Selection Criteria for 6th Grade at Park Slope Collegiate
At Park Slope Collegiate, we are committed to serving a diverse student body and preparing all students for success in high school and college.
We value students with a range of experiences in and out of school. We are looking for students and families who value diversity, enjoy learning with and from others, and aspire to make a difference in the world. Enrollment at PSC is determined according to the D15 plan for all Middle Schools which can be found in the MS guidebook, on the DOE website, and in some detail below.
If you are considering PSC for your child for middle school or high school, and have questions, please email Steffen Nelson, Parent Coordinator for Park Slope Collegiate.
District 15 Diversity Plan
District 15 is launching a district wide plan to increase middle school diversity. This plan was created through a year-long collaboration with school leaders, educators, parents and guardians, students, and community members, and in response to recommendations from the District 15 Working Group, a diverse set of D15 stakeholders. As part of this plan, two key changes to middle school admissions in D15 will be:
No More Screened Middle Schools | D15 middle schools will now use an open admissions method. This means they will no longer screen or use applicants’ academic records to evaluate or admit students. If a school has more applicants than available seats, applicants will be matched according to random selection, and some students will have priority for 52% of its seats (see below). By using random selection within priority groups, we will increase equity and support excellence in middle schools across the district.
Diversity in Admissions Priority | Applicants who are students from low-income households*, students in temporary housing, and/or English Language Learners (ELLs) will have an admissions priority for 52% of seats at each D15 middle school. These changes will be in place for students who are entering fifth grade in Fall 2018 and enrolling in middle school in Fall 2019.
Want to learn more? Read all of the D15 Working Group’s recommendations and see how we’re responding to them at d15diversityplan.com.
Selection Criteria for 9th Grade at Park Slope Collegiate
For selection to our HS we follow the NYC DOE’s Educational Options process which seeks to create a heterogeneous group of students based on past academic performance and student preference.
Educational Option programs are meant to serve a wide range of academic performers. Based on English Language Arts (ELA) standardized test scores from the prior school year, students will be matched to Ed. Opt. programs based on the following distribution: 16% from the high reading level; 68% from the middle reading level; and 16% from the low reading level. Half of the students matched to Ed. Opt. programs will be selected based on their rankings from the school; the other half will be selected randomly. Note: If you score in the top 2 percent of all students in the city on your last ELA reading exam, and you list an Ed. Opt. program as your first choice on your application, you are guaranteed a match to that program.
Frequently Asked Questions Related to Admissions:
LOGISTICS
Q: Where is the school located?
237 7th Ave. in Park Slope, Brooklyn. We are between 4th and 5th Streets, in the John Jay Campus, near Methodist Hospital. (Bus and Subway directions.)
Q: How many students are in both MS & HS?
Approximately 687 students were enrolled for the the 2020-21 school year.
Q: What are the school hours?
Monday through Friday, classes begin at 9:00 a.m. and end at 3:20 p.m.
Q: What are the class sizes?
Class sizes are approaching 30 students per class.
Q: Are there lockers?
High school students have lockers, accessible at the beginning and end of the school day. Middle school students have shared lockers in limited space.
Q: What is PSC's graduation rate?
The four-year graduation rate for the high school is 85%.
Q: How many students go to college and what colleges?
Every graduate gets accepted to college. Many students attend small, liberal arts colleges.
Q: What about the metal detectors?
The metal detectors are inherited from the previous John Jay High School. They are not an indication of current school safety conditions. Every student passes through the metal detectors.
Q: What about MS / HS interactions?
The middle and high schools occupy separate wings on the top floor of the building. There are some planned interactions between the age groups.
Q: Do students interact with the other schools?
There are shared sports teams at the high school.
Q: Is there 'out to lunch'?
11th and 12th grade students can leave the building, as can 9th and 10th grade students on the honor roll. Middle school students are not permitted to leave the building for lunch.
ADMISSIONS
Q: What are the admissions policies for the Middle School?
Our admissions policy (screen) is at the top of our Admissions page.
Q: What are the admissions policies for the High School?
Our admissions policy (screen) is at the top of our Admissions page.
ACADEMICS
Q: Do you offer AP courses?
We currently offer all juniors AP US History and all senior AP Composition and Literature. The Participation in Government class has been classified by the New York City Department of Education as “college preparatory certified". Additionally students are encouraged to enroll in College Now classes at our partner CUNY colleges.
Q: Are you a Regents school?
Yes.
Q: Do you offer any foreign languages?
Currently Spanish is offered for our high school and for our 8th graders.
Q: What is the Arts program like?
ACADEMIC SUPPORT
Q: Do you use a homework portal?
We use Pupil Path. While there are apps for Android and iOS, the website seems to be easier use.
Q: What support do you offer for students with IEPs and do you have inclusion classes?
We have Integrated Co-Teaching classes in every grade and three full-time guidance counselors on staff. We have a school-based support team (SBST) that includes speech therapists, occupational therapists and physical therapists.
Q: Do you have a computer lab?
We have a computer lab as well as laptop carts that can travel from room to room.
STUDENT LIFE
Q: What sports are offered?
PSC now offers 13 PSAL Sports for our HS students including: Girls and Boys Volleyball, Girls and Boys Swimming, Girls and Boys Varsity Basketball, Boys JV Basketball, Softball, Baseball, Girls Flag Football, Boys and Girls Outdoor track, Indoor Track and Cross-country.
Our Middle School sports are offered based on availability through our middle school after-school program New York Edge. Typically MS students have the options of basketball, coed and girls volleyball, and flag football in after-school, as well as swim club.
Q: What other clubs are offered?
PSC has Middle School and High School Student Government, Debate Team, Cheerleading and Step Teams, Gay-Straight Alliance, and a variety of art clubs that meet throughout the year. Different clubs may form on any given year depending on interest.
DIVERSITY
Q: How do you handle different learning levels in each classroom?
Students all pursue understanding of the important concepts in each subject but may often choose from a variety of texts that address those concepts with varying complexity. Students can choose from multiple assessments to demonstrate understanding and are always expected to challenge themselves as much as possible.
Q: What is your Advisory program like?
Our advisory program, Circles, meets twice weekly in groups of 10-15 students with one teacher. The structure and philosophy is based on restorative approaches where students learn to find support, wisdom and growth from each other.
Q: How does PSC handle student conflicts?
We talk a lot! Multiple staff members and guidance counselors have received training in restorative approaches and Collaborative Problem Solving.
Admissions
Middle School Open Houses
10/11 6pm
10/13 6pm
10/14 9:30am (Tour is full)
10/25 7:30pm
10/27 6pm
10/28 9:30am (Tour is full)
High School Open Houses
10/13 7:30pm
10/25 6pm
Please reach out to Mr. Nelson at snelson20@schools.nyc.gov to rsvp for a daytime tour or for any additional information. Daytime tour slots are limited.