Coney Island Prep — an academically rigorous, college preparatory, tuition-free public school — will open its doors to 80 fifth graders in Coney Island on August 24, 2009. Coney Island Prep is the first charter school to serve South Brooklyn and will add a new class of incoming fifth graders every year until 2016, when it will reach its full capacity of 650 students from grades 5-12.

Coney Island Prep will offer a school-wide ethics course to instill students with PRIDE, a motto which stands for the school’s core values of Professionalism, Respect, Integrity, Determination, and Excellence.

In order to accomplish the goal of having every Coney Island Prep student at or above grade level by the time they finish the sixth grade, the school will require three English courses and two mathematics courses during students’ first two years. Beginning in seventh grade, students will take Latin as a foreign language in addition to course work in science, social studies, and history.

The school plans to nurture artists and athletes alike, with a full contingent of courses and extra-curricular activities in art, physical education, and personal enrichment. In order to ensure its students can take full advantage of all of these offerings, the school day will begin at 7:30 a.m. and end at 5:00 p.m., a schedule that allows for almost 50 percent more class time than the majority of New York City public schools.

“Our students will get the time and attention they need and deserve,� said Lindsay Freeman, the school's Founding Director of Curriculum and Instruction. “That’s one of the ways we'll guarantee that every Coney Island Prep graduate has the opportunity to attend the college of his or her choice.�

In addition to its rigorous academic program, Coney Island Prep will focus on creating the type of welcoming and safe school environment that allows children to focus on their education and not worry about outside pressures. Students will be split up into single-gender advisory groups, and once a week there will be a school-wide Community Circle to celebrate student successes and address any school-wide issues. All students will be required to wear uniforms.

According to Coney Island Prep Board chairman Josh Wolfe, a Coney Island native, “Coney Island is a special place with a unique history in Brooklyn. I’m confident that our School Leader and Founder, Jacob Mnookin has the contagious passion, intense commitment and unique vision to match it. The entire Board of Trustees couldn’t be more excited to invest our energies in providing the brightest futures and greatest opportunities for all our students.�

Coney Island Prep is tuition free, and preference will be given to students in Community School District 21. The school is open to all applicants, including students with special needs and English Language Learners. Enrollment forms, which are due by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, April 1, are available online at www.coneyislandprep.org, or can be picked up at Astella Development Corporation. Parents interested in learning more about the school can contact the school at info@coneyislandprep.org.

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