If your child was born in 2011 and enrolling in kindergarten next year (or born in 2012 and going into pre-K), now is the time to start looking at schools. Many public schools are starting to offer tours and open houses in advance of the opening of the December application process Charter schools and some private schools are also conducting tours and info sessions. We recommend that you see as many schools as you can so that you can find the best one for your child. Since many tours in fall on the same days, it’s good to start now to see every school that you might want to visit before the application deadline: January 15th. Before you start your search you can learn about schools in our area with our Primer of Elementary Schools open to residents of Downtown Brooklyn.
Here are the latest tour schedules (as of 11/30/15 – we’ll be updating them as much as possible)….always double check with the school to see if they have added more dates:
DISTRICT 13
- PS 8 (Brooklyn Heights) – Tours: 12/09 & 1/13 from 9 – 10:30 AM.. Zoned families may encounter a waitlist if the proposed rezoning of P.S. 8 / 307 is not approved before January 5th.
- PS 20 (Fort Greene) – Tours: 12/10, 1/12 @ 8:30 AM more info here.
- PS 46 Magnet School for Communications and Media (Ft. Greene) – TOURS: 12/17, 1/5, 2/4 @ 8:30am. Has a dual language program.
- PS 133 (Park Slope) – Tours: 12/2, 1/13 @ 9:00 AM . RSVP here. Has dual language programs.
- PS 146 Brooklyn New School (Carroll Gardens) Tours: 12/01, 12/17, 1/12 @ 9:00 AM. No registration required.
- PS 287 (Vinegar Hill/Fort Greene) – Contact them via their website to arrange a tour.
- PS 282 (Park Slope) – Tours: 12/8, 1/5 @ 8:30 AM Register here. Has a G&T program.
- PS 307 Magnet School for STEM studies (Vinegar Hill) – Tours: 11/14 (Saturday) @11AM, 11/19, 12/17, and 1/7 @ 9:30 AM, 12/7 @6PM.
- Arts and Letters (Fort Greene) – 12/5, 1/17, and 1/14 @9:15 AM, register here.
- Brooklyn Compass Charter School (Fort Greene): 12/9, 1/13 & 2/10 @ 9AM, 12/2, 1/6, 2/3 @ 5PM. Check the website for more details.
- Brooklyn Prospect Charter (Downtown Brooklyn) – Info sessions: 1/7, 3/1 @ 6:00 PM. Sign up here.
- Community Roots Charter School (Fort Greene) – Tours: 1/7 & 2/10 @ 8:45AM. Register for a tour.
- International Charter School (Downtown Brooklyn) – 12/2, 1/7, 1/14 @ 10:00 AM. Register here.
- Success Academy Charter School (Fort Greene) – 12/8 @ 9:30A. Register here.
DISTRICT 15
- PS 38 (Boerum Hill) – Tours: 12/4, 12/11, 12/18 @ 9AM.
- PS 133 (Park Slope) – Tours: 11/4, 11/8, 12/2, 1/13 @ 9AM . RSVP here. Has dual language programs.
- PS 146 Brooklyn New School (Carroll Gardens) Tours: 11/10, 12/01, 12/17, 1/12 @ 9:00am. No registration required.
- PS 261 (Boerum Hill) – Tours: 11/12 @ 9am.
- Success Academy Charter (Cobble Hill) – 11/10 and 12/1 @ 9:30 AM. Register here.
For more information about school options in the area and how to apply to kindergarten or pre-K, visit these links:
- DoBro Schools Primer on Downtown Brooklyn Schools.
- Research each school on Schoolbook.
- Compare how different schools stack up on Schoolgrades.org.
- Inside Schools guide to applying to and touring kindergarten programs.
- Department of Education website with important dates.
- Joyce Szuflita of NYC School Help offers group talks and private consulting about the application process and the merits of different schools.
- Brooklyn Bridge Parents sells guides on preschools, charter and private schools in the area.
