40 North Street, Buffalo, NY 14202 (716) 332-0754
OVERVIEW

Our School

Our Students

Administration
What Makes Tapestry Unique?
  • Multi-age classrooms
  • Art, Music, Phys. Ed., Spanish, Dance
  • Social responsibility
  • Morning meetings
  • Small class size
  • Assistant Teacher in every classroom
  • Parent involvement
  • Diversity
  • Individualized learning plans
  • Narrative summary reports instead of letter grade report cards
  • Friday afternoon clubs
Tapestry Charter School is a public school for children, parents and teachers who believe in weaving together the humanities, sciences, arts and social responsibility. The school received approval from the State University of New York Board of Trustees and the New York State Education Department to open in September, 2001.

The mission of Tapestry Charter School is to provide a challenging and rigorous education in an environment that emphasizes diversity, compassion, collaboration, community, creativity, and leadership, so that students are academically and socially prepared to meet the demands of further education while maturing into productive and caring adults with a lifelong passion for learning.

Tapestry Charter School is a multi-age program. At Tapestry this means that Kindergarten and 1st graders are together, 2nd and 3rd graders are together, 4th grade is stand alone because of the NYS testing in that year, 5th and 6th graders are together, and 7th and 8th graders are together. The school has 24 children per grade in grades K-4 and 21 children per grade in grades 5 and 6. We will be adding one grade per year, ultimately becoming a K-8 school. In the 2004-2005 school year we will be K-7 and in the 2005-2006 school year we will be K-8.

There is a lead teacher as well as an assistant teacher for each classroom, and part time teachers in the following subjects: art, music, dance, physical education, library science and Spanish. The school is managed by a Board of Trustees. The daily operations of the school are run by a director. A school psychologist and a school nurse are also on staff.

Tapestry Charter School provides an inclusive educational program to meet the educational needs of all students. Approximately 8-10% of Tapestry students are classified as having special needs. A full-time special education teacher is on staff to address the needs of these students. Click here to learn more about special education services at Tapestry.

The Tapestry Charter School is committed to meeting and exceeding New York State standards for learning. Two educational programs and one assessment tool have been identified that complement each other and reflect the Tapestry School philosophy. Each program has received national recognition for how well each affects student performance. All three, working together, will improve student achievement and interpersonal relationships both in and out of school.

  • The Child Development Project (CDP) was created by the Developmental Studies Center in Oakland, California. It is a challenging and effective Language Arts and Mathematics curricula that integrates children’s intellectual, ethical and social development. The program works to deepen children’s commitment to values such as kindness, helpfulness, personal responsibility and respect for others. It helps children think deeply and critically, integrating social and ethical lessons into academic curriculum. It emphasizes collaboration, problem solving and responsibility rather than reward and punishments. It promotes inclusion and non-competitiveness.

  • The Northeast Foundation for Children (NEFC), based in Greenfield, Massachusetts, has developed an educational approach called The Responsive Classroom. It promotes academic and social excellence. The program teaches that social skills and responsibility, tools that are needed throughout one’s life, go hand in hand with academic learning.

  • The Work Sampling System is a performance-based assessment tool used to measure student achievement. It provides authentic daily assessment and gives a clear documentation of students’ knowledge and achievement in seven curriculum areas: personal and social development, language and literacy, mathematical thinking, scientific thinking, social studies, the arts, and physical development. It gives teachers clear perspectives on how children learn, it helps them plan instruction that is responsive to children’s individual needs, and it gives them a vehicle for sharing specific and detailed information with families. Work Sampling tools help children create portfolios that enable them to recognize and reflect on their own learning, describe their progress, and set personal goals. It provides meaningful information to parents because it helps them understand what kind of learners their children are, and helps them gain a clear understanding of the teachers’ goals.

The founders of The Tapestry Charter School believe that schools and families are partners in learning. The relationship with the school must be collaborative, open, flexible and cooperative. The outcome of this approach to education will produce children who:

  • Are academically and socially prepared to meet the challenges of further education
  • Develop a life-long appreciation for the arts
  • Treat others with respect
  • Stand up for what they believe
  • Show sensitivity to others
  • Are problem solvers
  • Take responsibility for their behavior
  • Take responsibility for their learning
  • Are aware of their responsibility to the larger community
  • Will grow to be productive, caring, nurturing adults