PS 78
Up to Citylights Discussion
Posted by
Check out this review of PS 78 on inside schools:
http://insideschools.org/fs/school_profile.php?id=871
http://insideschools.org/fs/school_profile.php?id=871
What's special: Oceanography and marine biology program in cooperation with South Street Seaport.
Downside: Very limited common areas.
The first thing you notice at PS 78 is the view. At the front door to the school, located at the base of the City Lights apartment building on the shore of the East River in Long Island City, you see an amazing panorama of Manhattan. What goes on inside the building is impressive as well. Wherever we went we encountered students and teachers enjoying education.
The school, under the leadership of Terry Delis, principal since fall 2002, was originally intended as a PK-2nd grade program. As a result the school lacks certain common areas such as a gym, and the cafeteria, which is small, doubles as an all-purpose room. To address this problem, the school is hoping to expand into commercial space next door.
Working with the South Street Seaport, the school has developed an exciting oceanography and marine biology program for its 4th and 5th graders. They learn about marine ecology by both classroom lessons and visits to marine life sites in the New York City area. As part of this program, students are maintaining an oyster bed in the East River as well as classroom aquariums. In one 4th grade class we visited, an oceanographer from the South Street Seaport, to the obvious delight of the kids, had brought in various types of live crabs to show them and discuss. The South Street Seaport plans eventually to dock a boat in front of the school as a type of floating classroom. The school carries this marine theme into other parts of the curriculum. One class is studying poems about the sea; another painted a large watercolor of sea scenes that hangs at the entrance to the school.
The school emphasizes the arts, both for their own sake and as a tool for teaching other subjects. One 3rd grade class we visited was learning to make watercolors in the Chinese style. The guest artist also taught the students basic Chinese phrases and led them through a Tai Chi exercise session that was so much fun that everyone in the room, including the principal, teachers, and, yes, the visiting Insideschools representative, participated. In a 5th grade class we visited, students researched particular New York City bridges, wrote about them and depicted them in artwork. One 4th grade class had erected a multi-century timeline in the hallway, then created artistic and literary pieces representing historical events and tied them to dates on the timeline. The school also promotes documentation of their use of the arts. We viewed videos of a visit to the school by an Iroquois Indian and a trip to the Brooklyn aquarium. As the school gets more equipment, it plans to have students produce these videos.
Prior to fall 2003, lessons were taught in traditional fashion. The school's math and literacy coach said that the transition to the more progressive teaching methods mandated by the city's Department of Education had been challenging, but successful because teachers had been supportive of the effort. The parent coordinator told us that parents now express enthusiasm about the city's "Everyday Math" program and appreciate that materials explaining current lessons and offering suggestions for activities are sent home. The school takes part in a Queens Borough Public Library program that teaches family members how to read with kids, even if they speak little or no English.
The hands-on approach to learning is seen throughout the curriculum. The 2nd grade, working with one of the school's super volunteers, uses the marigold garden in front of the school to teach botany lessons about the lifecycle of plants and required growing conditions.
We were told that parent involvement was high, and parents we met (interestingly, a majority of them were fathers) expressed satisfaction with the school. A number of parents are members of Long Island City's bustling arts community, and they volunteer at the school.
After school: The YMCA provides academic assistance as well as recreational activities at the school. There are also a chess program, a running program in cooperation with the Road Runners Club and a PTA-sponsored program that offers classes for a fee in such areas as Italian, dance and drama. (Tom Huser, March 2004)
"It is thrilling to arrive daily to PS 78 as a teacher," writes Scott Dennis. "It is a collegial environment where fellow teachers are enthusiastic to discuss how to best instruct their students. It is a collaborative environment where everyone brings their strengths to the table. Students and teachers are excited about learning and seek to better each other everyday." (April 2004)
"I find it disturbing that PS 78 library is closed to students due to lack of funding for a librarian," writes a parent. "Students don't even go outside for recess because of lack of funding for supervision. The school was not even built with a gymnasium." (November 2003)
"P.S. 78 is a great school," writes a 2000 graduate. "It's located in a friendly environment, next to a waterfront, in a wonderful skyscraper building." (March 2003)
"PS 78 is a very small school," writes a parent. "Because of this, test scores are usually skewed by one or two low performers. The scores definitely don't reflect the quality of education or the school atmosphere." (February 2003)
"This school is a very cozy place that you would enjoy to go each and every day," a former student writes. Teachers are friendly and willing to help. "The students will get one of the best educations there -- as I did four years ago," he writes. (October 2002)
"My children love this school and so do I," writes a mother. "PS 78 is just 5-years-old and is located in an idealic setting on the Queens waterfront. It is one of the best kept secrets in NYC! The list of good things goes on and on: brand new facilities, computer resources, active PTA, intimate progressive neighborhood environment, small class sizes and exceptional teachers are just a few. A new principal this year is full of energy and ideas and this spring should bring a new science program affiliated with the South Street Seaport Museum." (November 2002)
Downside: Very limited common areas.
