New Charter School in Lefferts Gardens!

I just got the exciting news from Hawthorne Street that the proposed District 17 Lefferts Gardens Charter School that will be partnering with the Botanic Garden has the go ahead for fall of 2010. They are waiting on a location but the school hopes to be housed close to the park. Whether you are pro charter or not, this is another option for local families and it answers a need in the community.

"the school will feature an environmental-science program that spans across disciplines. The over-arching idea is that the learning will be "experiential"—meaning that teachers will try to connect what goes on inside the classroom (and out) to children's daily lives. The school plans on working with the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens and the Prospect Park Audubon Center as part of its curriculum." - Hawthorne Street

Sunset Park HS campus

I just got back from touring the Sunset Park HS building.
It is everything that you would hope it would be, spacious, light, and beautiful. Three schools are housed there right now, Sunset Park HS which will grow at capacity to 1600 students (currently with a 9th grade), Brooklyn Prospect Charter (currently with a 6th grade) which will be housed there for two years before they find their permanent home and The Lillian Rashkis School, a district 75 program. I would recommend that all parents of 5th and 8th graders make time to tour the appropriate program housed in this building. They are worth a look.

There is a community barbecue celebrating the opening of Sunset Park HS tonight, Wed. between 5-8pm
The school is located at 35th St. between 3rd and 4th Ave.
Meet the administrators, teachers and students and tour the building.

Brooklyn Prospect Charter has its location!

Brooklyn Prospect Charter has announced that they will be located within the Sunset Park High School building in the fall of '09. Sunset Park HS will be in a brand new building on 35th St. and 4th Ave. in Sunset Park. The high school will be accepting 400 students next fall in their first year growing to 1600. So for the first couple of years there will be room in the building. Brooklyn Prospect was planning on accepting about 88 6th graders in their first year.

The Brooklyn Prospect Charter says, "We are grateful to Principal Corinne Vinal, Council Member Sara Gonzalez, the Center for Family Life Co-director, Julie Stein-Brockway, Community Board 7 and the Sunset Park High School Task Force who have worked tremendously hard in the creation of Sunset Park High School. We look forward to working closely with them to ensure a seamless collaboration and strong foundation for both schools."

You still have a couple of days to sign up for the Brooklyn Prospect Charter School's lottery. They are extending the deadline to April 5. If you can't do the registration on line call (718) 289-3174. This is an extension of the deadline. Go to their website to register. www.brooklynprospect.org This does not effect the regular middle school application. It is an extra option. You have nothing to loose, and another option to gain.

High School Choice, Supplemental Round

If your child didn't receive a placement in the first high school choice round or you want to appeal a high school placement you should use the insideschools report as your guide. It is thorough and has some good suggestions for schools in every borough. If you don't like the school to which your child was assigned you may appeal, but it is very rare to have an appeal granted. Sometimes the numbers just don't work out and some very good schools still have spots. Sometimes really promising new schools need some help getting their numbers the first couple of years. Just because schools have spots left over doesn't necessarily make them undesirable programs, the same way that there are terrific students out there that didn't get placements. You just need to find each other.
These are some schools that I think may be attractive to Brooklyn parents:
Bedford Academy: This small selective school has a 4 year graduation rate of almost 95%.
Brooklyn High School for the Arts: This school has a focused student body that produces beautiful work. It is centrally located at the transportation hub by Atlantic Center.
City Polytechnic High School of Engineering, Architecture and Technology (City Poly High): This brand new school has a dynamic principal and a great partnership with Poly Tech. It is located right downtown and is poised to be a very strong program.
Science, Technology and Research (STAR) at the Erasmus Campus: This early college program is rigorous and successful.
Sunset Park High School: This brand new school is in a brand new building. A very experienced and talented principal and tons of community support make this school a good bet.
Global Learning Collaborative: This Manhattan school has a partnership with the Asia Society. The students will participate in project based, experiential learning.
High School for Language and Diplomacy: This new program also has the Asia Society as a partner. The principal is a former diplomat and Chinese will be integrated into the whole curriculum. I was very interested in this program at the New HS Fair.

