Zuckerberg-Backed For-Profit School Releases Plans For Union Square Opening

UNION SQUARE, NY — New York City's newest branch of a Mark Zuckerberg-backed school network is gearing up for its September open date.

AltSchool released renderings this week of its "middle school of the future," which is scheduled to open in Union Square in time for the 2017-18 school year. The non-traditional school features alternative classroom plans, with the school's design focused on open, collaborative spaces.

AltSchool is partnering with New York design firm A+I to develop the space.

"Our goal is to instill a sense of autonomy and independence in students, while supporting teachers with diverse learning spaces," said Brad Zizmor, an A+I partner, in a statement. "The common theme is choice. Give instructors and students a variety of task-supportive environments that can engage with their changing needs throughout the day and the school year, so that the space itself becomes an important part of the school experience."

The Union Square outpost of the for-profit school network is part of a broader expansion by AltSchool, which is also opening a new school in Chicago this year. The school system, a tech-focused darling of Silicon Valley, got a hefty backing from Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan, who invested $15 million in the school system in 2015. AltSchools feature small classrooms (it's schools are sometimes called "micro-schools") and technology to offer students personalized learning experiences, according to the school.

This will be AltSchool's third New York location. Schools in Brooklyn Heights and the East Village both teach students from pre-K through the 4th grade.

All images courtesy of AltSchool.