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Meet some of our staff, and learn about our educational approach and school community in this video introduction!
Support our Read-a-thon during the month of November!
Beginning with Children Charter School 2 (BwCCS 2) is a nurturing community that fosters a love of learning and the development of character for students in grades K-12. Our students achieve academic excellence and are prepared to succeed in top performing high schools and colleges. BwCCS 2 students develop and use G.R.I.T. (Good Judgment, Resilience, Integrity, and Teamwork) for personal and community improvement.
Beginning with Children Charter School 2 (Elementary School) is a small school with a big purpose: to provide a rich educational environment that nurtures students’ intellect and ambitions and connects learning to the world beyond the classroom.
Our overarching goal is to provide each child with a strong foundation for learning that prepares them to become the leaders of tomorrow. We want our children to be curious, independent, engaged students that love and value their school experience. We want our children to treat others with kindness and respect and to remain solution oriented as they solve problems. We want our children to be passionate in making our school, our city, and our world a better place that respects the differences that make us unique while also acknowledging the many elements that make us the same.
BwCCS 2 has a strong track record of academic success since opening in 2012. Most notably, we were recognized as a New York State High Performing Reward School for outstanding achievement in ELA and Math – one of only 63 schools (out of nearly 2,000!) in NYC to receive this prestigious distinction.
Our approach is multilayered and well-rounded, and teaching the whole child will always be a priority at BwCCS 2. Choice is embedded in every child’s day, whether it’s daily choice time in Kindergarten and 1st grade or a choice of electives in 2nd-5th grade. We offer yoga, culinary, foreign language, arts & crafts, piano, and much more through our free afterschool programming. And this is all in addition to our world class full-time Music, Science, Art, and Physical Education programs.
We strongly believe in the value of learning naturally through experiences. We encourage 10 field trips in each grade every year to extend the walls of the classroom into New York City, a city rich with museums, monuments, landmarks, and learning opportunities. These trips are offered at minimal or no cost to families.
We love our PPA — Parents as Partners Association. We firmly believe that we are teammates in the education of each and every child, and we remain thankful that we have such a committed group of parents and families that will do whatever it takes to support our school community. We cherish the ability to participate in PPA Meetings as both Co-Principals and Parents — our son, Julian, is in 4th Grade at BwCCS 2.
Our doors are always open for a tour and a conversation. We can’t wait to meet you!
Best Regards,
Mike & Yvette Ferrara
Co-Principals, BwCCS 2 Elementary
BwCCS 2 opened its doors in September 2012. We provide more options for families in Williamsburg and Bedford-Stuyvesant, currently serving grades K-8. We started our first high school in the fall of 2022.
Our curriculum nourishes intellectual curiosity and inspires our students to become self-directed, independent learners. Teachers integrate themes from the core subjects of reading, math, science and social studies into all aspects of the curriculum and it includes technology, the arts, physical fitness, music and other enrichment.
We use an inquiry-based workshop model of instruction for delivery in all major subjects. The model consists of key elements that provide for instructional coherence across the school. The workshop includes a mini-lesson or direct instruction, guided practice, independent application, assessment, and review/sharing.
Beginning with Children Charter School 2 offers grades K-8 and is part of the Beginning with Children Network.
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Mike grew up in the Philadelphia area and attended Loyola University Maryland in Baltimore to obtain an undergraduate degree in Psychology. He began his educational career as a Teach for America Corps Member in NYC in 2006. In addition to classroom teaching, Mike has taught graduate courses at the Relay Graduate School of Education at Hunter College and served as an educational consultant for Scholastic, Inc. and Sesame Workshop. He holds an M.S.T. in Early Childhood Education from Pace University. Mike joined BwCCS2 in 2014 as the founding upper school dean. In his free time, he enjoys playing the guitar and the drums, spending time with his family, and frantically cheering Philadelphia sports teams.
Mike and Yvette Ferrara met in 2006 as Kindergarten teachers in Brooklyn, New York. In the years that followed, they have done a lot together. There have been little things (lesson planning, co-teaching, designing assessments) and big things (getting married in 2012, welcoming their sons Julian and Luca to the world). Together, Mike & Yvette proudly serve as co-principals of Beginning with Children Charter School 2.
But they don’t do everything together! Please click their respective pictures for a little more about Mike and Yvette.
Yvette grew up in Chicago and Wisconsin and attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison to obtain an undergraduate degree in Elementary Education. She began her career in education over a decade ago teaching in Cuenca, Ecuador before moving to New York City to teach Kindergarten and Second Grade in Brooklyn. She received her M.S. in Elementary Education and her M.S. in Literacy from Bank Street College of Education. In addition to classroom teaching, Yvette taught graduate courses at the Relay Graduate School of Education at Hunter College. Yvette served as a founding teacher for BwCCS2 in 2012 and founding elementary school dean in 2013. In her free time, Yvette enjoys spending time with her family, reading, and traveling.
