480 Smith St, Brooklyn, NY 11231

My son has attended this school since pre-K. As a family that is neither white, wealthy, nor French, he has often felt like an outsider. Unfortunately, he's been subjected to frequent bullying, and the social environment has been deeply unwelcoming.While many of the teachers have shown kindness and have genuinely supported his academic growth, the overall culture among students is troubling. The atmosphere is dominated by privilege, and we’ve found that the most difficult dynamics often come from children of extremely wealthy or insular families.Parent culture here is cliquish and performative, often projecting unresolved personal issues onto their children’s school experiences. The administration, including the principal, has been largely ineffective at addressing bullying or creating meaningful change — and at times seems unwilling to engage with conflict directly.This school feels designed for a narrow, elite demographic, and many aspects — from the school "merch" in French to the unspoken social codes — reflect that exclusivity.We’ve made the difficult decision not to return next year. No family should feel invisible or unsafe in a place meant for learning and growth.