In 1983, a new school was born in the basement of the O'Shea complex on W. 77th Street. Premised on the notion that technology could be a vibrant teaching tool, The Computer School was one of the first schools to integrate computers into the classroom, while providing a rigorous, innovative and broad-based curriculum to its students.

Today, the school's premise is a given: computers are an integral part of the classroom - and the school's name, which reflects its pioneering philosophy, tells only part of the story.

While it's true that Computer School students receive regular instruction in basic programming and how to harness technology, they are also exposed to a richly inter-disciplinary curriculum that excites their minds and touches their hearts. And as part of a highly diverse community that hails from many different cultures, races, religions and economic backgrounds, they learn invaluable lessons from each other - as well as from the school's challenging academics.

The Computer School's structure is designed to encourage personal and academic growth: because 6th and 7th graders have most of their classes together, 6th graders acclimate more quickly to their new environment, and 7th graders can act as mentors. (8th graders are taught separately to better prepare them for the rigors of high school, but are just as involved with their fellow students.)

Class trips are an important element of the Computer School experience and help foster the deep sense of community that students and teachers share. For example, the 8th graders take a 3-day trip to Montauk, where they learn about Earth Science first-hand, examining tide pools and exploring the evening sky when night falls. Lower graders take a trip to the Ramapo camp center in Rockland County, where they not only study nature, but participate in team-building exercises, such as tree climbing. The school's long-standing relationships with outside organizations, such as the Lincoln Center Institute, Facing History and Ourselves, and Community Works, broaden students' aesthetic horizons and sense of social awareness.

The Computer School offers students enrichment and many opportunities to succeed. Its diverse electives, including Critical Thinking and the Harry Potter Book Club, and after-school activities, including sports teams and drama, offer something for everyone. New initiatives, such as the Writing Center, where students with strong writing skills tutor peers seeking assistance in that area, give students the chance to become leaders.

The Computer School's teachers deeply respect one another and are dedicated educators. They work hard to ensure that the school's curriculum is truly inter-disciplinary: the academics are so seamlessly woven together that it's often difficult for parents to tell where a science project ends and a math one begins - or whether their child's thought-provoking assignment on facing history and prejudice is for Global Studies or English.

Computer School teachers and students are also fortunate to have an extremely supportive principal, Henry Zymeck, whose association with the school dates to the early 1990's, when he started as a science teacher. Like his predecessors, Steve Siegelbaum and Bob Feinstein, Mr. Zymeck is committed to excellence, and is not afraid to try new things. He is dedicated to ensuring that the Computer School addresses individual student's needs and different learning styles. He knows his students, and demands nothing less than the best from everyone.

The Computer School, with its 350+ students, offers the intimacy of a small school with the curricular depth of a larger school. It produces self-sufficient, inquiring citizens with a healthy skepticism about what they hear. It is a nurturing environment and a thriving community that students long remember.