2010 Middle School Reviews

Andres Hudde JHS
Specific Program or major (if applicable) - CIG Gifted and Talented Program
Location - Nostrand Avenue, Brooklyn, NY

 Is this the school your child attends now?

no, he or she graduated last year (june,2009) or the year before (june, 2008)

Please write a review of your experience :

Our son had some excellent teachers, but the overall environment of the school was awful - kids running through the halls, School Safety Agents screaming at the kids, and the kids screaming back, kids breaking light fixtures, etc. In the 3 years my son was there, he never had any specific problems, and made some wonderful friends, but if I had it to do over, I'd never send him there. My son had some specific emotional/academic problems having nothing to do with the school, and we received next to no help from the guidance counselor or other staff. Many of his teachers were great, and went the extra mile to work with him, but the guidance counselor very candidly told us that his problems were nothing compared to the other problems she was dealing with. Luckily, we had the resources to deal with his issues on our own, but I don't know what we would have done if we couldn't afford to. The CIG program used to be the gold standard for gifted and talented middle school students. Kids from the brownstone neighborhoods used to charter buses to come to Hudde. That was in the past. The program was very watered down, the famous Johns Hopkins Math program was eliminated, the classes got larger, etc. The District de-funded the program. The parent coordinator is, well, she didn't even attend the first orientation meeting we attended, or most of the other parent meetings. What does that tell you? The only reason we didn't transfer our son out was that he had lots of friends, some wonderful teachers, and do to some of the emotional issues he had, transfer to a new school would have made things worse for him, even if it was a better school.

Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?

Do NOT recommend

 What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.

Try to talk to some of the teachers: do they like it there? How long have they been there? Are they marking time until retirement or are they looking to leave? And if the parent coordinator doesn't make herself available or is not knowledgeable or willing to find out info for you, look out!

Arts and Letters

Location Fort Greene, Brooklyn

Is this the school your child attends now?

yes, now and for the last year or more

Please write a review of your experience:

The administration and teachers understand children. The principal is accessible and responsive to parents concerns. There is abundant extra help for struggling students and extra curricular enrichment for students. Teachers are also accessible for student feedback. It is a small school so the staff really knows each child.

Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?

Recommend

Ballet Tech

Specific Program or major (if applicable) - Ballet

Location - Manhattan

 Is this the school your child attends now?

yes, now and for the last year or more

Please write a review of your experience:

This school has been terrific for my son. It is very small. His 8th grade class has about 21 or 22 students and there is only one 6th, one 7th and one 8th grade. There are also two 4th and two 5th grade classes. All of his teachers have been great. My son was never very good in math but the math teacher helped him to pass the first math regents exam. He loves his science class and humanities. All of the teachers are young and dedicated and creative. They really try to engage the students. There is also a ballet program every afternoon for 8th graders. My son is very active and this activity has been a wonderful complement to his academics. It is a strict discipline and he is able to express himself physically. This school was a very good match for my child.

Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?

Highly recommend

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.

Try to match your child to the school. Try to find a school that has the activities and programs that will interest your child. IS 98 Bay Academy Specific Program or major (if applicable) - Vocal Location - 1401 Emmons Avenue, Brooklyn Is this the school your child attends now? yes, now and for the last year or more Please write a review of your experience: My daughter and I are extremely happy with Bay Academy. It is a "talent" school, but what they are looking for are kids with at least an 85 overall average and are above average in a particular discipline. You don't have to be a superstar to get in. Much of middle school is about social growth, and the talent subjects provide the social framework around the academics. Kids are mostly grouped with the kids in their discipline, giving them all a built-in common interest, but certain classes are mixed, giving variety in their social contacts. Bay has recently ungone a few changes - a new principal this year (promoted from within), and it is no longer a magnet school and is open only to families that live in district 21. The new principal, Maria Timo, instituted an on-line service for students and families called Edline. My daughter receives much of her homework assignments and feedback there, and I receive an e-mail whenever a new report is posted, so I can easily keep up with her progress. Misbehavior is not tolerated and their quiet halls are a sign of that. There are different levels of discipline, depending on the infraction. The ones I am familiar with is silent lunch, in-house detention (parents contacted, staying after school), and full detention. Bay Academy is known as a "captive" school, which simply means that the children stay in the school cafeteria for lunch. This was important to me as I don't believe most middle school kids have the maturity to go out on their own for lunch and not get over-stimulated. Also, Bay Academy, although easily reached by the B and Q trains, is not near a lot of places where the kids like to hang out, so the kids are going directly home after school. My daugher is in 7th grade, and early in the year they held a meeting to inform parents what can me done in 7th grade to insure a good search process for high school Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children? Highly recommend Bay Ridge Prep Specific Program or major (if applicable) - Bridge Program Location - Ridge Blvd & 81st St, Brooklyn  Is this the school your child attends now? yes, now and for the last year or more yes, he or she is graduating this year Please write a review of your experience : Many of the teachers are highly skilled in their subject areas and in working with kids with learning differences of many types and degrees. The school is small and housed in a church. They offer alot of afterschool classes and sports as well as an afterschool program from 3- 6 PM. The school is direct with dealing with difficult situations. No tolerance for abusive behavior and yet gentle and firm in dealing with their students. Discussion in class will replace teaching if an issue is significant. Feedback is fairly consistent, though I still feel (and have felt all along) the need to be proactive. Re: HS, there was not much help. The appropriate staff met with me and were responsive but basically it is not their goal to assist with BRP students finding another institution than the one they provide for HS. Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children? Highly recommend What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family. Be proactive. Investigate everything and TALK/Email with whomever you can. Especially use the Inside Schools website. Bay Ridge Prep Specific Program or major (if applicable) - General Education (NOT Bridge or Achieve programs) Location - 8101 Ridge Blvd., Bay Ridge, Brooklyn Is this the school your child attends now? yes, he or she is graduating this year Please write a review of your experience : Bay Ridge Prep kids come from all over Brooklyn and for various reasons. We like the small class size, forward-thinking educational philosophy and relatively low tuition. BRP is on some people's radar for their Bridge and Achieve programs that serve kids with minor learning issues. But our high-performing general ed kid has had an excellent experience as well. While most BRP middle schoolers move on to BRP High, this year's class got offers to Stuyvesant, Brooklyn Tech and Midwood (so far - it's only February). (As for help with the HS application process, they'll do whatever you need them to do, but you have to figure out what that is!) The facilities are adequate, but not stellar. At the same time, there is a definite coziness, a "one big family" feeling to the place. Everyone knows everyone in this relaxed, productive environment. It also lends itself to flexibility. When three students needed a more challenging language arts class, one was set up - for three kids. Can't beat that. Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children? Highly recommend What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family. If you're reading this, you're already on the right track - reading, talking, going to open houses, etc. There are many good options out there, and kids move on to good high schools from all the different programs. Don't worry!

