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P.S./M.S. 11X498-Van Nest Academy

Grades: K-8
Staff Pick
1640 Bronxdale Ave
Bronx NY 10462
Phone: 718-409-3001

Our Insights

What’s Special

Environmental health focus; technology and art

The Downside

Limited seats for incoming middle school students

P.S./M.S. 498 the Van Nest Academy for Environmental Health Sciences and Technology is a popular school offering lots of hands-on science, technology and arts in a supportive and respectful atmosphere. 

With technology infusing the entire curriculum, Van Nest seeks to provide students with a solid foundation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). There is a particular emphasis on environmental health sciences to help students develop problem solving, critical thinking and research skills. Partnerships with Urban Advantage, Operation Explore, New York Botanical Garden, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and Bronx River Alliance enable students to investigate health issues in their community. 

The program also is rich in the arts. All students have physical education, art, music and health every week. An arrangement with Ballet Hispanico provides instruction in Latin dance for 1st and 2nd graders, while 4th and 8th graders take ballroom dancing. Music instruction includes singing and instrumental music.

Perhaps not surprisingly given its science focus, math scores on the state standardized exams are well above average, but scores on the English language arts exam are about average for New York City. The school does not offer high school credit classes to middle school students.

A reviewer from the Department of Education praised Van Nest for the “excellent rapport and mutual respect between adults and students.” Staff members know the students well, and an active student council gives students a role in school decision making. Discipline is by all accounts excellent, partly a result, school reports show, of there being immediate consequences—usually 50 minutes of required study hall—for students who misbehave, don’t do their homework or are extremely tardy. 

Carol Gilligan, a former science administrator, has been principal at Van Nest since the beginning. She gets high marks from teachers and parents in a Department of Education survey. Teachers in the survey said they would recommend Van Nest to parents looking for a school for their child or to other teachers. 

Van Nest is housed in a bright, modern building shared with Icahn Charter School 2. While the building is beautiful, classrooms are smaller than ideal and the wide, spacious hallways seem to be wasted space. Some of the classrooms were cramped, particularly since classes tend to be large and the building has more students than it was intended for.

SPECIAL EDUCATION:  Van Nest offers team teaching classes with a mix of general and special education students as well asself-contained classrooms for students with disabilities. The school also has a partnership with a nearby District 75 program for students with more severe disabilities, which includes co-teaching and a “Best Buddies” program where Van Nest 7th graders are paired with D75 students. 

ADMISSIONS:  For kindergarten, the school gives priority to students who are zoned to attend P.S. 83, 105, and 108 or District 11 students who have siblings in the school. Although other students may apply, they are less likely to be admitted. For middle school, priority goes to students who attended the elementary school. There are a very limited number of remaining seats, with priority going to students from the three area elementary schools, although other students may apply. (Gail Robinson, DOE reports, June 2020)

 

 

 

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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 students say they feel safe in the hallways, bathrooms and locker rooms?
89%
80% Citywide Average
How many students think bullying happens most or all of the time at this school?
39%
56% Citywide Average
How many teachers say the principal is an effective manager?
89%
78% Citywide Average
How many teachers say they would recommend this school to other families?
96%
79% Citywide Average

From the 2019-20 NY State Report Card

How many students were suspended?
1%
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?
84%
83% Citywide Average
Years of principal experience at this school
13.2

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?
45%
53% Citywide Average
How many elementary school students scored 3-4 on the state reading exam?
39%
50% Citywide Average
How many middle school students scored 3-4 on the state math exam?
61%
52% Citywide Average
How many middle school students scored 3-4 on the state reading exam?
59%
57% Citywide Average

From the 2022-23 School Quality Guide

How many 8th-graders earn high school credit?
95%
91% Citywide Average

Who does this school serve?

From the 2022-23 Demographic Snapshot

Enrollment
601
Asian
7%
Black
9%
Hispanic
61%
White
20%
Other
2%
Free or reduced priced lunch
77%
Students with disabilities
22%
English language learners
12%

From the 2022-23 School Quality Guide

Average daily attendance
92%
91% Citywide Average
How many students miss 18 or more days of school?
27%
35% Citywide Average

From the 2020 School Directories

Uniforms required?
No

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?
11%
27% Citywide Average
How many students with disabilities scored 3-4 on the state reading exam?
11%
21% Citywide Average
How many English language learners scored 3-4 on the state math exam?
16%
17% Citywide Average
How many English language learners scored 3-4 on the state reading exam?
13%
12% Citywide Average


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

Contact & Location

Location

Morris Park (District 11)
Buses: Bx21, Bx22, Bx39, Bx40, Bx42, Bx4A, Bx8, BxM10, BxM6

Contact

Principal
Carol Ann Gilligan
Parent Coordinator
Ana Vallecillo

Other Details

Shared campus?
Yes
This school shares a building with Icahn Charter School 2
Uniforms required?
No
Metal detectors?
No

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