Brooklyn School of Inquiry

This is information from the Brooklyn School of Inquiry's brochure.
"Within our self-contained classes, you'll find enrichment and a variety of accelerated teaching styles geared toward children with superior intellectual potential."

Their Philosophy: "Brooklyn School of Inquiry believes gifted and talented students require a curriculum of diverse content and great depth to realize their full potential. We are committed to the whole child: our goal is to balance the social, emotional and academic development of our students in an environment that nurtures creativity and fosters divergent thinking. We believe parents play a crucial role in the daily life and long-term growth of their children's school. It is through this vital home/school connection that we will partner with parents to build a sense of responsibility in children about the importance of attendance, punctuality and homework. Together, we will create a community that values sensitivity and respect for others. We support the development of self expression through dance, theatre, music, painting and drawing. Collaboration with many New York City cultural institutions enables us to promote the arts both in and outside of our classrooms."
The Academic Curriculum: "differentiated integrated curriculum, infusing Science, Social Studies and Literacy into thematic studies shaped by the New York State Framework for Grades K-8. The studies will include independent and group hands-on projects to foster questioning and the development of critical thinking skills. Math inquiry will involve interpreting, organizing, and constructing meaning of situations using mathematical models to develop number sense. Homework is a logical extension of the school day and serves to reinforce the skills, techniques, and information learned during school hours."
Language Arts: reading in all genres, and "writing projects including poetry, realistic and historical fiction, feature articles, comic books, interviews, persuasive essays and literary analysis and criticism." Readers and Writers Workshop.
Mathematics: "The curriculum is aligned with the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics standards. The goal is to help students learn to apply mathematics to everyday life and the world around them and to become confident by communicating and reasoning mathematically, both verbally and in writing." City College Math in the City Contextual Investigations.
Social Studies: "Students explore their communities and study world and American history and culture, within thematic interdisciplinary units that integrate language arts, music and the arts."
Science: "Our hands-on discovery approach invites students to theorize, hypothesize, observe and draw conclusions using the F.O.S.S. differentiated kits."
Social and Emotional Curriculum: "our counseling program is designed to be preventative an developmental. Guidance counselors will see students on an individual basis as well as during classroom lessons where they'll teach skills and share information in small-group settings.
The program will also include:
Preventive and Developmental Social and Emotional Counseling Program, SENG Model (Gifted Parent Group), Technology Education, Chess Instruction, Arts Integration, Academic Intervention and Enrichment Program.

The description of the different subject areas is similar to the regular citywide curriculum, and programs that are present in many quality general ed schools in Brooklyn. The difference will probably come in the level of support (including developmental and emotional) and the method and rate of acceleration within these programs. If I get any more specifics I will pass them on.

New Brooklyn Citywide G and T schools

According to insideschools blog the new citywide gifted and talented schools that we have been waiting for since last fall have been announced. Two of them will be located in Brooklyn. The Brooklyn School of Inquiry in Bay Ridge (correction: Bensonhurst) will be able to accommodate two kindergartens and two 1st grades next year. The TIER program at PS 20 will have space for one kindergarten and one 1st grade next year. If the citywide G&T policy remains the same the number of students attending likely depends on the number of children who score at the 97th percentile and above whose parents decide to send them to this program.

The Brooklyn School of Inquiry will be housed in a brand new building at 50 Ave. P in Bay Ridge (correction: Bensonhurst). It will open with kindergarten and 1st grade students in the fall and eventually go through 8th grade. The school will incorporate "looping" where a teacher follows a class for two years. According to Pamela Wheaton from insideschools.org Donna Taylor will be the principal. "She is an experienced teacher of gifted classes (she taught in the G&T class at PS 230 in Brooklyn) and is now doing a residency at the Anderson School." It sounds very promising.

