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We hear good things from parents about elementary schools P.S. 8 in Brooklyn Heights, P.S. 9 in Prospect Heights and P.S. 11 in Clinton Hill, even though they’re still a little under the radar compared to Park Slope’s P.S. 321, above.

What other elementary schools are solid or about to turn a corner, in your opinion? We’re especially interested in what’s going on in Bay Ridge, Sunset Park, Kensington, Bed Stuy and Williamsburg. Where would you send your kids?


What's Your Take? Leave a Comment

  1. Our kids thrived at PS 217 in Ditmas Park. It’s a large Pre-K-5 school, but very well managed and staffed, with warm friendly vibe and strong academics in a lovely building. It’s rapidly gaining in popularity as new families are moving into the area, and there is a 501c3 not-for-profit Friends of PS 217, made up of parents, alums and graduated parents, raising money to expand the already strong arts programs in the school.

  2. We had a bad experience with our child after just K in 261 and pulled him out. We are much happier at a nearby Charter. 261 is poorly managed and organized and overcrowded. I do not believe the principal works very hard or instills a hard working culture in the staff. Every day we would pick up our son and the teachers looked ready to faint of exhaustion. The kids go virtually non-watched for 1/3 of the day when they are in lunch or playing with 1 attendant watching 125+ kids across the 5 classes per grade. It was utter pandemonium. We felt kids got very little direct attention in class as well. I would recommend the charter over 261.

  3. “Of course it’s a personal decision and important to find the best fit for the child and family.”

    While this is entirely true, it is also one of those phrases that has come to mean, “And that is why we do not send our children to school with the poor children who also inhabit the same building going to the other school that is co-located in it, with far fewer resources. Because that would not be the right “fit” for our family.”

    Every student would probably benefit from 2 certified teachers, smaller classes, arts, foreign language and music. I am not criticizing your choice–just… admit what you’re doing is what you’re doing.

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