The Montessori School of New York - Manhattan

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.