The day of our visit, the main floor was transformed into displays of oceans, jungles and rain forests. Streams of bamboo hung from doorways and a hay-filled crate stamped "ferocious lion," livened up the hallway. Classrooms were decorated elaborately thanks, in part, to parents who volunteered to hang paper jelly fish, construct large giraffes and hippos and manatees and paint murals. The displays of various habitats and ecosystems are tied into the school's partnership with Amnesty International in which every class adopts a "cause." For the younger grades, the environment was the focus: keeping global waters clean, preventing extinction of animals, preserving the rain forest. "It's important to me that our kids think past themselves," said Alonta Wrighton, who became principal in 2006.

Since Wrighton's arrival, the school has rebounded from a rough period marred by poor attendance, chronic tardiness, low test scores and a prior administration that kept parents at bay. According to Wrighton, who is also a public school parent, lateness is still a prickly issue, but attendance rates are on the rise, as are test scores.

These days parent involvement is very strong and welcome throughout the building in the classrooms, the cafeteria and in the Parents Room, where we met a few parents working on PTA matters. The PTA has raised over $100,000 in the past two years, a parent told us.

Students seem to be focused and enjoying their work. "I'm trying to write a metaphor," a 2nd grade boy told us. "It's kind of like a simile, but you don't use the word 'like.'" In one 4th grade class, students sat crossed-legged on the rug, working on math problems quietly, while in another 4th grade class, students fielded questions from their teacher about singular and plural possessive nouns.

Most classes have about 20 pupils. The one exception is a 4th grade class, with 25 students, led by the school's only male teacher. He agreed to take on a few extra struggling boys who Wrighton thought would benefit from a male role model. Building on the theme of mentoring, the teacher, along with the parent coordinator, Clement Rand and a few dads run "Boys to Men," a school program that runs workshops and activities for the 4th and 5th grade boys.

The building, erected in the 1950s, has two science rooms a gymnasium, auditorium and two outdoor yards connected by a garden tended by students. All classrooms have sinks, the pre-K rooms all have bathrooms and ground floor classrooms have doors leading to the playground.

There are special classes in art, chess and movement. Students learn about composting at the Hollenbeck Community Gardens, located next to the school. Fourth and 5th graders get music instruction from visiting educators from the New York Philharmonic. Students in kindergarten through 2nd grade get "cook shop" every Friday, where they prepare dishes, but also learn about foods, such as a study on broccoli and cauliflower. In 2008, Mission 11, the school's robotics team won 3rd place in a regional First Lego League tournament held at Brooklyn Tech.

The school is phasing out its gifted and talented classes. All incoming students are grouped heterogeneously, meaning students of all abilities are placed together in the same class. Students wear uniforms of white shirts and navy pants or a PS 11 T-shirt and sweats on gym day.

In recent years the school has been able to take children from outside the zone. Tours are given for prospective families.

Special education: The school offers SETSS (special education teacher support services) and self-contained classes for student with special needs only.

After school: Art, sports and homework help programs are sponsored and run by a community organization. (Laura Zingmond, April 2008)

Afterschool & Enrichment Programs:  
Virtual Y; PTA Afterschool Enrichment Program (piano, martial arts, dance, drama, tennis, Madd Science, chess, yoga, violin, etc); Renzulli Enrichment Clusters-aka Clubs "Friday Fusion" (cooking, petshop, dance, drama, scrapbooking, jewelry making, math games, fitness, sports, art, chorus, spanish, etc); School Band; Drumline; Student Government & Community Service; Penny Harvest; Boys to Men Club; Sister Circle; I am My Sister's Keeper Club; Recycling Club; Robotics; etc.

Partnerships:  
NY Philharmonic, CookShop, NY Historical Society, Brooklyn Historical Society, Chess Pro.
The kindergarten CTT class is moving up to 1st grade September 2010.

I am using these reviews to search for a new school to teach in. Parents comments are interesting...as a teacher I understand that parents perspectives can vary and have an impact of their opinion of how the school is led. From what I see, there is a consistent message that this school truly put CHILDREN FIRST...ALL CHILDREN FIRST. Keep the good work P.S. 11!

