About Our School
The Columbia Secondary School for Math, Science, & Engineering is a new, public, sixth through twelfth grade school that opened in the fall of 2007. A partnership between the New York City Department of Education, the community, and Columbia University, CSS-MSE serves academically talented students who have an interest in a rigorous and demanding program focusing on math, science, and engineering. Beginning with a founding sixth grade class, the school will add one grade per year until it reaches its full enrollment of 650 students.
The school is located on the 5th and 4th floors of PS-125 on 123rd St between Amsterdam and Morningside, until our new building is built on 125th st and Broadway.
School Mission Statement
Columbia Secondary is a selective, public, college preparatory school with a focus on science, math, and engineering. Its program of study provides a challenging academic experience that prepares its students for selective colleges; for careers in science, math, and engineering; and for a life of civic engagement and ethical responsibility. We train students to be socially and politically conscious, to be aware of their responsibility to their communities and the world, and to be dedicated to a life of creation and discovery in service of humanity.
Educational Vision
Columbia Secondary immerses its students in science and math as a way of seeing and making sense of the world. Learning experiences focuses on the active exploration of major concepts, ideas, and theories that respond to life's big questions. Students will be exposed to the history of these ideas; the struggles and controversies necessary for their development; the kinds of questions and problems that are key to the discovery process; and the special role of effort and creativity. Students model and engage in their own explorations so that they may experience the excitement, beauty, and difficulty of discovery. Students become cognizant of the limits of knowledge and be sensitive to the dangers of an over-reliance on science and technology. Students learn to explore new questions, to ponder the significance of new scientific discoveries, and to use scientific knowledge and critical thinking in their own life decision-making.
Instructional Philosophy
Effective instruction depends largely on setting clear and high expectations, promoting an inclusive and participatory classroom culture, and motivating students to become independent learners. Instruction at Columbia Secondary are Socratic in spirit, with discussions, debates, guided inquiry, and carefully led lectures that focus on key questions, concepts, and theories. Students have extensive opportunities to engage in research, solve real-world problems, and learn experientially through internships, community service, and travel abroad programs.
The school's curriculum is be distinguished by:
- science, math, and engineering focus with research and service learning opportunities in NYC and at Columbia University;
- a writing intensive and public communications focus. Students learn public speaking, become adept at using multimedia to communicate and become effective writers;
- Philosophy for Thinking core course that address critical thinking, moral reasoning, and personal and ethical decision-making skills;
- advisory program that provides students with mentoring, guidance and support necessary for academic and personal excellence;
- access to parts of Columbia University's vast academic and cultural offerings. (Advanced students, for example, may take courses at Columbia University or other colleges and universities in the area);
- a comprehensive Field Expeditions and Travel Abroad program allows students to explore the world's natural and cultural diversity; and
- after school science, math, and technology electives and Saturday Academy programs.
CSS Learning Environment Survey Results Top the City
Early this Spring, 52 parents (56%), 6 teachers (100%), and 87 students (93%) submitted a detailed survey administered by NYCDOE to assess the learning environment of schools. CSS is proud to report that our results were among the very top in the city in all categories addressed by the survey.
Using a scale that compares CSS to all other middle schools in the city as a percentage, with 100% being the highest scoring school in the city, the following results are based on an average of parent, teacher, and student responses:
- Academic Expectations: 107.4%
- Communication: 100%
- Engagement: 113.8%
- Safety and Respect: 93.9%
*Note that because the survey was done in early Spring these results do not reflect our highly successful June mini-semester courses!
We congratulate the CSS Faculty and Staff, on whose dedicated and passionate shoulders most of the burden and joy of running this school falls, for their extraordinary dedication and service. We also want to thank the parents and students for believing and supporting us in this dream of building CSS together. Lastly, we want to thank Columbia University, for providing us with critical support in this first year of our institutional life.
To see the full results of the Learning Environment Survey for the Columbia Secondary School, we invite you to visit this link.
J-Term Courses End the Year with Gusto!
Part of what makes CSS-MSE's program unique is the J-Term, a third, month-long semester dedicated to interdisciplinary field learning. This year's J-Term courses included:
- Architecture in the City: A NYC-based study of the history and engineering of our buildings, bridges, and parks.
- Island Biodiversity: Students performed in-depth research on a variety of tropical organisms and experienced 2 weeks of camping in Puerto Rico , with field expeditions to study marine and forest ecosystems.
- Water: From Source to Sink to Sewer. (link to website) A study of the history, engineering, and ecology behind NYCs water supply and sewage systems. As part of this course, students embarked on numerous field expeditions in the Hudson river watershed, including a week expedition upstate New York studying watershed ecology.
Students closed these experiences with culminating projects and multi-media presentations to their classmates during the final days of the school year. What a way to end!
Prof. Nalley Rakes in Two Prestigious Teaching Awards!
It is with great pleasure and much pride that we announce that Prof. Chance Nalley, CSS-MSE Professor of Math-Coordinator of Afterschool Programs, and 7th grade Faculty Team Leader, has won the Math for America - Master Teacher award as well as the 2008 Blackboard Outstanding Math Teacher Award!
Creative Arts Spring Spectacular Potluck: Encore!
On Friday, May 16th, CSS families filled the gymnasium with enthusiasm and home-cooked food to celebrate our Creative Arts Program at the second semester Creative Arts Spectacular Potluck and Performances!
Chairity 2008 Finalists Raise $425 for Non-Profit Organizations
Students didn't believe it was possible. To build a chair out of reused cardboard (using no adhesives) that could support the weight of an adult seemed impossible enough. That their product could be auctioned online and sold to raise money for charity was beyond comprehension. "Who would want one of these things?" many students pondered as they wrestled with their de
We're Internet Famous! CSS-MSE's Technology Integration Featured by Google
As an early-adopter of the Google Apps suite of email, calendars, and document-sharing tools we know and love, CSS-MSE has been recently featured in Google's website as a case study in the successful integration of these tools by a school!
Prof Jones' Edible Plants Field Trip a Wild Experience
On Tuesday, 8 April 2008, students from the Outdoor Skills and Orienteering class traveled to Central Park to observe, identify, collect, and prepare for consumption edible wild plants.
Profs. Hill and Thomson Present Our Philosophy Program at Oxford
At the end of March, Professor Hill and Dr. Thomson traveled to Oxford University in England to make a presentation about CSS-MSE's unique middle school philosophy program at the annual meeting of the Philosophy of Education Society of Great Britain. CSS-MSE is one of the few schools in the United States with a middle school philosophy program.
Quick Update: Parents Association Meeting of 4.9.08
- The FUNDRAISING COMMITTEE is working on several activities and ideas to increase funds raised by the PA. You can expect to receive e-mails regarding their planned activities.
- The filing of the paperwork to apply for 501c3 status for the PA has begun. This process usually takes several months to finalize by the IRS.