The Technology, Inquiry, Enrichment and Research (TIER) program will be housed in PS 20 in the same building as Arts and Letters Middle School in Ft. Greene. It will also enroll kindergarten and 1st grade next fall and is planned to grow to 5th grade. A site is being sought for eventual middle school expansion (correction: "The Department of Education is working to identify nearby middle schools where students in these programs can continue after fifth grade.") The TIER program will be a part of PS 20 with Mr. Keaton as its Principal.

It looks like there will be another school located in the Ave. P building. Rather than being a G&T program, it is a CTT model school. The Academy of Talented Scholars will accept children into kindergarten and 1st grade next year and grow to 5th grade. They will develop skills through inquiry and project based learning, schoolwide enrichment for all students and differentiated instruction through Technology and Arts. Families interested in applying to the school should contact the Brooklyn Borough Enrollment Office.

Williamsburg Northside Grows Up

Williamsburg Northside's Director, Amy Warden, just wrote to tell me that the school is going to open a K through 5th grade school called Williamsburg Northside School. in the fall of 09. They will start with a Kindergarten of 20 students. It will be located at 70 Havermeyer St. They are anticipating one class on a grade of 20 students each.

I am touring the raw space with Amy next week and I will blog about all the details then.

Ethical Community Charter School

Hurray! another new school for Brooklyn! I just spoke to Dr. Susan Stengel the Director of the Ethical Community Charter School. Their location should be announced shortly, but since their lottery is coming up soon (the first week in April) you should put in your application now. Registering for their lottery doesn't keep you from any of your other choice schools, it just gives you one more choice, and who knows it may be right around the corner.

They are ultimately going to be K to 12, but next year they will be accepting 60 Kindergarteners and 60 first graders for 3 classes on a grade. Ethics, service and social justice are the principles that will inform the school life. Their educational model is progressive, inquiry and active learning, with an interdisciplinary subject matter. They are dedicated to creating a vital home and school connection with an "open door" policy for parents. Integrated arts and differentiated instruction are part of the school's vision.
Use this link for more admissions information.
Their website is www.teccs-ny.org

More about the Park Slope Schoolhouse from Only the Blog Knows Brooklyn.

The Coop School

Brownstoner brought us great news that the Coop School has a new home. It will be located at 87 Irving Place between Putnam Ave. and Fulton St. in Clinton Hill. I just got done talking with them and I have a few more details.

They are expanding to 5 classrooms, starting age 2 and exiting age 5 in September. They will be able to let in 50-60 families as opposed to 10-15 in their existing space. They also have a space available to rent. The ideal tenant would offer other programs that would benefit the community at large such as an after school, child/family therapy, or regular events.

Park Slope School House and PreK

Thanks to the Park Slope Parents Listserve and Gowanus Lounge for bringing us news of the Park Slope School House (formerly the Berkeley Carroll Child Care Center). There are ongoing tours. Call Natasha Corlette at (718) 768-4873 to schedule a tour. They will stay in their location on 6th St. until they are able to move to their new location, anticipated to be in the South Slope on 5th Ave.
The Director will be Ashley Davis who is the current Director of the Berkeley Carroll Child Care Center. They are hoping to keep all of the teachers and staff of BCCCC in their respective roles at the new school.

For those of you that are looking for a Public PreK program. You should sign the petition for an Early Childhood Center in District 15. There is some talk about the 14th St. Armory as a possible location. I have heard Brad Lander's name associated with interest in this project several times. I would contact him as well as all of the candidates coming up for City Council election if you are feeling strongly about this issue. Contact Jim Brennan's office as well.

