490 Lorimer St
Brooklyn, NY 11211

I have to give 132 credit for getting themselves and our kids through the pandemic. Honestly, it is impressive that my kindergartner was able to progress on schedule with reading, math and communication skills given the extraordinary circumstances presented by the 2020-2021 school year. Even with the circumstances and challenges of remote learning, we were happy with the school up until Easter, when our child's teacher left on sudden long-term leave. The rest of the year with a sub in place the classroom was chaotic and stressful, even with teacher's aides there to help. We were disconcerted when our kiddo came home and told us she had been pushed by another student in class and that there was frequent name calling. When we approached the sub about this she assured us that our kiddo was going to be placed in G&T for first grade, where she would be more engaged and challenged and have a better classroom environment. So in my mind that was the solution. But we came to find out that for administrative reasons, no new students would be allowed into the G&T program unless they'd been placed on a waiting list the previous year. We were frustrated dealing with the administration and I felt more like a number than a person. We just could not get through to anyone "real" that could hear out our situation or concerns. In the end we decided to place our child in another school to avoid the extra stress of a classroom environment like the one she had for kindergarten at 132. Overall, they did a great job handling the pandemic but more effort to address the needs of students and place them according to their learning level would have kept us there. I can see why candidates campaigned to do away with G&T altogether. It feels like if you don't get in, your school experience can be a wildcard. Now that we have been through this I agree G&T should be done away with and the entire system fixed so that every classroom environment is a good one.

What this school lacks in quality facilities, it more than makes up for in the quality of its education. I have been continuously impressed at the level of rigor of the academics, the dedication the faculty have to the students, and the diversity and social-emotional well-being of the student body. We could not be any happier with our daughter at this school. She has developed great relationships with her teachers and wonderful friendships. She will be more than prepared for admission to any of the top colleges that many students at this school attend. I hope the school will one day get its own building, and I know the Principal is working on it, but we are grateful for the education she is receiving regardless.

This school is a pretty terrible school, I was one of there scape goats to let there school look good back in 2015. I can say that they did falsely pass a majority of students back then to not be pushed out by the Charter School below it, i was sent to the wrong college because I wasn't prepared like they say. In fact I had to have an outside source help me apply since they were putting there favored students before me for months of the college prep process. And very good for patting themselves on the back, staff does bully students from time to time, when I was there of course.