Ditmas IS 62

Specific Program or major (if applicable) - LCS Law and Community Service

Location - 7oo Cortelyou Rd at East 7th St

 Is this the school your child attends now?

yes, he or she is graduating this year

Please write a review of your experience:

The school is very clean, the principal is energetic and always roaming around the school making sure everything is going well. It has a reputation as a tough place but it is very safe, plenty of security persons and teachers well in control. There are three areas of interest as well as advanced placement and special education classes. The teachers are very good and easy to talk to and get along with. There are four marking periods preceded by progress reports. The school offers a free Kaplan course to selected students for the Specialized HS exam as well as after school tutoring (free) and activities. Guidance counselors are on top of the students throughout the entire HS application process. The deans of each academy are involved as well. This is a great school for each and every kid to be accepted into a safe and welcoming environment. The teachers and principal are really amazing and down to earth.

Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?

Highly recommend

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.

If your child is unhappy in a school take them out and try a different one. Go see them yourself, don't believe what others say, it may not be true. Berkeley Carroll School Specific Program or major (if applicable) - Middle School Location - Park Slope, Brooklyn  Is this the school your child attends now? yes, he or she is graduating this year Please write a review of your experience: The teachers are for the most part excellent, with the Science and English programs especially strong. The science curriculum spans all four years of middle school and is integrated, with each year building on the previous. I cannot imagine a better middle school science curriculum. The English program in 7th and 8th grade is wonderful and the kids really learn how to read critically and write persuasively, as well as handle speeches, research, debate, etc. The history and math programs are less stellar. History seems to rely too heavily on textbooks and in math we had two years of bad teaching, one year of excellent teaching, and one year of ok teaching. My child went from being a math star to the opposite, which could have been due to other factors, but teaching was part of the problem for sure. There are also lots of arts classes plus ethics, health, PE, etc. It's a very well-rounded, well-funded curriculum. The school is very small but is run bureaucratically so it is not always so easy to get help unless you can directly contact the teachers. Feedback comes with grades three times a year and an anecdotal report once a year (twice if your child is having problems). There are also two conferences per year. You can contact the teachers any time. Surprisingly for a private school, they were very helpful with the HS application process. Of course they did not offer any counseling, but they handled the paperwork efficiently and pleasantly. About 30-40% of the kids usually leave after middle school for public high schools, usually Stuyvesant, Brooklyn Tech, LaGuardia, Bard and Beacon. Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children? Recommend  What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family. Try to have your kid spend a day there and trust his/her opinion. Brooklyn Prospect Charter Location - sunset park  Is this the school your child attends now? Just started our first year Please write a review of your experience : Incredibly organized, dedicated teachers with endless energy. The teachers work together--they are all aware of what is going on in the other classes so that each subject enhances the next. We get tremendous feedback--all teachers post lessons/blogs/etc online. Teachers do optional weekend field trips. Afterschool activities available every day, from theatre to journalism to basketball..etc... Is a new school with currently only 6th grade--next year will have 6th and 7th.....etc Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children? Highly recommend What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family. Go to information sessions and try to speak directly to the teachers themselves. Brooklyn Prospect Charter Location - sunset park Is this the school your child attends now? Just started our first year Please write a review of your experience: I LOVE almost every teacher: they are creative, dedicated, always looking for ways to expand and step it up. I especially like the awesome science and art teachers. There isn't enough writing, though! We don't have the final location yet. The current facility is wonderful. Brand new Sunset Park HS. I love the extracurricular clubs the school has started: virtual newspaper, art club, the daily PE and Spanish. A lot of individual attention and feedback on our child's progress. There are 100 sixth graders, it's a new school and so the attention is all focused on them.   Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children? Highly recommend   What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family. The school is not for every kid. Each school has it's own vibe and focus and they really do differ so do your due diligence and get your sixth grader involved. Brooklyn Prospect Charter School Location - Sunset Park - District 15 Is this the school your child attends now? Just started our first year  Please write a review of your experience : I LOVE almost every teacher: they are creative, dedicated, always looking for ways to expand and step it up. I especially like the awesome science and art teachers. There isn't enough writing, though! We don't have the final location yet. The current facility is wonderful. Brand new Sunset Park HS. I love the extracurricular clubs the school has started: virtual newspaper, art club, the daily PE and Spanish. A lot of individual attention and feedback on our child's progress. There are 100 sixth graders, it's a new school and so the attention is all focused on them. Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children? Highly recommend What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family. The school is not for every kid. Each school has it's own vibe and focus and they really do differ so do your due diligence and get your sixth grader involved Christa McAuliffe Specific Program or major (if applicable) - Academy of Arts & Humanities Location - Bay Ridge/New Utrecht/Bensonhurst Is this the school your child attends now? yes, he or she is graduating this year Please write a review of your experience: We have been thrilled since the first day of our daughters experience at McAuliffe. It's middle school and she has blossomed. None of the middle school tears and fears. This school has tuned out to be a wonderful family and community. They have a wonderful after-school enrichment program. By participating in Kiwanis, she has learned about helping others and in turn...we have been helped when things got rough and could not afford to send her on the overnight trip. The advisor turned around and insisted on finding the funds to make it happen. It turns out that they help all kids who ask for help. They want "no child left behind" on a trip. She has been challenged academically and while she hasn't needed it there is always a teacher willing to help outside of the classroom. For those in District 20 it is worth taking the test for the superintendents program. I only hope my younger daughter gets in for next year! Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children? Highly recommend What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family. Make sure you go to the open house. Ask questions. Don't miss out on any opportunity to see the school in action and make sure your child is with you....let them see it all...you decide but they need to be a part of the journey. Cunningham JHS Specific Program or major (if applicable) - none Location - 17th Street and Avenue S (near Kings Highway) Is this the school your child attends now? Just started our first year Please write a review of your experience: This is my son's first year at the school. So far I've been very pleased if not totally thrilled. While it sounds like the school is a way off, it is easy to get to by the Q train, a few short blocks walk from Kings Highway. It is a very big school, but that said, the 6th grade is in their own wing, so I don't think it feels as big to the kids as it otherwise might. Some of the teachers seem great, some seem just okay, but my son is happy and the transition from elementary school was pretty seamless. He is in the "Vanguard program," which is one of their accelerated or "gifted" (I have reservations about the whole idea of "gifted" programming for 11 year olds but that's what it is) programs (the other being CIG) and it does not seem overwhelming. The kids in CIG seem to get a lot more work. I'm not sure about the kids in the third program, Cyber; my sense from other parents is that people like it a lot but it is not overwhelming. I've been told the homework ramps up so I am waiting for that to happen. So far, though, I can not really complain; the school seems very solid, the parent coordinator is incredible, really terrific at communication, the 6th grade just went on a 3 day trip to Frost Valley which the principal went on as well.  Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children? Highly recommend What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family. go take a look at it yourself with your kid; think about what is right for your particular child East Side Middle School Location - Upper East Side Manhattan (E. 78 st. at York Ave.)  Is this the school your child attends now? yes, now and for the last year or more Please write a review of your experience : Overall the teachers have been pretty good. Our kid started to go to the lunchtime extra help for some subjects and it's helped her raise her grade. Communication with the teachers has been good and the PTA is very involved. The facilities are archaic but that will change in a few months when the school moves into to it's new building on E. 91 st. Earlier in the school year, several boys were sending lewd texts to some of the girls. As a result a couple of the boys were suspended. Also as a result of the texts the principal changed the dress code for girls so that they no longer can wear leggings, just pants. Go figure. Among the upper east side middle schools ESMS is considered by the kids to be the "preppy" school while Wagner is the "gangster" school and Salk is the "surfer" school. There's not much diversity at ESMS -- racially or economically. It's probably got the richest families for any public middle school in NYC. Many of the PS6, PS290, and PS158 kids go on to ESMS. Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children? Recommend What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family. Kids in middle school are just starting to get around town on their own. If you can find a good middle school that's relatively close to you in your neighborhood I'd give it serious consideration. This will be your child's community for the next three years and if her/his friends live near you it will be a better experience for your family. By the time they're high schoolers, they can travel farther on their own.