Details on the Gifted and Talented Program

The Gifted and Talented information is out.
You can pick up Instruction Booklets that contain a portion of a sample test, instructions and a "Request for Testing" application at your local elementary school or any DOE Enrollment Office. (There is an Enrollment Office in Brooklyn Tech High School on South Elliott between DeKalb and Lafayette. Go to the door with the handicap ramp and the office is downstairs) You can also download the instructions and Request for Testing (but not the sample test) online.
http://schools.nyc.gov/Academics/GiftedandTalented/EligibilityApplications/default.htm
Make sure that you get the appropriate booklet for your child's age.

The Request for Testing form is due Nov. 19 and must be hand delivered. If your child is currently enrolled in a public school, deliver it to the school. The DOE has suggested to the schools that they have a book to sign as proof that you delivered the form. Your school may or may not follow their suggestion, but it doesn't hurt to ask. If your child is not currently enrolled in a PS, hand deliver the form to the Enrollment Office and make sure that you get a receipt.

The testing will take place in Jan. and Feb. The children already enrolled in a public school will take the test during the school day at their school, but not necessarily with their teacher. All other children will be tested on a Saturday or Sunday. The test is made up of two parts, the OLSAT and BRSA. The sample test that is included in the booklet is the OLSAT portion which counts for 75% of the grade. The OLSAT is not like the ERB or Stanford Binet. The student can do very well without talking at all. It is all about listening and managing concepts, not verbal expression. The other part of the test is comprised of a colorful flip book that deals with things like color, shapes and sizes. The test for K has fewer questions than the test for 1st grade and takes about 25 - 40 minutes depending on the child. A child that is testing into K is seen on a one on one basis and there is no need for the child to fill in their own bubbles (let the test taker do it. It tires the kids out) Children applying for 1st Grade are seen in groups of 5 and need to fill in their own bubbles. Children are graded by small age increments, e.g. 4yrs 0 months and 4yrs 2 months are graded together.

You should take the opportunity to tour the schools that have G & T programs in your District now, even though you won't have to decide which schools you would like until you receive your child's results in the spring. If your child scores in the 90th percentile or higher they will be offered a seat in one of the programs within your school District. If they score at the 97th percentile or higher they may be offered a seat in a citywide G &T school. The city is opening a citywide G & T school in Brooklyn next fall, but the location is not decided yet.

Middle School in Brooklyn

I have received worried emails from parents that the public middle school process may be changing. I am investigating, but so far there is no sign that anything is changing in the middle school process. There is a new Charter School in District 15 for new 6th graders, but there is no sign at this point that Bay Academy and Mark Twain are changing their admissions policies. The general process was horribly late last year in part because OSEPO was overloaded by the change in G&T and PreK admissions earlier in the year.

Here is the current public school Middle School Calendar:
Nov. 24, Dec. 11 - Mark Twain open houses 1-3pm or 6:30-8:30pm, check their website.
Early Dec. - MS Directories and applications distributed to families.
Dec. 2-11 - MS Fairs.
Jan. 9 - MS applications due to elementary schools.
Early May - Decision letters distributed to families.
May 15 - Appeals due to elementary schools.
Mid June - Appeal decisions distributed to families.

The Bay Academy information is not on line yet. More information about Twain will be available shortly at the Admissions page of their website.

Independent middle school application and admissions do not correspond with the public middle school admissions. You will need to make your decisions about Independent School placements long before the public placements come in.
Bay Ridge Prep MS open houses - Oct. 23, Nov. 13, Nov. 15, RSVP online

Berkeley Carroll open houses:
Tues. Oct. 21 and Nov. 5, reserve your spot

Brooklyn Friends MS open house is full.
6th grade application deadline is Dec. 12, 4pm.

Packer Collegiate accepts middle schoolers at Grade 5

Poly Prep accepts middle schoolers at Grades 5 and 6.
Applications received after Dec. 1 may not be considered in the first round of admissions.

St. Ann's
Middle School is not a regular point of entry.

