curriculum that sparks curiosity and creativity and are evaluated through portfolios and performance-based assessment. Through mentoring, students find their inner strengths. Every student is known well by the other community members of our school. 

School features specific to High School include:

• Hands-on science program with a focus on inquiry (lab experiences)
• Four-year Spanish language instruction, electives in Russian & American Sign Language
• Semester-long Internship program for juniors with placements at Prospect Park Zoo, Brooklyn College, Brooklyn Arts Exchange, US/Spain Chamber of Commerce, Long Island College Hospital, and more
• Required lunch hour academic support classes for freshmen during the first marking period to help students pass their classes and start high school strong.

High School Courses Offered