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P.S. 24 Spuyten Duyvil

Grades: K-5
Staff Pick
660 West 236 Street
Bronx NY 10463
Phone: 718-796-8845

Our Insights

What’s Special

Arts programs

The Downside

Relations with community; lingering controversies

Tucked away in Riverdale between the Henry Hudson Parkway and the Hudson River, PS 24 Spuyten Duyvil is a neighborhood school with strong arts offerings, and a district-wide gifted and talented program. 

For years, the school has been racked by disputes over space and enrollment, some involving local political leaders. After those disputes lead to the departure of first a principal and then an acting principal, Steven Schwartz took over in 2016. While he has restored some stability and instituted new programs, controversies remain.

Arts continue to be a key part of the curriculum, with students taking visual art that incorporates some art appreciation. Two music teachers allow PS 24 to offer both vocal and instrumental music, including recorder for 3rd graders and instrumental lessons for individual students who want them. Art infuses other subjects as well. On the day we visited, 2nd graders decorated envelopes in which they would bring home their work and 5th graders visualized decimals and fractions by coloring in a grid.

Aside from the gifted and talented classes, kindergarten through 3rd grade classes have students at a range of academic levels. In 4th and 5th grade, students are grouped in separate English language arts and math classes, with one teacher handling English and social studies and the other math and science.

In all rooms, tables are clustered, rather than in rows, and children frequently work on their own or in small groups. Students are allowed, even encouraged, to talk as they work and most classrooms have a pleasant buzz, and students look happy and engaged. Attention does lag among some during the large group lessons.

Schwartz’s main efforts, he says, have focused on building more trust among teachers at the school and seeking out advice from parents, staff and students. The school has, for example, instituted a new messenger system to improve communications with parents. For years, the school scored low in communication and trust, according to a Department of Education survey. Although its comprehensive educational plan said this has begun to change, PS 24 still ranks well below average.

Schwartz attributes some of this to divisions in the neighborhood and a reluctance to accept change. In the past 10 years, the percentage of white students at the school has dropped, while the percentage of Hispanic students has increased The community has grappled with a dispute over whether some children, many of them Hispanic or low-income, were attending PS 24 even though they did not live in the zone. “In a divided community whatever you do, some people will love it and some will hate it,” Schwartz says, adding, “It’s important that all voices are heard.” 

Many teachers have left in the past several years, some of which Schwartz attributes to teachers retiring or moving to other comunities. But, he says, "I don't think any one leader is right for everybody." He says the faculty plays a major role in the hiring of new teachers. The current staff said  in the DOE survey that they would recommend the school to other families.

Perhaps in a nod to the conflicts in the community, the school instituted a conflict resolution program with both a program for entire grades and a plan for individual students to work out difficulties.

While the students may be becoming “peacemakers” and students appear to get along with one another, adults don’t seem to be faring as well. Anonymous letters and articles in the New York Post have attacked Schwartz.

ADMISSIONS: Students from throughout the district are admitted to the gifted and talented program in kindergarten through grade 3 based on NYC Department of Education standars. The school itself can admit students to fill any vacancies in the program in grades 4 and 5. Otherwise this is a zoned school. Although enrollment has declined, there are few, if any, openings for children from outside the zone. (Gail Robinson, November 2019)

 

 

 

 

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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 2022-2023 NYC School Survey

How many teachers say the principal is an effective manager?
98%
82% Citywide Average
How many teachers say they would recommend this school to other families?
98%
84% 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 2023 End-of-year Attendance and Chronic Absenteeism Report

How many teachers have 3 or more years of experience teaching?
98%
85% Citywide Average
Years of principal experience at this school
7.0

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?
89%
53% Citywide Average
How many elementary school students scored 3-4 on the state reading exam?
88%
50% Citywide Average

Who does this school serve?

From the 2022-23 Demographic Snapshot

Enrollment
752
Asian
7%
Black
7%
Hispanic
46%
White
34%
Other
6%
Free or reduced priced lunch
37%
Students with disabilities
18%
English language learners
5%

From the 2022-23 School Quality Guide

Average daily attendance
94%
91% Citywide Average
How many students miss 18 or more days of school?
19%
36% Citywide Average

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?
67%
30% Citywide Average
How many students with disabilities scored 3-4 on the state reading exam?
61%
23% Citywide Average
How many English language learners scored 3-4 on the state math exam?
0%
21% Citywide Average
How many English language learners scored 3-4 on the state reading exam?
0%
12% Citywide Average


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

Contact & Location

Location

Riverdale (District 10)
Buses: Bx1, Bx10, Bx7, BxM1, BxM18

Contact

Principal
Steven Schwartz
Parent Coordinator
Florence Byrne

Other Details

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

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

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