Kweller Prep Blog: Advanced Prep for Advanced Kids
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Top Middle Schools NYC
ACCELERATED MIDDLE
SCHOOLS NYC
The content below is sourced from each school's website. We encourage readers to visit each school's website for the most up to date information.
SCHOOLS NYC
The content below is sourced from each school's website. We encourage readers to visit each school's website for the most up to date information.
About the Anderson Middle School
The
Anderson School is an academically selective, completely free Gifted and
Talented public school that seeks a diverse student population and welcomes
applications from students of all races, ethnicities, and economic backgrounds
living in any of the five boroughs. Anderson is a K-8 school but accepts about
10 students in for Grade 6 Admissions. Students must apply directly to the
Anderson School using their school’s own application. The application is
separate from the district middle school application that public-school
students will submit to their guidance counselor. Applying to Anderson does not
jeopardize a student’s chances of being made an offer from any other school.
All applicants will be ranked based on a calculation from our Eligibility
Rubric that weigh all components of the student’s fourth grade final report
card and fourth grade NYS Math and ELA test scores. The 200 highest-scoring
students, as determined by the Eligibility Rubric, will be invited to The
Anderson School’s onsite admissions test. After the invited students take the
onsite admissions test, the acceptance list and ranked waitlist will be created
using our Admissions Rubric, which includes the onsite test score, fifth grade
report card, and teacher recommendations. Admissions notifications will be
emailed to families in May, at the same time as all other Department of
Education middle school placement notifications. Anderson is a feeder into the
Specialized High Schools (Stuyvesant, Bronx Science, Brooklyn Tech…). Over 90%
of Anderson students gain admission into Specialized High Schools. Anderson’s
6th grade will have two homerooms of about 32 students each. We expect the
total student population in grades 6, 7, and 8 next year to be approximately
215 students. In Anderson K-8 this year, there are approximately 560 students.
School Address: 100 West 77 Street, 10024. The phone number is: (212) 595-7193.
About
the NEST Exam:
NEST+m is a Manhattan citywide Gifted and Talented
school. All students must take the
entrance exam to be considered for admission into the Middle Grades. Below is a
list of entrance exam dates and admissions events for the 2015-16 school year.
Students in Grade 5 take this test for 6th grade entry. The 6th Grade admissions process begins with the
electronic registration for the NEST+m Admissions Exam in September, and the
test is in October. See more on the NEST+m website (www.nestmk12.net).
On the day of the exam, please bring the following to the school in a manila
folder to complete the admissions process.
(1) Copies of your child’s most recent report card, (2) Copies of the 4th grade NYS Exam in ELA/ Math or ERB, (3)
Copy of your child’s end of the year 4th grade
report card, (4) Self-addressed stamped envelope. The nest exam testing is from
February 2017 to March 2017. There are ANALOGIES and OLSAT-E (figural
analogies, pattern matrices, figural analogies, logical reasoning, and
arithmetic reasoning) type questions on the Nest Exam. The TACHS Ability
section helps with the figural classifications. The school’s address is 111
Columbia Street, New York NY 10002. The phone number is: (212) 677-5190.
ACCELERATED
MIDDLE SCHOOLS NYC
About Mark Twain:
Mark
Twain (IS 239) Brooklyn, New York is a Gifted and Talented middle school and is
known as a “feeder” into the specialized high schools. The entrance exam is
extremely competitive; in 2010, 6,355 students sought admission for 450
freshmen seats. Students should start preparing early, ideally by the beginning
of their 4th grade school year. For Mark
Twain Entrance, students take an exam based on the “major” they want to
specialize in while at this middle school. You can expect to see approximately
thirty questions consisting of complex, multi-step mathematical problem
solving, puzzle and logic questions, and pattern recognition. A thorough knowledge of K–5 math is assumed but
questions go well beyond Common Core Standards. Also expect approximately
twenty questions that ask applicants to demonstrate knowledge of basic computer
skills and vocabulary, internet fluency, and familiarity with current
technology issues. Applicants must demonstrate reading comprehension of a
technical document. Finally, there are some questions that analyze “potential”
programming ability featuring logical, sequential and iterative
thinking. For the creative writing and
journalism test, expect to see two parts. In part one (40%), applicants
answer 40 multiple choice questions on a variety of topics including reading
comprehension, spelling, grammar, punctuation, and vocabulary. In part two
(60%), applicants write an original composition (choice of two topics) that
will be evaluated on development of ideas, organization, voice, word choice,
sentence fluency, originality, creativity, writing mechanics, and use of
conventions. The school’s address: 2401 Neptune
Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11224. The phone number is (718) 266-0814.
The Grade 5 Mark Twain Testing
timeline is as follows:
- Sept
— Submit request for Mark Twain’s Testing
- Sept
— Mark Twain application available
- Early
Oct — Mark Twain Open House
- Oct
— Application info & handouts (for download)
- Nov/Dec
— School choice applications deadline
- Nov/Dec
— Application deadline Mark Twain
- Jan
or Feb — Entrance Exam Mark Twain
- May
— Results from Mark Twain Entrance Exam
- Admissions
are based on exam score and school choice
ACCELERATED
MIDDLE SCHOOLS NYC
About
Q300:
The 30th Avenue School
(“Q300”) is a Citywide Gifted and Talented school that admits students from any
of the five boroughs of New York City and serves students in grades 6, 7 and 8.
