217 E 3rd St
New York, NY 10009

It is a grade school. It has after school program that help me a lot as working parent.

I attended this school and later returned as a substitute teacher, hoping to give back to the community. Unfortunately, my experience was deeply disappointing and disheartening.This school operates under a clear culture of exclusion and privilege. The student body is overwhelmingly composed of wealthy, privileged children, most of whom come from families that live far outside the community. After dismissal, the street is constantly blocked by high-end vehicles—Range Rovers, BMWs, Teslas—as parents swarm in to pick up their kids. It’s a daily display of entitlement that reflects the school’s priorities.While the school claims to value diversity, it’s obvious they only accept just enough minority students to meet diversity quotas. True inclusion is nowhere to be found. Local children from the surrounding community are consistently denied admission, reinforcing the school’s elitist atmosphere.Paraprofessionals and substitute teachers are treated with blatant disrespect. We’re spoken down to and excluded from staff conversations. It’s clear we’re not seen as real educators, just temporary labor to fill a need.In short, this school presents itself as progressive and inclusive on paper, but in practice, it’s a space that prioritizes whiteness, wealth, and appearances over genuine equity and community connection. If you’re a person of color, an educator from the local area, or simply someone who believes in fairness and respect, be prepared for a harsh reality.

I have been teaching at Tompkins Square Middle School (TSMS) since 2010, and my three children all attended this school from 2016-2021. In fact, many of my colleagues have enrolled their own children at TSMS. When school staff members want their own children to attend their school, it speaks volumes about the community and rigor.As a parent, I developed a newfound appreciation for my colleagues’ dedication to both their students and their content area. When my children needed extra help, it was available during lunch, advisory, and after school. Teachers have high expectations for classwork, tests, and homework, but they are also reasonable when it comes to due dates and generous with opportunities to retake quizzes and or make up assignments. My children’s teachers were truly focused on helping students to build foundational skills and master content, even as they covered ambitious curricula. When I had concerns, teachers were available to talk and demonstrated a deep understanding of my children’s learning styles and social-emotional well-being. My children say that their TSMS teachers, guidance counselor, and administrators knew them well and cared about them. As middle schoolers, my children were very engaged in their TSMS classes. They especially loved their Math and Science classes and still talk about the innovative projects (building a classroom planetarium!), Science Fair, museum field trips, fieldwork in Tompkins Square Park, and BioBus visits. In their Humanities classes, they read voraciously and became very proficient at different types of academic writing. The rich arts program at TSMS was another huge draw for my children; all students take classes in Music, Theatre, Visual Art, and Dance. When one of my daughters wanted to apply to the performing arts high schools, her art teacher guided her through the process and helped her create a strong visual art portfolio. Every quarter, TSMS invites families to a “Community Celebration” which showcases the creative work taking place at school. In 8th grade, my children received a lot of attention and support with the high school process from their guidance counselor, advisor, and 8th grade ELA teachers. They prepared for the SHSAT in a free afterschool prep class, and we attended the helpful family workshops that the guidance counselor hosted. After graduating from TSMS, they were definitely ready for the rigorous NYC high schools they attended.