Williamsburg School options?

Williamsburg has never traditionally been a "family" neighborhood, so it's not surprising the schools there suck.

Williamsburg is for your early 20s, when you're still living out of gym bag and sleeping on a futon. Once you turn 25, it's time to grow up and move to a normal neighborhood.

Williamsburgh is for empty-nesters in their 50s.

But that said, my grandmother grew up in a family in Williamsburgh, and she was graduated from Eastern District High School. So ... WRONG, Matt!

As for people who turn 25, don't worry if you can't ever manage to make it to a normal neighborhood; you can just accept your sad fate and settle for Washington Heights.

Alan, it's "WILLIAMSBURG" without the "H".

And you can bite my ass now.

Alan, don't do it, he's setting you up. He's got 4 unions to back him up.

Matthew, you object to Williamsburgh; other windbags object to Williamsburg, and to new development there:
http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=F00F1FFC395A16738DDDAA0A94DA405B8685F0D3

Excelsior!

And here's the tale of how Williamsburgh was rid of shysters; also the sad fate befalling one Laurence McGrath, a laboring man:
http://www.nytimes.com/1862/01/14/news/brooklyn-common-council-shysters-williamsburgh-claims-railroad-ordinances-fires.html

i live in Williamsburg, married, own, and have a kid. There are lots of families here. Our child is at PS 84 in the dual language Spanish program. Great Principal, more progressive, and excellent teachers - fantastic arts and advanced science program. You should check out the Grand Street playground between Berry & Wythe on Grand to see all the kids playing, and most attend local public schools. Other options - PS 132 has a G&T program and well rated, PS 110 in Greenpoint has a dual language program. PS 34 is a high scoring and warm school. PS 31 is the best scoring school in the city and is a magnet school (as is 84), so you do not have to be zoned to attend (K-5th). There is a new progressive Magnet school opening this fall - PS 414. All the schools are under-enrolled, so realistically, your kids can go to any of the schools. I think it's a wonderful family neighborhood. Lots of classes to attend for after school - Ms J's, Williamburg Movement and Art Center, the Greenpoint Y, several karate schools, Streb, and a great arts center - The Painted Cloud. There is also the private school, Williamsburg Northside which has daycare, a preschool and an elementary school. There are many other preschool options too - Carrig Montessori, WNNS, Mi Escuelita, and the Greenpoint Y (usually full, get on the waiting list - it's a bargain). check out PS 84 on insideschools.org - very good review.

NYMatt, you obviously haven't been to Williamsburg in a while. Yes, us 20 somethings who moved here in the 90s are now 30 somethings with kids and have raised a lot of money and awareness to make our public schools great (seconding all the info from 'wisco"). And not only have we improved our schools, we have helped to make them diverse, creative and progressive to fit this VERY family friendly neighborhood that we love. In addition to the resources already posted, there are also many kids stores Mini Jake, Caribou Baby, Smoochie, Area Kids, and another new one I can't remember the name of. Plus there's Play and Frolic that both have indoor play areas and host many different classes for kids. Oh, and PS84 is engineering a rooftop greenhouse classroom. So please don't listen to the haters...'cause you know they never win! :)

> PS 31 is the best scoring school in the city

Which score? Che t-shirt percentage?

"And not only have we improved our schools, we have helped to make them diverse, creative and progressive to fit this VERY family friendly neighborhood that we love."

If, as evidenced by the dismally stupid kids that schools are turning out these days, "diversity" and "progressive" aren't necessarily good things.

NYCMatt, kingcurmudgeon should still be available as a handle - you should snap that sucker up!

or bjw2013 just to mix things up.

I don't have kids but heard Success Academy is planning to open in August. http://williamsburg.successacademies.org

North of Grand, South of N. 12th, and West of Driggs (area many people think of when they generalize about Williamsburg) may have been inhabited mostly by 20 year olds. That is not the case today. There are many "older" professionals living in the area. There are many many families in my building with children.

NYC Matt - PS31 is the top test scoring school in the city. Why are you on this thread? Someone with kids asked a question, and people answered who live here with kids.

Also, there are serious people who value diversity and a curriculum taught in a progressive manner. Really, stop posting here. I don't think that you even have children based on your responses.

Matt is not capable of having children.

bjw2103, that would be princesscurmudgeon.

huntersburg, he should try taking some Beano first.

Please be aware that Success Academy can only provide a second class education while our public schools here are far superior. Don't be fooled by their fancy website or advertising, that's where they actually spend all their money instead of on good teachers and innovative curriculum.

That being said, NYCMatt a) you are likely a racist if you think diversity is a bad idea, b) once again, you have obviously not been to Williamsburg as the children here are far smarter than you as evidenced by your childish behavior, and c) you are likely bitter at your own poor education as you are the one that seems most stupid here.

Some Beano? Maybe a triple dose?

AR is back. What's up?

"NYC Matt - PS31 is the top test scoring school in the city. Why are you on this thread? Someone with kids asked a question, and people answered who live here with kids."

"Top-scoring" means only that you're comparing dumb apples against more dumb apples. Even kids from top schools can't make simple change or tell you where World War I was fought.

And why would I not be on this thread? As long as my taxes pay for these schools, I have a vested interest, thank you very much.

NYCMatt, I know you enjoy being as un-PC as possible, but how much time do you spend with kids in Williamsburg schools that you feel ok with yourself calling every single one of them "dismally stupid"? Pardon my French, but tu es un trou du cul.

