159 Van Sicklen St
Brooklyn, NY 11223

My children attended this school and graduated recently. This is the best school in the neighborhood. The teachers are all experienced (some even attended PS 215 when they were kids) and there is a strong focus on teaching the whole child. My kids had lessons on social-emotional learning and had opportunities for leadership roles. The academics are strong and many of the 5th graders get accepted to District 21 magnet middle schools. The new principal has been there for a few years and she is very involved. I always saw her in the schoolyard at dismissal saying hello to families and taking the time to speak with parents. I was very happy with the experience my kids had at PS 215.

Outstanding school, very friendly, super good, Nice!

This school occupies 2/3 of a floor on the 4th floor at the Lafayette building. This means the school is very small. A small school means small opportunities and limited flexibility. This affects all aspects of the school including the schedule and types of classes. The schedule is strict for all students and teachers. For example, you can't change your lunch period; same for the other schools in the building. And unlike other highschools, all students have the same amount of periods (seniors can't leave earlier). Students have very few options for a different class, if they want to change one. For example, a student can't just ask for a computer science class instead of graphic design for a specific period. There are just a few courses in this school. That's because there are limited amounts of rooms for a class. Because the school is small, there are a few teachers; when one of them leaves their jobs, the whole classroom of students has nothing to do. For these reasons alone, the school has some struggles being organized. My recommendation to make the school more competitive is that all the schools in the building should be combined.Most students say they don't like this school. Some teachers aren't happy with this school. HSSM is a uniform school and they give all students free uniforms every year. Most students say the uniform is not their style. Students are required to have their phones in yondr pouches all day. The teachers are encouraged to talk to students about wearing uniforms and enforcing the phone policy.This school is for people that like to go with the flow. If you are a student that is very competitive, you should choose a different school.