The first thing you notice at PS 78 is the view. At the front door to the school, located at the base of the City Lights apartment building on the shore of the East River in Long Island City, you see an amazing panorama of Manhattan. What goes on inside the building is impressive as well. Wherever we went we encountered students and teachers enjoying education.
The school, under the leadership of Terry Delis, principal since fall 2002, was originally intended as a PK-2nd grade program. As a result the school lacks certain common areas such as a gym, and the cafeteria, which is small, doubles as an all-purpose room. To address this problem, the school is hoping to expand into commercial space next door.
Working with the South Street Seaport, the school has developed an exciting oceanography and marine biology program for its 4th and 5th graders. They learn about marine ecology by both classroom lessons and visits to marine life sites in the New York City area. As part of this program, students are maintaining an oyster bed in the East River as well as classroom aquariums. In one 4th grade class we visited, an oceanographer from the South Street Seaport, to the obvious delight of the kids, had brought in various types of live crabs to show them and discuss. The South Street Seaport plans eventually to dock a boat in front of the school as a type of floating classroom. The school carries this marine theme into other parts of the curriculum. One class is studying poems about the sea; another painted a large watercolor of sea scenes that hangs at the entrance to the school.
The school emphasizes the arts, both for their own sake and as a tool for teaching other subjects. One 3rd grade class we visited was learning to make watercolors in the Chinese style. The guest artist also taught the students basic Chinese phrases and led them through a Tai Chi exercise session that was so much fun that everyone in the room, including the principal, teachers, and, yes, the visiting Insideschools representative, participated. In a 5th grade class we visited, students researched particular New York City bridges, wrote about them and depicted them in artwork. One 4th grade class had erected a multi-century timeline in the hallway, then created artistic and literary pieces representing historical events and tied them to dates on the timeline. The school also promotes documentation of their use of the arts. We viewed videos of a visit to the school by an Iroquois Indian and a trip to the Brooklyn aquarium. As the school gets more equipment, it plans to have students produce these videos.
Prior to fall 2003, lessons were taught in traditional fashion. The school's math and literacy coach said that the transition to the more progressive teaching methods mandated by the city's Department of Education had been challenging, but successful because teachers had been supportive of the effort. The parent coordinator told us that parents now express enthusiasm about the city's "Everyday Math" program and appreciate that materials explaining current lessons and offering suggestions for activities are sent home. The school takes part in a Queens Borough Public Library program that teaches family members how to read with kids, even if they speak little or no English.
The hands-on approach to learning is seen throughout the curriculum. The 2nd grade, working with one of the school's super volunteers, uses the marigold garden in front of the school to teach botany lessons about the lifecycle of plants and required growing conditions.
We were told that parent involvement was high, and parents we met (interestingly, a majority of them were fathers) expressed satisfaction with the school. A number of parents are members of Long Island City's bustling arts community, and they volunteer at the school.
After school: The YMCA provides academic assistance as well as recreational activities at the school. There are also a chess program, a running program in cooperation with the Road Runners Club and a PTA-sponsored program that offers classes for a fee in such areas as Italian, dance and drama. (Tom Huser, March 2004)
"It is thrilling to arrive daily to PS 78 as a teacher," writes Scott Dennis. "It is a collegial environment where fellow teachers are enthusiastic to discuss how to best instruct their students. It is a collaborative environment where everyone brings their strengths to the table. Students and teachers are excited about learning and seek to better each other everyday." (April 2004)
"I find it disturbing that PS 78 library is closed to students due to lack of funding for a librarian," writes a parent. "Students don't even go outside for recess because of lack of funding for supervision. The school was not even built with a gymnasium." (November 2003)
"P.S. 78 is a great school," writes a 2000 graduate. "It's located in a friendly environment, next to a waterfront, in a wonderful skyscraper building." (March 2003)
"PS 78 is a very small school," writes a parent. "Because of this, test scores are usually skewed by one or two low performers. The scores definitely don't reflect the quality of education or the school atmosphere." (February 2003)
"This school is a very cozy place that you would enjoy to go each and every day," a former student writes. Teachers are friendly and willing to help. "The students will get one of the best educations there -- as I did four years ago," he writes. (October 2002)
"My children love this school and so do I," writes a mother. "PS 78 is just 5-years-old and is located in an idealic setting on the Queens waterfront. It is one of the best kept secrets in NYC! The list of good things goes on and on: brand new facilities, computer resources, active PTA, intimate progressive neighborhood environment, small class sizes and exceptional teachers are just a few. A new principal this year is full of energy and ideas and this spring should bring a new science program affiliated with the South Street Seaport Museum." (November 2002)