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P.S. 38 The Pacific School

Grades: Pre-K, K-5
450 Pacific Street
Brooklyn NY 11217
Phone: 718-330-9305

Our Insights

What’s Special

Great arts, spacious building & playground

The Downside

Some friction between teachers and principal

Located just off Atlantic Avenue, near the new Barclay Center Arena, PS 38 has a clean, spacious building with large, airy classrooms, and entire rooms for blocks, LEGO play, and a sophisticated STEM lab. It also has a renovated playground. The school serves a diverse community and is one of the few schools in District 15 that usually has room for children outside the zone and even the district.

PS 38 aims to welcome everyone. It hosts an annual PRIDE parade in the neighborhood and free community celebrations for each heritage month. The school also makes the most of its location close to many subway lines, working with numerous arts organizations including nearby Mark Morris Dance Center. Children may learn violin, steel pan drumming, piano, and several types of dance with professional teachers. Every student in kindergarten through 5th Grade takes chess during the school day. 

Children learn through exploration and hands-on projects in the youngest grades. On our last visit we saw 4-year-olds illustrate simple addition problems with cut-outs of different colored fish and practice measuring as they made applesauce. Lessons are frequently based around seasons and childrens' interests. In January, a lesson was based on the polar bear. Pre-k parents come in to read on "mystery reader Fridays," a surprise to their own children. 

Students take frequent field trips that tie into their learning. The youngest start local with neighborhood walks. The older ones visit museums, Broadway shows, and walk across the Brooklyn Bridge to map the NYC skyline.  

The 2023 NYC School Survey shows some friction between the teachers and the principal. Less than half said the leader is an effective manager who makes this school run smoothly. 

A district G&T (gifted and talented) program is housed at the school. 

The school offers both free and fee-based after-school activities onsite.

Special Education: PS 38 has a mixed grade "self-contained" classroom in the upper grades. It also has team-teaching classes on every grade level. These classes mix students with disabilities and their general ed peers in one room with two teachers. One is trained to teach special education.

Admissions: Neighborhood school. (Pamela Wheaton, 2017; updated via Web reports & email, February 2024)

 

 

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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 2020-21 NYC School Survey

How many teachers say the principal is an effective manager?
41%
82% Citywide Average

From the 2019-20 NY State Report Card

How many students were suspended?
0%
1% Citywide Average

From this school's most recent Quality Review Report

Are teachers effective?

From the 2021-22 School Quality Guide

How many teachers have 3 or more years of experience teaching?
86%
84% Citywide Average
Years of principal experience at this school
4.2

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?
71%
53% Citywide Average
How many elementary school students scored 3-4 on the state reading exam?
67%
50% Citywide Average

What is the Pre-K like?

From the NYC Program Assessment (CLASS and ECERS-R) Database through 2019-2020

Instruction: Teachers ask kids to explain their reasoning when they solve problems
Activities: Children explore art, music, sand/water, dramatic play and more
Language: Teachers talk and listen to kids in a supportive way
Interaction: Teachers ask kids good questions and invite back-and-forth conversation

Who does this school serve?

From the 2022-23 Demographic Snapshot

Enrollment
534
Asian
14%
Black
26%
Hispanic
24%
White
25%
Other
12%
Free or reduced priced lunch
45%
Students with disabilities
13%
English language learners
3%
Pre-K seats
86

From the 2021-22 School Quality Guide

Average daily attendance
90%
90% Citywide Average
How many students miss 18 or more days of school?
38%
40% Citywide Average

From the 2020 School Directories

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?
26%
30% Citywide Average
How many students with disabilities scored 3-4 on the state reading exam?
22%
23% Citywide Average
How many English language learners scored 3-4 on the state math exam?
0%
21% Citywide Average
How many English language learners scored 3-4 on the state reading exam?
0%
12% Citywide Average


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

Contact & Location

Location

Downtown Brooklyn (District 15)
Trains: F Line to Bergen St; A Line, C Line, G Line to Hoyt & Schermerhorn; 2 Line, 3 Line, 4 Line, 5 Line, B Line, D Line, N Line, Q Line, R Line to Atlantic Ave - Barclays Center
Buses: B103, B25, B37, B38, B41, B45, B57, B61, B62, B63, B65

Contact

Principal
Pascale Pradel
Parent Coordinator
Hassan Salaam

Other Details

Shared campus?
No
This school is in its own building.
Metal detectors?
No

Zone for the 2019-2020 school year. Call school to confirm.

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