Close but no dice. My daughter is just finishing up Kindergarten this year and I have to say for 1st grade we are moving on. Unfortunately we have to travel out of the neighborhood to go to a more progressive school. It isn't about expectations being on par with private school it is about PS 11 reflecting the values and concerns of the parents in that neighborhood and I have to say the school falls short. Like others have said the school has a lot of potential but something is blocking it from being a truly great school. Examples have already been stated but I will reiterate that the school leadership fails to tap into the potential of its resources it has within its community and it is true that discourse on any issue they disagree with is shut down and I think many of us newer parents find that really frustrating and extremely disappointing- I know I do and that is why we are moving on.

Our son is in K. We had a wonderful experience this year and are looking forward to next year. The principal is amazing and made a great change in the school since she arrived. The parents in the school are Working very hard every day to make this school an amazing place for our kids. The school has a great enrichment activities for after school as well. We have a great school in a great neighborhood. We are here to stay!

I've been a parent at PS 11 for two years now. He attended Pre K(Ms. Dorothy Bergstol and Kindergarten (Ms. Larnett Son). His experience has been exceptional. I've thoroughly enjoyed PS 11. And in spite of the recent issues, I believe that Principal Wrighton and her staff are managing the education of their students well. I think that part of the problem exists with an influx of new parents that expect-because the school has benefited from good publicity and positive ratings-that PS 11 should operate as a private school and cater entirely to parents' desires for their children. But this is not what a public school does, nor what it should do. PS 11 is a great school and continues to excel because it has figured out how to meet the expecations of the DOE, to build strong relationships with the community and its parents, and it supports the teachers and staff, who put the children first. My son reads like a 2nd grader, and he's still in kindergarten. It's a great school.

Great school, great teachers!! Poor leadership from principal and assistant principal and because of this parents are/will/have withdrawn their child/children.

This school is getting a lot of hype from the media to attract more affluent families who are recent arrivals to the neighborhood. The principal is openly resistant to progressive education methods in meetings with parents, resulting in many withdrawals from the school. When I asked the principal about inclusion classrooms, her lack of enthusiasm was palpable and she expressed a desire to eliminate them. These are obstacles to making the school more attractive to parents who are looking for more than teaching for tests. It's really sad to see how an concern for scores and appearances from the administration together with lack of good choices in the district end up undermining the kind of changes that would make this school an asset to the neighborhood.

My child is at PS 11 this year. I just read your summary of 11, and thought to myself, "Sounds like a great school...but this has not been my experience at 11." Honestly, it's hard to reconcile your summary with what I have experienced this year. Yes, there are amazing, creative teachers at 11, especially in the lower grades, but there are teachers that are harsh and punitive. Also, the principal's popularity may have waned since your write-up. More than a few parents experience her as being dismissive of issues that she does not agree with or for some undisclosed reason, does not want to address. I'm very concerned that many parents will leave the school because of this. PS 11 is poised to be a phenomenal school, however, I think the current leadership is an obstacle to progress.

My daughter had Ms. Son for K last year and really loved her. Ms. Son is one of those teachers you pray for - kind, firm, caring and passionate about teaching. Ms. Son taught her to read and we were thrilled - she reads morning and night. Now in the 1st grade she enjoys homework and all her lessons. I am pleased with her progress and congratulate Principal Wrighton for a job well done.

My child had a wonderful year in Pre-K last year. His teacher, Mrs. Bergstol, was fantastic. We are looking forward to Kindergarten. My only criticisms: It would be great to see a music program for the younger children given during the school day and not just as an option for afterschool. Also, as with any school, some teachers seem stronger than others.

"Our son loves pre-k at PS 11. The classroom seems very well run and the students are all engaged and happy. Our son also enjoys going out of the class for art, gym and science. The PTA is very active and has put together a wonderful afterschool enrichment program."

