Rankings of thousands of schools nationwide released by U.S. News & World Report only confirm what families in the Briarcliff Manor Union Free School District already know – students here are high academic achievers who receive an excellent education.
“We’re doing really well with our student outcomes and it’s not surprising,” said district Superintendent James Kaishian. “We talk with our teachers that a lot is expected of you but there’s going to be great support. And we tell our students there is a great deal of opportunity around you with the support that you need.”
With 1,350 students attending three schools – Todd Elementary, Briarcliff Middle School and Briarcliff High School – the district’s schools all placed in the top three percent of schools ranked in New York state. Briarcliff High School was ranked in the top two percent of all high schools in America according to the magazine. Nearly 18,000 high schools were ranked on six factors based on their performance on state assessments and how well they prepare students for college.
Kaishian took the reins as superintendent in 2013 following a turbulent period after defeat of a budget under the previous administration. He came to Briarcliff as principal of the middle school in 2000 and also served as high school principal from 2005 to 2013.
He’s proud of the work the faculty and students put into the educational achievement that the Briarcliff schools produce. Academics are a priority but just as important is the ability to engage students in their own education path and develop well-rounded citizens.
“You can just be cautious and say we just need to keep this formula, the scores are good just don’t break it, but in the last decade I’ve seen the most growth in student voice and choice. What we’re trying to do now is engage the student, engage their intellect and their critical thinking,” he said.
A high school designed to engage and excite
Walking through the high school’s new learning hub on a wing of the first floor reveals the energy and excitement of learning going on there.
Named The CLIFF (an acronym for Collaboration, Learning, Innovation, Faculty, Forum), the wide-open floor space contains glass-walled rooms centered around a two-story atrium with a skylight that brightens the area with natural light. Students gather in small groups at tables and couches in the middle to work on projects.
The CLIFF begins with the cafeteria and flows past a tiered-seating performance space and the high school library.
Around the perimeter are teachers’ offices where students can go for informal talks. A writing lab and a math lab are staffed with faculty always available to offer extra instruction. At the far end of the space is the Science Research class, a three-year course of intense study where students begin by reading articles and finding a mentor, often working with them at a university, and then design a plan and conduct research.
The open and connected spaces in The CLIFF combine to create a learning environment that students and faculty thrive in.
“If there’s anything emblematic of what I’ve tried to do here it’s the project we’ve done in the high school,” Kaishian said. “I’m a big believer in the notion of self-efficacy. I stopped requiring the kids to have passes, stopped required study halls.
“If kids and adults can see people they can relate to accomplishing something, they can believe it’s possible for them. We have created the environment where the human connection is vitally important.”
Striving for academic achievers and good citizens
Briarcliff was one of the first districts in New York state to require community service as part of graduation, granting one-quarter credit for eight hours of service in the community in each year of high school.
“We literally have kids do thousands of hours in soup kitchens or other forms of service for others when they realize they have something to offer,” Kaishian said. “Once that passion is kindled we see what they do with it.”
The high school offers 46 college accredited or AP courses and routinely graduates students into college who can arrive with sophomore standing. One 2024 graduate is now attending Ohio State University as a sophomore. Briarcliff High School faculty are approved as adjunct professors to teach the college credit courses. “No other high school in the area has that level of commitment to those programs,” Kaishian said.
Serving in the district for nearly 25 years has provided Kaishian the chance to work with great faculty members and inspiring students. “The best thing about the job is probably the most anxiety producing,” he says. “You have the power to make people feel good about what they do, the power to help kids achieve their goals and aspirations, and the power to shape an organization.”
