JULY 2009 UPDATE: Principal Sean Keaton was arrested on May 21, 2009 for allegedly assaulting a teacher. According to the Department of Education, Keaton was charged with misdemeanor assault and reassigned to administrative duties while the investigation is pending. In July, Lena Barbera, formerly assistant principal at PS 261 in Boerum Hill, became interim acting principal. The building is shared with a middle school, The Urban Assembly School for Arts & Letters which opened in 2006.

NOVEMBER 2005 REVIEW: A new principal at PS 20 has ushered in welcome changes, including keeping his door open to parents and fostering strong music and arts programs. The classrooms and hallways are covered with student artwork, much of it produced in a program run by Studio in a School, a not-for-profit organization that brings professional artists into public schools. Sean Keaton, who became principal in the 2004-2005 school year, after serving as an assistant principal and a teacher at the school since 1998, has also introduced programs run by three area arts powerhousesthe Brooklyn Academy of Music, the Brooklyn Museum, and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.

PS 20 has a manageable enrollment of 450 in a building designed to serve many more kids. Class size rarely exceeds 25. The principal knows most children by name, and there is ample space. The school even has a chess room, which hosts the after-school chess team and the chess classes all 4th graders take weekly.

Keaton's administration seems to be open to parent and community concerns. He welcomed some two-dozen parents who crowded into the school's library for a school tour (we tagged along) some with youngsters in tow, telling them that his goal is "to bring the community back into the school." He bemoaned the fact that many residents of this increasingly upscale neighborhood choose to go to private school or schools in Manhattan or neighboring District 15 and said he was determined that would change. Current school parents spoke up enthusiastically about the school.

The tour showed a phenomenally inviting pre-k classroom, it must be one of the few in the city with a fireplace, and equally inviting kindergarten classes. Students, dressed in neat plaid uniforms, were happily engaged in all classes we visited.

Teachers go to Columbia University's Teachers College for training in new teaching techniques. It seems to have paid off. Much more writing was on display than during our previous visit in 2003. Students learn to edit one another's work, and teachers circulate among students rather than just teaching from the front of the class. Classrooms looked attractive: lots of books, big rugs and meeting areas, and interesting examples of student work.

Housed in a well-kept building, PS 20 benefits from a full-size gym, auditorium, and spacious classrooms. A science room is especially inviting, with lima beans and other plants growing in the sun, and children's projects, including clay models of human body parts such as the heart, on display. Despite the school's smaller numbers, the cafeteria, built at a time when most students went home for lunch, is too small. On one of our visits, we saw fidgety kindergarteners arguing with one another on a lunch line. Parent volunteers, working with school aides, plan to operate kids' clubs on days when the weather is bad, an alternative to watching videos in the auditorium during lunch. Options will include board games, free play, yoga/movement, reading, sewing, checkers/chess, and other activities, a parent said.

Parents on the tour we took happily noted that PS 20 has more than the usual number of male teachers, an important consideration in a city and neighborhood where many single-parent families are headed by moms and male role models can be scarce. Among the male teachers are a few in the music department, which boasts "a fantastic band," a parent said. We wandered into a small band room, where energetic brass players were jamming, accompanied by a teacher on the bass guitar and a school aide playing the trumpet. Music, including the violin, is taught in all grades. The principal's goal is "to get an instrument in the hands of all students," he said. The school also has a chorus.

Special education: At the time of our visit, there were two classes for students with special needs only. One classroom we visited was extremely well-equipped, larger and more appealing, than the small rooms usually assigned to special education. Five adults were working with students in small groups.

After school: A virtual Y program, free for students, operates from 3 to 6 p.m. daily. The school offers an extended day and a Saturday program for struggling students, as well as a weekend flag football team.

Admissions: PS 20 is a neighborhood school. There is sometimes room for children outside the zone, and admission is at the school's discretion, the principal said. LEAD, District 13's gifted program, begins in kindergarten. Placement is determined by the pre-school teacher's recommendation. For other grades, students are tested at the regional office. (Pamela Wheaton, November 2005)

My son is finishing his kindergarden year at PS 20 and loves it. Coming from a small private school we were concerned about his transition to public school but with the sense of family support from the PS 20 staff it has been phenomenal. His teacher, Ms. Simmons is excellent, her care and experience has brought out the best in our son. Principal Barbera is a pleasure to work with. She has an open door policy and always makes time to discuss concerns and ideas. She's at every PTA meeting and is willing to roll up her sleeves "literally" to make things happen. I'm excited about Principal Barbera's vision for PS 20 and as an active parent it's refreshing to be in an environment where I feel truly empowered to make our ideas happen. This year a parent had an idea to add more art for the lower grades and in few months was able to start our Pratt Institute Art program for K-2nd grade. My youngest son will join Pre-K this fall and we look forward to starting our next school year at PS 20.

My daughter has had a great year in Pre-K at PS 20 and we're very happy that she will be continuing at the school in the fall. A few weeks after the school year started, I called Ms. Garrett (my daughter's teacher) with a few questions about how she was doing. Ms. Garrett spent a long time on the phone with me, answering questions, talking about parenting, and the transition to school. It was clear that she really knew my child, even after just a couple weeks. Obviously, I caught her at a good time (the class was down the hall with their music teacher) so she might not always have time to talk, but the time she spent with me made a big impression. Our parent teacher conferences were also thoughtful and unhurried. They are doing amazingly ambitious art projects that combine science, math, and creative fun. Parents and faculty are very excited about the new principal at the school, Lena Barbara. She's eager to collaborate with faculty and parents to grow the school.

