P.S. 9 and P.S 56- What Are They Like?
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Joyce Szuflita
Our School Expert, Joyce Szuflita has done some investigating for us. She came back with some good reports on P.S. 9 (Prospect Heights) and P.S. 56 (Clinton Hill). Joyce, as do all of our experts, have their own page now under Expert Advice, so you can read the rest of her articles.
If you want to hear more about Joyce’s thoughts on public school, she is giving a talk called “Public School 101: Intro to the NYC School System, Registering for PreK and Kindergarten” at several locations around Brooklyn at the end of the month. Joyce brings a big picture perspective to a seemingly crazy system. You will come away understanding the why and how of the procedures and also knowing what lies ahead. She will bring her “big map” to clarify what it means to live in the neighborhood. Unfortunately, she can’t speak about specific schools at this venue. If you hire her (like we did) I am sure you will amazed at what she can tell you about how your family can help navigate the system. For dates and times and to RSVP to Joyce, go to www.mysidewalkchalk.blogspot.com $25 for a single and $40. for a couple.
Okay, so last, but not least, I added her reviews of the schools below to our Selected Schools page.
There are many good elementary schools in Brooklyn. Several of the schools are famous on the listserves and always mentioned in street corner conversations. These worthy schools benefit from the excitement of the neighborhood buzz. I also see wonderful schools that don’t seem to get the same attention. So I am getting up on my soapbox to start some buzz. From time to time I will profile schools that I love, in no particular order. They just deserve a shout out. You guys need to start talking about the great work being done at PS 9 in Prospect Heights and PS 56 in Clinton Hill.
These two schools have experienced and visionary Principals and smart, welcoming Parent Coordinators. Their students are focused, creative, bright and obviously loved by everyone in the building. Both have modern era buildings with libraries, gyms and auditoriums, and among many interesting programs they feature cooking and/or a garden to supplement their excellent science programs.
PS 9 in Prospect Heights is located at 80 Underhill. When I first saw this school’s PreK and Kindergarten I was completely blown away. The walls are overflowing with exciting projects and real opportunities for learning. You can tell it isn’t just for show. The children are engaged and comfortable with the expectation that they will thoroughly explore their subjects. Families have heard about the strength of the early grades, but wonder if it follows through to the upper grades, so when I visited last month I made sure that I saw all grades and I was happy to see that the excitement that I felt in PreK was evident to the 5th grade classes as well. Their new library/media center is slated to open in the 09-10 school year and they use the building creatively to make sure that the children get as much physical education as possible. I have loved the idea of using cooking in school since I read about Alice Waters work in California. It not only supports the health and social studies curriculum but also is fantastic when linked to science studies. They use an inquiry-based model with school wide enrichment. Arts programs are integrated into social studies and science. They have a full time Spanish teacher for all students PreK to 5th grade. Parents are welcomed into the school in many capacities including Parents as Reading Partners, Family Math events, PJ reading parties and school wide seasonal fairs. There are a wide variety of afterschool activities including Kids Orbit that runs from 3:30-6:30.
From the moment that I met Mr. Williams, the Parent Coordinator at PS 56 at 170 Gates Ave. in Clinton Hill, I was welcomed like family. This culture permeates the school. Ms. Clark-Johnson, the Principal, has instituted several interesting programs. I loved the specialized social studies room and teacher and the science room full of fish, guinea pigs and bunnies underfoot. This isn’t just a petting zoo (although I love the bunnies!) it is a fully stocked science lab and solid curriculum that the school sees as an important focus. They have a beautiful courtyard with the Poetry Tree that also has room to grow vegetables and flowers – an important addition to their science curriculum. I was impressed with the staff from the Computer Room Teacher to the Math Coach. They were eloquent and engaging. One thing I love about this school is that EVERYONE participates, whether it is the giant Thanksgiving feast or the 100-Day celebration. Even the custodial staff presents a project for this school-wide festival of the number 100. The students have instruction in music, voice, theatre and art. They take lots of trips and in the upper grades participate in an Oratory Contest. The Virtual Y has free afterschool and the school has also been chosen (1 of 15 in the city) for a Pilot Math afterschool program that is open to everyone. There are also the Science, Math, Art, Dance and Journalism Clubs as well as Girl Scouts, the School Band and community service programs at a local nursing home.
