P.S. 122 is a neighborhood school that is home to a Gifted and Talented program drawn from the district and to a highly selective middle school called The Academy.  With almost 1,400 students, the school is large, but teachers and staff pay keen attention to student needs which include classes for English language learners and special education services. 

Building and location:  P.S. 122 is located in a gentrifying section of Astoria amid well-kept row houses and trendy eateries and shops. The school's early 20th century red brick building is clean and well-maintained.  Middle school classrooms are on the fourth floor. Facilities include a library, auditorium, an art room equipped with a kiln, music room, and two gymnasiums. The elementary and middle schools have their own computer labs and science rooms. The school's massive yard stretches a full block and has room for tennis courts. One drawback is the lack of a full service kitchen; school meals are prepared off site and heated in warming ovens before being served in the cafeteria.

School environment and culture: Pamela Sabel, a former assistant principal at the school, became principal in the summer of 2008 after the retirement of longtime principal Mary Kojes.  

Students enjoy a sweet, calm environment. Hallways are quiet, clean and brimming with student art work and writing. Some rooms are decorated with curtains and tablecloths and all of them are neat and cheery.  Colorful displays of student work, labeled bins stocked with supplies, and shelves lined with books organized according to genres and topics are staples in every classroom.

Teaching and curriculum:  Walk into any class at P.S. 122 and you'll find evidence of high standards and creative instruction.  Teachers put a lot of energy into lessons that often tap into their students' interests. For "all about" research projects, 2nd graders selected and wrote on topics ranging from dogs and sharks to Theodore Roosevelt and welcoming a new baby to the family. In social studies, 4th graders wrote children's books inspired by the main ideas of the Declaration of Independence. For the school-wide science fair, P.S. 122 went digital:  Each grade compiled digital images of each student's project for a PowerPoint presentation delivered at the actual science fair.

The school is affiliated with Columbia University's Teachers College (TC), follows its writing curriculum, and gets support from TC staff developers.  Beginning in kindergarten, students write and revise multiple drafts of nonfiction, realistic fiction, and memoirs. 

The school uses the same curriculum for its G&T and general education classes.  According to Sabel, their main difference lies in the pacing of instruction and number of themed projects. For instance, G&T students may cover the basic material of a unit of study quickly and then create a lengthy research project on the topic.  In a general education class, the teacher may spend more time on basic instruction and exercises and assign fewer projects.  

Instruction in The Academy middle school is accelerated and rigorous.  Sixth graders plow through a year and half of math and science; by the middle of 7th grade, students are learning algebra and take the Regents Algebra exam in 8th grade. Overall, the level of work produced by Academy students is stellar and sophisticated.  "We don't shy away from anything," said Sabel.   Students are encouraged to research topics of interest such as human trafficking, teenage pregnancy, and music piracy.  Spanish is the only foreign language taught.

Beyond core academics and gym, elementary grade students enjoy art and music classes.  Fifth graders take ballroom dancing.  Middle school students take art, dance, music, and health classes and enjoy weekly clubs such as theater, art, music and gardening.

Family participation: Parents are active fundraisers. The pre-k program director, a licensed social worker, runs weekly meetings for all parents to discuss child rearing and education concerns.

After school:  A fee-based sports and arts program is provided by the Sports and Arts Foundation, a community based organization, for up to 300 students who are admitted on a first come, first served basis.  Tennis instruction is sponsored by the New York Junior Tennis League.

English Language Learners: In grades K-2, there are self-contained classes for English language learners.  In the upper elementary grades, there is one general education class per grade that serves a mix of English language learners and other students, headed by a teacher with English as a Second Language (ESL) certification. When we visited, there were no Academy students requiring ESL services.  "We have middle school students who learned English as a second language, but they no longer need special support," said Sabel.

Special education: There are Special Education Teacher Support Services (SETSS), Collaborative Team Teaching (CTT) classes and self-contained classes for students with special needs.  Students get individual and small group lessons in the school's special education suite, a cozy area decorated with curtains and colorful mobiles dangling from the ceiling. 

Admissions:  Zoned elementary school.  The district G&T program begins in kindergarten and admittance is based on the citywide assessment process. At least half the spaces in The Academy middle school are reserved for students rising from a District 30 G&T program.  There are few remaining seats and those are filled through a competitive selection process that evaluates an applicant's performance on the Otis-Lennon School Ability Test (OLSAT) as well as standardized test scores and report card grades.

After graduation: Most non-G&T students move on to their zoned middle school, with some attending private and religious schools as well as selective public schools including The Academy.  P.S. 122's G&T students attend The Academy; nearly all Academy graduates attend specialized high schools or selective schools such as Townsend Harris, Bard Early College in Manhattan, and Cardozo.    (Laura Zingmond, March 2009)

I am now in 8th grade and am in a different school, but I can firmly state that P.S.122 was the BEST school that I ever could have attended. The class work and test preperation helped me to exceed academically and prepared me for Middle School. Not to mention, they have an excellent afterschool program, and all the teachers there are amazing and wonderful. They explain all the material thoroughly, and make you feel extremely comfortable. I was extremely happy with my time spent at P.S.122 and recommend it to anyone who is interested.

A parent of three children who attended the school, two of whom were enrolled in the gifted program, writes, "Principal Kojes definitely discriminates on behalf of the gifted program. They actually have separate t-shirts with the gifted children having intelligent slogan written on them. Spirit week is only for the gifted and the gifted elementary children are kept separate from the regular classes." (August 2005)

In response to the above comment Principal Mary Kojes writes: "We have the same T-Shirts for all our children that are sold through the Physical Educ. Dept. We have two graduating classes, a 5th and 8th grade. Each graduating class designs its own T-Shirt Logo. The 5th grade has the P.122 Logo with their signatures on the back. The middle school is an Academy that is housed in P.122, and composed of 6th , 7th and 8th graders. The 8th graders designed their own logo in art class as part of a contest. Also, spirit week is only for the middle school. No other class participated in spirit week. As per the comment of keeping the gifted elementary children separate from the regular classes, this couldn't be further from the truth. The gifted elementary classes are an integral part of P.122., participating fully in all academic, social and extra curriculum activities. They work very closely with the other classes on the grade and are housed in close proximity to the other classes on their grade. Although , I have a very diverse population , Special Ed, CTT, ESL, Regular Ed, and Gifted, we do our utmost in creating an evironment that is inclusive and supportive of our entire student population." (August 2005)

A dissatisfied parent writes, "One time long ago this was an awesome school. But in the last 5-7 yrs I have seen the atmosphere and moral of both the staff and students drop dramatically. I have been around this institution since 1986 and I have seen the administration change over and over. I have also seen the staff change like a tornado blowing thru." He criticizes the current administration for being inattentive to parent concerns. He bemoans the school's reliance on test scores, and describes an atmosphere that is deficient in "care and love." (March 2004)