A Plan for P.S. 267

Despite the launch of a new school and other efforts to alleviate crowding in Upper East Side kindergartens, the Department of Education conceded that there may still be some families who don"t have a seat in their neighborhood school this fall. Elizabeth Rose, a representative from the department"s office of portfolio development, said that another class would open in P.S. 158"s building, on York Avenue between East 77th and 78th streets, should a small number of students not be placed in a neighborhood school this September. It is unclear at this point whether that class would belong to P.S. 158 or P.S. 267, the new school opening this fall to accommodate the influx of elementary-aged students on the Upper East Side. Rose attended a March 22 meeting of Community Board 8"s education committee to explain to anxious parents the process for matching elementary students with overcrowded schools. Rose has been spearheading efforts to alleviate the space crunch, and agreed with local parent groups that it was necessary to create the new school, P.S. 267, in the P.S. 158 building. By giving priority to students zoned for overcrowded schools like P.S. 59, P.S. 183 and P.S. 290, the new school will help cut down lengthy waitlists's some of which are up to 90 families long's and even ease crowding at schools like P.S. 6. At the March 22 meeting, Rose described the admissions process for children who are currently waitlisted at local schools. â??Letters should have gone out from all schools citywide with either a, â??You have been accepted," or, â??You are on a waitlist for this school," she said. Aside from giving siblings preference, Rose explained, the process for assigning students to their zoned schools is random. Rose said she is expecting significant student attrition between now and April 12, as families weigh private schools acceptances. By June, gifted program acceptances will have also been sent out, resulting in more attrition from students who ultimately enroll in these programs, rather than a zoned school. Traditionally, Rose said, this process opens up to 120 seats in the neighborhood, about 20 from each elementary school. Results for the P.S. 267 admissions lottery will come before May, when the department will make secondary school offers to families who have not yet been accepted at any school. Families can take this offer and still remain on the waitlist for their zoned school until the end of October. Open houses for the new school are scheduled for the early weeks of April, after the public school spring break. â??Technically, anybody in the three [nearby] zones has the option to look at and apply to 267, Rose said. â??However, most families offered a seat at one of the three zoned schools will likely stay. She added that accepted families would be able to have input into P.S. 267"s curriculum and mission before the school"s opening.