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P.S. 189 The Bilingual Center

Grades: K-8
Staff Pick
1100 East New York Avenue
Brooklyn NY 11212
Phone: 718-756-0210

Our Insights

What’s Special

A community institution offers classes in Latin, Spanish and Creole

The Downside

No pre-kindergarten

PS 189 has a spotless building, a cohesive staff, and an imaginative curriculum that includes Latin in the 5th and 6th grades. Staff seem to love the principal and many happily send their own children to the school. One teacher's daughter is now teaching at PS 189 herself; a security guard sent both her children and grandchildren here.

PS 189 has inspired the loyalty of generations of families in Crown Heights while welcoming newcomers from the Caribbean, Central America, and, most recently, Yemen. Many of today's pupils' parents and even grandparents graduated from PS 189. Successful graduates come back on career day to share advice.

Also called The Bilingual Center, PS 189 offers dual language instruction in Haitian Creole and Spanish. These classes, which draw children from across the district, are designed to ensure that children can speak, read and write in both English and the other language. Many of the children speak Creole or Spanish at home; others speak English and want to learn the language of their ancestors. In the dual language classes we visited, instruction was mainly in English, with students serving as translators for children who didn't understand. Although some instruction is offered in Creole and Spanish, the balance is not 50-50 between English and the other language.

The school also offers English-only classes, including a gifted class on each grade. All children study a second language, either French of Spanish; in addition, Latin is required in the 5th and 6th grade.

The stately 1922 building has an impressive auditorium, rich classroom libraries, and a large playground. Some classes are held in the mini-school housed on the playground. On rainy days, children play games in the cafeteria at lunchtime--they don't watch videos in the auditorium as they do at some schools.

The tone is simultaneously formal and warm. Administrators are sticklers for attendance and punctuality. Homework is assigned every night. Younger children go to the bathroom as a group. Everyone wears blue and white uniforms. Middle school children wear blazers and neckties. At the same time, teachers are affectionate and we heard no raised voices on our tour. Classes are lively and both children and adults seem happy to be here. One downside: no pre-kindergarten is offered.

The instruction tends toward the traditional, with the teacher at the front speaking to the whole class, but there's also plenty of time for class discussion and fun projects. In one kindergarten class, children made a timeline of important dates in history such as Columbus' discovery of America in 1492, the landing of the Pilgrims in 1620, and the American Revolution in 1776; they also have unstructured time to play with blocks. The school has unusually rich offerings in the arts, with full-time teachers for drama, dance, instrumental music and voice.

Sixth-graders have the same teacher for all their classes; in 7th grade, they have different teachers for each subject. Accelerated courses are offered for high school credit in English, French, Spanish, Algebra I, Earth Science and Living Environment. In one lively history class, children discussed flappers and the changing role of women in the 1920s. In a math class, children learned about the use of negative numbers in ancient China and India.

Top graduates are admitted to the specialized high schools, Midwood, Medgar Evers, and Bedford Academy. Other choices include Clara Barton, It Takes a Village Academy, and Brooklyn High School of the Arts.

To compete with charter schools that offer a longer school day, PS 189 has expanded its after-school. Community organizations, including the Brooklyn Children's Museum and Haitian Americans United for Progress, offer programs after school and during school holidays.

SPECIAL EDUCATION: The school offers team-teaching plus two self-contained special education classes.

ADMISSIONS: Neighborhood school. Dual language programs are open district-wide. For middle school there are some seats for children from outside the zone. Call the school for information about admission to the gifted program, which is administered by the school rather than the district. The school sometimes has room for children from District 23, whose border is just one block away. (Clara Hemphill, April 2017)

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School Stats

Citywide Average Key
This school is Better Near Worse than the citywide average

Is this school safe and well-run?

From the 2020-21 NYC School Survey

How many students say they feel safe in the hallways, bathrooms and locker rooms?
40%
80% Citywide Average
How many students think bullying happens most or all of the time at this school?
60%
56% Citywide Average

From the 2019-20 NY State Report Card

How many students were suspended?
0%
1% Citywide Average

From this school's most recent Quality Review Report

Are teachers effective?

From the 2021-22 School Quality Guide

How many teachers have 3 or more years of experience teaching?
86%
82% Citywide Average
Years of principal experience at this school
20.1

How do students perform academically?

From the New York State 2022-2023 Assessment Database

How many elementary school students scored 3-4 on the state math exam?
56%
53% Citywide Average
How many elementary school students scored 3-4 on the state reading exam?
48%
50% Citywide Average
How many middle school students scored 3-4 on the state math exam?
55%
52% Citywide Average
How many middle school students scored 3-4 on the state reading exam?
55%
57% Citywide Average

From the 2021-22 School Quality Guide

How many 8th-graders earn high school credit?
44%
39% Citywide Average

Who does this school serve?

From the 2022-23 Demographic Snapshot

Enrollment
906
Asian
2%
Black
67%
Hispanic
26%
White
3%
Other
2%
Free or reduced priced lunch
94%
Students with disabilities
17%
English language learners
17%

From the 2021-22 School Quality Guide

Average daily attendance
89%
90% Citywide Average
How many students miss 18 or more days of school?
39%
38% Citywide Average

From the 2020 School Directories

Uniforms required?
No
This school offers Transitional Bilingual Education in Haitian Creole and Spanish.
This school offers Dual Language classes in Haitian Creole and Spanish.

How does this school serve special populations?

From the New York State 2022-2023 Assessment Database

How many students with disabilities scored 3-4 on the state math exam?
38%
27% Citywide Average
How many students with disabilities scored 3-4 on the state reading exam?
31%
21% Citywide Average
How many English language learners scored 3-4 on the state math exam?
37%
17% Citywide Average
How many English language learners scored 3-4 on the state reading exam?
21%
12% Citywide Average


For more information about our data sources, see About Our Data · More DOE statistics for this school

Contact & Location

Location

Flatbush (District 17)
Trains: 4 Line to Crown Hts-Utica Ave; 3 Line to Sutter Ave-Rutland Road
Buses: B12, B14, B15, B17, B45, B46, B46-SBS, B47, B65, B7

Contact

Principal
Janet Gil
Parent Coordinator
Rabsaris Valentin

Other Details

Shared campus?
No
This school is in its own building.
Uniforms required?
No
Metal detectors?
No

Zone for the 2019-2020 school year. Call school to confirm.

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