People at Calhoun were welcoming and generous. I felt like there were no boundaries between peers and that when I needed help finding my way, or putting film in my camera, or even just striking up a conversation, people were not afraid to reach out to me…The friends I made at Calhoun will always have a special place in my heart.
– Iris Williamson
General Information
The Calhoun School is a preK-12, progressive, coeducational day school of about 700 students, with 180 in the Upper School. The school offers a unique physical plant, an open space school, in the heart of New York City’s Upper West Side. Students coming to the school will be able to take advantage of the many cultural activities that the city has to offer.
Programs
Early Childhood Internship
Students will work in our Early Childhood Center (3-5 year olds) under the supervision and guidance of a faculty member. This will be an appropriate experience for any student who enjoys working with children or who wants experience for future work with children. As this school is in a separate building from the Upper School, students may choose to get involved with the high school by participating in an extra-curricular activity or one academic/elective class.
Independent Art Project
Working with art faculty at the Network student’s home school and Calhoun’s art faculty, a student will identify an independent project in the visual arts and work on it for the period of time at Calhoun. As a part of their program, students will visit the city’s world famous art museums and galleries. These include The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the American Folk and Craft Museums, the Guggenheim and the Frick Collection. Students may work on projects with the art classes and attend the related field trips when they occur. Network students may also arrange their own museum visits and projects in consultation with the art faculty and their host family. Students will usually participate in one or two academic classes, as well, so as to become better acquainted with the school and its students.
Living Arrangements and Travel
Network students are housed in the homes of Calhoun families. Network students who have family or close family friends in the area may elect to stay with them (parents’ approval) but should take commuting distances into account.
New York City offers a wide range of cultural, historical, and scientific activities in which students can participate. Students should realize that they are coming to a complex urban environment and be both responsible and independent. Comfort with travelling on public transportation (sometimes alone) is an important requirement for prospective students. It is also necessary to have sufficient pocket money and budget it for the length of the stay. Weekly unlimited-ride subway / bus passes cost $25. Most museums have admission charges of $8-$20.
LaGuardia is usually the best airport to use, but do consult with the host family before purchasing a ticket. A student can get into town for $35 by cab from LGA ($55 from JFK) or $2-7 by bus or train, depending on the location of the home-stay. Kennedy and Newark are farther from most Calhoun family apartments, and the cab ride is more expensive. Alternately, students traveling from other schools in the Northeast might elect to take Amtrak or a bus line, such as Megabus or Bolt Bus.
Application Procedure
Students should complete the Network Student Information form and return it to the home school Network Advisor. The programs are open to all high school students, especially those in 10th-12th grades.
Dates
Individually arranged one to two week stays. See the School Calendar for vacation dates.
Download this information in PDF format here: CALHOUN.pdf
| Advisor Name: | Lavern McDonald |
| Title: | Assoc. Director Upper School |
| Phone: | (212) 497-6517 |
| Email: | lavern.mcdonald@calhoun.org |
| Advisor Name: | Sarah Tarrant |
| Title: | Director of College Counseling |
| Phone: | (212) 497-6504 |
| Email: | sarah.tarrant@calhoun.org |