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Girls Prep Bronx Charter Elementary School

Grades: Pre-K, K-5
Staff Pick
681 Kelly Street
Bronx NY 10455
Phone: 718-901-3855

Our Insights

What’s Special

All-girls school with a focus on science

The Downside

Long waitlist; limited after-school options

Girls Prep Bronx Charter Elementary offers strong academics with a focus on science in a warm and stimulating setting. In addition to regular classes each girl has one special class a day, which may include gym, music, dance, visual arts or yoga.

“My girls feel empowered here,” said a mother of three students ranging from elementary to middle school age. “It’s not like they have to live up to [female] stereotypes.”

Founded in 2009, the school is modeled on Girls Prep Lower East Side, the first all-girls charter in New York City. Girls Prep differs from charters with very strict codes of conduct, by favoring more input from teachers and a more relaxed atmosphere, according to founding principal Josie Carbone, who has since moved on to a position of leadership in the Public Prep network. Tomasz Krzyzostaniak has been the school’s principal since 2017. 

Students have five days a week of science, which is unusual for elementary school. On our visit we saw 4th-graders making land and water forms out of paper, paint and cardboard. As they get older, the girls write lab reports based on collected data. 

“Science is my favorite subject, I have to say,” said a 4th grade student.

The school day is longer than typical and girls in all grades get double periods of reading and math. They spend time daily on “close reading,” the practice of reading slowly and taking notes to glean the deepest meaning from a text. The girls also read for fun on their own and read books as a class.

Math and science are project-based and filled with hands-on activities. State test scores in reading and math are well above the citywide average, including for children with special needs.

Pre-k (called PrePrep here) classes are co-ed. The tone is child-friendly, with a purposeful bustle of movement and talk. During our visit we “purchased” flowers with toy money from a small “shopkeeper” and watched a boy and girl set the stage for  story in the dramatic play area. 

Learning also takes place outside the classroom walls. Fourth-graders travel to Philadelphia to study the American Revolution. Fifth-graders visit an overnight camp with archery and climbing. The girls visit a Manhattan courthouse to hold mock trials on topics such as the use of Japanese internment camps during World War II.  

A few downsides: One parent said she’d like more after school choices and some wish there was foreign language instruction. Families may attend a variety of after-school programs in the area which are listed on the school’s website. 

The middle school is at 890 Cauldwell Avenue. Most of the girls in the lower school continue on to the middle school.

SPECIAL EDUCATION: The school offers two team-teaching classes on each grade. Teachers try to spot problems early, and children who fall even a few months behind in reading get extra help from a specialist. 

ADMISSIONS: By lottery. District 8 priority. There are roughly 2,000 applications each year for a variety of grades. The best entry points are in Pre-k or kindergarten. Few spots open up in grades 1-5. Priority also goes to siblings, NYCHA housing residents and the children of teachers. (Lydie Raschka, February 2020)

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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?
64%
78% Citywide Average
How many students think bullying happens most or all of the time at this school?
69%
59% Citywide Average
How many teachers say the principal is an effective manager?
73%
82% Citywide Average

From the 2019-20 NY State Report Card

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

From the 2021-22 School Quality Guide

How many teachers have 3 or more years of experience teaching?
70%
84% Citywide Average
Years of principal experience at this school
0.0

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?
45%
53% Citywide Average
How many elementary school students scored 3-4 on the state reading exam?
51%
50% Citywide Average

What is the Pre-K like?

From the NYC Program Assessment (CLASS and ECERS-R) Database through 2019-2020

Instruction: Teachers ask kids to explain their reasoning when they solve problems
Language: Teachers talk and listen to kids in a supportive way
Interaction: Teachers ask kids good questions and invite back-and-forth conversation

Who does this school serve?

From the 2022-23 Demographic Snapshot

Enrollment
762
Asian
3%
Black
38%
Hispanic
54%
White
2%
Other
3%
Free or reduced priced lunch
93%
Students with disabilities
19%
English language learners
7%
Pre-K seats
54

From the 2021-22 School Quality Guide

Average daily attendance
90%
90% Citywide Average
How many students miss 18 or more days of school?
37%
40% Citywide Average

From the 2020 School Directories

Uniforms required?
Yes

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?
17%
30% Citywide Average
How many students with disabilities scored 3-4 on the state reading exam?
18%
23% Citywide Average
How many English language learners scored 3-4 on the state math exam?
23%
21% Citywide Average
How many English language learners scored 3-4 on the state reading exam?
13%
12% Citywide Average


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

Contact & Location

Location

Longwood (District 8)
Trains: 2 Line, 5 Line to Prospect Ave; 6 Line to Longwood Ave
Buses: Bx4, Bx4A, Bx17, Bx19, Bx46

Contact

Principal
Robyn Millnerjohnson

Other Details

Shared campus?
Yes
This school shares the building with MS 302
Uniforms required?
Yes
Metal detectors?
No

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