PLG Schools and Amenities
We are *this* close to making an offer in PLG and are doing one last round of due diligence. Two main areas of concern schools (I have a 2 year old) and amenities (dry cleaner, food shops etc.) Any PLGers past and present able to share experiences or advice? many thanks
We are *this* close to making an offer in PLG and are doing one last round of due diligence. Two main areas of concern schools (I have a 2 year old) and amenities (dry cleaner, food shops etc.) Any PLGers past and present able to share experiences or advice? many thanks
ILOVEPLG, that’s an awsome analysis and I appreciate your case study on how PLG schools have resulted in amazing academic accomplishment. i wholeheartedly agree that local parents should get involved and I get the impression that many parents want to.
I do think this is an inaccurate characterisation: “I am really disheartened by the fact that so many people want to move here, but all they want to do is rest their head at night, and not mix with the people you found here.” A huge part of the reason that we want to move to PLG is that we have loved meeting and mixing with the people in the nabe and we want to do more! I think that’s echoed in a lot of the posts you will find in this stream. Sounds like people of every stripe are proud to be living and mixing in PLG. We hope we can join you all.
I am a 31 year old African American of carribean Hearitage that has lived most of my life in PLG (except for my grad school years in a small quaint Conneticut town.) I was educated in PLG for elemtary and middle school along with my two sisters, and then we all went to NYC Public High Schools – I went to Brooklyn Technical High School, and my sisters went to Midwood and Stuyvesant. We then went on to John College of the City University of New York, Pace and Harvard Universities. From there for graduate schools we went to Quinnipiac Univeristy Schoolof Law, Columbia University and the London School of Econmics in London, England, UK. I give this background to show that we were educated right here in PLG from Kindergarten to the eighth grade, and we went on to what society would say are some the City’s finest public high schools, and the world’s finest collegiate and post graduate institutions.
I currently work for the NYCDOE as an attorney and though I am not a teacher, I have visted several of the schools in the neighborhood and I can tell you that they are like the schools in other neighborhoods across the city – education is being delivered. As BrooklynsGreat said education is not just about what is done in school, it involves a great amount of parental involvement. The NYCDOE welcomes that involvment and you can look at their website to find ways to be involved. I emplore parents to get involved in the schools in your neighboorhood, so that there can be educational equity for all. Charter schools while fine are not the answer – where does that leave the students who can not get into them.
I am really disheartened by the fact that so many people want to move here, but all they want to do is rest their head at night, and not mix with the people you found here.
I am a 31 year old African American of carribean Hearitage that has lived most of my life in PLG (except for my grad school years in a small quaint Conneticut town.) I was educated in PLG for elemtary and middle school along with my two sisters, and then we all went to NYC Public High Schools – I went to Brooklyn Technical High School, and my sisters went to Midwood and Stuyvesant. We then went on to John College of the City University of New York, Pace and Harvard Universities. From there for graduate schools we went to Quinnipiac Univeristy Schoolof Law, Columbia University and the London School of Econmics in London, England, UK. I give this background to show that we were educated right here in PLG from Kindergarten to the eighth grade, and we went on to what society would say are some the City’s finest public high schools, and the world’s finest collegiate and post graduate institutions.
I currently work for the NYCDOE as an attorney and though I am not a teacher, I have visted several of the schools in the neighborhood and I can tell you that they are like the schools in other neighborhoods across the city – education is being delivered. As BrooklynsGreat said education is not just about what is done in school, it involves a great amount of parental involvement. The NYCDOE welcomes that involvment and you can look at their website to find ways to be involved. I emplore parents to get involved in the schools in your neighboorhood, so that there can be educational equity for all. Charter schools while fine are not the answer – where does that leave the students who can not get into them.
I am really disheartened by the fact that so many people want to move here, but all they want to do is rest their head at night, and not mix with the people you found here.
I have no complaints about “BrooklynGreat’s” excellent comment except for one really minor one. He/she writes “hit or miss with the shoe makers.” Not so; the shoemaker on Flatbush Avenue between Midwood and Maple is very good. I’ve been using this place for 34 years, through a succession of owners of different ethnicities, Italian, Jamaican, currently Bukharin Jews. All have done excellent work. When you consider that shoe repair shops have vanished in many neighborhoods, this place is a gem.
Best West Indian food in the city. Nice racial mix (historically more amongst the houses than the apartment buildings). Good amenities: Supermarkets are fine…when all else fails, Stop and Shop on Tilden about 1/3 mile up will compliment. Great cleaners and tailors around. Hit or miss with the shoe makers as well as the manicures/pedicures. For blacks and hispanics–good barbers and hairdressers.
SCHOOLS
This seems to be the hot topic. If you find a school in another neighborhood that you like, then it only makes sense to try to get your child into school there.
There used to be a small Christian school, St.John’s Elementary (that was really inexpensive) on Winthrop. It was also super Caribbean. I went there from K-8 and got the best education: real grammar, math without gimmicks… That school’s not there anymore, but if you’re Christian/Catholic there are several good and affordable private schools in the surrounding neighborhoods(St. Marks and Epiphany being two that come to mind. Seriously, if religion isn’t an issue do think about these options: small classes, rigorous teaching…etc)
The public schools I’m going to refer to are still Flatbush, but not all PLG.
PS 6 is on Bedford near Albermale. Built in the last 15 years, for the most part good school. If your barometer is college or high school then yes, I know students that went there that ended up in the city’s top high schools and colleges.
PS92 on Parkside bet. Bedford and Rogers. Not known as the best school, but again the students can leave well. Students end up at Philapa Schuyler (a bklyn magnet school starting at 4th grade that feeds to Stuy/BXSci/and Tech basically) and other good jr. high schools. Once again I know students who attended and are brilliant, functioning adults contributing to society in a host of meaningful ways.
The Caton School- Great services for handicapped children.
PS235(where learning is alive). Somewhere not exactly near…but great education. many teachers laud the school
I’ve had the fortune of meeting many of those deemed the brightest minds of my generation (I’m 23) and trust me I’ve found more that started out in public schools in neighborhoods I doubt most of the posters would consider than I have seen that started in public schools in other neighborhoods. The kids from more affluent neighborhoods tended to emerge from private schools anyway.
Honestly, the most important thing in elementary education is probably parent involvement. For junior high/high school you’d want your child to get into a good school or a magnet program anyway. For public schools in Brooklyn that will be out of PLG: Schuyler, Roy H. Mann, Mark Twain,Crown School for law and Journalism, Hudde and special magnet programs in junior highs.
Ennuiater and correctors all, at this rate I’m going to have enough information to sound like I know what I am talking about on schools. That will be a lifetime first. Aythangyoo.
Bob, just starting to hang out at K-Dog (mostly afternoons so far…) great chocchip scones.
We are still playing the “no you make another offer” game with the seller and broker at the moment, but we are taking advatgae of the time to do this great research.
Here’s hoping!
Oops! Thanks guys for correcting my above. I did write Ps10 as south slope but then got my Bed Stuy list all discombobulated.
For Ps107 I guess It’s south Slope also, very close to WT as far as I’m concerned.
That’s what happens before I’ve had my coffee for the day :{
@ennulater corrections, more:
PS 10 is in South Slope, not Bed Stuy (very popular school… growing and on the radar)
PS 107 is also in South Slope (also very popular and very much the 2nd to 321)
@ennulater Corrections:
PS 372 is inclusive – mixed general and special education
PS 261 is in Boerum Hill, far from Bed Stuy
Everyone, read http://www.Insideschools.org reviews for schools in which you’re interested.