1. What grade levels does Big Apple Academy serve?

Big Apple Academy is a private elementary and junior high school serving grades K through 8.

2. What are the hours of operation?

Big Apple Academy is open Monday through Friday from 7:30am to 6:00pm.

3. What is the daily schedule?

7:30-8:00am Arrival
8:00-8:30am Breakfast
8:30-1:45pm Classes
1:00-2:00pm Lunch
2:00-5:00pm Afterschool Program
5:00-6:00pm Dismissal
Please note, schedule may vary depending on the grade level.

4. What is the tuition?

Kindergarten-Grade 5 $1,400/month
Grades 6-8 $1,600/month

5. What is included in the tuition?

Tuition includes all academic hours, after-school hours, transportation, and three meals a day.

6. What is on the school menu?

Each day students are served three nutritious, well-balanced meals, breakfast, lunch, and supper. All meals are home made and freshly cooked daily in our own kitchens. Our kitchens undergo regular inspections by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
Typical menu may include:
Breakfast – Cereal, omelet, muffins, hot cereal, waffles
Lunch – Soup of the day, protein dish (chicken, fish, or beef) with garnish. Vegetables, fruits, milk and/or juice.
Supper – hot dogs, chicken nuggets, sandwiches, fruits, vegetables.

7. Is transportation available in areas other than Brooklyn?

Yes, transportation is available in Brooklyn, Staten Island, and Queens.

8. Do Big Apple Graduates take regents exams?

Yes, our 8th grade graduates take the following Regents Exams: Geometry, Algebra I, US History and Government, Living Environment, and English Language Arts

9. Which High Schools do Big Apple Graduates attend?

Over 50% of Big Apple Graduates successfully pass SHSAT examination and attend one of the specialized high schools located throughout New York City, including Stuyvesant High School, Brooklyn Tech High School, Staten Island Tech High School, and Brooklyn Latin High School. Others are accepted into the prestigious advanced placement programs or choose to continue their education in the private sector.

10. Does the Big Apple have a religious affiliation?

No. Big Apple Academy is a secular school with no religious affiliation. However, school is closed for major religious holidays.

11. Does your school participate in national academic contests?

Our students annually participate in numerous national Olympiads and academic competitions such as:
• National Social Studies League
• National Science League
• National Language Arts League
• National Mathematics League
• Word Master Challenge (WMC)

12. What is the role of the classroom teacher in the learning process?

Our classroom teachers stay with children throughout the whole duration of the school day. They observe every class, make notes, and write down the specific homework instructions and requirements laid out by subject teachers. In many ways, a classroom teacher at Big Apple Academy is a manager who organizes the learning process and works closely with subject teachers. A classroom teacher distributes and collects numerous forms, takes attendance and lunch count, responds to illness, supervises recess, manages transitions, guides students during homework sessions, responds to parental notes and phone calls, and creates a comfortable atmosphere for learning.

13. Does your school prepare students for the SHSAT Test?

Our highly successful SHSAT program starts in Grade 6. No matter how a student is doing academically or where that student is in his or her intellectual aptness, that’s when Math and English teachers harbinger nuances of the test. In April, teachers begin subtly prepping their students- supplying them with similar exercises to do with logical reasoning introducing them to the complex concepts in algebra and geometry. A total of 43 sessions of SHSAT prepping are bestowed in Grade 6 – that’s 75 percent of the material firmly enrooted in the brains of the students, who are still two years away from taking the test. In Grade 7, the program continues with an additional 43 sessions, initiating in April and ending in June. The program culminates in Grade 8 when students take the SHSAT test. Big Apple Academy exposes its students to all sorts of complicated problems found on the actual test. Generally, everyone at Big Apple agrees that the test material is learnable, and the practice of prepping is advantageous.