NYC Gifted and Talented: District Programs

All children in New York City are qualified to take the gifted and talented test in pre-kindergarden. If the child scores 97 or above he or she may apply to the citywide gifted and talented schools as well as multiple district programs.  If your pre-kindergarten child has scored 90 or above on the city G&T (gifted and talented) test he or she is guaranteed a spot in a district gifted and talented program for kindergarten.  In order to receive a guaranteed spot the parent must rank all of his or her options on the application, including citywide programs (if the child qualifies) as well as all the district programs.  Parents who do not rank all the available options are not guaranteed a seat for their child in a kindergarten G&T program.

A child may also take the gifted and talented test while enrolled in kindergarten (to qualify for first grade admission) and in higher grades. However, the child has a lower chance of being admitted into a district program (due to limited number of spots opened after kindergarten) and almost no chance of being admitted into a citywide program.  The city does not guarantee placement if the test is taken at the kindergarten or above levels.

Programs vary widely by district with some districts offering as few as 3 district wide programs, and some offering as many as 12.  If you reside in Sheepshead Bay (district 21) depending on your actual address you may have as many as 12 programs to choose from. These include popular programs such as Manahttan Beach Gifted and Talented (PS 195) and Mill Basin Gifted and Talented (PS 236).

In Bensonhurst (district 20) at least 8 programs are available (maybe more depending on your address). A popular district program in district 20 is  (at ps 200) is a bilingual english russian program called “GLOBE.”

In order to qualify for admission into a district Gifted and Talented program the child must score at least 90 on the G&T test and reside in the correct district.  As with citywide schools children with the highest scores are given first priority on a lottery basis.  For instance, lets say 4 year old Alfred scored a 94 and his friend John scored a 96.  Because John has scored 2 points higher than Alfred he will be placed much faster (even if he pulls an unlucky number in the lottery) and therefore has a better chance of getting picked for his first or second choice program.  Alfred, no matter how lucky he might get in the lottery is still going to be placed after John. The best he can hope for is to be the first of the 94s picked. When it comes to district program placement, every point counts.

This article is part 3 of a 3 part series.  Part 1 is available here.

New Brooklyn Tutoring and Montessori

Brainy Academy is located in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, and is a brand-new, state-of-the-art facility, dedicated to bringing a love of learning to children.

"We believe that the best way to prepare your child for the world of tomorrow is by teaching them to love learning today.  Our child centered, progressive program of education features classes for every age group and interest.  In our state of the art location at 1733 Sheepshead Bay Road children learn in bright classrooms equipped with the latest in Montessori, Lego, Knex and computer technology.   Montessori and Lego classes are 2 hours each.  Tutoring is based on your child’s unique needs and times vary according to your requirements.  Lego Birthdays are held every Saturday and Sunday by special arrangement.

In Brainy Builders with Lego ®Education children learn math, physics, pattern recognition, engineering and construction.  Research indicates that carefully planned Lego ® based  programs boost test scores, increase a child’s problem solving capabilities and increase levels of self esteem.  Specific studies include:

-          Study of Educational Impact of the Lego Dacta materials – Infoscuela, October 1998 – January  1999

-          Educational Impact of Lego Dacta Materials, Sheffield Hallam University, UK, Spring 2001

-          Implications of Brain Research for teaching Young Adolescents, Lucinda M. Wilson & Hadley Wilson Horch, September 2002, Middle School Journal.

For all those parents who understand the extensive benefits of the Montessori environment and would like their children to learn in a Montessori program we created Brainy Montessori, an alternative to a traditional preschool program. Children can attend Brainy Montessori classes in our beautiful Sheepshead Bay location in Brooklyn once or twice a week. In Brainy Montessori children learn math and language skills, including early literacy. 

Emphasis is placed on logic in preparation for the OLSAT and Gifted and Talented testing. Children are taught by an educator with over a dozen years of experience teaching in a full time Montessori school. A special program for English as a second language is available for English learners.  

Studies show that children introduced to the Montessori method aquire both language and math skills faster than their peers who are not taught according to the method. They also show that children in Montessori environments have better social skills and higher self esteem.

-          Angelina Lilliard and Nicolle Else-Quest, Scientist magazine, September 29^th, 2006

-          Montessori: The Science Behind the Genius, Angeline Lilliard, 2005

In Brainy tutoring children are taught by experienced instructors in a variety of fields.  Because we do not use a one fit all approach we tailor each tutoring program to your child’s unique needs and goals.

In Awesome Birthdays children can choose one of many themes in a Lego based birthday party.  Exciting themes include Lego Star Wars, Lego Harry Potter and many more.

For More information and study summaries please contact Brainy Academy."