GROWING UP GREEN CHARTER SCHOOL II

www.gugcs.org

Charter School 682 Students

Elementary School K - 8th

School Overview

**Growing Up Green Charter School II (GUGCS II)**, located in the Jamaica neighborhood of Queens, is a tuition-free public charter school that serves students in grades K–8. As part of a mission-driven network, the school focuses on integrating environmental sustainability with a rigorous academic curriculum. Its pedagogical approach emphasizes hands-on, inquiry-based learning, encouraging students to develop a deep connection to their community and the natural world while meeting high New York State academic standards.

Beyond traditional core subjects, GUGCS II prioritizes social-emotional development and environmental stewardship. The school aims to foster "green citizens" by incorporating wellness, physical activity, and community engagement into the daily student experience. By maintaining small class sizes and a supportive school culture, the institution strives to prepare its diverse student body for long-term academic success while equipping them with the critical thinking skills necessary to address complex environmental and social challenges.

682

Total Students

78.0

Full-Time Teachers

8.7

Student/Teacher Ratio

95.7%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for GROWING UP GREEN CHARTER SCHOOL II
Demographic	Student Count
White	15
Hispanic	193
Black	352
Asian	85
Two or More	11
American Indian	22
Pacific Islander	4

Black
352 (51.6 %)
Hispanic
193 (28.3 %)
Asian
85 (12.5 %)
American Indian
22 (3.2 %)
White
15 (2.2 %)
Two or More
11 (1.6 %)
Pacific Islander
4 (0.6 %)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Elementary School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Charter School
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	GROWING UP GREEN CHARTER SCHOOL II
Phone:	(347)642-4306
Website:	http://www.gugcs.org
Grade Range:	K - 8th
Total Students:	682
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	78.0
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	8.7
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	648
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	5

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Kindergarten 77

Grade 1 78

Grade 2 68

Grade 3 81

Grade 4 71

Grade 5 74

Grade 6 82

Grade 7 84

Grade 8 67