Students in grade 5 apply to this middle school. In 2015, 88% of the Q300
middle school students scored a 3 or 4 on the ELA, and a solid 91% of the
student body scored a 4/4, placing Q300 as one of the ten best middle schools
in NYC and the highest in all of School District 30. There are only 115
students at this school in total. The school’s address is 28-37 29th St,
Queens, NY 11102. The phone number is: (718) 626-8502.300’
About
Middle School Gifted and Talented Admissions:
- 35%
NYS Test Scores from Grade 4 (ELA & Mathematics)
- 35%
Report card grades (Grade 4 - ELA, social studies, mathematics, and
science)
- 10%
Attendance and Tardiness/Lateness
- 20%
Academic Behaviors/ Teacher comments from Grade 4 report card
About P.S. 122:
P.S. 122 is a District Gifted and Talented
Middle School, (not part of the 5 citywide) also known as the Academy for the
Intellectually Gifted, that aims to maximize the degree of academic
acceleration while providing a diverse array of enrichment opportunities and an
emphasis on the physical, social, and emotional well-being of the exceptional
students. Academic content work incorporates many opportunities to engage in
problem-based learning (PBL), interdisciplinary projects, and teacher, as well
as self/peer, assessments. Students will be selected based on ELA and Math
Scores, attendance, lateness, and teacher comments regarding student work
habits and behavior. This school is very highly rated and many kids from 122
get into Hunter. P.S. 122’s address is 2121 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria, NY 11105.
Phone number: (718) 721-6410
About
Scholars Academy:
Scholars Academy is a college preparatory
school (grades 6-12) where students wear school uniforms. There are has 1300
middle and high school students. Students complete all their Regents
requirements by 10th grade and move on to advanced placement
classes. Scholars boasts a 100% 4-year college acceptance rate. The school
address is 3-20
Beach 104th St, Rockaway Park, NY 11694. Phone number: (718) 474-6917
ACCELERATED
MIDDLE SCHOOLS NYC
About TAG Middle School:
TAG is a
hidden jewel within the citywide gifted and talented options. To apply, you
need a recommendation letter from your 4th or 5th grade
teacher and 4/4 ELA and 4/4 Math Scores.
In 2016, 80 kids applied. 4 were accepted for September 2016 5th
grade entry. TAG also offers 6th and 7th grade entry. In
2016, TAG received a higher ranking than NEST+M middle school. TAG administers
its own exam and interview. Two people interview each student; the following
year’s teacher (grade 6 teacher will interview a grade 5 student) and
advisor/class counselor. The TAG test is 3-hours long (which is just like the
Hunter test). The TAG test is based on common core math and English, which is
one full grade higher than the student’s current level. TAG offers an advisory
class ever Wednesday and Robotics on Fridays. Every summer, students from TAG
are required to complete 3 book reports, 2 science research reports, and 120
challenging math problems, all above grade level. TAG offers clubs such as
Debate, Chess, and Latin Jazz Band. The address is 240 East 109th Street, New York, NY 10029 and the
phone number is (212) 860-6003.
About the Brooklyn School of Inquiry:
Brooklyn School of Inquiry (also known as PS/IS 686), often referred to as BSI, serves students K-8. BSI is the only Citywide Gifted and
Talented (G&T) program in Brooklyn and one of five in all of New York City.
G&T programs are provided for students identified as gifted and
talented by assessments that are administered by the New York City Department
of Education (DOE). For the program, students are selected solely based on test
scores. To be eligible for placement to Citywide G&T programs, students must
score at or above the 97th percentile on the ELA and MATH state exams
administered the year prior. The total number of
students at BSI is 426. The school was founded in 2009. BSI’s address is 50 Avenue P, Benson Hurst, NY 11204. Phone
number is (718) 621-5730.
About East Side Middle School:
Getting into
East Side Middle School is like winning the middle school lottery. This school,
open to District 2 residents in Manhattan only, offers an outstanding,
completely free, accelerated education along with numerous arts and technology
programs for students in grades 6-8. East Side Middle has a separate entrance
exam plus interview. Don’t bother applying if you have more than 7 absences.
This school brings in book authors to read the books they wrote to students out
loud and the ESM astronomy class brought in famous astronaut Michael Kelly. The
School’s address is 331 E 91st St,
New York, NY 10128. Phone number (212) 360-0114.
