Saint David’s Partners

In partnership with the Hayden Planetarium, Saint David’s sixth graders navigate the cosmos using the Digital Universe as their guide. Over the course of three months, boys engage in interdisciplinary fieldwork that transforms scientific wonder into lived experience. Using NASA’s OpenSpace software, each team researches an astronomical topic of personal interest, then steps into the Planetarium’s control room to deliver a multimedia presentation of their findings—an enduring lesson in research, public speaking, and the thrill of discovery.

From the towering skeletons in the Dinosaur Hall to the hands-on excitement of a simulated archaeological dig, the American Museum of Natural History gives our youngest boys a first glimpse into big questions—and even bigger worlds. As part of their interdisciplinary study of dinosaurs, Omega boys visit this renowned institution to deepen their understanding through direct observation and tactile exploration. It’s an early lesson in learning not just what we know—but how we come to know it.

As part of their study of biodiversity and local ecosystems, Saint David’s seventh graders join the citywide effort to restore New York Harbor—one oyster at a time. Through the school’s partnership with the Billion Oyster Project, boys engage in real-world science: collecting data, monitoring oyster growth, and helping to reestablish one of the harbor’s keystone species. In the process, they come to see their city not just as a place to live, but as an environment to understand, protect, and help rebuild.

What does it mean to grow with integrity? At Saint David’s, that question runs through the school’s partnership with the Center for Spiritual and Ethical Education (CSEE). With CSEE’s support, teachers explore the deeper dimensions of character—justice, empathy, ethical thought—and help boys bring those values to life in how they learn, lead, and live.

Central Park is our backyard—and our fifth graders help care for it. In partnership with the Central Park Conservancy, students take part in hands-on service projects that support the park’s ongoing maintenance and renewal. From planting and mulching to litter collection and landscape care, their work cultivates not just cleaner pathways and healthier gardens, but also a deeper sense of civic responsibility.

At Saint David’s, digital citizenship is a core part of character education. That’s why the school draws on Common Sense Media's acclaimed curriculum to help boys navigate their online lives with the same thoughtfulness and integrity expected of them offline. Integrated into the Sophrosyne program, these lessons challenge boys to think critically, communicate responsibly, and make principled choices in a digital world that rarely rewards restraint.

The study of DNA at Saint David’s is more than textbook science—it’s an inquiry into life itself. Through a partnership with the Cold Spring Harbor DNA Learning Center, fifth grade boys apply the scientific method to DNA extraction. In eighth grade, they continue their work with DNALC’s PhD geneticists, conducting independent research and barcoding DNA. Their work blends precision, curiosity, and discovery. Just as important, it introduces boys to the ethical dimensions of science and the power of close observation—lessons that extend well beyond the microscope.

Located in Spanish Harlem, El Museo del Barrio celebrates the artistic traditions and lived experiences of Latin American and Caribbean cultures, with a particular focus on Puerto Rican heritage and history. Each fall, Saint David’s fifth graders visit the museum during its Día de los Muertos celebrations—an experience that deepens their understanding of cultural expression through art, language, and ritual while honoring the joyful, reflective, and communal spirit of this vibrant tradition.

A cornerstone experience, Saint David’s third graders study immigration by walking through history. At Ellis Island, they follow the path of the more than 12 million immigrants who passed through its halls—surrounded by the sights and echoes of journeys taken long ago. Back in the classroom, a Mock Ellis Island simulation brings that experience closer still, inviting boys to step into the story with empathy, imagination, and a deeper understanding of what it means to begin again.

During their study of portraiture, Saint David’s sixth graders visit The Frick Collection—a museum housed in the former residence of industrialist Henry Clay Frick and known for its exceptional European paintings and decorative arts. In this intimate setting, boys observe and sketch masterworks firsthand, sharpening their eye for composition, character, and detail while deepening their appreciation for one of art’s most enduring forms.

Each fall, Saint David’s sixth graders head to Frost Valley YMCA—an outdoor education center in the Catskills—for a multi-day experience that blends adventure with reflection and team building. Immersed in nature and away from routine, boys take on high-ropes challenges and group problem-solving tasks. The experience stretches them in meaningful ways, building resilience, cooperation, and the quiet confidence that comes from stepping beyond their comfort zones—together.

