Walking into PS 306, we were struck by the beautiful, museum-like building, with its stained glass windows and three-dimensional human sized displays surrounded by students' written work. The office staff and security guards were friendly. When we arrived, the parent coordinator was on the phone, gently assuring a mom that her child's tummy ache mystery was solved. (The girl was hungry, not ill). The caring tones seemed like one mom giving another support, rather than a school official judging someone critically.

These details are emblematic of a school that seeks to be a haven for children in a community burdened by poverty. A number of its students live in homeless shelters or come from overwhelmed families. "There are lots of needs," says Parent Coordinator Debra Sloan. "How do you tell a child that they must turn in their homework when the family had the electricity turned off at home?" The school does whatever it can, from running clothing drives to hosting turkey dinners.

PS 306 also is working hard to improve its academics offering, and has had some initial success: In January, 2004 the school was removed from the state's list of failing schools. This was no mean feat, because most students enter PS 306 about two years behind in language development, school officials say. " These kids are used to being talked at. They are not used to being asked questions that require them to respond," said the principal.

The improvement may stem from the school's push for literacy in younger grades, with such initiatives as daily reading and writing workshops. A "reading recovery" program is especially helpful to fragile 2^nd grade readers, and Saturday test prep classes have helped, too.

An 8th grader is disappointed by the school's low-ranking. "We have worked very hard," he writes. But, he says, the district hasn't provided enough good teachers, new computers and books and... read more