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We believe the curriculum is made up of all students’ experiences. Please scroll through to find out more about all the various aspects of students’ lives in our learning community.


Dual Language

(Spanish-English)

We use a dual language model in all of our curriculum areas. We follow a 50/50 model, meaning we alternate the language of instruction between English and Spanish. For example, on Mondays everything a class studies, from reading to math to dance, will be taught in Spanish. On Tuesdays, students will learn that day's lessons in English.

Children who are dominant in one language are mixed in with children who are dominant in the other so they can be language models for each other. Many children enter our learning community as monolingual English or Spanish speakers and over time develop fluency in the other language. We also have many children in our community who speak a third or fourth language.

Special Education

Special Education at Dos Puentes is Inclusive and follows the Dual Language model. Inclusive education means learning and growing together. At Dos Puentes we offer Bilingual Integrated Co-Teaching Services (ICT) classrooms for all grades. Within the ICT classrooms students with Individualized Education Plans (IEP) are placed with general education students to access grade level curriculum. We strongly believe in the idea of an inclusive education and valuing all students with diverse backgrounds. Every student has an opportunity to contribute and have a sense of belonging in their classroom. Our teachers offer the resources, flexibility and support to help each child develop new skills and meet new goals.

Literacy

Dos Puentes uses the Expeditionary Learning Literacy curriculum based on the Next Generation Learning Standards. All grade teams have worked to ensure that the curriculum has been adapted to a bilingual lens, supporting full biliteracy in English and Spanish.

We balance our literacy approach between shared reading time, small group work, and independent reading and writing time. Early childhood learners spend time “learning to read” through dedicated time for phonics, phonemic awareness, word study, fluency, comprehension, and writing. Older children move towards “reading to learn” by reading texts in different genres, researching, studying vocabulary, and writing about topics related to themes, including countries around the world, historical events, animal characteristics, poetry, human rights, and historical figures. English and Spanish are used to develop full biliteracy for all our students. Projects, inquiry, presentations, field trips, and collaboration with other curriculum areas support our literacy curriculum.

Math

Math is based on the Illustrative Math Curriculum. We work to support children to be math problem solvers by developing fluency, number sense, and the ability to apply these concepts to real-world problems.

A big part of our math period includes a "math talk" where children must prove their answer to one another and explain their approach to a problem. Time is dedicated to both math fluency and number sense.

We are excited to be partnering with Bank Street College through a program called Math for All to best understand ways to provide all children with access and opportunities to understand Math, including all students’ learning profiles.

Inquiry

Our social studies curriculum is student driven and built upon our children's natural sense of wonder and curiosity about the world. We believe that true learning happens when students ask and find the answers to their own questions. In the early grades choice and play is an integral part of our day. As we move into the upper grades, this choice becomes more research-based where students collaborate on inquiry projects and engage in hands-on learning during social studies time.

Science

At Dos Puentes, we have our own Science Department with science classes taught by two full-time science teachers. We follow the Amplify Science curriculum, which emphasizes hands-on experiments and inquiry. We encourage children to ask their own questions and to investigate the "why" behind the answers.

As part of our science curriculum, students work in our school garden, attend field trips, and present at an in-school and District 6 Science Fair. Part of our Science Curriculum is supported by our partnerships with The Bronx Zoo, Wellness in the Schools, and Leave it Better. Lego Robotics is also an important part of our science program. Dos Puentes Robotics Club has received first place recognition in city-wide competitions.
Bronx Zoo Wellness in the School Leave it Better

Physical Education

We are part of a city-wide initiative to make sure children engage in daily physical activity. Our curriculum works to develop their coordination, develop an awareness about their health, and become familiar with a wide range of sports. America SCORES Soccer Program provide an opportunity for students in grades 3-5 to participate on girls or boys Dos Puentes Soccer Teams that compete with other schools throughout the city.
America SCORES

Music

Children receive music instruction every week from an Orff-trained instructor. Children learn to play percussion instruments, sing in both English and Spanish (and other languages), play the recorder, and begin learning to read music. They perform at least twice a year, often in collaboration with our dance program. We have musical partnerships with About the Swing and Carnegie Hall.
Carnegie Hall

Art

We are proud partners with Studio in a School. We have a resident artist, Ms. Vanezza, who provides art instruction for all classes. Art is always taught in Spanish. Children explore a variety of media, including painting, collage, sculpture, printmaking, and mural creation. The art created through Studio in a School is a vibrant part of our school environment. Our hallways become a living gallery that display the talents of all our students.
Studio in a School

Dance

Our dance curriculum encourages students to use their bodies to interpret a message or emotion they wish to communicate. Dance classes build on concepts already being taught in the classroom. Various dance studies have included jazz, Capoeira, hula, and ballet. We have dance partnerships with Ballet Tech, Just Dance!, and a local Capoeira studio. Dance class is taught in Spanish.
Ballet tech Capoeira Hula

Assessment

& Student Led Conference

Assessment at Dos Puentes is always based on student progress. While we follow the Next Generation Standards, we view learning on a continuum. Therefore, it is important for our students to understand where they are and their next steps in moving forward. Students are formally evaluated three times a year. Families are invited to participate in conferences to learn about their students’ growth and next steps. Starting in second grade, students lead their own conferences to share their growth and their goals with their families.

Family Engagement and Family Fridays

Dos Puentes was founded on the principle that families are their childrens’ first teachers. We support strong family engagement in multiple ways. Once a month, families are invited into our classrooms for “Family Friday” where they engage in activities and learning alongside their children. Families also participate in many school events including our annual International Night, Language Exchange, Potlucks, field Day, field trips and many parent workshops.

Field Trips

Learning in our school occurs both in the classroom and through experiences outside of it. New York City provides opportunities for us to engage in experiences from the zoo, to the theater, to museums and much more.

Recess and Lunch

At Dos Puentes, we believe children should get to play outside every day, even when it is cold. The only time we are restricted to indoor play space is on rainy days.

Our partner organization Wellness in the Schools (WITS) provides us with recess coaches who teach and oversee noncompetitive games in our schoolyard. WITS also brings in an alternative lunch menu that includes a salad bar and many more fruits and vegetables. Lunch and breakfast is free for all children.
Wellness in the schools