Brooklyn Prospect Charter School

Okay 5th graders, check this out. It is another public middle school option for students who live in District 15.
Brooklyn Prospect Charter School will be choosing students from District 15 in a true lottery (no special provisions made for gender balance or diversity, although they are hoping for it-it should happen organically) They will pick students who live in District 15 (it seems that those of you who live outside the district and go to elementary within the district will probably be out of luck because of priorities set by state regulations for Charter schools) They will start with a 6th grade of 88 students (4 classes of 22) and add a grade each year through 12th grade. There will be a waiting list and that list will probably have some movement. The lottery will take place on April 7 and you will hear about placements in mid April. Signing up for the lottery doesn't impact your choice list for the rest of the district middle schools. This is a separate process. You can sign up for the lottery right now online under the student section.

What this means is that there is another option, outside of the regular middle school process. You can essentially get two local placements in the spring and be able to choose between them, as well as any placements outside the district that you are pursuing.

They will follow the International Baccalaureate program and hope to be certified within 5 years. There is a big emphasis placed on a holistic approach to learning and integrating disiplines. A 30 minute a day Advisory with a faculty mentor will be an important component to help students work on their literacy and study skills. They aspire to provide PE daily. Visual Art will be part of the core curriculum with other artistic disiplines introduced through a partnership with BAM. The Board is recruiting experienced teachers with at least three years experience and Masters Degrees. There is an Executive Director (who lives in the neighborhood) who comes to the job with an impressive track record of teaching as well as working in school administration. He will act as a general manager. The Principal of the Middle School has longtime experience teaching and leading programs as well as being trained in the IB program. The Board of the school is made up of educators and business leaders and will have a parent member.

There will be no uniforms. The calendar will follow the regular DOE schedule with additional afterschool tutoring and a Summer Academy. The language taught will be Spanish. The jury is still out on whether they will have captive lunch or not. Because the program will be academically rigorous, homework will be a factor, but because teachers will work closely together, it shouldn' t be overwhelming. The location is not finalized yet. The location will be made public before students chosen in the lottery will have to accept their seats. The Board is hoping for a location close to BAM to make it easy to participate in their arts programs.

Sign This Now!

This is what Brooklyn is about! Grassroots community activism. Brand new neighbor, Melissa Morgenlander, wants to know if you want a Public PreK Early Childhood Center in the northern part of District 15 (Sunset Park already has the terrific Magnet School for Early Childhood)

I did some very fast numbers based on the Accountability reports from last year. The schools I listed were ones that are not within range of the Magnet School for Early Childhood and they didn't seem to be breaking even on their preK/ K populations. Check out 107, 146, 261 and 321 in particular. As the buildings on 4th Ave. fill up 321 will need it's preK classrooms for K and the population at 124 and 295 will most certainly increase.
PS 10, prek 54 seats, K 87 seats
PS 15, prek 29 seats, K 50 seats
PS 29, prek 54 seats, K 79 seats
PS 39, prek 36 seats, K 61 seats
PS 58, prek 70 seats, K84 seats
PS 107, prek 18 seats, K 84 seats
PS 124, prek 35 seats, K 39 seats
PS 130, prek 52 seats (but none of them is full day) K 83 seats
PS 146, prek 36 seats, K 81 seats
PS 261, prek 36 seats, K 108 seats
PS 295, prek 36 seats, K 52 seats
PS 321, prek 52 seats(but only 18 are full day) K 191 seats

Even if your children are too old for preK, I urge you to take a look at Melissa's petition. Help your neighbors!
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/ECCforBROOKLYN/

New 6-12 Grade Schools for District 15

New 6-12 school for District 15: Brooklyn Prospect Charter School

A new public charter school is opening to 6th grade students in September 2009 to Community School District 15 students. For fifth grade families, they will be hosting several Student/Family information sessions throughout the district over the next several months. Students will be admitted through lottery. The school will follow an International Baccalaureate Program.