"My children currently attend P.S. 20 and love it. They've learned more in the school's gifted program through second grade than their friends in higher grades at other schools. The children enjoy their learning experience, the teachers truly care and have the best interests of the students at heart and the staff seems to know most of the students. The uniform policy is enforced and there is a strong sense of school pride. I highly recommend this school."

"I have been a teacher at P.S. 20 for the past six years and from the moment I started teaching there, I was embraced by the community. The families at our school are supportive, generous, and responsive to our concerns and suggestions. The teachers all work together to ensure best practices across the grades and school-wide. The P.S. 20 community is a strong, thoughtful group of people who genuinely care about the best interest of the students. There are many wonderful programs that P.S. 20 offers: Studio in a School Art Program, film-making, web-design, photography, band, and countless others. It saddens me to know that negativity surrounds our noteworthy school. People in the neighborhood should consider giving our school a chance... you might be pleasantly surprised! I encourage you to visit and see for yourself. Come and visit me, Mrs. Teagle, and I'm sure my students will be happy to share with you why they love coming to school so much."

"My son attended ps 20 from the age of 5 until he graduated last year. The school for my famiy provided a sense of community. Anytime that I had a problem or an issue to address, Mr. Keaton was not only receptive but open to any suggestions that I might have. My child flourished at 20. but as with any educational system a school is only as good as what you put into it. I am committed to my son's education as were the teachers at 20. They encouraged my son's creativity & the teachers always supported him, not only when he succeeded but also when he struggled. I saw comments on here about Mr Keaton, I have never had a negative experience with him. Although we haven't always agreed, but he was always there to listen to my concerns. He is a strong principal very big on discipline & accountability which as a board of Education employee I can tell u is missing from many schoools. Keaton also made me feel as if he cared about not only my child but my family. I will always be a PS 20 Parent."

Principal Sean Keaton responds with many examples of how parents are involved, including helping plan school events, assisting with the school musical, and leading school tours. "On Jan. 22, we hosted a family night of ice skating at Wollman Rink inside Prospect Park. This event was the brainchild of parent coordinator Karen Colon who wanted to expose all children of the PS 20 community with a new andor different experience. Close to 100 members of our school community attended this event (parents, students and staff)," he writes. "On Jan. 23 we hosted our second school tour of the 2006-2007 year, and unlike previous tours, this one was led by parents, not the principal. This change came as a result of parents sharing with the principal their interest in taking a greater responsibility in selling our school. All ideas are listened to; unfortunately, not every idea in the best interest of the school community.

"On January 11 local photographer Ken Schles taught a masters class to fifth grade students as part of our visiting artist series. This session was coordinated by a parent. In fact, several parents have made contact with the following artists who have each tentatively agreed to teach a masters class before the end of the school year. Parents canvassed the neighborhood and secured donated food and refreshments for the opening of our 'Focus on Fort Greene' photography exhibit. If this is not parent involvement then I am unclear.

"Parent involvement is a given for any parent with a school age child. Parents are not forbidden from entering PS 20; however, we have procedures in place. Parent involvement should not come at the expense of teaching and learning for all students." (January 2007)

A parent who recently attended a tour for prospective parents calls the school "a good option for neighborhood students" and praises its "interesting" clubs, electives, and increased parent involvement. This parent expresses concern about the school's gifted program: "Neither the principal nor the tour leaders indicated that the gifted program does anything unique, only that the gifted classes 'progress at a faster rate.' As a parent this raises a concern that students at either end of the academic curriculum many not get their needs met in terms of either challenge or support." This parent also noted a lack of consistency in what different teachers in the same grade expected from their students. (January 2006)

"I was born and raised in the neighborhood, right across the street, " said a parent volunteer. "It was and is a good school. Parents are very much involved. They help out in the classroom. We have our differences, but we all pull together when we need to." (May 2004)

"We have a lot of parent participation, especially with the fund-raisers," a parent active in the PTA said. "We're here every day, all day. This is my fulltime job." (May 2004)

A PTA officer said the Core Knowledge curriculum "reminds me of when I went to school in Trinidad. I was able to help my daughter with her work." (May 2004)

A grandparent who is a retired school aide said: "I love being in the school with the kids. The only thing is their behavior could be a little better. They need to get that behavior under control, but compared to other schools it's wonderful." (May 2004)

"I think this school is well run. Teachers get a lot of direction and expectations are very high," said a regional administrator who regularly visits the school. (May 2004)

A mother writes that she is "very pleased" with the school, particularly with the gifted program called LEAD. The principal knows ever child by name, there is a "creative and involved PTA president" who is also the district's PTA president, and an active School Leadership Team. There is a large library with 6 computers and some new books, a large play yard, a playground with tennis and basketball courts, and a large gym. Students take a test in the spring for admissions to the LEAD program. There is one LEAD class for each grade.

Students line up in the play yard by gender before being admitted into the building. "Since the revelation published in the [New York] Post where a Post reporter entered the school unquestioned, I noticed a number of important changes," the mother wrote. "The front entrance is locked before 9:00 a.m. All students must enter from the back entrance. The guard allows the parents to enter the back entrance with the child. A senior member of the faculty questions all adults accompanying each child and encourages each child to go to their classroom on their own."