As the College Counselor at Beekman, spring is an exciting, and rewarding time. All the seniors that applied to college have been admitted to college, and they are excited about where they will continue their education. Most seniors have many choices. There’s no anger or disappointment about their future plans. Students at Beekman don’t seem to have a sense of entitlement. They are genuinely happy, and grateful that they will be attending college. What’s particularly intriguing to me is that students attend colleges throughout the world. Unlike some suburban high schools where students apply to the same “name brand “colleges, Beekman students seek academic opportunities internationally. The name of the college is not the priority of students or parents. Juniors are very aware of the process seniors have endured. They are very attentive during our spring Junior Class Meeting where we discuss the college selection, and admissions process in detail. Each junior is made aware of several things they need to do over the summer to begin the application process, such as drafting an essay, creating accounts for CUNY colleges, and for the Common Application. Each student will meet with me in September and October to confirm or establish realistic college choices. All students have my email and are strongly encouraged to contact me anytime throughout the process. I’m happy to say, most students do this.

I first discovered The Beekman School in 2005 when my older son had left a boarding school that was not a good fit, and we found ourselves looking for a school for his senior year, not an easy task. My husband had died unexpectedly the year before, so I was doing this on my own. Arriving at our appointment, Headmaster George Higgins immediately made us feel comfortable, and was most encouraging. Under his direction the application process was easy, and the transition smooth. My son soon found himself with wonderful teachers who were eager to bring out his strengths, and as his confidence grew, he quickly began earning the best grades of his life. The very small class sizes were ideal in helping him to focus, and if extra support was needed, The Tutoring School within Beekman was right there to help. He also quickly made friends, finding the other Beekman students lively and diverse, friendly and caring. He still keeps in touch with many of them. He had an amazing senior year, and only wished he had been able to benefit from all four years at Beekman.In 2012, my younger son, adopted from Eastern Europe, was experiencing some reading comprehension challenges, and although passing, was struggling at his school. There was also some teasing going on. I called George Higgins again, and he welcomed us warmly, as returning family members. My younger son started Beekman in his sophomore year, and to our delight, many of the teachers are still there, all these years later. Having always been a good Math student, my son quickly started to receive top grades in Algebra and Physics, and for the first time did well in English and History, challenging subjects for him before. The individual attention Beekman offers has made him blossom, and he has been an Honor Roll student. He has made many friends, and there is no teasing. He is part of Student Government, and loves going to school. He will graduate in 2015. I couldnt be more grateful to George Higgins and the dedicated teachers of The Beekman School, for giving both my sons such an excellent and enjoyable high school experience.

Are you curious come here...

This school is really tiny, just 70 or so kids across four grades. This has its advantages: small class sizes, family feel, nobody gets lost. When you call, the principal picks up the phone. You feel like youre not just a number. That size has its disadvantages: no sports teams, not a lot of fancy facilities. Its very DIY: if you find an arts program you like at SVA or a drama or dance course somewhere else in the city, the school will count that course as a credit, if its long/rigorous enough, so you can really take advantage of NYC. IF you are in a sports league, the school will credit that as a sport. Theres a (pretty reasonably priced) one-on-one option if the kid is really behind on something that you can take instead of the Beekman class. On the downside, there isnt a wide range of art or music or P.E. offered within the school. (They go to a local gym on Fridays) Beekman seems to have a lot of more or less normal kids who for whatever reason arent a classic fit for a typical school. Some of them are expats who came halfway through the semester, or from the U.N, (theres quite a lot of Asian kids), some are from fancy private or big public schools where they stumbled. I guess Beekman is their second chance, and some of them take it and others dont and get moved along. This is not a competitive school to get into, but there are some quite talented kids here. The teachers seem kind, if not universally dazzling pedagogues. Theres no PTA (that Ive found) and no fundraising. MY LD kid is there, after a few stumbles. Overall were pleased with how sane and flexible the school is; low key, sensible, no crazy NYC pressure, while still getting kids a solid education. I would recommend Beekman for the kid who needs something a bit different, but is still recognizably a school.

Is small school easy to aaccess for my daughter