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 Assistant Principal
- aangrum@owncs.org
- (718) 274-2902 x101
Omar Claxton
- Technology Manager
- oclaxton@owncs.org
- (347) 390-3290 X 368
Mark Crusante
- Director of External Relations
- mcrusante@owncs.org
- (718) 392-3405 X 206
Lisa Edmiston
- OWN 1 MS Principal
- ledmiston@owncs.org
- (718) 274-2902 x104
Brian Ferguson
- Chief Executive Officer
- bferguson@owncs.org
- (718) 392-3405 X 201
Richard Lee
- Chief Academic Officer
- rlee@owncs.org
- (347) 390-3290
TIffany McAfee
- OWN 2 Principal
- tmacafee@owncs.org
- (347) 390-3290
Maria Mikanda
- OWN 1 ES Principal
- mmikanda@owncs.org
- (718) 392-3405 x261
Karrine Montaque
- Chief Financial Officer
- kmontaque@owncs.org
- (347) 390-3302
Veronica Polanco
- OWN 2 Assistant Principal
- vpolanco@owncs.org
- (347) 390-3290
Douglas Ricketts
- OWN 3 Principal
- dricketts@owncs.org
- 347-569-8406
Stephanie Shilling
- OWN 1 ES Assistant Principal / Director of Student Support Services
- sshilling@owncs.org
- (718) 392-3405 x207
Board of Trustees
Kalimah Ayele
Jeanette Betancourt
Richard Bogle
Melissa Chin
Olubunmi Emigli
Liz Fernandez
Maura Fitzgerald
Education Corp. Administration
Joseph Alcruz
- Technology Integrator
- jalcruz@owncs.org
- (347) 390-3290 X 353
Omar Claxton
- Technology Manager
- oclaxton@owncs.org
- (347) 390-3290 X 368
Mark Crusante
- Director of External Relations
- mcrusante@owncs.org
- (718) 392-3405 X 206
Fabio Cuellar
- Senior Accountant
- fcuellar@owncs.org
- (347) 390-3290
Javid Entizar
- Junior Accountant
- jentizar@owncs.org
Brian Ferguson
- Chief Executive Officer
- bferguson@owncs.org
- (718) 392-3405 X 201
Tasheva Gadson
- HR Manager
- tgadson@owncs.org
- (718) 392-3405 X 275
Sherab Gyaltsen
- Junior Accountant
- sgyaltsen@owncs.org
- (347) 390-3297
Joey Le
- Junior Accountant
- jle@owncs.org
Richard Lee
- Chief Academic Officer
- rlee@owncs.org
- (347) 390-3290
Terrence McLean
- Admissions Coordinator
- tmclean@owncs.org
Karrine Montaque
- Chief Financial Officer
- kmontaque@owncs.org
- (347) 390-3302
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 215
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
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 (Astoria)
- 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