St Albans School

My child has attended PS59 the last few years. This school is zoned by The United Nations, so it is one of the most diverse schools in the city. It is a school where children learn to be world citizens and all cultures, values and contributions are celebrated. This is a wealthy area and the PTA raises significant money to pay for extra teachers in classes PK, K and 1st grade. Enrichments such as Arch for Kids, Central Park Zoo Partnership, City Centre Dance Programs, African Dance, NY Philharmonic Field Trips, A full STEM program which includes Robotics, Coding, 3-D Printing, Littlebits and a full Art Studio. The School has Reading and Math Specialists, a beautiful library filled with current books, A full size Gym, Theatre and Rooftop Playground. A greenhouse is being added this year. Test Prep for the ELA grades 3-5 is paid for by the PTA and free for 3rd-5th graders.The parent body is extremely active in the school. The students attend International Day, where parents set up booths for each country and kids learn about each country and get "stamps" in their passports, The Fall Festival, Winterfest, A Film Festival where the students create their own films and they are screened, Bingo Nights, Monster Mash for Halloween, Math Curriculum Night and many more events to engage the families. There are also “Family Fridays” where parents can visit the classrooms and see their children in action.The academic bar is set high, and many students who attend are students who will attend private or parochial school for the upper grades as well as the Specialized Public High Schools. Chess is big in the school. The students score high on the ELA tests. Class size is not large. If a student is falling behind there are specialists to work with the student one on one. A robust afterschool program offers Sports, Art, Dance etc. at a relatively low cost. It is very popular.The Principal, Vice Principal, Teachers and Staff work extraordinarily hard to create a school where everyone is welcome to succeed, learn and grow. I was on the fence whether to send my child to private school and am so happy I chose PS59 instead. My child has all the bells and whistles private school provides with the additional bonus of a broader, richer world education and peer group. You can see how happy these kids are. Mine wants to be first at the school every morning.

My twins attended this school from approximately 2010 to 2016. The children were prepared for middle school in a nurturing environment. I feel blessed that we were part of this community.

As a concerned parent, I feel compelled to share my deep disappointment with Lyceum Kennedy School. From the moment we enrolled our child, it became abundantly clear that the school's claims of providing an enriching educational experience were nothing more than empty promises.

The new school building is a pleasant departure from the typically older school buildings in NYC. A standout feature of the school is its early "robotics" club, hosting a club for FRC entry (First Robotics Competition). This program exposes children to STEM fields from an early age, fostering creativity, problem-solving, and teamwork skills.The school's approach to homework, starting from 1st grade, promotes accountability and develops good study habits. The teachers are young, passionate, and patient, fostering a positive learning environment. Their active engagement with parents via the ParentSquare web portal is commendable, keeping parents informed and involved in their children's education.The PTA is very active, consistently providing enriching programs for kids of all grades, including organizing engaging field trips. The quality of the After School program is good overall, with a wide spectrum offering and certain activities standing out as exceptional (Chess, FRC club, a few others)The school boasts a well-organized Chess program, which shows promise of becoming a strong contender in future NYC competitions.The principal's involvement and dedication are impressive - she appears industrious and driven. The school's focus on academic achievements without an overtly political agenda (DEI etc) is refreshing and stands in contrast with Schools like PS111, or even private schools like Grace School.The teachers at all levels are EXCELLENT - they are dedicated, supportive, and skillful at fostering a positive learning environment.Cons:Firstly, the after-school vendor's logistics staff appears to have a high turnover rate, which can cause inconsistency in the quality of services provided. However, it is noteworthy that this issue seems to be somewhat mitigated as of Spring 2023.Secondly, the school's elections and input to integrating the recent (non-English speaking) immigrant students could use a more strategic plan. I understand this was shoved on (all ??) NYC schools, and that it is good to provide opportunities to all children, yet the school needs to take steps to ensure this does not disrupt the learning pace for existing students. It would be beneficial to implement specialized programs or resources (Special needs ?) for these new students to help them catch up and integrate better. I predict all PS NYC schools that took in immigrant arrivals will have a huge drop in scores and quality in the next 2 years. Its a tough situation