• Category 1

    Selected in 2015

  • Grades: pre k - 5
    School Setting: urban
    Town Population: 128,000
    Student Enrollment: 664
    Student Demographics:

    Black/African American: 22%
    White/Caucasian: 1%
    Hispanic: 74%
    Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0%
    Asian: 1%
    Native American: 0%
    Other: 2%

    Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:25
    % Reduced Lunch: 100%
    % ELL Learners: 12%
    Founded: 1962
  • PRINCIPAL:
    Brian De Vale
  • CONTACT:
    60 Cook Street
    Brooklyn, NY 11206
    718-384-7128
    bdevale@schools.nyc.goc
P.S. 257 John F. Hylan School
Brooklyn, NY
Improving student engagement is a priority which includes students having rich conversations and collaborations among their peers and within small groups.
Describe specific programs in place to ensure that families are involved in the success of your school and students.
Describe the most successful activity your school has initiated to strengthen ties to your community.
Describe your philosophy of school change or improvement.
We adopted our new instructional philosophy for our school community which is infusing our performing arts theme through project based instruction to engage students by utilizing multiple entry points. To improve teaching and student learning, our teachers participated in professional development activities that focused on project based learning activities aligned to the Performance Arts Initiative. The following residencies and partnerships were created: Creative Music Programs Inc., TADA Residency, Music and the Brain Inc., Schoolwide Enrichment Programs, Dancing Classrooms Inc., and Young Audiences Inc. worked closely with all classroom teachers to equip, model, and support this initiative.
What are your school’s top two goals for the next year?
Improving student engagement is a priority which includes students having rich conversations and collaborations among their peers and within small groups. We are in the process of fully implementing a reciprocal teaching model that will improve student engagement and therefore create independent learners in grades K-5.
What is the single most important factor in the success of your school that others could replicate?
The most important elements that have made our school a success are the following: TRUST, STRONG COMMUNITY TIES, TEACHER COLLABORATION, and HAVING HIGH EXPECTATIONS FOR BOTH STUDENTS AND STAFF.
Describe the program or initiative that has had the greatest positive effect on student achievement, including closing achievement or opportunity gaps, if applicable.
It was duly noted that after a couple of years of implementing the Performing Arts Initiative that there was a significant improvement in our daily attendance rates, school morale, school spirit, better overall behavior amongst our students as reported by our classroom teachers, a significant reduction of student suspension rates, and most importantly, the academic improvement within our student population (grades K-5).
Explain how Title I funds are used to support your improvement efforts.
Identify the critical professional development activities you use to improve teaching and student learning.
Describe how data is used to improve student achievement and inform decision making.
Describe your school culture and explain changes you’ve taken to improve it.
In 2009, our staff, parents, and the community at large embraced our Performing Arts Initiative as its official identity. In 2010, our Magnet Grant proposal was approved. We have implemented our Performing Arts Initiative into our curriculum. The following changes also occurred: We hired a full-time music, dance, and visual arts teachers. We added a music room, auditorium (was converted into a dance studio/theatre), and the creation of a visual arts room. We also purchased marching band uniforms. We created many after school music enrichment programs which included piano, trumpet, flute, drum line, guitar, recorders, chorus, drama, ballet, multi-cultural dance, and ballroom dancing.
Stats
  • Category 1

    Selected in 2015

  • Grades: pre k - 5
    School Setting: urban
    Town Population: 128,000
    Student Enrollment: 664
    Student Demographics:

    Black/African American: 22%
    White/Caucasian: 1%
    Hispanic: 74%
    Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0%
    Asian: 1%
    Native American: 0%
    Other: 2%

    Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:25
    % Reduced Lunch: 100%
    % ELL Learners: 12%
    Founded: 1962
  • PRINCIPAL:
    Brian De Vale
  • CONTACT:
    60 Cook Street
    Brooklyn, NY 11206
    718-384-7128
    bdevale@schools.nyc.goc