M.S. 061 Dr. Gladstone H. Atwell

MS 61, open to children from across District 17, has a transitional bilingual program in which students take some lessons in Haitian-Creole to give them a grounding in their home language as they begin to study English. It also has a gifted and talented program. 

Sixth graders take a trip to the Greenkill Outdoor Education Center where they try adventures like wall climbing or ropes courses, and study ecology. A free after-school program has many options such as theatre, dance and visual arts. And MS 61 students may participate in a variety of after-school sports including basketball, cross country and double-dutch.  

The school is divided into three academies, each with its own floor. The Britou-Moore Academy is a gifted and talented program. Medgar Evers is also screened for grades, attendance and test scores. Dr. Gladwell H. Atwell is open to all students. MS 61 offers a large number of high school-level Regents courses. The school’s enrollment has declined in recent years and it has not filled its seats. 

While the school was praised for its high expectations of students, some students, especially those who are struggling, are not being challenged, according to the city evaluation called the Quality Review. The school is making time for teachers to meet and analyze student work and test scores to help boost instruction for all, according to the Comprehensive Educational Plan.

All of the school's 8th graders take the specialized high school exam and may also take the SAT. Students who score well on the SAT may qualify to become Johns Hopkins Scholars and are treated to special college-readiness programs.

Admissions: MS 61 is open to students and residents of District 17. Admission to the Britou-Moore Academy is determined by a “composite score” taken from the final 4th grade report card, state tests, attendance, and academic and personal behaviors. Contact the school for tour dates. (Lydie Raschka, web reports, May 2019)