Through a partnership with the Gilder Lehrman Institute, Saint David’s fifth and sixth graders engage directly with one of the nation’s most extensive archives of primary source materials. As they examine original letters, maps, pamphlets, and photographs—especially during their study of the Revolutionary and Civil Wars—boys learn to interpret history through the words and images that shaped it. The experience sharpens their analytical thinking and deepens their connection to the American story, helping them see the past with fresh eyes.

Throughout the fall term, second graders hold their weekly 90-minute art sessions inside the Guggenheim itself—studying the museum’s iconic architecture and exploring modern masterpieces from its permanent collection. With guidance from a museum educator and their Saint David’s art teacher, boys create original works inspired by what they see. The experience culminates in a presentation of the Thannhauser Collection to parents and special friends, along with a public exhibition of the boys' own artwork held at the museum—giving boys the rare chance to share their growth as artists in a celebrated and inspiring space.

Located along Fifth Avenue’s Museum Mile, the Jewish Museum gives Saint David’s fourth graders the chance to explore Jewish history, identity, and culture through the lens of art. As part of their study of world religions, boys encounter ceremonial objects, contemporary pieces, and masterworks drawn from more than 4,000 years of global Jewish experience. The visit deepens classroom learning by encouraging thoughtful observation, reflection, and the recognition of how belief and tradition are expressed in visual form.

Each year, Saint David’s Omega boys participate in a seven-week Global Artist Exchange, building meaningful digital connections with peers in Argentina. Through Level Up Village’s secure online platform, boys share videos, explore one another’s cultures, and reflect on the power of artistic collaboration across borders. The experience fosters empathy, cross-cultural fluency, and a broader sense of creative expression—helping boys see the world, and themselves, in new ways.

Over six visits across fall and winter, Saint David’s second graders build friendships with students at the MCC—a school on the Upper West Side serving children with autism spectrum disorder and related challenges. As they play and engage in verbal and nonverbal communication, the boys come to better understand both the differences and the common ground between them. It’s a formative experience—one that nurtures empathy, patience, and a deeper appreciation for others.

Just a short walk from the school’s front doors, The Met extends the boys’ education in the arts and humanities into one of the world’s great cultural institutions. By the time a boy graduates, its galleries have become a familiar Saint David’s classroom. Whether studying ancient civilizations, Renaissance portraiture, or the symbols in everyday objects, boys encounter art not as abstraction but as something vivid, material, and deeply human. These visits nurture observation, interpretation, and wonder—habits of mind as essential to formation as any lesson on the page.

MoMA offers Saint David’s boys early and lasting encounters with the power of modern art. Second graders visit during their interdisciplinary study of Picasso in Spanish and art, while eighth graders return to explore the movements and artists that shaped the modern age—often drawing inspiration for their own culminating humanities presentations. These visits invite boys to consider not just what art means, but what it does: how it provokes, challenges, and expands our understanding of the world.

Just a few blocks north of school, the Museum of the City of New York gives second graders a window into the evolving story of their hometown. As part of a yearlong exploration of New York City, boys examine artifacts, photographs, and exhibits that trace the city’s past—helping them connect it to the present and consider what makes a place grow, adapt, and endure.

Each year, Saint David’s third graders take part in a ten-week residency with NDI, held in our theater. Led by professional choreographers and a live musician, the program channels movement, rhythm, collaboration, and exploration of emotion into something larger as the boys team up to choreograph their own production. NDI’s distinctive method combines high expectations with boundless enthusiasm, helping every boy discover the joy of dance. 

Our collaboration with The New York Historical spans the entire school year and is fully embedded in the curriculum for Grades One through Three. Each week, a museum educator joins our teachers to co-lead engaging, hands-on lessons that bring history to life. With access to the museum’s collection of artifacts, primary source documents, and art, boys deepen their understanding of the past while learning to see it as something present—relevant, layered, and alive.

In the beautiful Delaware River region, Saint David’s seventh graders spend three days immersed in the natural world. As visiting field researchers, they collect water and specimen samples, traverse hiking trails, monitor pond and stream ecosystems by canoe, and study forest and stream ecology firsthand. They also explore the geologic and cultural history of the region—and practice “leave no trace” living, connecting the principles of environmental stewardship to their own lives back home.

