The Cathedral School The Cathedral School opened in 1901 as a boarding school for boys in the Cathedral’s choir. Non-singing boys were admitted in 1964, and students of all genders were admitted in 1974. Today, the School nurtures 300 K-8 students through commitments to academic excellence, character education, and curricula that support underrepresented voices and foster respect for all individuals.
Who Else Gets to Do This?
“I never know how to explain what that place means to me. I view it as a home.” JAKE MAYER EISNER MARSHA NELSON When they first sent me literature about the School, I saw that there were 11 acres of flowers, trees, and the largest Gothic cathedral in the world—with peacocks! At that moment my heart opened. To be in New York City with greenery and life-inspiring architecture filled me with the sense of remarkable possibilities. Other schools don’t have the learning environment that we have. Our students explore geometry by looking at shapes in the Cathedral. We study history through the Cathedral’s art and stories. We have a science laboratory at our front door. Most of all, we benefit from the Cathedral’s commitment to caring outreach programs. ANGIE KARNA It
is the best playground in the world. The Cathedral becomes a part of who they are. I am grateful every single day for the beauty, the peace, and the calm that we all experience as we reach Amsterdam Avenue. MARSHA NELSON We grow our students in understanding the gifts that they have and the gifts that they could share. We want our kids to see themselves as allies for marginalized groups and become leaders in a world of greater justice. The Episcopal faith is one of inclusion. We clearly state that we are an Episcopal school, and we add “for all faiths and children not practicing faith.” Our liturgy follows Episcopal guidelines, but interspersed are readings from different cultures and stories representing different holidays and faith traditions. Do our students sense the uniqueness of this place? Absolutely.
Students of The Cathedral School investigating the “living laboratory” of the plant and animal life of the Cathedral Close. 212
ANNI-MING LARSON The School opens people’s minds to all of these differences—not just religion and faith, but also lifestyles, views, and cultures. I remember during the Rosh Hashanah chapel we ate apples and honey. We always had the Absalom Jones Evensong; we celebrated Kwanzaa and the Day of the Dead.
BRYAN ZAROS One of the School’s oldest traditions is its Chorister program. It represents a unique partnership between the School and the Cathedral. The two dozen participating students earn a rigorous musical education in exchange for their professionalism and leadership. The Choristers sing at Cathedral services throughout the school year, and tour around the world. ANNI-MING LARSON Being
a Chorister is special because there is a sense of giving back to your community and school, which you secretly love but won’t admit because you’re a twelve-year-old. HANNAH WOLFE EISNER Every year the seventh grade would put together a Medieval Evensong inspired by The Canterbury Tales. It was this amazing project that was only possible at the Cathedral. Each student devised their own character based on the history we had studied. We processed into the Cathedral singing a Gregorian chant with fifth grade pages carrying flags we had painted in art class. We read our own poems from the pulpit and performed dumbshows and medieval dances that we rehearsed in music. PATTI WELCH Every December the Cathedral adorns a Peace Tree with a thousand origami cranes. At the Peace Tree Evensong, one student from each grade reflects on the word “peace.” You get the kindergartener’s response all the way to the eighth grader’s response. We always sing Dona Nobis Pacem and Let There Be Peace on Earth, and then we bless the Peace Tree together. That’s how we dismiss for winter break. ANNI-MING LARSON So many alumni have lasting friendships. Those bonds are formed because of our desire to live out what we were taught and to keep going forward with that. MARSHA NELSON As we prepare for graduation I tell the eighth graders to look around, feel this place. Because I guarantee you, nothing will ever match the Cathedral. Cathedral students absolutely carry a sense of sacred place throughout their lives.
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