https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Mon, 27 Apr 2026 10:16:06 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nyc-public-school-help-please#post-2877231 Tue, 19 Mar 2019 08:14:10 +0000 nwm 2877231@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LCTBQE: i've been following the thread but i actually live uptown! so not much to add beyond what people have said above. </p> <p>anecdotally i observed on my neighborhood facebook mom's group that the very in-demand elementary school i used to live across the street from would have a huge wait list but actually moved a lot if not all of the wait listed kids into the school by the first week or two of the school year. it did seem like calling and staying on the radar was helpful so sounds like you will be well served there. good luck! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nyc-public-school-help-please#post-2877176 Mon, 18 Mar 2019 20:04:12 +0000 LCTBQE 2877176@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@PinkElephant: wow, I never thought it was possible to go back!! If you need to sell your houseful of stuff, LMK because we're still living with empty rooms over here ;) I wanted to tell you about this woman Joyce--she is a for-hire counselor for families in the NYC public school system. she's not affiliated with the school system, she's just a genius at navigating it. I went to one of her talks when I still lived in Carroll Gardens to try and figure out if we could safely buy in a not-great zone and make it work (short answer, no, hence we are out here). but I'm sure having a phone call with her would clear up everything you're not sure of: <a href="http://www.nycschoolhelp.com/contact-us" rel="nofollow">http://www.nycschoolhelp.com/contact-us</a></p> <p>eta if she doesn't weigh in here, I believe @nmw lives in lower manhattan, you should wall her. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nyc-public-school-help-please#post-2877112 Mon, 18 Mar 2019 13:07:13 +0000 PinkElephant 2877112@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@maddyz: Thank you! I know realistically we'd eventually get her where she needed to be; I just feel a massive sense of guilt over taking her out of a location and school system where she's extremely happy and then having to hop her around a few times before we can get her settled again. </p> <p>I am a super involved parent (I run several PTO committees at my children's schools currently), so I have no shame in calling up parent coordinators to "sell" our family in situations where it will help. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nyc-public-school-help-please#post-2877111 Mon, 18 Mar 2019 13:03:12 +0000 PinkElephant 2877111@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Beehive: thanks! Would love to hear what you have to say. I've lived in the neighborhood before, but it was 10+ years ago pre-kids (OMG it makes me feel super old to say that!) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nyc-public-school-help-please#post-2877108 Mon, 18 Mar 2019 12:46:36 +0000 Beehive 2877108@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@PinkElephant: Hi there! We live in lower Manhattan! Very happy to chat with you about the specifics of the neighborhood - I *love* it here. Will wall you. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nyc-public-school-help-please#post-2877096 Mon, 18 Mar 2019 12:01:28 +0000 PinkElephant 2877096@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>ugh just lost my whole post - </p> <p>@Baby Boy Mom: Thank you. The number 32 blows my mind - we have 20 kids in first/second grade classes around here....reading the info on the link provided above, I'm a little more optimistic that the zoned school would at least TRY to get my kindergartner in (ie., put her at the top of the wait list because she'd have zone priority AND sibling priority)</p> <p>@BKCaribBaby: Thanks! You are totally right, there is so much mobility with wait lists - my child got into her top-choice UPK class (at NY Kids Club) before the previous school year ended, even though it wasn't offered to us right away. Neighborhood wise, I would most likely be looking at Battery Park. Re: 3-K, I didn't realize it wasn't fully rolled out yet, but that's okay, I suppose. Free is nice, but my daughter won't be three til October, so the full day might have been a bit much for her anyway! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nyc-public-school-help-please#post-2877095 Mon, 18 Mar 2019 11:58:00 +0000 maddyz 2877095@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yeah, PK3 is still in a rollout phase and not widely available. It's getting started neighborhood by neighborhood. I would be surprised if it's available in lower Manhattan. K can be rough, but there is also A LOT of shifting that happens even after the first week or two of school. Our zoned school is overcrowded and I have watched the last few years as it shifts around so much as they work their way through the waitlist. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nyc-public-school-help-please#post-2877092 Mon, 18 Mar 2019 11:40:35 +0000 Baby Boy Mom 2877092@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>As far as I know PK3 is not available in most neighborhoods. For the second grader it shouldn't be a problem because by that age some families move away and you can get spots pretty easily by contacting the school directly. If I remember correctly they are allowed up to 32 kids in a class starting in first grade. Kindergarten might be the only difficult one since they are limited to 25 kids. That said, if at all possible, the zoned school will try to get you in. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nyc-public-school-help-please#post-2877089 Mon, 18 Mar 2019 11:24:08 +0000 BKCaribBaby 2877089@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Hey there!</p> <p>I have a kindergartner in a public school in Brooklyn. Being zoned will definitely give you a priority for a school and most kids get into their zoned schools, although they are some school zones that are overcrowded. I think it would be helpful to get a sense for the neighborhood you’re looking to move to and the zoned school. Also based on what I’ve seen it seems to change from year to year. I’ve heard that some years, some kids in some zones may not have gotten in while the next year, there was no problem. For K, they would not put you in another borough unless you put that in your ranking, which by the way, you can rank up to 12 school for K. I think it’s important to make sure that you put schools you are comfortable with. Also even if you don’t get into your zoned school, you can still put your daughter on the waitlist. Apparently, the schools tell you as soon as someone gives up a spot. And you can also just advocate yourself by calling the parent coordinator at the school. It can’t hurt!</p> <p>For UPK, there are no zones and UPKs can be in schools, UPK centers, and other childcare centers. It’s my understanding that PK3 is not fully rolled out across the City. It’s only in specific neighborhoods. </p> <p>I've gotten some useful info at time from these sites:</p> <p><a href="https://www.schools.nyc.gov/enrollment/enroll-grade-by-grade/learn-about-enrollment" rel="nofollow">https://www.schools.nyc.gov/enrollment/enroll-grade-by-grade/learn-about-enrollment</a><br /> <a href="http://newyorkschooltalk.org" rel="nofollow">http://newyorkschooltalk.org</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nyc-public-school-help-please#post-2877076 Mon, 18 Mar 2019 10:39:35 +0000 PinkElephant 2877076@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My husband is hating his commute right now and is toying with the idea of moving our family back to NYC....we'd probably be in lower Manhattan, because I've stipulated that if the reason we are moving is commute related, I want him to be able to walk to work. Naturally his mentality is "the sooner the better!" But realistically, I'd be looking at needing fall placements for second grade, kindergarten, and PK3. I know the latter two are really going to be tricky.</p> <p>I'm somewhat familiar with the NYC public school enrollment process, because my oldest went to Universal PK (when it was just 4year olds) in Brooklyn. However, we never went fully through the Kindergarten enrollment process because we moved to the suburbs as I was filing the applications. My husband seems to think that living in a zoned area gives us guaranteed admission at our neighborhood school....I think he's totally wrong, given that we missed all the enrollment dates for fall already, and all zoning gives you is priority, not a guarantee. My understanding is that the girls must be given a place somewhere in the system, but in theory it could be anywhere (I assume they try to keep you in your borough?), it will most likely be everyone else's "leftovers", and that the kids could be separated.</p> <p>Any insight from someone who knows or has been there would be very much appreciated! Thanks! </p>