Gowanus Canal
Brooklyn, NY

I have two kids in the school this year and we absolutely adore it. It is not our zoned school and I am so glad we chose 124. It is a small school, which makes it feel like family. All the staff know my kids’ names and how to best engage them in learning. There is strong social-emotional support including free counseling through the CBO partner, Counseling in Schools. There is also low-cost extended care 3K-4K and free after school for K-5 through a partnership with YMCA. My children feel both challenged academically and safe in the school. There are many enrichment programs available as well including a full time art and music teacher as well dedicated science, social studies, and theater teachers; and external programs such as dance, improv, swimming, coding and Lego robotics, among others. Over the last two years, the school has shifted to incorporate more project- and play-based learning, recognizing that these are children and learning can take many forms, including how you interact with peers to strategize and solve math problems or read & write a story together.Of course every school has challenges, but it’s important to note that leadership is open to feedback and willing to work with individuals and families to best support them. The parent community is highly engaged, prioritizing family events over high priced galas and auctions. We love the diversity of the school — cultural, language, socioeconomic — as it reflects the broader NYC and global community. This is not something that can be said for other neighborhood schools. Highly encourage folks to check out the website (ps124brooklyn.org) or stop by for a tour.

My son is currently in 6th grade at BCS and we could not be happier. I never thought my kid would look forward to school after many years struggling in elementary school to complete assignments and participate in class (we finally got him diagnosed with ADHD during the remote learning phase of covid), but it's a different world now. The teachers at BCS seem happy and really engaged with their students, and Scill (the principal), Imani (AP), and the administrative staff are communicative, caring, and available to both students and parents. The 6th grade teacher team sends out a detailed email to parents each week with a rundown of what the kids are studying, when they have quizzes and assignments due, and what the homework expectations are (homework is very light so far, which I love--most of the BCS work gets done in class). Each child is assigned to a "crew" at the beginning of 6th grade that they stay with the whole way through BCS, and they have a crew period every day where they can touch base with their crew leaders and friends and have some downtime (sometimes they play games in crew, sometimes they use the period to do homework, but either way it's a nice break in the academic day). My biggest worry with middle school was whether my child would have social-emotional support and feel good at/about school, and BCS has exceeded my expectations on that front. If you are looking for a diverse, inclusive, supportive community where kids' well-being is nurtured and the academics are strong but not rigorous or stressful, BCS is a fantastic choice.