• What is community? What sustains it?

• What makes a community healthy and prosperous?

• What are laws? How should they be implemented?

• What is progress? How is it achieved? Are we making progress?

• Who should lead? How should he or she lead?

• What is the role of the citizen? What is my role? What can my role become?

We believe such contemplation helps develop perspective on life, and we want students to experience the power of engaging matters of real consequence. The culture of Lyons Community School expresses the symbiosis between youth development and community, both in and out of the classroom. Lively exchange of questions and ideas is constant throughout the day. Lyons Community School instructors apply "shared inquiry" and "accountable talk" methods to make social learning purposeful, to prompt students to share their curiosity, and to encourage leadership in the classroom. Important conversations also occur in town meetings when advisories debate the merits of a proposal to arrive at consensus.

WE PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH:

Authentic learning that prepares them for college and life-long learning

• Experiential and hands-on learning, including weekly field studies where students use New York City as their classroom

• Connections to community and students’ lives made explicit

A personalized experience

•  Classes designed to meet the needs of students who come to the school

• Students are known both as a learner and person by multiple staff members

Habits of healthy living

• We balance academics, arts and physical wellness for the ideal education

• We emphasize emotional and social education in addition to academics

A voice in creating our school

• Advisory, Student Government and Justice Panel allow students to be fundamental in school creation and change

• Students, families, staff and communities members all contribute to the school leadershi