School Founder

Leonard Goldberg

Leonard Goldberg started his career in education as a bilingual special education teacher in the NYC public school system. His students were often relegated to learn in windowless classrooms located in the basement. Mr. Goldberg would later serve as principal of a residential treatment school in Westchester that served NYC students who were removed from their families and communities due to the inability of local schools to meet their needs. These experiences left Mr. Goldberg with the dream of opening a school that would serve all students within their own community in a supportive setting that utilizes best practices in all areas.

Our Vision Statement

The mission of Opportunity Charter School is to provide students at the highest risk of academic failure, most of whom struggle with complex learning disabilities, with intensive intervention that is responsive to their individual needs and fosters academic excellence, emotional stability, and social acceptance, preparing them to be successful in college or a career setting.

Our History

Founded in 2004 as a middle school, Opportunity Charter School (OCS) was created to meet the growing educational needs of the Harlem community, where access to a quality education for students faced with learning disabilities and socioeconomic barriers were unmet. Since its inception, OCS has been a model institution for providing innovative academic programming for both special needs and general education students, including those at risk of academic failure.
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In 2006, OCS opened a high school and now serves approximately 420 students in grades 6 through 12.

An OCS Short Documentary