Institute for Collaborative Education: A Comprehensive Overview
The Institute for Collaborative Education (ICE), also known as Ny.ICE, stands as a college-preparatory public secondary school serving students in grades 6-12. Nestled in Manhattan's Gramercy Park neighborhood near Stuyvesant Town-Peter Cooper Village, ICE offers a unique educational experience.
A History Rooted in Educational Reform
Founded in 1993 by John Pettinato, ICE emerged as an alternative to the traditional Regents Exam-based testing system, championing portfolio-based assessment. The school was conceived as a haven for unhoused and underserved youths. ICE operates on the philosophy of education reformer Theodore Sizer, who advocated for small schools focusing on in-depth learning in a few subjects rather than large schools spreading resources thinly across many.
Philosophy and Curriculum: A Focus on Critical Thinking
The New York Times lauded ICE's learning approach, emphasizing its cultivation of critical thinking skills deemed essential by the Common Core and "most sane, intelligent people." The school is a member of the New York Performance Standards Consortium, granting it a waiver from the chancellor's uniform curriculum. As a Consortium school, ICE's students are exempt from taking most Regents exams. Instead, students are evaluated based on their written essays and oral presentations called portfolios.
ICE's curriculum is designed to foster a deep understanding of core subjects through innovative and engaging methods. For example, sixth-grade students currently combine a study of ancient Rome with an analysis and performance of elements of Julius Caesar. ICE strives to teach children to love learning, not just to take standardized tests. Children may act out scenes from Shakespeare's Julius Caesar as part of their study of Ancient Rome, use earthquake data to map fault lines on their computers, or play in the middle school's award winning jazz band.
Location and Facilities
ICE is located in the old Stuyvesant High School building at 345 East 15th Street, sharing the space with the High School for Health Professions and Human Services and P.S.
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Experiential Learning: Travel and Model United Nations
Educational travel forms an integral part of ICE's culture. Past destinations include Mexico and Europe. An annual trip to Nepal allows students to learn photography and engage with the work of the Denali Foundation and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (Nepal). ICE's Model United Nations team actively participates in debates on international issues, attending conferences within New York City and across the United States. Teen Delegates confront concerns: Model United Nations members ready themselves for national conference amidst controversy and conflict at the org.
Academic Performance and College Success
Institute For Collaborative Education is performing above average compared to public and charter schools in New York with the same grade levels. This school has earned one College Success Award for the 2023-24 school year based on its success in preparing students for college. At Institute for Collaborative Education, 50% of students scored at or above the proficient level for math, and 70% scored at or above that level for reading. Compared with the district, the school did better in math and better in reading, according to this metric. In New York City Public Schools, 47% of students tested at or above the proficient level for reading, and 49% tested at or above that level for math. Institute for Collaborative Education did worse in math and better in reading in this metric compared with students across the state. In New York, 46% of students tested at or above the proficient level for reading, and 51% tested at or above that level for math.
Student Demographics and Diversity
As of 2025, student demographics were as follows: 46% White, 20% Hispanic, 18% Black, 7% Asian, 9% Other. The student population of Institute for Collaborative Education is 479 and the school serves 6-12. The student population is made up of 52% female students and 48% male students. The school enrolls 34% economically disadvantaged students.
Faculty and Staff
There are 36 equivalent full-time teachers. The student-teacher ratio is 13:1, which is better than that of the district.
A Closer Look at the ICE Experience
ICE is a small, progressive secondary school that strives to teach children to love learning, not just to take standardized tests. Seventh-graders take an integrated math/science class called "smath," where they build models of roller coasters and catapults; 11th-graders may take statistics and an introduction to neuroscience course that's so popular that a few graduates have gone on to study neuroscience in college. Students have won awards from the NYC Science and Engineering Fair for projects such as one on the effect of transracial adoptions.
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Internships and Post-Graduation Plans
Seniors have internships, rather than regular academic coursework, for their entire second semester, working at architects' offices, law firms, art galleries and a science research labs at local universities.
We celebrated our seniors' plans for after graduation today with a picnic in Stuyvesant Park! We are proud of our students, who will be pursuing a variety of college and career options for their next steps. Our students also received a range of impressive scholarships and awards, including 2 QuestBridge Scholars, 1 Posse Scholar, and 2 Garden of Dreams Scholarship Winners. Over a quarter of the Class of 2025 will be attending college with a scholarship or award that covers the cost of tuition.
College Acceptances
College acceptances include Brown, Colby, Sarah Lawrence, Yale, the University of Chicago, Cornell, Penn State, Middlebury College, Hampshire College, Bard, Bucknell, and College of the Atlantic. Colleges the Class of 2025 is attending (indicates more than 1 student attending): American University of Paris, Bennington College, Borough of Manhattan Community College, Boston University, Brooklyn College, City College of New York, Colgate University, College of Wooster, College of Mount Saint Vincent, Cooper Union, Fordham University, Howard University, Institut Lyfe, John Cabot University, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, Johns Hopkins University, Lehman College, Marist University, Maryland Institute College of Art, McGill University, Michigan State University, Morehouse College, New York University, Northeastern University, Oberlin College & Conservatory, Ohio State University, Pomona College, Rice University, Sarah Lawrence College, Skidmore College, Smith College, Spelman College, St.
Special Education
The school offers both “push in” and “pull out” special education teacher support services (SETSS).
A Unique Learning Environment
It's an informal place. Students call teachers by their first names and sometimes use slang when speaking to adults. Blue jeans are the rule, on adults as well as kids. Kids can be boisterous during class changes. But there is real learning going on, and kids seem happy and engaged. There are some non-traditional activities (like testing the water quality of the Bronx River in a biology class) as well as tried-and-true reading assignments like Macbeth or The Great Gatsby.
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Leadership
Peter Karp, a former science teacher, became principal in 2012, replacing founding principal John Pettinato who retired after 20 years at ICE.
Extracurricular Activities
ICE offers an array of athletic teams for its students.
Demographics
- Female 52%
- Male 48%
- White 45.8%
- Hispanic/Latino 20.3%
- Black or African American 18.0%
- Two or more races 8.6%
- Asian or Asian/Pacific Islander 6.3%
- Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander 0.6%
- American Indian or Alaska Native 0.4%
- Not Specified is not included in this breakdown due to an enrollment of 0%. Economically Disadvantaged Students at Institute for Collaborative Education 34%
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