I don’t have any stake in these schools other than I love the work that is being done there. Call them and find out about tour dates.
PS 9 – Charmaine Derrell-Jacob, Parent Coordinator, (347) 563-5324
PS 56 – Marvin Williams, Parent Coordinator (347) 563-5333
Joyce Szuflita is NYC School Help. Joyce is a 28 year Brooklyn resident and the mom of teenage twins who has spent years talking to educators, combing the internet, visiting schools and being generally obsessed with all aspects of Public and Private schooling in Brooklyn and NYC. She consults privately with families who want to navigate the school search. She is seen in the NY Times, Time Out NY Kids, NY Family – Brooklyn. She blogs at www.mysidewalkchalk.blogspot.com and is one of www.achildgrowsinbrooklyn.com Experts.
Hi Michelle
That is the most recent info I have. I think the best way to assess a school is the school tour (as you suggested), talking to parents in the neighborhood and hanging out in front of the school at morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up. Let me know if you gather any new info you think others need to know about it….Good luck!
I wanted to know if you had any updated information about ps56. This is our zone school but I never considered it to be an option until I read this post. It would be wonderful to send my child to a school that is close by our home. Whatever info you could share would be very helpful in my decision. I am also looking forward to seeing the school in person so I can access whether it would be a match for my child. Thx..
I did have a colleague that had her 2 daughters there and she thought the programs at the school were great. She felt nurtured and that the3 staff was pleasant. I do see kids from the neighborhood that go to the middle school. It’s a no nonsense style program that some either love or hate. The have some nice after-school selections.
For a school like ps 56, it usuallly comes down to the social aspects of the school and students. Like any school they have their share of some behavior issues. But in order for the neighborhood to embrace it, people have to embrace it as the place to get a well rounded experience. If those that are supposed to diversify don’t spread a positive word of mouth, then you don’t get the groundsell of interest in a particular school.
For instance, a few years ago parents did not want to travrl out of the district to go to school. Some of them got together and decided to fundraise for a library project at the school (ps 11). They then told all there friends to consider the school for pre-k. It caused lots of friction against the administration, but eventually many changes came about. The open dialogue caused parents to buy-in to the idea. Now it’s the neighborhood “it” school.
Thanks for the information Roberta. PS 56 is looking to reach out to the whole community. The neighborhood has been changing a lot in recent years and they are trying to serve a very diverse community, racial and economic. It takes time for that process to happen organically. I can’t speak to the families that are currently enrolled (the majority of children still receive free or reduced price lunches but that number is trending down by 16% last year), but I can tell you that every adult in the building (and I was introduced to everyone, thanks Mr. Williams) was on their game and doing the right thing for each of those students no matter what their needs. They are loved and challenged by a smart, innovative staff. It is not everyone’s cup of tea yet, but it is definitely worth serious consideration.
My daughter and I used to live around the corner from PS56 and several of her friends on the block went there. I was not at all impressed with their reports about the school or the work they did there. And I heard some very disturbing reports of violence among the students.
Over the years I heard a lot of nice reports about the school from people who toured or participated in the CSA (community-supported agriculture) there but never anyone who had a kid who attended. But never a report from a parent who had a kid there, except for my neighbors. So I would caution to be very careful–maybe go there when school or afterschool is getting out and talk to some parents and kids.
A caveat: we moved from that block two years ago when my daughter was in 5th grade and the above-mentioned friends were in 4th and 5th grades–they are all in middle school now.
Best of luck to all in the search for a good school for their kids!
I don’t normally comment on blogs but your post was a real help. Thank you for a great topic, I will be sure to bookmark your site and check it out again. Cheers, Amy xXx.