As part of the health curriculum in sixth and eighth grades, Saint David’s partners with Prepare Inc.—an organization that helps boys build confidence, speak up for themselves, and stay safe in a variety of real-world situations. Over the course of ten sessions, trained educators lead practical, age-appropriate workshops on setting boundaries, handling peer pressure, and making thoughtful choices. It’s all about equipping boys with the tools to act with courage, clarity, and respect—for themselves and others.

At the Tenement Museum, third graders step into the restored apartments of families who lived on the Lower East Side at the turn of the 20th century. Students explore firsthand what daily life was like for new immigrants—how people lived, worked, hoped, and persevered. In walking the worn floors of these homes, boys come to understand history not as something abstract or distant, but as something lived, real, and relatable.

Since 1963, A Better Chance has been the preeminent resource for identifying, recruiting and developing leaders among historically underserved young people throughout the United States. The oldest and only national organization of its kind, we select, prepare, place and support high-performing middle and high school students in some of the most rigorous and prestigious independent day schools, boarding schools and public schools in the country.

AISAP is the only association that has admission and enrollment management professionals as its sole mission and focus. Our vibrant community of over 3,000 professionals is willing to share experiences and insights in all aspects of independent school and private school admission and enrollment management. With their help, we aspire to inspire and serve every admission and enrollment professional to maximize their impact on the world of education.

Early Steps is a hands-on non-profit organization. Our sole mission is to promote racial diversity within New York City independent schools. We  accomplish this by increasing the enrollment of children of color beginning at the kindergarten and first grade levels. At Early Steps we are dedicated to our mission, our children and their families, and our member schools. Families, children and schools are treated with honesty and respect as we strive to find the best independent school setting for each child. Early Steps school advisors are both professional and compassionate. They are trusted by schools and families alike to balance the needs of both parties, always with an eye on what’s best for each child.

We advance educational equity by building long-term partnerships with students, families, communities, and schools to create experiences outside of school that inspire the joy of learning. 

The Independent Schools Admissions Association of Greater New York (ISAAGNY) is the largest regional admissions organization of its kind in the country.  Our schools agree to adhere to our Membership Agreement and Notification & Reply Dates - this commitment ensures that the admissions experience is orderly, streamlined, and equitable. The ISAAGNY network is also a home base for collaboration between schools: we offer access to the latest research on teaching and learning practices, a variety of professional development and training opportunities, and a breadth of educational resources. 

As a global organization IBSC connects educators and boys’ schools of diverse settings, through research, programs (in person and virtual), engagement, and advocacy.

Today IBSC and our global community of member schools team together to champion boys’ education and bring improvement to the lives boys and the communities they serve.

The National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) is a nonprofit membership association dedicated to unlocking the extraordinary potential in students, independent schools, and their communities. We provide services to more than 2,000 schools and associations of schools in the United States and internationally.

NYSAIS is a voluntary association of 203 independent nursery, elementary, and secondary schools enrolling roughly 80,000 students. It is affiliated with the National Association of Independent Schools and the New York State Coalition for Independent and Religious Schools. Founded in 1947, the Association is chartered by the New York State Board of Regents and is incorporated as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization.

Since 1978 we have identified New York City’s most promising students and prepared them for success at independent schools throughout the Northeast. Once placed, we support the academic and personal growth of our students through college. Founded by South Bronx school teacher Gary Simons with the support of Columbia University’s Teachers College, Prep for Prep opened its doors in 1978 with 25 students and three teachers. Eleven independent schools committed places in their seventh-grade classes.

Today, more than 150 schools enroll more than 650 Prep students each year. Our Prep Community includes more than 5,600 students and alumni.

Summer Steps prepares children for optimal participation and success in kindergarten aiming to facilitate cognitive, social, emotional and physical development through a wide variety of learning experiences. Class time is balanced to include teacher-initiated activities designed to assist with specific school readiness skill development and child-initiated exploration of a wide variety of materials and centers designed to stimulate, engage, and foster excitement and enthusiasm for learning.