Founded in 1908
The Robert Louis Stevenson School was founded in 1908. We are located in an historic brownstone on West 74th Street off Central Park West – a short walk to the Park, Lincoln Center, The American Museum of Natural History, and the vibrant life of the Upper West Side.
Stevenson serves 80 students in grades eight through twelve. Seventh grade applicants who are ready for college preparatory coursework may also be considered. The student-to-staff ratio is 4:1.
Mission
The Robert Louis Stevenson School’s mission is to promote the emotional mastery needed for learning and living, bringing students into a strong academic and therapeutic environment and propelling them towards postsecondary independence and success.
Vision
Our vision is that Robert Louis Stevenson School grows and develops as the premier therapeutic day school in New York City. The School attracts a strong faculty that delivers a competitive independent school curriculum plus a set of enrichment programs that build a sense of pride and engagement for a diverse set of students and families. The School maintains a strong connection to and relationship with the therapeutic community, becoming a leader in the design and delivery of support to young people and their families. Finally, the School prepares and supports students in their pursuit of postsecondary education, sending them to excellent programs and colleges around the country.
Students
Stevenson students are bright adolescents who have struggled to negotiate the academic, social and emotional pressures of the typical school environment. They are intelligent, social, resourceful, and creative. Many come from prestigious, competitive independent and public schools where they have demonstrated significant achievement in areas of particular interest.
Students at Stevenson may be struggling with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) adjustment problems, anxiety, depression, or difficulties with peers. They may also have learning issues.
Stevenson has one of the more diverse student bodies in the NYC independent system. Our community typically includes individuals of different races, cultural backgrounds, socio-economic conditions, gender identities and LGBTQ+ students. We prize our accepting school culture and believe it makes a meaningful difference in broadening our community’s perspective.
Faculty and Staff
Stevenson has 20 faculty members, four full time psychologists, one full time school psychology doctoral intern, learning specialists, and a college counselor.
Faculty are also advisors, meeting with students at least three times a day.
All faculty and clinical staff meet together each morning to keep everyone up to date on every student’s needs and accomplishments.
Professional Development
Teaching gifted adolescents who have not realized their potential involves special responsibilities. Teachers at Stevenson are sensitive to individual needs, but also provide the leadership and control necessary for students to feel secure. While setting clear limits, they accept their students sincerely and are quick to give recognition to every sign of effort and achievement.
Our teachers excel in their academic fields and are involved in ongoing training and supervision to enhance their pedagogical skills and psychological understanding. Ongoing professional development brings leading authorities in psychology and psychiatry to support skills-based coaching, teaching and treatment. We provide specialized professional development in Dialectical Behavior Therapy for all teachers and specialists. We explicitly teach the language of emotions.
Admissions
Stevenson has rolling admissions. Accepted students may join the Stevenson community at any point during the year.
Colleges
We are proud that nearly all Stevenson graduates go on to attend college.
School Schedule
Stevenson’s school schedule is purposefully designed to be responsive to our students’ needs. We begin the day for students at 9:00 AM. This later start gives students more opportunity to get to school on time.
Our day is also paced so that students have no more than two classes in a row without at least a 15-minute break. In addition, there are built-in daily times when students can meet with teachers to receive additional personalized instruction.