DREAM Highbridge elementary school

apply now

Currently enrolling for Grades K-2

1162 River Ave, Bronx, NY 10452

Welcome to
DREAM Highbridge Elementary School

At DREAM Highbridge Elementary School, 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

30:2

student/teacher ratio

2

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

Every year

DREAM scholars outperform their city and state peers in testing

voices from our community

“DREAM has been family since the very first day. From the administrative staff during registration, all the way up to the warm welcoming morning greetings ... I could not have selected a better school for my child."

- Sheerece, DREAM Parent

Meet Principal
Shannel Richardson

Shannel Richardson, founding Principal of DREAM Highbridge Elementary School, began her career as an elementary school teacher and was drawn to DREAM because of its deep commitment to the community.
read her bio

Shannel Richardson

Elementary School Principal

Shannel Richardson, founding Principal of DREAM Highbridge Elementary School, began her career as an elementary school teacher in a high performing charter school in Harlem. There, Shannel served as a K-2 teacher for 7 years and an Assistant Principal for 2 years. Shannel then transitioned to Harlem Village Academy, where she served for 3 years as an ELA Instructional and Cultural Director for Grades 3-5. Shannel was drawn to DREAM because of its deep commitment to the community and to developing the whole child. At DREAM, Shannel chose to return to the classroom as a 5th grade teacher to gain the perspective of the a DREAM teacher before moving back into leadership.

Part of Shannel’s vision for Highbridge is to provide an equitable opportunity for all students and for families and staff to work collaboratively to ensure the success of the school community. Shannel holds a Master’s Degree in Early Education from Columbia University Teachers College.

place matters

At DREAM, we believe that every child deserves a beautiful space to play, learn, and grow. The power of place – including being deeply embedded in a community – is critical to our education model.

Highbridge’s permanent home at 1162 River Ave, Bronx, NY 10452 opened its doors in Fall 2024. This 85,000 sq ft space has capacity to serve students in PK-8. Currently, we serve grades K-2 and 6 at our Highbridge location and will grow by one grade per year. Like all our schools, it is a space that our families are excited and proud to learn in, equipped with beautiful, inspiring features to help our scholars play, learn, and grow.

Our scholars have access to the following facilities and features, and more:

  • Full-size gymnasium and cafeteria
  • Rooftop playspace
  • Technology lounge
  • Onsite occupational therapy, family coordinators, and more
  • Part of a large affordable housing development for Bronx families
  • Easily accessible from the 4, B, and D trains, as well as the Bx35, Bx1, and Bx2 bus lines (only steps away from Yankee Stadium!)

our curriculum

DREAM’s curriculum ensures rigorous, culturally responsive and critically conscious instruction that teaches children to engage in critical thinking about complex and socially relevant ideas. Our curriculum provides opportunities to build student independence and access their creative expression. Students collaborate with peers across content areas that include:

Literacy

  • Shared Reading
  • Interactive Read Aloud
  • Guided Reading
  • Phonics Instruction
  • Writing

STEM

  • Cognitively Guided Instruction
  • Problem Solving
  • Math Workshop
  • Science

The Arts

  • Art
  • Music

Physical Education

  • Sports
  • Recess

Social-Emotional Learning

  • Taught explicitly during Morning Meeting and Ruler
  • Reinforced through the components above

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.
Does DREAM Highbridge offer busing?
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!
Learn More Apply Now