Info Sessions for parents and students:

October 6th and October 27th, 2008
6:00 to 8:00PM,
New York Methodist Hospital's East Pavilion Auditorium in Park Slope
Come and meet the team and learn about this new school. RSVP is required; www.brooklynprospect.org

Additionally the Brooklyn Prospect Team is happy to visit your elementary school. Speak with your parent coordinator or guidance counselor and contact Brooklyn Prospect Charter School for a visit.

But it doesn't stop there!

The "SPEAC School" Sunset Park Education in Action Community School's proposal to open has been favorably reviewed by the DOE but they won't be given full approval until they locate a space. They will be a very intimate 6-12 school that focuses on personal and community wellness, community based projects and interest driven learning.

This school is the little engine that could. Help make this dream a reality and help them find a location or partner. 718-851-3936, info@speaschool.org

All Hail Sunset Park Parents!

The parents in Sunset Park are awesome. I attended a town hall meeting last night in celebration of their 40 year effort (supported by hundreds of parent activists and community organizers, yes!) The auditorium was packed to capacity with standing room spilling out into the halls.

Sunset Park has schools! A brand spanking new state of the art, 1650 seat HS building is going up on 34th St. and 4th Ave. to open Sept. 09. The construction authority was there to give progress reports (not grades.) It is on schedule.
This school that has already chosen it’s Principal, Corrine Vinal (a longtime educator and experienced administrator). It will have three learning communities within the school: Performing and Visual Arts, Health and Human Services, Business and Entrepreneurship. The themes were chosen by the community, as was the currently unprecedented model of having one principal to oversee the school. It is not a screened program. They are focused on college prep and there is priority for Brooklyn students.

8th graders, if you want to place this school on your list of 12, this is how you do it. It sounds weird, but it IS the procedure straight from the DOE. This school will not be listed in the directory. Don’t panic. Fill out your application. Don’t list Sunset Park HS yet. Hand in your registration on or before the appointed day in the fall. File a NEW FORM during the February 2009 application period for new schools. This form overrides the previous form. Rank Sunset Park High School along with your other schools in the order you want them. If you have questions about admission call OSEPO (212) 374-2363. If you have questions about the high school call the Sunset Park Task Force (718) 788-3500.

But wait there is more…for you preschoolers. There is a brand new public Early Childhood Center being built on 4th Ave. and 64th St. (on the 4th Ave. subway line) The first green designed school in Brooklyn. It will house 18 classrooms PreK through 2nd grade. It opens in 2010. This is a trend that local principals endorse. As the Elementary Schools become more crowded and PreK programs lose their spots, it makes more sense to group the PreKs into a centralized site. More on that later.

...heh Park Slope Parents, that sounds like a good idea! What is the Diocese doing with the St. Thomas Aquinas school building on 4th Ave. and 9th St? Would it be enough PreK seats for everybody who wants one, and relieve the overcrowding in all of our Kindergarten classes? You guys need to start making some calls.

Newsletter #1, Sept. 2, 2008

To sign up for the newsletter: joyce@nycschoolhelp.com
This newsletter is meant to be a tool to supplement your school search. All dates, deadlines, times and places need to be confirmed with the sponsoring organization or school. From time to time, human error does occur despite my best efforts. If you are interested in a particular school, contact them. You don’t need to wait for me to announce them. Happy Hunting.

NYC School Help
Register for the Public High School Search Workshop. Joyce@nycschoolhelp.com
$120 for Adults 3-sessions. $60 for Students 3-sessions.
The Park Slope Workshop will be held at Sweet Melissa’s on 7th Ave. between 1st/2nd St.
Can’t make it on my dates? Gather some friends who want to join you- call me and we will set up your own private workshop.

