Forum
« Sidewalk bluestone slabs Restoration Hardware Ottoman 200 »
June 18, 2009
Williamsburg Northside Schools
Can someone in the know shed some light on prime Northside Williamsburg. With all of the new construction, won't there soon be a decent grade school in the area? I know that sales have been slow at the new waterfront properties but still one would think a school would emerge that would be comparable to some of the other more established Brooklyn neighborhoods. Can a school expert or two weigh in on this? Thanks!!!
Comments
just pretend you live in CH and apply to Community Roots Charter School...you'll fit right in!
Posted by: Art Salt at June 17, 2009 4:10 PM
I am no expert, but rather an informed observer. DOE's planning for new schools has no relationship with urban development or growth of new residential units anywhere in the city.
For an overview of existing schools by zip code you can look at insideschools.org its a great resource.
My understanding is that one of the best elementaries in that area is on Conseleya (I forget the name of the school) but even that school is not great, but I do think its getting better as the demands of the neighborhood are changing (code for middle class folk moving in).
Posted by: Brooklyn11218 at June 17, 2009 4:27 PM
Wine Lover is the resident expert on schools on the Northside. I think I recall from their previous postings about the subject that there is a recently opened Charter School somewhere in the neighborhood that is supposedly very good. Wish I knew more, but alas I haven't procreated yet (thank god!)
Posted by: dirty_hipster at June 17, 2009 5:01 PM
charter schools, while bloomberg and klein's answer to everything, are always vastly oversubscribed and provide no relief to the burgeoning student popualtion...the doe is way behind the curve as far as building decent schools for all the development that bloomberg unleashed...it looks as though he assumed that the population would consist of an endless supply of childless investment bankers... the guy is totally out of touch w/ reality
Posted by: eman1234 at June 17, 2009 6:35 PM
The best primary school in Williamsburg isn't in Williamsburg. Its in Greenpoint - PS34. After that though, things are standard crappy public schools.
Posted by: dittoburg at June 18, 2009 9:48 AM
Most of the people that live in Williamsburg dont have kids from what i see. Williamsburg is great for single people.
Posted by: brickoven at June 18, 2009 10:11 AM
They're not that bad, geez. PS17 is the main school zoned for most of northside Williamsburg. It looks fine. What's more, it's undersubscribed, which is not a bad thing.
PS 84, (I think 84) covers the southside. I think there is a new charter school in it as well. And, again, it's not that bad and also underenrolled.
Considering the neighborhood's changing demographic and the fact that both of these schools aren't crowded, I'm pretty sure either would be a fine choice. We were zoned for 17 when in Williamsburg and I met several parents who were quite happy with it.
Posted by: Heather at June 18, 2009 10:13 AM
"Most of the people that live in Williamsburg dont have kids from what i see. Williamsburg is great for single people."
the burg is fastly catching up to Park Slope for stroller capital of brooklyn.
Posted by: dirty_hipster at June 18, 2009 10:15 AM
lets see. move to a transitional neighborhood, then complain about not having "prime" schools. why dont u just come out and say u mean upper class white schools? jeez.
*rob*
Posted by: PitbullNYC at June 18, 2009 11:26 AM
Cos perhaps they mean upper class asian. jeez.
Posted by: dittoburg at June 18, 2009 11:36 AM
williamsburg was already white, you idiots.
Posted by: joe_the_bummer at June 18, 2009 11:43 AM
northside yes, southside no.
Posted by: dittoburg at June 18, 2009 11:52 AM
Joe - to clarify, *rob* is a homophobic anti-white gay caucasian.
Posted by: dittoburg at June 18, 2009 11:53 AM
ditto just blew my mind. seriously
but back on topic.. move to jersey original poster. good schools. we dont want your needy crotchfruit in nyc anyway. >daggers< i know but u all feel the same way
*rob*
Posted by: PitbullNYC at June 18, 2009 12:05 PM
I can't speak to the Northside, but Brooklyn11218 is right, the DoE/School Construction Authority (SCA) has an idiotic way of calculating and forecasting population.
