School's Out in Williamsburg
Williamsburg and Greenpoint may be filling up with affluent families lured by the recent condo boom, but the well-heeled new residents are hardly beating a path to local schools. According to an article in this week’s Crain’s (sub. req’d), enrollment is plummeting in the neighborhoods’ public schools–it’s down 12 percent in elementary schools over the…
Williamsburg and Greenpoint may be filling up with affluent families lured by the recent condo boom, but the well-heeled new residents are hardly beating a path to local schools. According to an article in this week’s Crain’s (sub. req’d), enrollment is plummeting in the neighborhoods’ public schools–it’s down 12 percent in elementary schools over the past two years, with middle schools operating at 56 percent capacity, on average. The classrooms are emptying as older residents priced out of the neighborhoods are forced to leave and newer residents put off by what they consider to be conservative education practices decide to send their kids to schools farther afield. The trend is exposing chinks in the armor of the Bloomberg administration’s rezoning of northern Brooklyn, which was supposed to create a community where rich and poor (and their offspring) rubbed shoulders. On top of that, it could spell trouble ahead for developers who are marketing Williamsburg and Greenpoint buildings to young professionals with families. And developers are keenly aware of the areas’ lack of pull on the education front. “We have thought about it,” said Ron Moelis, a principal with L&M Equities, which is developing Schaefer Landing. “I don’t have an answer for you. There’s talk of a charter school, a new magnet school or maybe even a new private school. It would be great if that occurs.”
Photo by specmotors.
PS 17 has an amazing library and playground.
oops, I meant 132 the Conselyea School at 320 Manhattan Avenue.
Many parents with older kids before you have had the same idea and banded together to send their kids to the local schools only to be throughly disappointed and pulled them out. I hope it works out for you and your friends. While there are 4 and 5 star schools in the hood, just remember, test scores aren’t everything. Kids need libraries, physical education and school yards. Our district needs schools with better facilities. I wouldn’t consider putting my son in a local school until that happens.
anyone who doesn’t think that there is an active community of parents in the burg/greenpoint has NO CLUE what they are talking about. i moved from the slope where i felt like no one was interested in working together or being friendly to the burg last year where parents STICK together and befriend each other like crazy.
there is a very very active yahoo group called brooklybabyhui and there is also parents11211.
besides the folks investing in the local area – PS 134 is actually overcrowded – there is the added benefit of being able to get to all the NYC schools easily. we live off the bedford L and send our daughter to a private pre-school in union square. We have so many options for elementary school – especially compared to being so far from the city in the slope. PS 321 – is so totally overcrowded. it’s one of the reasons we moved.
There are 4 and 5 star schools in both the burg and greenpoint that will probably get many of these new families. Remember, many of the new people moving in have babies/toddlers and not elementary aged children. it will take 5 years ish to see these kids enter the existing schools.
anyway, my friends in the hood do talk about banding together to send our kids to the local schools. we realize that it is the best solution.
I think the number of children being born in NYC as a whole has declined for a number of years, despite what it may appear.
12:46 – I am not saying YOU are sacrificing your child by sending them to public schools – 1st some public schools are excellent 2nd – nothing in life is perfect so while 1 child may get a lot out of public schools, others may not do well considering the issues that affect many public schools. Additionally some may want to emphasis different lessons to your children (diversity for 1) over the 3 R’s
BUT
That is your choice – and anyone who criticizes a parent for choosing one school over another – when their goal is for the child to get the best education (they feel) is possible is an a$$.
Sure we all have a duty to help our fellow citizen and contribute to the common good but to accuse people of selfishness and indulgence for not sending their kids to a failing public schoool is absolutly ridiculous.
BTW on a RE note – there does seem to be a bit of inconsistency among many of you Brownstoners – When a new ‘luxury’ development goes up in some of the fritter parts of the borough everyone here loves to bitch and moan “gross yuppies”, “they are going to ruin the neighborhood”, “their kids are spoiled” etc… Yet now it seems that if these “neighborhood ruining, starbucks drinking, rich rent raising spawners” would just send their kids to the public school we could save generations of the underprivileged.
So which is it?
The test scores at 31 and 34 are exceptional. Some of the best in the country. How are the facilities? Do the kids get ample recreation? I have been informed that at PS 34 you have to walk through one classroom to get to the other. The administration at PS 31 doesn’t believe in recess.
PS 34 in Greenpoint is an excellent school and has very good test scores. The parents of most of the pupils there place an emphasis on education, and the school reflects that. Williamsburg is another matter entirely.
To 1:01. You’d be better off getting behind a different cause. There are plenty of them out there that you might actually be able to see the fruits of your labor. Because unfortunately, we are all NOT smart people like you. As stated in an earlier post, many of the people who live in Williamsburg/Greenpoint don’t see anything that needs improving in our schools and don’t want your help. They just see you as upsetting the status quo.