ACCELERATED
MIDDLE SCHOOLS NYC
About Lower Lab and the NYC Lab School:
Lower
Lab provides creative instruction and lots of group work geared to the needs
and interests of its gifted and talented (G&T) student population. Social
studies lessons are the connective tissue of learning at Lower Lab; they are
enriched through community partnerships at each grade level. First-graders
learn about architecture and design in partnership with the Center for
Architecture; 2nd-graders study buildings, bridges and landmarks in their local
community. The Salvadori Center; 3rd-graders look at different cultures through
dance and music at Symphony Space; and 4th-graders work with Wingspan Arts to
develop dramatic presentations based on lessons in New York history. Lower Lab
encourages participation in clubs and competitions including Math Olympiads for
grades 4 and 5, the NYS Math League, the National Science Competition and CML
coding (computer science. Lab teaches
students to debate in conjunction with persuasive writing in 5th grade and an
author-in-residence works with 3rd-graders as they learn the art of revision in
realistic fiction. All students receive instruction in art, music, chess,
Spanish (grades k–2) and Latin (grades 3–5). Sixth graders at Lab can take
Engineering courses! The entrance exam to Lab is as follows: There is a
literary response as well as a required creative essay, long responses, short
responses, and math problems involving logic. Teachers at Lab write their own
math curriculum and therefore want to see strong math performers. Lab also has
a required collaborative group activity. 3000 students applying for 190 places in the 6th grade and with
approximately 3000 students applying for 136 places in the 9th grade. Lab
Middle and Lab High are two discrete schools, and students who are accepted to
Lab Middle School are not automatically admitted to Lab high school. Lab high
school gives priority to applicants from district 2. Admission into the 6th grade is based on
an entrance exam consisting of one page of mathematics problems and an essay. The
Lab test takes place at the end of January, the same week the NYS regents exams
are given. There are 1056 students in total. The address is: 333 W 17th St, New
York, NY 10011. The Phone number is: (212) 691-6119
About the Salk School of Science:
Salk is well known for development of abilities in, the
sciences, particularly the medical and biological sciences. Science and math
are specialties at the school, including special classes for it and
after-school programs. The school's nontraditional discovery-based learning
methodology has been cited as resulting in improved cognitive and reasoning
skills in students. Members of the New York medical community
work with the school to develop curriculum, and members of the Schools of Medicine and
New York University School of Dentistry teach and mentor students in
grades 6 through 8. The NYU Medical Center makes facilities
available to the school, and members of the science faculty of the NYU School
of Medicine review school students at certain points in their school career,
notably at admission and graduation. The school’s address is 320 E 20th St, New York, NY 10003. Phone:
(212) 614-8785.
ACCELERATED
MIDDLE SCHOOLS NYC
About Russell Sage JHS
190 Honors Classes:
As of 2017, there are 5 “honors” classes at Russell Sage JHS
190 in the 6th grade. They are classes 6A1, 6S1, 6G1, 6R1, and 6E1.
All honors classes are now required to take the NYS regents exams in three
subjects: Algebra 1 (Common Core), US History, and Living Environment in the 8th
grade. There are four “honors” classes in the 8th grade. They are:
8s1, 8a1, 8g1, and 8e1. The new Principal, Grecco, has launched an initiative to put every Russell Sage honors
student on track to take three Regents exams by June of 8th grade,
encouraging students to get a head start on Regents requirements before they
start high school. The school’s address
is 68-17 Austin Street and the phone number is: (718) 830-4970.
About Halsey JHS 157 Honors
Classes:
As of 2017, there are 7 “honors” classes at Halsey: 621, 622,623, 624, 625, 626, and 627. The same
“21-27” applies to 7th grade and then the honors classes drop down
to only three in the 8th grade. Thanks
to the A+ principal, all Halsey honors classes are now required to take the NYS
regents exams in three subjects: Algebra 1 (Common Core), US History, and
Living Environment in the 8th grade. Halsey is, in my opinion,
simply amazing. The school’s principal, Suraci, has successfully created a
warm, friendly, learning environment and the school even offers weekly evening
ESL classes for parents of Halsey students. The school’s address is 63-55 102nd St, Rego Park, NY 11374, and the phone number is (718) 830-4910.
ACCELERATED MIDDLE SCHOOLS
NYC
About Louis Armstrong Middle School - MS 227:
Armstrong Students who score high 3’ or 4/4 on ELA and Math
state exams in Grade 7 are eligible to take regents classes in Math and science
in grade 8. The “big” division between regular and honors takes place based on
grade 7 state scores. The school’s address is 32-02 Junction Blvd (32 Ave)
Jackson Heights, NY 11372. Their phone number is: (718) 335-7500.
Success Academy Charter Schools:
Success Academy offers an Incredible line of charter schools
with accelerated learning and long class days, but you must apply for entry as
early as pre-K to 2nd grade to get a spot in their middle school.
Class days are 9 hours long and students dismiss early on Wednesday for staff
development. Success doesn’t follow the DOE break and vacation schedule so be
prepared to have spring break in March not April and to not have president’s
“week” off. There are only 25 students per class. The school uses printed
packets not textbooks. I have seen the homework material and its hard! Levels
in class are above what’s expected per grade. Somehow these schools got it
right; success Academy Charters score among the highest in ELA and Math in NYS.
The downside is there seems to be an ongoing feud with the Success Academy
founder and director, Eva Moskowitz, and Mayor Bill Deblasio to offer permanent
class locations throughout New York City.
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