Genesis at Xaverian

Location - Bay Ridge, Brooklyn

Is this the school your child attends now?

Just started our first year

Please write a review of your experience :

We are absolutely in love with our son's middle school! He is nurtured AND challenged intellectually while preparing for a great high school and college experience. The teacher's are highly educated and are sponsored by the school to continue their education even in the summer. We are diligently informed about our son's progress and more importantly, he is as well.

6. Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?

Highly recommend

7. What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.

Talk to parents and students who are already enrolled.

ICE

Manhattan

Is this the school your child attends now?

yes, now and for the last year or more

Please write a review of your experience :

Teachers are very dedicated to the kids and have consistently gone out of their way to help both my children academically, emotionally and socially. They love the other kids there and do very well with the project based assignments. My son would prefer a more structured environment and prefers science to the arts a this point. My daughter recently graduated and loved ICE.

Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?

Highly recommend

Institute for Collaborative Education (ICE)

Location - 345 East 15th Street

Is this the school your child attends now?

Just started our first year

Please write a review of your experience :

ICE is a progressive, small school. The philosophy of the school is that students are more engaged when doing projects, rather than taking tests. ICE creates a community feeling from the beginning of the year, by doing a school wide project (mixing the middle school and high school students). Every year the theme is different, this year it was about the future. The teachers are creative and approach teaching in innovative ways. For example, in my son's math class, the students are each creating a carnival game and learning about probability. In science, the students are building roller coasters and learning about physics. Language and history is combined in Humanities. The 7th grade went on a 2 night trip to Philadelphia. Students get narrative reports, rather than number grades.

Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?

Highly recommend

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.

Consider social and academic environment, really go with your gut where you think your child will be happy, if your child is happy, he or she will thrive.

Institute for Collaborative Education (ICE)

Location - Manhattan

Is this the school your child attends now?

Just started our first year

Please write a review of your experience :

This is a wacky school that has to fit a motivated student. I am not sure how much academically my daughter is learning but you have to pull together projects with much thought and few guidelines. That being said my kid is thriving and we like the school.

Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?

Recommend with reservations

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.

Do the best you can. Who really knows. I let my kid choose.

Institute for Collaborative Education (ICE)

Location - Manhattan

Is this the school your child attends now?
Just started our first year

Please write a review of your experience :

ICE has the most dedicated group of teachers. Doors are always open to parents. Because it is a small school there is not a wide range of courses. As a selective school I have to wonder how some students were admitted : disciplinary problems and slow learners. The school's policy is not to track students and my child finds the classes proceed at a slow pace.

Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?
Recommend with reservations

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.
Visit the school when students are arriving or leaving at lunch or for the day to observe general behaviour. Listen to your gut.

Institute for Collaborative Education (ICE)

Location - Manhattan

Is this the school your child attends now?
yes, he or she is graduating this year

Please write a review of your experience :

Positive: Almost uniformly wonderful teachers. Kids are encouraged to think, not just memorize facts. Noncompetitive atmosphere. Encourages participation. Small classes. Negative: Lack of strong leadership. Very poor arts offerings. Weak history cirriculum.

 Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?
Recommend

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.
Know your child--what sort of atmosphere would he or she do best in?