If you have such a vested interest, it might behoove you to become more informed, and less prone to spewing ignorant drivel based on antiquated anecdotal "evidence."

Matt doesn't pay much in taxes, and he's more of a drain on the government P&L than a contributor.

"NYC Matt - PS31 is the top test scoring school in the city."

again, what test?

the tests administered by the DOE to 3rd, 4th and 5th graders. i'm not a pro-testing parent, but this is true. It's publicized.

ok, could you post one of these well publicized links? I've seen a bunch of the rankings in the past, and never say PS 31 anywhere near the top.

This is what I found on PS 31...
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/23/nyregion/cheating-inquiry-at-2-top-ranked-brooklyn-schools.html

Scores are good...but look why...

You were really scarred as a child in Brooklyn, weren't you? All the things you hate - the Jehovah's witnesses, minorities, postal employees, teachers

the scores come out as a pdf or spreadsheet mid summer. i had it last summer somewhere.
here's the DOE link: http://schools.nyc.gov/SchoolPortals/14/K031/default.htm

Personally, i like a more progressive school, and am a huge dual language proponent which is why we send our kid to PS84. http://www.insideschools.org/elementary/browse/school/632

Anyway, both PS31 and PS34 are both very high scoring and more traditional schools and anyone in district 14 can go there if that's their thing.

The cheating was an accusation by middle school teachers at IS318, and there is no actual proof that I'm aware of. BTW - 318 is a great middle school which has a gifted tract and sends kids to the best public NYC high schools. This middle school won the national HIGH SCHOOL chess championship award this year, and a movie was made about them: Brooklyn Castle.

This thread has gone awry - point is there are happy families at public schools in District 14, and if you want to buy in Williamsburg with a kid, you'll have a wide choice of public schools to choose from.

I urge interested people to join the yahoo group: brooklynbabyhui. You'll find thousands of parents posting there, and all questions can be answered.

Wisco: please stop defending this. You say you are not pro-test - and who would be for kids this age. So dumb. If your kid is happy great. Leave it at that. At end of day, unless you're Asian your kid will get his ass handed to him/her in testing anyways. Seriously, why so insecure? Just leave it. You like the school, kid likes the school, your choice is validated by standardized tests, then great.

>At end of day, unless you're Asian your kid will get his ass handed to him/her in testing anyways.

All Asians or just some?

Just to quote from the NYT article linked above:

Last year, when the city's Education Department released report cards for the roughly 1,200 elementary and middle schools in the city, P.S. 31 was ranked No. 1 among elementary schools. Its math scores were nearly perfect, and 90 percent of its students passed the English test, more than 40 points above the citywide average. To celebrate, staff members tied a sign to the building: "School Report Card P.S. 31 is #1 in New York City."

Happy now, somewhereelse?

somewhereelse hates minorities, and he looks at Brooklyn as a big home for minorities.

h'burg, somewhereelse does not hate minorities, you're getting SWE mixed up with alanfart and about-ready-to-drink. SWE is one of the fairest contributors to SE!

PS 31 not number 1 in the city but something like number 5. Pretty impressive.

http://www.schooldigger.com/go/NY/schoolrank.aspx

I think some of you are talking about colonial williamsburg, not williamsburg in brooklyn. Because when i think of williamsburg the first thought in my mind is all the strollers and baby playgrounds on berry st, and kids running through the sprinklers in mccarren park, and all the fun family things to do in the area.

malthus, the #1 ranking was on the NYC progress report for elementary schools.
You can look at the 2010 - 2011 progress report here: http://schools.nyc.gov/Accountability/tools/report/default.htm#Citywide

The top 5 elementary schools are:

Rank School Score
1 P.S. 031 Samuel F. Dupont 91.5
2 P.S. 257 John F. Hylan 91.4
3 Bronx Charter School for Excellence 90.4
4 P.S. 254 90.3
5 P.S. 189 Lincoln Terrace 89.2

No mutombo

> Happy now, somewhereelse?

Read the full article. Of course I saw it, I posted it, saying "scores are good"

pissy, much?

careful elsewhere, when mumbojumbo starts touting you.....

somewherelse, it sounded like you were unaware that PS31 is NYC's #1 ranked elementary school:
"Which score? Che t-shirt percentage?"
and then
"again, what test"

But good that we are on the same page on that one now.

thanks mutombo. Hope you are doing well.

"somewherelse, it sounded like you were unaware that PS31 is NYC's #1 ranked elementary school: "

I wasn't. I have some "involved" family... but I hadn't looked at the stats in a couple years.

Granted, maybe we now know why it jumped up so fast...

The scores just came out for 2012: http://www.p12.nysed.gov/irs/ela-math/2012/DistrictandBuildingAggregates-StateReport.pdf

Also, Malthus - ignore schooldigger - it's a pro charter school BS site, and likes to ignore the public schools.

There is a big difference between being the city's #1 ranked school and being ranked #1 on a progress report.

wisco: I didn't look at their opinions, just the data on the list. Are you saying that list is compromised?

i'll look at school digger any day rather then insideschools or greatschools. those sites are just to make parents feel better when they send their kids to under performing schools. digger is on date, just ignore the charter schools

I'm sending our 2 year old to C'e Montessori in September: Check them out still spaces available: http://www.montessoribrooklyn.com close to greenpoint and williamsburg, if you're farther out though we also loved Carrig, don't know if they have spots still but worth a try to check.