About
Welcome to OWNCS
OWN Charter Schools are excellent places for young people to learn. Since our doors first opened, we have worked tirelessly to meet our goal of providing our diverse student body with an excellent education based on active inquiry, experiential learning, and social justice. We prepare our students to become independent thinkers and lifelong learners. I am so proud of the success and progress we have made so far, and no one is more aware than I of how integral the support and encouragement of the OWNCs community has been in helping us grow and improve each and every year.
I urge you to visit our schools during the Admissions Open Houses. You can see the mission and philosophy brought to life. The elementary and middle school faculty use activities that guide children toward knowledge through imaginative exploration and the mastery of skills.
OWNCS is a non-sectarian, tuition-free, public charter school. OWNCS does not discriminate against any student in the admissions process or the provision of educational programs on any unlawful basis, including on the basis of ethnicity, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or ability.
OWNCS is proud of all we have accomplished with our students, parents, and community since our school first opened in 2002. Together, we have established a culture of learning and academic success of which we can be proud.
- Best,
- Brian Ferguson
- Chief Executive Officer
Executive Leadership Team
Anita Angrum
- OWN 1 MS Principal
- aangrum@owncs.org
- (718) 274-2902 x201
Omar Claxton
- Director of Technology
- oclaxton@owncs.org
- (347) 390-3290 X 705
Mark Crusante
- Director of External Relations
- mcrusante@owncs.org
- (718) 392-3405 X 704
Brian Ferguson
- Chief Executive Officer
- bferguson@owncs.org
- (718) 392-3405 X 700
Richard Lee
- Chief Academic Officer
- rlee@owncs.org
- (347) 390-3290x702
TIffany McAfee
- OWN 2 Principal
- tmacafee@owncs.org
- (347) 390-3290x301
Maria Dhesi
- OWN 1 ES Principal
- mdhesi@owncs.org
- (718) 392-3405 x101
Veronica Polanco
- OWN 2 Assistant Principal
- vpolanco@owncs.org
- (347) 390-3290 x 302
Tanicqua Pryor
- OWN 3 Principal
- tpryor@owncs.org
- (347) 639-1300x401
Douglas Ricketts
- Chief Operating Officer
- dricketts@owncs.org
- 347-569-8406 x 703
Stephanie Rochman
- OWN 1 ES Assistant Principal / Director of Student Support Services
- srochman@owncs.org
- (718) 392-3405 x102
Lizette Villegas
- OWN 1 MS Assistant Principal
- lvillegas@owncs.org
- (718) 274-2902x202
Board of Trustees
Kalimah Ayele
Jeanette Betancourt
Richard Bogle
Melissa Chin
Olubunmi Emigli
Liz Fernandez
Maura Fitzgerald
Education Corp. Administration
Ibrahim Abdul-Aziz
- Technology Support Associate
- iabdulaziz@owncs.org
- (718) 392-3405 x237
Joseph Alcruz
- Technology Integrator
- jalcruz@owncs.org
- (347) 390-3290 X 353
Omar Claxton
- Technology Manager
- oclaxton@owncs.org
- (347) 390-3290 X 705
Brandon Crawford
- Technology Support Associate
- bcrawford@owncs.org
- (718) 392-3405 x241
Mark Crusante
- Director of External Relations
- mcrusante@owncs.org
- (718) 392-3405 X 704
Fabio Cuellar
- Senior Accountant
- fcuellar@owncs.org
- (347) 390-3290 x 510
Javid Entizar
- Staff Accountant
- jentizar@owncs.org
- (347)390-3290x 511
Brian Ferguson
- Chief Executive Officer
- bferguson@owncs.org
- (718) 392-3405 X 700
Sherab Gyaltsen
- Staff Accountant
- sgyaltsen@owncs.org
- (347) 390-3297x513
Misha Jannatunnasa
- Technology Support Associate
- mjannatunnasa@owncs.org
- (347) 390-3290 X 305
Dilshad Khan
- HR Assistant
- dkhan@owncs.org
- (718) 392-3405 x275
Joey Le
- Staff Accountant
- jle@owncs.org
- (347) 390-3297x512
Richard Lee
- Chief Academic Officer
- rlee@owncs.org
- (347) 390-3290x702
Terrence McLean
- Admissions Coordinator
- tmclean@owncs.org
- 347-390-3290 x304
- 718-902-6436
Jayme Pabon
- Specials Coordinator / Testing Coordinator
- jpabon@owncs.org
- (718) 392-3405 X 242
Mihwa Park
- Executive Assistant to the CEO
- mpark@owncs.org
- (718) 392-3405 X 715
Gina Patino
- Director of Curriculum & Instruction
- gpatino@owncs.org
- (718) 392-3405 X 234
Lucille Ranchor
- Admissions Coordinator
- lranchor@owncs.org
- (718) 392-3405 X 258
Douglas Ricketts
- Chief Operating Officer
- dricketts@owncs.org
- 347-569-8406 x 703
Susanne Sharkey
- School Librarian
- ssharkey@owncs.org
- (718) 392-3405 X 226
Our World Neighborhood Charter Schools
Our World Neighborhood Charter Schools educate students to become independent thinkers and lifelong learners.
OWN 1 (Astoria)
- Elementary School (Grades K-5)
36-12 35th Avenue
- Astoria, NY 11106
- Phone: (718) 392-3405
- FAX: (718) 392-2840
OWN 1 (Long Island City)
- Middle School (Grades 6-8)
- 38-27 30th Street
Long Island City, NY 11101
- Phone: (718) 274-2902
- FAX: (718) 274-7146
OWN 2 (Howard Beach)
- Elementary School (Grades K-5)
- 135-25 79th Street
- Howard Beach, NY 11414
- Phone: (347) 390-3290
FAX: (347) 644-5070
OWN 3 (Corona)
- Elementary School (Grades K-5)
- 108-68 Roosevelt Ave
- Corona, NY 11368
- Phone: (347) 639-1300