I.S. 230

Specific Program or major (if applicable) - Law & Government Academy

Location - Jackson Heights

Is this the school your child attends now?

yes, now and for the last year or more

Please write a review of your experience :

We moved to NYC in the middle of the 2008-2009 school year and my child was placed in I.S. 230 as our zoned school. My sister-in-law had been warning me of the dire consequences of putting my daughter in a non-gifted & talented public school but we have been mostly very pleased with the school. There have been a few problems (a new math teacher with no control over the classroom and a bad way of dealing with students when they had questions or problems) but the administration has always been responsive. The teachers, the high majority of them, are also very helpful and give my forgetful daughter plenty of opportunities to turn in work a little late or give extra credit. Many of the teachers stay after school to run clubs or just give students some extra opportunities to help out or do some extra work. We moved from out of state and my daughter was in a school system that was considered one of the best in that state and we were VERY unhappy and disappointed with the majority of the teachers and administration. My daughter went from doing pretty poorly and having no support to doing pretty well and having lots of support. We have had some difficult situations that were handled extremely well. I am in regular email contact with all of my daughter's teachers and most of them use Engrade for grade reporting throughout each marking period. They also seem to have pretty frequent opportunities for trips (a few day trips and one or two overnight trips each year). My daughter has talked a little bit with the guidance counselor about high school but not gotten into any really serious high school prep but I know there are prep classes and assistance offered to 8th graders. It's not a perfect school, it is overcrowded and I do think that parents need to be involved and vocal about their preferences and the needs of their children

Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?

Recommend

 What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.

There's a place for everyone and just because your child doesn't fit into or get into a gifted & talented program or school, it doesn't mean that they can't have a great middle school experience.

Manhattan Academy of Technology (PS126)

Location - Lower East Side, Manhattan, District 2

 Is this the school your child attends now?

yes, he or she is graduating this year

Please write a review of your experience :
----Assistance given in the HS application process including prep classes or counseling?

After an excellent elementary school experience, my opinion of M.A.T falls a little shorter. Many of the teachers are younger and less experienced than I would like. "Technology" in the name is a misnomer--the school started that way but when it merged with another school at its current location about 5 years ago, it lost that focus and it is not very good in the technology department. But I realize that this is a tough group of years and my daughter did pretty well. She had only one teacher who was truly awful, and she learned a lot. I really appreciate the diversity of the school, the enthusiasm of the parents, teachers and administration. But my daughter hasn't worked very hard and I am concerned that high school will be difficult because she's out of practice after her years at PS130 in Chinatown where she developed wonderful study habits.

6. Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?

Recommend

7. What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.

Visit the school--twice if you can. Talk to parents of kids there and have your kid talk to kids there. And learn enough about the principal to have an opinion. The principal carries the school in NYC.

Mark Twain

Specific Program or major (if applicable) - Math

Location - Brooklyn, NY

Is this the school your child attends now?

no, he or she graduated last year (june,2009) or the year before (june, 2008)

Please write a review of your experience :

My daughter had an incredible experience at Mark Twain, both academically and socially. Many of her teachers went out of their way to make themselves available during lunch time and free periods, not only for extra help, but also showing films and letting students hang out in their classrooms. We had one experience in 6th grade with her being teased to a point that warranted bringing it to the school's attention. They could not have been prompter about handling it to our complete satisfaction. The cluster model helps the teachers really get to know their students and provide helpful feedback at every opportunity. Twain places a high premium on getting students into good high schools. This can have a downside - pressure - but the upside is that the guidance counselors have the process down to a science, making it much less daunting.

Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?

Recommend with reservations

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.

I highly recommend Twain for kids who are self-motivated and who work well under pressure. It's a competitive environment, although not in a cutthroat way - kids do some projects in groups, there's peer counseling, etc. I think it's important to consider whether the long hours of homework (and the commute, in many cases) will be worth it when there are many good schools out there. Mark Twain IS 239 Specific Program or major (if applicable) - Science Location - Neptune Ave., Brooklyn Is this the school your child attends now? Just started our first year Please write a review of your experience: This is my son's first year at Twain, but I have to say we are thrilled with the quality of instruction, the challenging coursework and the classroom environment. While it's true that the school expects a lot of the students, my son's teachers are all very supportive and put a lot of effort into helping the children succeed - if your child is ready for a challenge, this is a great place. The cluster system works well in creating a more personal environment in such a big school, and the staff and teachers are good at quashing any ostracizing/bullying situations as soon as they appear. They also make an effort to be available to parents as well - parents may attend one of the weekly cluster conferences if they have an issue to discuss. There is a lot of homework, but it seems well thought-out, not much "busy work." Occasionally, though, the homework can pile on so that in the crunch to get through it, the interesting parts of each assignment get lost. The main thing that drew us to this school was the excellent math and science instruction - if you have a child interested in science, the Science Talent is the best program we found. The school's ELA and Social Studies curricula are also strong, and it seems like not a lot of other schools are strong in math, science *and* humanities. There are downsides, and these are: there's usually a lot of homework, sometimes too much; the commute is a tough one for most kids; and because of the sketchy neighborhood, the kids don't go outside during the school day. The school itself, however, is a great-looking WPA-era building, and the level of technology and classroom equipment would be the envy of a private school. If your child is passionate about any of the 10 talent areas, and is up for the coursework, I highly recommend Mark Twain. Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children? Highly recommend What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family. Listen to your child's impressions, but they are new at this game - ultimately you are the parent and have to take the lead in making the choice. Sometimes children will form an opinion of the school that has more to do with social aspects than academic ones - both are important, but this is school, after all.

MS 447

Location - Brooklyn

Is this the school your child attends now?
yes, now and for the last year or more

 Please write a review of your experience:

Teachers are enthusiastic, seem to really get this particular age group. They are accessible as well, if there's a problem. I think the curriculum is solid and interesting. The one-a-week exploration program is especially interesting. Though it is called "Math and Science" the ELA seems to be just as strong. There are special needs students accommodated here, and it seems to be done well, ie. enough teachers, and a commitment to special needs students learning side by side the general student population. The math education has been particularily stellar in my child's case.

Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?
Highly recommend

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.
Visit the schools.

MS 447

Location - Brooklyn

 Is this the school your child attends now?

yes, he or she is graduating this year

Please write a review of your experience :

the teachers are very dedicated and know the students regardless if they are in the their class. they are young and energetic, a good, solid team of professionals who respond to parent emails/concerns. the off site program is great and ties in other classes, however i fear budget cuts may affect this. the school appears to deal with difficult situations in a timely manner, parents are always kept in the loop via email and notices sent home. there is great feedback re: child's progress, the teachers really know the students. the guidance counselor is exceptional with high school information, she is truly dedicated and highly involved with eighth graders and knows every kid. she is one of the highlights of this school. there seems to be a "fit" for every type of kid. very little cliques, kids seem more "innocent" than other middle schools in the area, not as fast with regard to peer pressure. the school is very diverse with educational ability, race and economics and everyone for the most part accepts each other and gets along. if you are an involved parent and willing to get "into it", your child will benefit from this, as the teachers will know you as the parent too,

Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?

Highly recommend

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.

it is important at this age for teachers, administration and staff to know who your child is. make sure the guidance counselor is involved with the hs process, embrace diversity, get involved with the school! and remember, no school is perfect! MS 447  Is this the school your child attends now? Just started our first year Please write a review of your experience : We transferred our daughter to Math and Science and so far have been very pleased with the school. The teachers seem to be skillful and enthusiastic and were able to give us detailed information about our daughter's progress. Our only quibble about the program is that we wish they offered a foreign language in sixth grade. On the other hand, we are delighted by the relatively small class size and differentiated learning we see in almost every subject. Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children? Highly recommend What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family. Speak to other parents and kids at the school. Do not rely on impressions made at the tour alone.

MS 447 Location - Pacific Street, Brooklyn, NY Is this the school your child attends now? no, he or she graduated last year (june,2009) or the year before (june, 2008)  Please write a review of your experience : My son graduated June 2008, so this is based on that time period. The administration talked a good talk about curriculum and planning, but seemed clueless about follow up. They were weak and disorganized and relied heavily on Principal Gioa-Cordi, who was often not in the building. Discipline was punitive rather than developmentally based. One beacon of light in the admin was Mili Katz, the Dean at the time, who 'got' what middle school aged kids are about. My child has mild learning issues (not enough for services) but there was no support--and no understanding--for him there. Over the 3 years, I had repeatedly shared outside evaluation reports with the administration, who said they would share the info with the teachers. Each time I followed up on it, it was if it was new news to them. One English teacher was particularly warm & supportive: Mr D? (sorry, name escapes me) while another Math teacher, Mr Smith, did not let me know my child was floundering and had not handed in hw for months until parent-teacher conferences. The teaching staff reflected less and less the diversity of the student body as new hires came in. Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children? Do NOT recommend What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family. Take your child on the school visits and listen to their opinions. MS447 Location - Brooklyn Is this the school your child attends now? no, he or she graduated last year (june,2009) or the year before (june, 2008) Please write a review of your experience : Every public school will have strong teachers and weak teachers, but the vast majority of teachers at MS447 have significant experience and have been at MS447 for more than a few years. (Teacher tenure and turnover is a good indicator of the quality of the education and experience that your child will have). The school provides four report cards in a school year, and four unofficial progress reports mid-way between report cards. Many teachers are proactive when a student has specific issues, and all are receptive of parental queries. The school specifically looks for creative team-oriented self-starters. A significant portion of the curriculum includes multi-media projects, independent and group research and investigations. A child who likes to be alone, doesn't like working on projects, doesn't like working with other students, or who prefers a test-centric curriculum will not be a good fit for this curriculum. The school has a strong program for students with various learning styles, and with IEPs, and they are attentive to different students' struggles. The school recognizes and encourages the strengths and potential for each student, and encourages creativity and exploration. Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children? Highly recommend  What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family. Ask your child to make rank on a scale of 1-5 how important these things are: small classes, large classes, music, art, theater, science, math, creative writing, other students, frequency of tests, frequency of projects, long-term units of study, smaller units of study, short/easy commute, sports opportunities, small school (intimate), large school (more social opportunities), support services (advisors and counselors), special ed services, etc. Then, as you evaluate each school, rank each school' for the same categories.

MS447

Location - Brooklyn

 Is this the school your child attends now?

yes, now and for the last year or more

Please write a review of your experience :

My older son graduated from MS 447 last year, and my younger son entered this year. The experience has been varied. For my older son, the school was relatively new when he entered and there were definite growing pains and a number of unsatisfactory teachers. However, the principal is very ambitious for the school and takes action to make improvements. The unsatisfactory teachers than my son had were quickly gone. The school has experimented with different approaches to the curriculum, with varying success. The down side of this is that when things don't work, the children suffer since they can't go back and do the grade or the course again. The up side is that the principal is willing to take risks and also is quick to recognize when something doesn't work. Although parents sometimes complain that she isn't a presence the way they remember the elementary school principal (e.g. Liz Phillips) being, I think she is a great attribute of the school. The school is fairly rigorous -- the teachers are engaged and communicate frequently via email with respect to assignments and issues your child may be having. There are a lot of projects and due dates. For our high school application experience, I wouldn't say that I relied very much on the school to help us out. My son took a SHSAT prep course elsewhere (although 447 did offer one) and I relied heavily on insideschools.org and talking to other parents.

Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?

Recommend

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.

Remember that kids can succeed in a variety of settings, so don't get too overwrought about this choice!

MS 447

Location - dean st

Is this the school your child attends now?

no, he or she graduated last year (june,2009) or the year before (june, 2008)

Please write a review of your experience : skill of teachers -- very good, dedicated, although pretty high turnover. Some outstanding, one dud in 3 years. Facility -- not great, but convenient location. Great science labs. difficult situations -- I was not aware of too many. There was a difficult social situation on a class trip and the teachers handled it well. Good feedback on progress -- lots of contact from teachers, including a phone call when homework was missed. Assistance in HS process -- great assistance from the art teacher on art portfolio. Guidance counselor -- very helpful, but stresses "safety" too much. She should be able to match the child with the school a little better. Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children? Recommend What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family. Talk to parents of children at the school to find out how good the teachers are.

