TEP’s new middle school building is a one-of-a-kind facility for the neighborhood, one that was specially designed to enhance the school’s focus on what we call the 3 A’s—Academics, Arts, & Athletics—which are at the heart of TEP’s approach to serving its students. Learning takes place in spacious classrooms featuring beams of natural light and comfy library nooks. The entire 6th floor is dedicated to music, including a concert performance venue and sound-proof recording studio. Students also spend part of their day in the cafe or adjacent outdoor terrace and garden, eating freshly prepared nutritious meals by our in-house kitchen team. The building is conducive to physical activity; in addition to daily PE class, many extracurricular activities and assemblies occur in the huge gymnasium that can seat the entire middle school.
Beyond serving as a permanent home for TEP’s 5th through 8th grade students, the new facility is a valuable resource for the Upper Manhattan neighborhoods of Inwood & Washington Heights. The new building aims to serve as a community hub in which residents have a physical space to engage with these 3 A’s as well, particularly with respect to community arts programs, athletic programs, and health/wellness opportunities.