This is an interesting article from New York Magazine recently that talks about the disparity between actual census data and the DOE/SCA plans...
Posted by: christopher at June 18, 2009 1:08 PM
rob, don`t be such a weedy snatch-brute. who do you think is going to be paying for your s.s. in the future, and holding the door for you with your walker/iron lung?
Posted by: sally at June 18, 2009 1:17 PM
I can provide some inside on the schools in Greenpoint, just on the other side of the park.
Catholic: St. Stanislaus Kostka is excellent.
Public: PS 31 and 34 are excellent. JHS 126 - stay away at all costs.
Posted by: Northie at June 18, 2009 1:20 PM
I forgot to post the link to the article I mentioned:
http://nymag.com/news/features/56942/
Posted by: christopher at June 18, 2009 1:28 PM
The Greenpoint schools are generally very good (see Northie's post, above), although also very traditional in pedagogy. PS 132 is on Manhattan and Conselyea/Metropolitan, and is a more progressive school - its also very good, and a result very popular with many newer, younger residents. 132 is very crowded too; Greenpoint schools seem to be pretty full but not oversubscribed. PS 17 and PS 84 are undersubscribed, and many parents (from all walks) try to send their kids elsewhere (either parochial schools, private schools or by "moving" to another zone). There has been talk of putting a charter in 84, but nothing is planned at the moment. PS 17 seems to show the most hope of improving, but both 84 and 17 have a long way to go.
Northside Preschool is expanding into early elementary grades next year. It is a really good school (at the preschool level), albeit expensive. On the other hand, the Brooklyn diocese is closing and consolidating parochial schools.
None of the public schools in north Brooklyn compare with the best schools elsewhere in the boro, either in performance, facilities or resources. But the Greenpoint schools and 132 are very good, solid neighborhood schools. There is a new charter school in the eastern area of the district (almost into Bed-Stuy, I think). And there is also the East Village, where a lot of people have been sending their kids for years, but which is now oversubscribed and hard to back into.
And yes, development and SCA/DOE planning are completely separate. DOE was talking about closing schools at the same time that the City was talking about adding tens of thousands of new residents to the area.
Posted by: WBer at June 18, 2009 2:54 PM
"None of the public schools in north Brooklyn compare with the best schools elsewhere in the boro, either in performance, facilities or resources"
WBer, PS34 consistently ranks near the top in boro-wide surveys. Its parents don't crow about it though, so perhaps thats why you mistakenly think it doesn't compare. As for facilities and resources you are correct, they are basic. You're also spot on with the "traditional in pedagogy". Which many parents see as a plus, and a good reason to avoid PS132. It is also traditional on discipline too, so parents might see that as a reason for their sprogs to avoid it or attend it.
I'd add: avoid Northside Catholic Academy if you can.
Posted by: dittoburg at June 18, 2009 3:06 PM
insideschools.org (which may fold from lack of funding) is the place for all public school info
Posted by: eman1234 at June 18, 2009 9:49 PM
PS34 ranks well in test scores, and most parents are very happy there, but a lot of people (myself included) think that facilities and resources matter too. I think 34 is a very good neighborhood school, and would be happy to send my kid there if I lived there. People move to some neighborhoods just for the schools, but Greenpoint is not one of those neighborhoods - that's what I meant by not comparing with the best in Brooklyn.
PS132 is also a very good neighborhood school, with a very different philosophy (and it also lacks in facilities and resources). Personally, I prefer a more progressive pedagogy, but I also think its much more important that a school work - and both 34 and 132 do.
Regarding Northside Catholic Academy, that is different than Williamsburg Northside Preschool, which is what I was talking about. WNP is very good - don't know Northside Catholic, but I'll take your word on it.
Posted by: WBer at June 18, 2009 10:05 PM
Rob, why does a childless hipster hating homo like yourself even read (nevermind comment) on a thread about Williamsburg elementary schools?
Posted by: Art Salt at June 18, 2009 11:57 PM
Post a comment
Please be patient while your comment is published. It may take a moment.