MS  51

Specific Program or major (if applicable) - drama talent

Location - 5th ave and 4th st, park slope brooklyn

Is this the school your child attends now?

Just started our first year

Please write a review of your experience :

all seems good so far. since it is our first year, don't really have much to report.

Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?

Highly recommend

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.

talk to parents-- sometimes the principal talks don't give the true perception of a school

M.S. 51 William Alexander

Specific Program or major (if applicable) - art and drama

Location - 5th Avenue between 4th and 5th Streets, Brooklyn

 Is this the school your child attends now?

yes, now and for the last year or more

no, he or she graduated last year (june,2009) or the year before (june, 2008

Please write a review of your experience:

One of my daughters graduated from M.S. 51 last June and another is in 7th grade there this year. I didn't want them to attend 51, I thought that it didn't have enough of a "guiding philosophy." I also had gotten the impression from observing the students at lunch time that they were a little on the wild side. My older daughter was placed in 51 even though it was not her top choice and then begged me not to dispute the placement because she wanted to be in the drama program. I have to say that, contrary to my first impressions, I turned out to be very satisfied with the school. It is a nice, solid, normal middle school. By that I mean that it doesn't seem to have any specific mission other than educating the child, but I found the academics to be solid and the talent programs we have been involved in have been a real plus. The principal is lovely and always attempted to address any concerns that I had promptly. The school is large but it has always been calm and orderly when I have been inside, and I have been inside frequently during the last school year because of an injury one of my children suffered. Perhaps because of the size, the children do seem to have an active social life. There are enough children in attendance that it seems any child can find their group: drama kids, chorus kids, wrestlers, lego team, etc. There are many staff members who have been at 51 for years and years and although I am more accustomed to schools with a lot of young teachers, who tend to give a school a certain energy, there is a sense of stability and tradition at 51 that I like.

Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?

Highly recommend

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.

Choose a group of schools that you find acceptable for your child and then let them make the final choice within the group. They really are quite good at knowing what would make them happy.

MS 51

Specific Program or major (if applicable) - Drama

Location - Park Slope

Is this the school your child attends now?

yes, he or she is graduating this year

 Please write a review of your experience :

This is my sixth year with a kid at this school, and there has been dramatic improvement in many areas, largely due to the capable leadership of Lenore Berner. Communication is better; and problem handling is better. Both my children were in drama, and while some accusations about 'playing favorites' or 'favoring the popular kids' may be justified, it is still overall a wonderful program and the vast majority of the kids in it seem to benefit enormously. The other arts are either already equally good or are improving from what I hear. That said, there is still too much rigid and uninspired teaching. There still seem to be too many teachers relying heavily on text books, work sheets and rubrics. Furthermore, there is a culture in the school -- which I believe is gradually diminishing -- of distrust of the students and defensiveness toward parents. I do have faith that Ms. Berner has the right goals in changing these qualities, but she has to walk a fine line to maintain a good relationship with her faculty and there is, of course, all the pressures from City and Federal government for test score improvement. While I wish my kids had more inspiring academic experiences there, I also must add that they have generally liked going there, especially drama and "out to lunch."

Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?

Recommend with reservations

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.

I would not choose 51 if you are not confident that your child will enjoy his/her art. Also, in middle school, being close to home is still a big plus for many kids if it's possible, since the kids are transitioning to going places alone.

MS 51

Specific Program or major (if applicable) - n/a

Location - park slope

Is this the school your child attends now?

yes, now and for the last year or more

Please write a review of your experience :

Excellent teachers but a few lemons that seem nearly impossible to get fired. Good feedback from teachers. On the down side, the parent coordinator is nasty & off putting and makes it very difficult to get involved in a substantive way.

Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?

Highly recommend

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.

Seriously consider the logistics of how your child will get to/from school every day, time he/she needs to get up (along w/you!), how long it will take etc. Try doing a few test runs before you make a final decision.  MS 51 Specific Program or major (if applicable) - dance Is this the school your child attends now? yes, now and for the last year or more

Please write a review of your experience: 

I am very disappointed with MS 51. I'm sure it is a great school if you have a very motivated, studious child, but the school does very little that I can see when a child is struggling, particularly in terms of alerting the parent. Sixth grade can be a very rough transition year for some kids. My child, who always did very well in elementary, failed two courses in the third marking period, mostly for not doing all her homework, and I didn't learn about the problems until I got the report card home. No progress reports or warnings from the school. It took me days to get a response from the assistant principal, and though some teachers were responsive once I got involved, others never replied to my emails or notes. My child managed to pass for the year, after I hired a tutor, but I only got a progress report from one teacher and never heard from a guidance counselor or administrator again. I have since learned from other parents and teachers at other schools that 51 is very much sink or swim, they do not have much of a safety net. And given the rather intense social scene there, there are more kids than you would realize who are struggling academically. I am somewhat amazed it has such a stellar reputation, given that far more kids are struggling than I would have expected.

Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?

Do NOT recommend

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family. 

Do not be swayed by a school's rating or reputation, which may be out of date. Ask about support services if your child gets into trouble academically -- we never think it will be our child, but middle school is a huge change and not all kids are prepared. And consider the social scene at the school as much as the test scores.

MS 54 - Delta Honors

New York, NY

Is this the school your child attends now?
no, he or she graduated last year (june,2009) or the year before (june, 2008)

Please write a review of your experience:

Delta is one of the selective middle schools on the Upper West Side, with an outstanding faculty and a great curriculum. Because of high test scores, the school does not have to follow the mandated curriculum, and I felt that my daughter received a deep and accelerated education that prepared her well for high school. The parents' association is very active; teachers were accessible. In 7th grade my daughter had a humanities teacher ( who also teaches Latin) who changed her life through his dedication and thoughtfulness. She participated in Model UN in 7th and 8th grade under his auspices and Delta twice got an award for best public school participation (or middle school - not sure which).
 

Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?
Highly recommend
 

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.
Network with like-minded parents to find out everything you can.

NEST +m

New York, NY

Is this the school your child attends now? 

yes, now and for the last year or more


Please write a review of your experience:

Most of the teachers are excellent. We haven't had any difficult situations or need for special attention but I have heard from parents who get phone calls when there is an academic or behavior issue. The only negative I can think of is the reversal of some policies, some of which are not the school's fault. Class sizes aren't as small as initially promised and they don't guarantee single-gender classes as advertised. In sixth grade most, but not all, were single-gender but in seventh grade they are mixed. The dress code pretty much falls apart by 7th grade, though they continue to wear uniform shirts. It's a lot of work, pre-algebra starts in sixth grade, algebra regents in seventh grade, but most of the kids can handle it. They have a well-rounded curriculum with plenty of art/music/language (including mandarin)/phys ed and leadership in addition to core subjects and lots of afterschool sports. The principal lives up to her reputation of being distant but I'm not sure it matters because you deal with the middle-school asst. principal on most matters anyway, and I have found him to be very communicative. He is very strict with the sixth graders in terms of dress code, etc., then seems to lay off somewhat after that as he turns his attention to the next group of sixth graders.

 Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?

Highly recommend

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.

Make sure your child is comfortable with the choice.

NEST +m New York, NY

Is this the school your child attends now? yes, now and for the last year or more yes, he or she is graduating this year Please write a review of your experience: On the whole we have had a very good experience at NEST middle school. We like that students have art, music, and language several times a week, in every grade. We think the vast majority of the teachers are excellent, and most of those that fall short, are well-intentioned and trying hard. On the whole, we feel that the teachers, who are almost uniformly young and energetic are truly trying to engage the kids, and help them succeed at a rigorous curriculum. The homework is meaningful, not busy work, and the amount of time it takes has not been overwhelming. Kids are cut slack on turning things in, etc., so it does not feel like a pressure cooker. The accelerated math/science has worked for us, though I have heard some parents complain that doing HS algebra in 7th grade has been very difficult even for kids who previously excelled at math. The teachers are very accessible to the kids afterschool, at lunch, and by email. There is definitely competition between kids for grades, HS placement, etc. I highly recommend this school for the right kid, not for all kids. Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children? Recommend New Voices Middle School

Brooklyn, New York

Is this the school your child attends now?

yes, he or she is graduating this year

 Please write a review of your experience:

My daughter received a great education at New Voices. The teachers and administration are top rate.

Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?

Highly recommend

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.

Look at each school

New Voices Middle School (MS 443)

Specific Program or major (if applicable) - Art Major

Location - 330 18 Street Brooklyn , NY 11215

Is this the school your child attends now?

yes, he or she is graduating this year

Please write a review of your experience :

This is an arts oriented middle school. In 6th Grade, students take Dance, Instrumental Music, Visual Art, and Computer Graphics. In 7th grade, they must choose a "major" in one of those areas, or in theater. Once they have chosen a major, they get classes in that major 5 times a week. As for the academics, I was most impressed with the math instruction! My daughter became a top math student during her time at New Voices, although I always felt that she struggled in math in elementary school. The Language Arts (reading and writing) instruction was also very good. I was less impressed with the science and social studies. My daughter's 6th grade science teacher was the worst teacher she has ever had. Her 7th grade teacher, although better, was so old fashioned as to make science unappealing completely unappealing. Only in 8th grade did she finally get a good teacher for science. As for social studies, all of her teachers seemed uninterested or just not very knowledgeable about that subject. It's a shame! The school has an advanced math program, which tends to track the kids who are admitted to it into the same two classes for every subject. While this is a bit unfair, and I would like to see the classes more diversely grouped for the other subjects, it did mean that my daughter made good friendships because she got to know the all the kids in those two classes very well. As for the culture of the school itself, the kids all seem to get along really well! It seems like a very supportive environment. I noticed that during the tours and, from what my daughter tells me, it really is a nice, supportive place to go to school. We got incredible help with the high school process! The guidance person, Dina Miller, is the best! She really sheparded the kids through the whole thing, and really made a complicated process almost easy! And the teacher in my daughter's "major" gave her great help in preparing for the auditions to all the arts high schools. She worked with my daughter after school for several weeks, until she was sure my daughter was ready for the auditions to the various arts high schools she was applying to. I really can't thank her enough! All in all, I am very happy with New Voices. It's not perfect, but no school is. However, I think it has a lot to offer and should be a serious consideration for any child in district 15, particularly a child with an interest in any of the arts.

Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?

Highly recommend

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.

Know what is best for YOUR child. Don't be swayed by what other parents tell you is THE school.

PHILLIPPA SCHUYLER

Location - BUSHWICK

Is this the school your child attends now?

no, he or she graduated last year (june,2009) or the year before (june, 2008)

Please write a review of your experience :

At Philippa Schuyler - IS 383 My son maintained an 85 average over the course of his 3 years there.  IS 383 is a humongous large school for gifted and talented children.  The school has predominantly black and Latino students and they have been churing out excellence for 40 years.  The teachers seemed interested in keeping our children focused on the work at hand.  Their most difficult situation is there is a lot of traffic around the busy Wilson avenue and Knickerbocker train station.  The school has little to no support for children outside the school.  Because of that, the students and/or residents of a nearby junior high school who prey on the IS 383 students.  Thee is a NYPD precinct one block away but you wouldn't know it because they have no presence among several hundred children from two schools in the area..

Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?

Highly recommend

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.  

Don't believe everything these school administrators tell you.  They hype their school, but can't really deliver all of what they say.  Keep on top of ongoings at any school.

