| The Kew Forest School | |
|---|---|
| Motto | "Ad Summum" |
| Established | 1918 |
| Type | Private |
| Founder | Louis D. Marriott |
| Headmaster | Mark Fish |
| Students | approx. 247 |
| Grades | PreK-12 |
| Location | 119-17 Union Turnpike, Forest Hills, NY 11375, Forest Hills, New York, |
| Accreditation | National Association of Independent Schools |
| Campus | Urban |
| Colors | Blue, Red Yay!! |
| Mascot | Jaguar |
| Yearbook | The Blotter |
| Newspaper | The Forester |
| Website | http://www.kewforest.org |
The Kew-Forest School is an independent, co-ed, college preparatory school for students in grades PreK-12. The school was established in 1918 strictly for residents of Forest Hills and Kew Gardens, hence the name. Now, however, Kew-Forest has students from over 30 different towns and areas including Richmond Hill, Forest Hills, Kew Gardens, Little Neck, Bayside, Douglaston, Jamaica Estates, Long Island, Manhattan, and more. Not only does the school attract people from different geographical areas, but it attracts a diverse student body with students of many different races and ethnicities enrolling in Kew-Forest.
The school also has an impressive history of club and team championships. The Mock Trial Team traveled to State and City Finals in the years 1999, 2000, and 2001. The Basketball Team was 2005-2006 Champions, and the soccer team recently became the 06-07 champions. Notable graduates and attendees include Hank Azaria, Katharine Weber, Gideon Yago, and Donald Trump.
Contents |
The student government candidates campaign, make speeches, debate, and then ultimately must be elected by popular vote. Students are to complete applications and submit them to the administration for reviewing. These faculty members choose which students have demonstrated the most commitment and dedication (just a few of the criteria) for the positions on the Student Council. This system was recently put into effect during the academic year of 2007–2008 in an attempt to steer away from students being elected purely on the basis of popularity. Also, the administration believes in a system of balance where every individual member has equal power, thus keeping everyone at the same playing field. The Student Leadership Board has organized a number of events such as Can Drive which raises over 1300 cans each year. These cans are then donated to local food pantries for distribution amongst the needy. Also, they helped organize a Habitat For Humanity trip to Hartford, Connecticut in an effort to build homes for the homeless.
In the 2008–2009 year, the Student Leadership Board was changed into the "New" Student Council. Changes included elections for class representatives, as well as an Executive Council composed of a president, vice-president, and treasurer.
Coached by Dr. Spelman, the school's Latin teacher, The Mock Trial Team has gone to the State and City Finals in the years 1999 through 2001. The Mock Trial Team is known to be one of the most serious and time-consuming clubs in the school. Students who take part in Mock Trial all agree that, although preparation for trials takes up most of their time, their experience on the team is more rewarding than their experience on any other team or club in the school. Participants learn about the legal system, how to make valid arguments, how to act, and many other things. Team unity and passion allow the Mock Trial Team to advance far in the competition each year.
Since the Model UN Club was founded 8 years ago, the school has been to over 15 conferences such as ILMUNC, RUMUN, JHUMUNC, and several more. There have been several 'Best Delegate' Awards given to Kew-Forest Students as well as Honorable Mentions and Verbal Commendations. The club is run by three club officers and one teacher.
The Community Service Club has done numerous events towards helping the community and people around them such as a trip to New Orleans with the help of The Curriculum Initiative (TCI), Habitat for Humanity, and The Ronald McDonald House.
The school's publication which provides students with information about what is going on in the school and the community around, new events coming up, and stories about past events. The Forester is led by the Editor in Chief, who is helped by two co-editors. Currently, the Forester has approximately 30 students writing for it from grades 7 through 12.
This Publication includes a humor section, a short story section, and a poetry section, all composed by Kew-Forest students. Nubbin, unlike The Forester, is only distributed to upper classmen (10-12) due to the sometimes risqué nature of the article.
Kew-Forest has two distinct divisions for grades K-6 (Lower) and grades 7-12 (Upper). There is a Division Head for each division.
The Kew-Forest School's Lower Division believes that the school's primary function is to educate children so they can become a responsible member of society, able to recognize the obligations of an individual in a community. The lower division strives to work closely with parents and children towards discovering and developing each child's potential.
The Lower Division embraces the belief that all children can learn and want to succeed. Its comprehensive and academically rigorous curriculum promotes mastery of basic skills—reading, writing, and mathematics—while offering additional enrichment and integration of core programs with foreign language instruction, library skills, technology, science, drama, art, music, and physical education.
All the grades are highlighted by field trips that are integrated into the core program. Fifth and sixth grade students engage in overnight, experiential outdoor education trips that stress cooperation and social development through off-campus study in a natural environment.
The Kew-Forest Upper Division marks an exciting period of personal and academic growth. The Upper Division offers a traditional, college preparatory program with a carefully designed core curriculum. Students are able to do more, understand more, and achieve more each year. The Kew-Forest curriculum not only provides a strong core of college-preparatory courses, but also fosters increased independence and self-responsibility. Students are expected to stretch their intellect, hold themselves to high personal and academic standards, ask questions, take risks, and learn to express themselves clearly in both writing and speaking.
The Upper Division offers 12 AP courses, including Latin, English, History, French, Spanish, Calculus, and more. Other classes include Broadcast Journalism, Film, Studio Art, Philosophy, and Geology. The school is lacking in electives provided by most other high schools.
The Upper Division has a full complement of extracurricular activities including newspaper, Yearbook, literary magazine, French and Spanish Clubs, Model UN and Global Classroom, Mock Trial, music and drama ensembles, theater productions, and a full-scale community service program.