What a difference a year made," writes a parent. "With Alonta Wrighton and Abedemi Hope (assistant principal) at the helm of PS 11, the change in the atmosphere is a drastic one. The teachers are smiling more and are encouraged to think outside of the box. The parents are more involved than ever, bringing in new programs that will meet all aspects of the child (i.e. Mark Morris, Amnesty International, chess and tennis clinics, etc.), all with Ms. Wrighton's full support. The children are happy with the variety of program choices and even the students who may need extra help are getting the support and individual attention that they need (finally). The community of Clinton Hill has pitched in with money and time. For years, the community stayed away from PS 11, but they are now welcomed with open arms under our new administration. PS 11 has really become a neighborhood school that we can all be proud of." (June 2007)

Parent Rebecca Busanky, said "within a week she [the new principal] made 25 changes." She allowed kindergarten parents to bring their children right to the classroom, encouraged teachers to speak gently to children instead of yelling, and took steps to get new furniture for classrooms. The principal is also augmenting the science and social studies curriculum, said Busanky, who is optimistic that the school is on the upswing. "If you have a great principal you have a great school," she said. PTA co-president Sean Redmond agrees. "The new principal is amazing," he said. (November 2006)

A parent writes that Principal Wrighton and the new assistant principal, Ms. Hope, are "smart, committed, and professional." This parent writes: "They appear to know every student by name, and take a real interest in any problems a student or parent might be having." (October 2006)

A parent writes, "We're very excited to be sending our daughter to Kindergarten at PS 11 this September. We've been involved with Friends of PS 11 for a while now and have helped usher in improvements such as the new library and the science lab grant for 60K that Council Member Letitia James just approved." She adds, "It has been great getting to know the talented teachers and staff at PS 11. The school has so much to offer including a great facility, brand new windows to let in the sunshine, small class size, an art teacher with her own art room (the children's art work decorating the walls of the school is quite impressive), two music teachers (choral and instrumental), and chess-in-the-schools. We plan to continue being very involved as it all just keeps getting better and better!" (May 2004)

"We just registered our daughter for Pre-K at PS 11," writes a parent. "We have high hopes for next year. The Friends of PS 11 seem eager to build on the strengths of the school. Parent involvement will be essential to help take this school, which is already pretty darn good, to the next level -- and we plan to be VERY involved. PS 11 is adding 2 additional Pre-K classes this year and eliminating the 6th grade. This seems like a terrific way to accelerate changes at the school. I am a bit concerned about the comments on unhappy teachers that I see on Insideschools, but hopefully we'll see improvement in the next year or two. Transforming a learning environment, especially in NYC Public Schools, is a thankless and painful process. Hopefully Ms. Nelson is up to the challenge." (March 2004)

Teachers, aides and staff at school are a very professional, diverse and caring group that makes the children feel welcome, the classrooms have a cozy home-like atmosphere, are well equipped and comfortable," writes the parent of a pre-kindergartner. "All parents are welcome and encouraged to participate in the arrival/morning activities, creating a routine that helps the little ones to ease the transition into the school day, builds bonds and friendship among parents and staff. All 4-year olds go through about the same experiences of children loving and hating the new duties and routines that a structured school schedule brings, and, from my experience, our teacher and aids have done an exemplary job of coping with all these ups and downs. Children have a great arts program, strong music involvement and now there is an after school program for pre-K's such as theatre and dance. I, as a new parent in the neighborhood, have enjoyed immensely the opportunity to connect with the other parents, my child has made great new friends, has learned a lot and enjoys going to school every morning. The PTA and parents themselves are more and more organized as a positive force in taking this school to the next level. The neighborhood is evolving and diversifying rapidly, new families are moving in and there are more and more enthusiasm, energy and clout available to improve, to enhance and to make the PS 11 the choice! " (March 2004)

"Our daughter is in Pre-K at PS 11 and we are loving it," writes a parent. "The teachers are caring, loving and available to parents. We have a good rapport with them. The principal is very involved with everything in the school. She goes out of her way to meet and thank the parents for their time. Even though the teachers are addressed as Ms. or Mr., the school is not at all traditional, it is very progressive. After school program for all grades (Pre-K to 6th grade) just started in February. We are very happy that we decided to send our daughter to a neighborhood school. Next year, my son will be starting Pre-K there." (March 2004)

"The once happy school seems very sad now," writes a parent, who has a relative who worked at PS 11 for many years. This parent is distressed by the school's "very low test scores in math and reading," as well as a lack of after school programs. The school feels unwelcoming to parents, he says, and this parent is considering transferring his son. (February 2004)