Poly Prep Is this the school your child attends now? yes, he or she is graduating this year Please write a review of your experience :  We moved to Poly from a small elementary school for its greater opportunities for a son who had always done well academically (though he wasn't a brain really), and who was also interested in sports and performing arts. The school has very strong academic programs. But what makes it stand out are the equally strong sports programs and premier-level performing arts -- though these really are stellar more at the high school level than in the middle school. (Their HS theatre performances rival many off-Broadway productions -- really.) The teachers are generally strong and really do a good job at inspiring the kids. There are a few clunkers here and there (as there probably are at every school), but the school does a pretty good job of weeding these out, so they don't last a long time. The one "problem" that has occurred several times is stuff being stolen from kids like iPods and calculators. And there have been a couple of cases of sexual harassment in recent years,but the school has always spoken about them openly and seemingly dealt with the situations promptly. This might happen other places too and I just don't know about it. Since it's a private school and cost a small fortune to go to (about $30,000/yr), it is definitely perceived as school for rich kids. And there are plenty there. But there is a much more diverse student body than you might think, with good racial representation and a fairly wide economic spectrum. We were on financial aid ourselves, and they were extremely generous with us. Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children? Highly recommend What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family. Don't get sucked in by the prestige of a school and go with your gut, and your child's gut, about whether the school will make your student happy while at the same time stretching his/her horizon enough to make him/her grow. PPAS-Professional Performing Arts School Specific Program or major (if applicable) - Theatre Arts Location - W 48th St between 8th & 9th Ave, Manhattan  Is this the school your child attends now? yes, he or she is graduating this year Please write a review of your experience : PPAS is comprised of a very small middle school and a slightly larger HS. Middle school has one class of 28 kids on each grade which is wonderful because the teachers and administration all know your child very well. Each day they have 90 minutes of performing arts-singing, dancing or acting with wonderful collaborations -Alvin Ailey, Actor's Institute etc. The small class/grade size makes the school less cliquey and the children value individuality over conformity which worked well for my daughter. The school had one teacher who was very difficult to deal with and was very unfair to my daughter and the Principal was very open and understanding when discussing our complaints. The school now uses "Edline" which allows me to see her classwork, test and homework grades on a daily basis- which allowed me to monitor her progress and help her organize herself. There was not a lot of HS assistance because many of the students audition to stay in the school for high school but the guidance counselor was available whenever I had a question. All in all, and despite the difficult teacher who wielded a lot of power over my daughter's grades, I am very pleased with the academic and arts education my daugther received at PPAS. The teachers and staff are dedicated and the smallness of the program was nuturing. Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children? Highly recommend What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family. Look at the commute and size of the school as well as the High Schools that graduates attend.

Salk School of Science

Location - 320 East 20th Street

Is this the school your child attends now?

yes, now and for the last year or more

Please write a review of your experience :

The teachers have been a mixed bag. Some are really great. The principal is on an extended maternity leave and the Vice/acting principal is not great. She is not very good a conflict resolution but is more likely to make things worse. But the great teachers make up for it. The small school atmosphere is fantastic and my daughter does love it. I would only recommend this school to kids who are already highly motivated in school and who really like science and doing homework.

Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?

Recommend with reservations

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.

Look carefully at what your kid likes and go for the school that addresses his or her interests. We live in a city with choices and that is great.

_____________________

Scholars Academy

Location - Rockaway Park NY

 Is this the school your child attends now?

yes, he or she is graduating this year

Please write a review of your experience :

Good things about this school: Excellent principal and administration. Communication with parents is stellar--they have a working web site, you can listen to the morning messages for each day, they actively make use of edline.com so that you can see grades as they are posted, they go out of their way to make sure everyone is seen at PT conferences and the principal is available before every PTA meeting if you would like to speak to him. My son had a problem on the bus and the dean spent an unreasonably large amount of time working it out successfully. Regents track works very well. Everyone gets out of 8th grade with 3 regents under their belt (bio, algebra, and earth science). All courses are honors level and receive weighting (good for GPA.) Admissions to standardized high schools seem pretty good based on my son's reports, as well as a number of children going to good non specialized high schools (Townsend Harris, Bard Queens) My son is going to a specialized high school. Some teachers are absolutely stellar. The not so stellar ones are not around the next year. Guidance is great--my son had classes on the HS process and there was also a parents' workshop. For people in the district, the school provides busses. For people outside the district, there are a number of private bus pools that have been set up. Either bad or good: There is not a lot of homework or pressure in this school compared to some schools I have heard about. A lot of work is accomplished in school in a group setting. However, my son seems to have been adequately prepared for the next round based on the standardized tests and regents. Bad The school prides itself on always working in groups. I think that in some subjects this is just wrong (e.g., learning math in a group is just silly) and results in the children spending all of their time chatting rather than working. In addition, without teachers who are experienced in group work, it can go badly wrong, with some children being excluded or not getting important material. It may be just a matter of what your child is good at.

 Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?

Highly recommend

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.

It is important not to only listen to the buzz about popular schools. You need to go and visit and figure out your own list of criteria based on your child and his needs.

School of the Future

Location - District 2, Manhattan

Is this the school your child attends now?

yes, now and for the last year or more

Please write a review of your experience:

My son has had a great experience at School of the Future. He is now an 8th grader and will be staying for high school. The classes are small (25), and I have found that the teachers are dedicated and engaging and very responsive to parent concerns. Because the school budget priority is keeping classes small, the curriculum focuses on the basics (Spanish is the only foreign language, no music except in the afterschool). That said, the school does offer a lot outside of the school day. It has a terrific afterschool program and offers great trips abroad. My son went to Europe last year on an SOF trip that was amazing. A main difference between SOF and other District 2 middle schools is that it accepts kids with a range of academic abilities and ethnic backgrounds -- it doesn't cherry-pick the top test-takers. It makes for a wonderful social and learning experience for all the students. The school does some test prep, but not a lot, instead focusing on writing, in preparation for the SOF high school, which has exhibitions (research papers) instead of Regents for most courses. The guidance counselor does help kids who want to try for other high schools, but many kids end up staying at SOF.

Would you recommend this school to other parents for their children?

Highly recommend

What is the ONE piece of advice you would give people who are looking for the right school to help them choose the one that is the best fit for them/their family.

Every year certain middle schools are "hot." That doesn't mean those schools are the ones that will be the best fit for your child.