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P.S. 163 Bath Beach

Grades: K-8
Staff Pick
109 Bay 14th Street
Brooklyn NY 11214
Phone: 718-236-9003

Our Insights

What’s Special

The arts are extensive and available to all students

The Downside

Large classes in some grades

MARCH 2015 UPDATE: MaryannWasmuth, principal from 2004-2014, left the school and Jessica Riccio becamse interim acting principal. She had previously been the assistant principal at PS 205 in the same district.

SEPTEMBER 2014 REVIEW: PS 163 is located near Bensonhurst in a diverse neighborhood that has seen marked demographic changes. Although the area's population used to be predominately Italian-American, many of the students at Bath Beach are now of Chinese, Hispanic and Arabic descent.

Like many of the city's most successful schools, PS 163 has a well-respected leader, principal Maryann Wasmuth, who has led the school since 2004 and is credited with bringing in a terrific arts program, further enriching this longtime, high-scoring school. Staff members have long praised Wasmuth's open-door policy, which they say extends to the way she shares information with them. She receives high marks on school surveys for her ability to provide teachers with the ongoing training they need and for her collaborative ways. [In 2014 Wasmuth left the school and Jessica Riccio becamse interim acting principal. She had previously been the assistant principal at PS 205 in the same district.]

It's unusual to see such a full complement of extra programs in an elementary school, where tight budgets often mean tough compromises. PS 163 employs full-time library, music, dance, Spanish, physical education, science and art specialists, as well as full-time literacy and math coaches.

The staff at PS 163 has been unusually successful in mining community resources. Children visit cultural institutions or attend special performances at venues like the Brooklyn Museum of Art, the American Museum of Natural History, Symphony Space, the Paper Bag Players, Carnegie Hall and the Museum of Modern Art.

Every student in grades 1 through 5 stays for an extended day program that features academic support as well as voluntary talent groups, including dance, recorder, guitar, drumming, orchestra and chorus. An early morning enrichment program offers selected 4th- and 5th-graders a chance to learn about Shakespeare and computers. After school, students can join a sports and theater program.

Academics are not given short shrift. Test scores at the school are highnot only among the general education students but also among the special education population.Rising enrollment is a testament to the popularity of PS 163. One downside: Class size is large in some grades.

A new addition to the old school building [see photo] includes a state-of-the-art science lab, a dance studio, an art room, a music suite and a library. One of the goals of the addition was to provide children with a place to play even though there isn't enough ground space. The solution is an attractive third-story rooftop playground with a safe, see-through, wire mesh enclosure.

Special education: The school has self-contained classes for children with special needs. It also offers SETSS (Special Education Teacher Support Services) for students in general education classes to get extra help part of the day. All students with special needs are included in regular classrooms for enrichment and some coursework. The school also has a psychologist, social worker and guidance counselor in the building five days a week.

Admissions: Neighborhood school (Lydie Raschka, web reports and school data, September 2014; updated March 2015)

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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 students say they feel safe in the hallways, bathrooms and locker rooms?
88%
80% Citywide Average
How many students think bullying happens most or all of the time at this school?
46%
56% Citywide Average
How many teachers say the principal is an effective manager?
96%
78% 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?
85%
82% Citywide Average
Years of principal experience at this school
3.2

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?
75%
53% Citywide Average
How many elementary school students scored 3-4 on the state reading exam?
70%
50% Citywide Average
How many middle school students scored 3-4 on the state math exam?
66%
52% Citywide Average
How many middle school students scored 3-4 on the state reading exam?
66%
57% Citywide Average

From the 2021-22 School Quality Guide

How many 8th-graders earn high school credit?
77%
39% Citywide Average

Who does this school serve?

From the 2022-23 Demographic Snapshot

Enrollment
606
Asian
34%
Black
1%
Hispanic
37%
White
27%
Other
0%
Free or reduced priced lunch
80%
Students with disabilities
19%
English language learners
25%

From the 2021-22 School Quality Guide

Average daily attendance
92%
90% Citywide Average
How many students miss 18 or more days of school?
28%
38% 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?
55%
27% Citywide Average
How many students with disabilities scored 3-4 on the state reading exam?
25%
21% Citywide Average
How many English language learners scored 3-4 on the state math exam?
43%
17% Citywide Average
How many English language learners scored 3-4 on the state reading exam?
47%
12% Citywide Average


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

Contact & Location

Location

Bensonhurst (District 20)
Trains: D Line to 18th Ave
Buses: B1, B64, B8, X28, X38

Contact

Principal
Jared Shapiro
Parent Coordinator
Valerie Ponzo

Other Details

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

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

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