Lyons Community School
Grades: 6-12Our Insights
What’s Special
Small, nurturing school with projects and trips
The Downside
Declining enrollment
Lyons Community School serves grades 6–12 and works to provide a caring, engaging environment where students feel known and supported. Many students come to Lyons needing extra academic or personal support, and the school’s small classes and hands-on approach are designed to meet those needs. Learning often extends beyond the classroom through class trips and projects.
Lyons is a part of the New York Performance Standards Consortium, a group of schools exempt from administering all but the English Regents exam. Eleventh- and 12th-graders must complete PBATs (performance based assessment tasks) on topics of their choosing, which involve lots of research and reading as well as writing and presenting papers in English, math, and history. In all grades students participate in roundtable discussions at the end of each semester, where they reflect on what they learned and present their work for in-depth discussion.
At Lyons, students stay engaged through hands-on learning that often takes place beyond the classroom. Middle school students participate in a Field Studies program, visiting museums, parks and cultural sites that support their classroom learning. High school students take weekly “MAP” electives, held either on campus or in the city, such as ceramics, theater, forensics, and outdoor leadership.
Many classes are structured around themes. For instance, history classes cover topics such as world religions, global development and foundations in United States government and expansion; neuroscience and understanding animals are among the science options. English courses expose students to a broad range of literature by focusing on topics such as moral dilemmas, individualism, modern short stories and apocalyptic fiction. Math classes follow a more traditional sequence, running from algebra through pre-calculus. Computer science is offered as an elective.
The school faces challenges, including declining enrollment, and a large number of students who need extra support to stay on track. Attendance is inching up but has a ways to go; most students miss a month or more of school. The school works to keep students interested, for example, they can try out real jobs based on their interests in a career exploration program. Lessons often tie learning to what’s happening in the world, helping students see the purpose in what they’re studying. For students who need more academic support, Lyons offers smaller classes led by experienced teachers to help build reading and writing skills.
Restorative practices help students solve problems through discussion in thoughtful, community-centered ways. Students learn to reflect, listen, and stay connected to their peers when challenges arise.
Lyons shares the old IS 49 building, including its gym, cafeteria and outdoor playground, with The Williamsburg High School of Arts and Technology and Brooklyn Latin. The three schools have separate lunch periods and arrival times. Sports are campus-wide. Lyons partners with Grand Street Settlement to provide afterschool programming for both the middle school and high school. They also provided support services to families.
Lyons has integrated co-teaching (ICT) classes in every grade and dedicates a lot of time to students' social and emotional development through advisories and other initiatives. (Dashiell Allen and Lydie Raschka, web reports and interview, October 2025)
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School Stats
Is this school safe and well-run?
From the 2023-2024 NYC School Survey
From the 2019-20 NY State Report Card
From this school's most recent Quality Review Report
From the 2023-24 School Quality Report
How do students perform academically?
From the New York State 2023-2024 Assessment Database
From the 2023-24 School Quality Guide
Who does this school serve?
From the 2024-25 Demographic Snapshot
From the 2023-24 School Quality Guide
How does this school serve special populations?
From the 2023-24 School Quality Report
From the New York State 2023-2024 Assessment Database
Programs & Admissions
From the 2024 High School DirectoryLyons Community School (L39A)
Offerings
From the 2024 High School DirectoryLanguage Courses
Spanish
Advanced Courses
Algebra II (Advanced Math), Chemistry (Advanced Science), World Languages (Advanced World Languages)
Boys PSAL teams
Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Outdoor Track, Volleyball
Girls PSAL teams
Basketball, Cross Country, Outdoor Track, Volleyball
Read about admissions, academics, and more at this school on NYCDOE’s MySchools
Contact & Location
Location
223 Graham Avenue
Brooklyn
NY
11206
Trains:
to Broadway;
to Grand St
Buses: B24, B43, B46, B48, B60, Q54, Q59
Contact
Other Details
This school shares the building with the Brooklyn Latin School and Williamsburg High School of Art and Technology
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