Since 2002, Our World Neighborhood Charter School (OWNCS) has been helping children grow, not only in the areas of education, but also in life as a whole.
“This charter school is one of the most diverse in all of New York City,” said director of development Mark Crusante. “Students get everything integrated with education.”
Located at 36-12 35th Avenue in Astoria, OWNCS was founded by a group of parents in Astoria who wanted a better school choice for their children. The kindergarten through eighth grade school currently serves about 700 students from four out of the five boroughs – most of whom Crusante said come from very diverse backgrounds.
“One of the arguments with charter schools is that they serve only the black and Latino population,” he said. “But when you come to Our World, there’s so much diversity; not everyone is the same color and that’s what makes this great.”
When asked what makes OWNCS different from other charter schools, Crusante said the school offers its students so much more than the average school.
“It’s still a priority to give students the best and have them learn the holistic approach – science, social studies, math, English, and other basics – but also art, Spanish, and physical education,” he said. “A lot of people forget those types of things when people are talking about education.”
Crusante added that, in addition to the academics, the administration also has a great deal to do with the school’s success, saying that “parents all know we deeply care about the children here and everyone is committed to making sure children get a quality education.”
Under the direction of principal and executive director Brian Ferguson, OWNCS receives nearly 400 applications every year but only offers 75 seats, which are selected by a blind lottery. Applications are due April 1 and the blind lottery will take place April 7. Those whose applications are not chosen are placed on a waiting list.
For more information, visit owncs.org or contact Crusante at 718-392-3405, Ext. 206. –Alexa Mae Asperin