Private or Group Consultations to help with the school search – Nursery through High School, Private and Public
Call Joyce Szuflita 718-781-1928
www.nycschoolhelp.com

Public School Calendar for Sept:
2-Tues.: school begins; early dismissal for non-district 75 kindergarten only
3-Wed.: early dismissal for non-district 75 kindergarten only
30 and Oct. 1-Tues./Wed.: Rosh Hashanah, no school

Parents - Elementary to HS Students:
Citywide Education Hotline: 212-669-7250 (sponsored by Public Advocate, Betsy Gotbaum)
Education Expo: Info about after school programs, arts enrichment, charter schools, tutoring and other programs.
FREE, Sat. Sept. 27, noon-4pm; NYU Kimmel Center, Rosenthal Pavilion 60 Washington Sq. South, 10th Floor; RSVP@linkeducation.org or www.linkeducation.org
The 11th Annual Citywide Parent Conference: Strengthening the Home-School Partnership
FREE, Sat. Nov. 8, 2008; 8am -2:30pm; Hilton New York
For more info: 212-598-9205 or www.uft.org/parentconf.pdf

PTAs:
I have heard about a free website (although I haven’t tried it yet) to coordinate volunteers for field trips, book fair etc.
www.jooners.com

New School Alert:
Green Hill School (Ft. Greene/Clinton Hill) is an independent school accepting applications for kindergarten in the 2008 school year
The Brooklyn Brownstone School (Bed-Stuy) opens in District 16 this fall with 80 kindergarten and first grade students. It is a public school open to all NYC residents. They are looking for low bookshelves, gently used early childhood books and volunteers to help decorate the school for the fall. Contact them 718-573-2307, infoTBBS@gmail.com

Nursery School Information:
Beansprouts tour schedule is online
Berkeley Carroll is taking reservations for morning open houses
718-789-6060 ext. 6608 for Pre-K
718-789-6060 ext. 6527 for middle school
718-789-6060 ext. 6527 for upper school
Call for reservations.
Brooklyn Free Space may have a spot for a Fall 2008 spot for a girl or boy aged 4-4.8 as of Sept. 2008. Contact newmembers2008@brooklynfreespace.org
Brooklyn Friends is taking reservations for a few morning tour dates in the fall
Pre-K: 718-852-1029 ext. 213
Lower, Middle, and Upper School: 718-852-1029 ext. 232
RSVP necessary, check dates online
Brooklyn Heights Montessori morning tour dates for parents only, are posted
RSVP is required 718-858-5100 ext. 120
International School of Brooklyn evening and Sat. parents only tours are posted
RSVP necessary 718-369-3023 Linden Tree Preschool has spaces available for fall 2008 for the Threes: 2-days/half day,
And Fours: 5day/pm; call 718-624-0083
Packer Collegiate Institute open house dates are posted, check the schedule online
RSVP to Yvonne Menard 718-250-0254
Poly Prep open house dates are available, check dates online
RSVP 718-663-6003

Elementary School:
To find out what school District, and within that, what elementary school you are zoned for:
Call 311 and give them your address.

Tours: Many Elementary Schools hold them throughout the year, starting in the fall. Call your school’s Parent Coordinator for more information. You can find their number on the school’s page on www.insideschools.org

Public High School Information:
Okay 8th graders, it is time to get out your DOE High School Guide and start figuring out which schools you want to tour.

For those of you interested in the Specialized High School Test (SHSAT) and want to brush up on your test taking ability. Consider Princeton Review's Intensive Fall Prep Course, or tutoring.
718 375-5591 or info.brooklyn@review.com

You might also want to contact a private tutor. There are many in the neighborhood. One to consider is Sarah Marcus sarahlaurenmarcus@gmail.com


Citywide High School Fair: 9/20 and 9/21 from 10am-3pm
at Brooklyn Tech HS, 29 Fort Greene Place
You will make the most out of this event if you have visited www.insideschools.org and know which schools you really want to talk to. This is a great opportunity to talk to principals, administrators and students from the schools. There should also be a Borough-wide HS Fair. The schools traditionally post their tours after the first HS Fair, but if you are interested in a popular school, I recommend that you monitor their website.

Thanks for reading! If you have an event to add or school info for parents (or you see an error, please be kind) and write to me at joyce@nycschoolhelp.com