St. Marks Lutheran Schools

Our son is currently in 3K at PS 137, and we couldn’t be happier with our experience. The teachers are incredibly kind and attentive—especially Miss T, who has made such a positive impact in our experience there in 3K. Smallclass sizes are the best environment for kids and doesn’t feel like an overcrowded public school pushing enrollment. The PTA is very active, bringing in enriching programs like pasta making classes / activities to kids in class. The dance teacher, Ms. Davis, is amazing, and our son absolutely loves her class. The plus is, that as an LGBTQ family, we’ve felt genuinely welcomed and supported by the community. We plan on staying there throughout elementary as all the teachers seem fantastic. We couldn’t recommend PS 137 more—it truly feels like Brooklyn’s best kept secret.

This school is promoting how much test scores have gone up...but the admin is selling these tests results way too hard....Wish they would answer the question of how many kids actually took the test...In 2018, only 68 out of 167 kids (41%) at PS 5 took exams, and only 24 (35%) of students had proficient scores. In 2024, data.nysed.gov no longer breaks down how many kids take the exams, but the PS 5 data shows that 82% of grade 4 scored proficient in English and 100% of grade 4 scored proficient in Math...some of the "top" elementary schools in Brooklyn don't score that high. In many schools across NYC, less than 50% of the kids actually take these exam because their parents don't like their kids to stress out etc. But at a school like PS 5 when there are only about 25 kids in each grade, what does that mean? Maybe 8 kids in each grade take the test, maybe even fewer or maybe more...who knows? ...and to be clear, this is an issue not just at PS 5 but at the state-level because the state decided to not show that data anymore...why can't parents see the complete data??? Why bother testing then? This is OUR data. Some good things happening at PS 5..and some very wonderful teachers, but don't like that the admin is not able to answer basic questions about a story they keep selling about their dramatic improvement in test scores.

I was very cautious about my son starting 3K, especially because he is speech delayed. I originally came across PS 309 because my daughter attends the charter school in the same building, and although I had some concerns due to the stigma around public schools, I am so glad I made the decision to enroll him here.My son is in a class with two teachers and two paraprofessionals, and he receives speech therapy three times a week. In just three months—from September to now—I’ve already seen real improvement in his speech and confidence. The support he receives is consistent, patient, and genuinely tailored to his needs.One of the things I appreciate most is how welcoming the staff is. So many of them make you feel like family the moment you walk through the door. It’s clear they truly care about your child, even when you’re not there, and that level of care and attention means everything to a parent.I’m incredibly thankful for PS 309 and the progress my son is making. I highly recommend this school to any parent looking for a supportive, caring, and dedicated environment for their child.

I have two student one graduate years ago and I place my second child in there cause they are loving caring alwaya doing things for the kids my son on grade level and is currently in the third grade we have thee best teacher and awesome Princpal the first i district to offer after school program little one she strive hard doesn’t even take breaks to insure we have the best for our children