Joyce Szuflita

Joyce Szuflita, our School Expert, keeps us up to date on the DOE deadlines, school tours and any breaking school information. Below is information she sent to us that is also available on her blog. I would strongly suggest signing up for her newsletter AND reading her blog. You do need to check out both. Her newsletter has loads of info in it that that may not always be on her blog.

PRE-K

It is almost March 1! – time for the public prek applications.

UPK stands for Universal PreK – government subsidized fours programs. Your child must have been born between 1/1/06 and 12/31/06 (4 years old this year) and reside in NYC. These are programs available to everyone (not based on need). Unfortunately, there are not enough seats available for everyone. You can find them in public schools (full 6+ hours for five days) or in different private preschools around the city. The programs that are located in the public schools are free.

What is a CBO? They are Community Based Organizations. These are various preschools and daycares that have applied for UPK funds. Many of these are private for fee programs (some neighborhood preschools that you may recognize). You apply for them in the regular way (whatever applicaton, touring or interview/playdate that they normally require). The difference is that in the fours “preK” year the tuition will be cheaper than the threes tuition because of the UPK subsidy (usually a couple thousand off). It won’t be free though.

The Prek directories are coming online to the DOE site on Monday, March 1. You can download the pdf or pick up a hard copy at your borough enrollment office. You will find the preks in the public schools listed in the front of the book, as well as an application. The back of the book will have the CBO’s listed for your convenience, but you need to go to the individual school to apply.

On March 8 you can pick up a directory at your local Elementary school if they have a prek program.

Applying:
The application period for the preks in the public schools is from March 1 to April 9 and it is a lottery process (not first come first served, so don’t go nuts trying to download the directory at 4am on Monday). The date of your application definitely does not matter as long as you get it in before April 9.

To apply to a CBO, just contact the school and follow their procedures. They are not part of the lottery.
To apply to a public prek, study the directory and list up to 12 choices on the application. I recommend using the online app. which enables you to recieve an email receipt of the app and email notifications as well as by snail mail. There are many more ways for error with the paper app. If you do the paper app. I recommend hand delivery and make sure that you get a receipt, or send it in plenty of time in the envelope provided, so that it doesn’t go missing. Also, make a copy of the app. and keep it in a safe place.

There is a priority to this lottery:
First siblings of children attending a school
Then children zoned for the school,
Then children outside the zone with no prek program in their zoned school
Then children outside the zone but within the district
Then children outside the district but within the borough
and on…

There will be information sessions to explain all of this:
3/8/10 Brooklyn Tech HS 29 Ft. Greene Place 5:30 – 8pm
check the DOE’s website for other dates.

Schools will continue conducting tours through March. Check the school’s website or contact their parent coordinator for information.

You will not hear about placement in the public prek programs until Memorial Day.
There are no waiting lists but there is a second round and most schools have at least a tiny amount of seats still available. I will explain this in further posts.

Helpful hints:
They love the drop down menus, so before you call me saying that you can’t find something, actually answer the question. You will find that when you give specific answers a drop down may appear to take further information, like if you have twins.

If you will have a kindergartener attending your zoned school in 2010 you need to have preapplied to that school to get the “inzone sibling preference” in the lottery for your preschooler.

KINDERGARTEN

Kindergarten Admissions Time Line

February 1, 2010 Kindergarten admission period begins http://madmimi.com/images/icons/preview-module.png?1267137460 March 12, 2010 Kindergarten admissions period ends
March 22, 2010 Schools notify families of kindergarten offers
April 12 – April 23, 2010 Families pre-register at schools
If you move into a school zone after the March admission period, just go to the school secretary and register (with your child and all the documentation listed on the DOE website). The principals routinely keep spaces available for families that move to the zone late in the year. If you need reassurance, call the school and talk to the secretary in charge of registration or the Parent Coordinator.

Elementary Tour Information

This is not a comprehensive list, just what I have collected. Confirm with the schools and be sure to RSVP when necessary.
District 13:
PS 8 3/25; 9am
PS 9 3/19 9am, RSVP a must to Charmaine Derrell-Jacobs, Parent Coordinator
718 638-3260 x1121
PS 11 3/4, 3/23, 4/8, 4/16; 9am sharp;
RSVP to Stephen McGill smcgill3@schools.nyc.gov with names, phone and date attending
PS 20 call the Parent Coordinator, Karen Colon for details 718-834-6744 x1161, x1162, x1160
PS 46 Spanish/English Dual Language
3/19, 9-11am; students can register on the spot for places in Prek, K, First
For information: James Johnson, 718-834-7694 or jjohnso19@schools.nyc.gov
Do you want to meet PS 9 parents and find out what the school is like?
A group is having an informal meeting for prospective parents and all are welcome.
Wed. March 3 at 8pm on Plaza St., RSVP to Penelope get the address penelopemahot@hotmail.com
Community Roots Charter School 3/11, 3/25 all promptly at 8:45, must RSVP
Community Partnership Charter School 3/3 6pm; 3/13 10am, must RSVP
Leadership Prep Charter School
District 14:
PS 34 3/3 9:15am
PS 110 Mon 3/1; 9am RSVP to 718-383-7600
PS 132 contact Yvonne Garguilo 347-563-5365
The Ethical Community Charter School 3/11 9am, 3/23 9am RSVP 718 599-2176
Brooklyn Charter School
Beginning With Children Charter School
District 15:
PS 10
PS 15 Thur. 3/11 at 9:30am, 71 Sullivan St. for info: Juanita Laboy 347-563-5380
PS 29
PS 39
PS 58
PS 107
PS 124 call to arrange tour individually with the Parent Coordinator, Donna Maxil
718 788-0246 or dmaxil@schools.nyc.gov
PS 130
PS 154 call Parent Coordinator, Donna Plunkett 346-599-1416 dplunkett@schools.nyc.gov
PS 230 3/3 9am in the lower school building on MacDonald Ave.
PS 261
PS 295 3/2 promptly at 8:45am
PS 321
Brooklyn New School
Brooklyn Children’s School
PAVE Charter School
Hellenic Charter School
New Charter School Alert:

A new K-5 Charter has been approved for Prospect Lefferts Gardens. It looks like it will be up for the 2010 school year, with a progressive approach, environmental focus and partnership with the Botanic Garden and Prospect Park, and located in PS 92.

Related Posts:

1. Dive in and learn the hows and whys of public schools (January 6th, 2010)
2. Websites for School and Daycare Info (November 1st, 2009)
3. DOE PreK Info- Hot Off The Press! (March 4th, 2009)
4. School Consultants (September 27th, 2008)
5. Sites For School Info (September 27th, 2008)