Personalized Academic Support is Central to Who We Are
Jump Start is York Prep’s signature academic support program, designed for bright students with diagnosed learning differences. It sits at the heart of our school and is fully integrated into the student experience. It is reflective of our belief that all learners deserve the tools and guidance to find their unique path to success.
At York, holistic, individualized learning support is not an add-on program; it’s the core of who we are. Jump Start helps students minimize barriers to learning while building the skills, confidence, and independence needed to thrive in a rigorous college-preparatory curriculum. Students are paired with a dedicated Jump Start Teacher who works closely with them, their teachers, and their families to create a personalized path to achieve academic success.
Why Jump Start?
The Jump Start program began in 1999 before the discussion of learning differences had truly moved into mainstream schools. Over the last 25 years, our program has grown and developed to utilize the latest educational research and innovations, but it has always stayed true to our core beliefs that students do their best learning when they feel seen and cared for, and true holistic academic support can change a young person’s life.
Jump Start is time-tested: thousands of York students have benefitted from this transformational experience since the program’s inception 25 years ago.
Program Structure
Each student in Jump Start is assigned to a specialist Jump Start Teacher. Depending on the level of support needed, students will move through one of three program levels:
Program | Individual Session 1:1 | Group Session AM | Group Session PM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jump Start 1 | 2x per week | 5x per week | 4x per week |
| Jump Start 2 | 2x per week | Option: 5x per week | Option: 4x per week |
| Jump Start 3 | 1x per week | Option: 5x per week | Option: 4x per week |
Jump Start group sessions typically include 8–12 students and focus on organization, executive functioning, and guided study. Typically, when students arrive at York, they begin in Level 1 and work their way through each level as they master necessary skills and strategies to gain independence.
Group sessions are held between 8:00am and 8:30am each morning, and 3:15pm –4:00pm Monday through Thursday. Our afterschool extracurricular offerings are designed to begin at 4:00pm so that students do not need to choose between academic support and an activity they love. Individual sessions are held during the school day. Students are never pulled from an academic class for their individual session.
What We Build
Jump Start is not about layering content. It’s about removing obstacles and helping students reach the two central goals of the York Prep Learning Framework: looking within to learn about yourself and seeking out to learn how to be part of the world.
Come and discover York Prep
We would be delighted to have you visit our wonderful diverse school community in the heart of Manhattan.