DREAM east harlem
pre-k

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Currently enrolling for Pre-K

433 East 100th Street, East Harlem

Welcome to
DREAM East Harlem Pre-K

At DREAM East Harlem Pre-K, everything we do is guided by our Whole Child model: the belief that every child needs and deserves not only rigorous academic instruction, but also social-emotional support, physical health and wellness, and the strength of a community behind them. When children are known, seen, and loved, that’s when they have the space to grow into the leaders, innovators, and changemakers of tomorrow.

At a glance

18:2

student/teacher ratio

2

teachers per classroom as part of our unique integrated co-teaching model

2020

For the 2024-25 school year, any student born in 2020 is eligible for EHPK

voices from our community

“Recently, Logan and Royal of the Little Giants arrived at school with their moms at the same time. Logan was ready to run in the door, but then noticed that Royal was a little more reluctant to leave his mom. Logan immediately reached out his hand; Royal gladly took it and they walked into school together, hand-in-hand. This small act of compassion from our youngest learners speaks to the bonds students have built in their classroom communities.”

- Christine Wicks, Former Principal

Meet Principal
Lexis White

Lexis joined DREAM in 2021. Since then, she has driven exceptional student achievement results and demonstrated her deep commitment to our students and families.
Read her bio

Lexis White

East Harlem Elementary School Principal

Lexis White, DREAM East Harlem Elementary Principal, began her career as an elementary school teacher in a high performing charter school in Harlem. There, Lexis served as a 4th, 6th, and 7th grade teacher. Lexis has been a school leader for 5 years and joined Dream Charter School East Harlem Middle School in the summer of 2021. Lexis was drawn to DREAM because of its deep commitment to the community.

Lexis is passionate about academic excellence, advocacy and teacher development. Lexis is honored to transition into the Principal role where she can continue to build lifelong learners. Lexis earned her Bachelor’s Degree at Howard University and her Masters Degree at Fordham University through Teach for America. Lexis is committed to being a lifelong learner, a partner with all families here at DREAM, and supporting a school environment where students can fail, persist, and exceed.

place matters

At DREAM, we believe that every child deserves a beautiful space to play, learn, and grow. East Harlem Pre-K is located at 433 East 100th Street. Classrooms feature reading nooks, sensory learning stations, spaces for small group play, and more.

Like all of our schools, EHPK is embedded in its community; it’s only a few blocks away from our Field of Dreams, and when our preschoolers step up to kindergarten, they move to our state-of-the-art location at 1991 2nd Ave.

our curriculum

DREAM East Harlem Pre-K has two teachers per classroom and is the first preschool in New York City to use the Every Child Ready curriculum, which balances independent, play-based learning with whole and small group instruction. It includes strategies for English Language Learners and low-language students who need extra support. Every scholar receives daily one-on-one instruction in both reading and math.

At the end of the year, Pre-K scholars are academically, socially, and emotionally prepared to succeed in kindergarten and elementary school.

EHPK scholars build social-emotional skills like:

  • Communication with peers and adults
  • Understanding emotions
  • Establishing and keeping routines
  • Peer conflict resolution

Free Afterschool & Summer Programming

Every DREAM student is guaranteed a spot in our free afterschool and summer programming. That's because we believe that an extended-day, extended-year model is key to nurturing scholars' whole selves, keeping students engaged all day long and all year long through a mix of academic support, social-emotional learning programming, sports-based programming, and enrichment activities like field trips.

Once your child is enrolled for the fall, they can get a head start on their DREAM journey that summer; all incoming students are guaranteed a spot in our summer programming.
Learn more about summer at DREAM

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a charter school?
Charter schools are public schools, free and open to all, that have the autonomy and freedom to design classrooms that meet the needs of all students. Every charter school network has its own principles and practices, which can result in different outcomes for students and families. At DREAM Charter Schools, all teachers are NYS-certified and we are committed to a model that welcomes every child and serves all of their needs - academic, social-emotional, and physical.
What is DREAM’s application process?
Students are selected through a lottery process, and it’s free to apply. Applications must be submitted by the lottery deadline, which is in early April; applications received after the deadline will be placed on a waitlist in the order in which they are received. You can apply online or by using a print application, which are available in English, Spanish, and French. You can access online and print applications at www.wearedream.org/enroll.
What are DREAM’s hours? Does DREAM offer afterschool programming?
Breakfast is from 7:30-7:55. The school day begins at 7:45 am and ends at 4:00 pm, with afterschool continuing until 5:45 pm. In a typical year, Friday dismissal is at 1:00 pm or 5:00 pm for scholars participating in afterschool. All DREAM scholars are guaranteed a spot in our free afterschool programming, as well as our free summer programming.
Where is DREAM East Harlem Pre-K located? Does EHPK offer busing?
DREAM East Harlem Pre-K is located at 433 East 100th Street. Busing is currently only available for students who have an IEP that requires transportation.
What kind of support does DREAM offer for children with IEPs and/or special needs?
DREAM believes in every child, and 29% of our students have identified special needs. All our classrooms are have an integrated co-teaching model (with two teachers in every classroom) as well as onsite counseling, speech language therapy, physical therapy, hearing support services, occupational therapy, and paraprofessional services. 100% of IEP services are provided in person. For our students without IEPs, DREAM offers Tier 2 Support services in the form of both academic and social-emotional interventions.
Do you offer English language learner services? If so, what services are offered?
DREAM offers two models for English Language Learner Teaching, depending on the student’s needs. In the Stand-Alone Model, ELLs/MLLs are taken out of the mainstream classroom for a block of the day to receive language support through a designated ELL curriculum. Lessons emphasize building speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills to improve both academic and social language and accelerate progress in the core classroom. In the Integrated Co-Teaching model, the ELL/MLL teacher comes into the mainstream classroom and works with the content area teacher to provide extra language support to ELLs/MLLs. It is a collaboration between the general education or content teacher and the English as a New Language teacher.
Who can I contact if I have additional questions or want more information?
You can reach out to enrollment@wearedream.org. We’re here to help and will get back to you as soon as possible!
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