Admissions

Registration Checklist

To Register a child for school you need to submit: 

1. Proof of your child’s age (child’s birth certificate, passport, or record of baptism)
2. Your child’s immunization records 
3. Your child’s latest report card/transcript (grades 1-5, if available)
4. Two documents below verifying proof of address

• Lease agreement, deed, or mortgage statement for the residence;
• A residential utility bill (gas or electric) in the resident’s name issued by a utility company (e.g., National Grid or Con Edison); must be dated within the past 60 days;
• A bill for cable television services provided to the residence; must include the name of the parent and the address of the residence and be dated within the past 60 days;
• Documentation or letter on letterhead from a federal, state, or local government agency, including the IRS, the City Housing Authority, the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement, the Human Resources Administration, or the Administration for Children’s Services (ACS), or an ACS subcontractor, indicating the resident’s name and address; must be dated within the past 60 days;
• A current property tax bill for the residence;
• A water bill for the residence; must be dated within the past 90 days;
• Rent receipt which includes the address of residence; must be dated within the past 60 days;
• State, city, or other government issued identification (including an IDNYC card), which has not expired and includes the address of residence;
• Income tax form for the last calendar year;
• Official NYS Driver’s License or learner’s permit, which has not expired;
• Official payroll documentation from an employer issued within the past 60 days such as a paystub with home address, a form submitted for tax withholding purposes, or payroll receipt (a letter on the employer’s letterhead is not adequate); must include home address and be dated within the past 60 days;
• Voter registration documents, which include the name of the parent and the address of residence;
• Unexpired membership documents based upon residency (e.g., neighborhood residents’ association), which include the name of the parent and the address of residence;
• Evidence of custody of the child, including but not limited to judicial custody orders or guardianship papers; documents must have been issued within the past 60 days and include name of student and address of residence.

 

  

 

 

FAQs (updated 2-24-21)

G&T Application 

How many G&T seats do you have?

We have a total of 50 Kindergarten seats. We do not yet know how many siblings of PS 166 students will qualify for G&T placement. In recent years we have had between 17 and 23 siblings each year admitted to kindergarten G&T classes.

We do not yet have information about upper grade G&T application.

How should I rank schools?

You should rank your choices on the application in true order of your preference. The DOE encourages families to only apply to schools which they would be willing to attend. 

How is placement determined?

Starting March 8, all families will have the opportunity to formally express interest in enrolling their child in a kindergarten G&T program. Educators from an interested family’s pre-K school or program will then complete a questionnaire to determine if the child is eligible to enter a randomized lottery for a G&T seat. Siblings of students in schools with G&T programs will have priority for admission, consistent with previous policies. If the child is not enrolled in a Pre-K for All program, families will be encouraged to sign up for a seat and if they enroll, their new program will complete the questionnaire based on a short remote interview. If a family does not sign up for pre-K, then the DOE’s Early Childhood team will complete the questionnaire based on a short remote interview.  Beginning mid-May, all eligible families will receive notification and then enter a randomized lottery. Families will receive offers this summer ahead of the fall of 2021.  

Please read the DOE’s Enrollment website pages carefully for this important information.

https://www.schools.nyc.gov/enrollment/enroll-grade-by-grade/gifted-and-talented

 

General Education Application

We live in the catchment for PS 166. Do we need to apply?

Yes! In-catchment applicants for Kindergarten must submit an application through Myschools. Parents may rank multiple schools on one application. No applications are accepted at individual schools. Visit the DOE website www.schools.nyc.gov for more information.

Are we guaranteed a seat if we live in the catchment zone?

We hope to be able to offer seats to all in-catchment applicants but if there are more applicants than seats, some in-zone children could be wait listed.

What if we live out of the catchment zone? Out of district 3?

Parents can list any schools, in or out of their catchment zone on their application but priority is still given for zoned families.

Only children who were born in 2016 may apply for kindergarten for 2021-2022 school year. A child with a 2015 birthdate will be eligible for first grade.

 

About PS 166

How many children are in the school? Each class? How many classes in the school?

There are approximately 600 children in the school in the 20-21 year.

Kindergarten classes have 25 students; Grades 1-5 have between 25 and 32.

Generally, we have: 5 kindergartens, four 1^st grades; four 2^nd grades; four 3^rd grades; four 4^th grades; and four 5^th grades.  This is subject to change.

We have two G&T classes on every grade and two General Ed classes, one of which is an ICT (Integrated Co-Teaching.)

Do you have any Special Education classes?

We have one ICT class (Integrated Co-Teaching) on every grade level, which is comprised of both general education and special education students (60/40) and 2 certified teachers (one gen-ed and one special ed).

How long is the school day?

Pre-pandemic our school day was from 8:20 AM - 2:40 PM.  For the  20-21 school year, the school hours are from 8:30 AM - 2:00 PM.

Are there teaching assistants?

Kindergarten and grade 1 classes have full day teaching assistants. Grades 2-5 have part time assistants who rotate among the classes. TAs also help supervise lunch and recess. The assistants are funded by PTA Annual Giving and fundraisers throughout the year. The TAs are hired and supervised by our administration. Note: while we hope this program will continue as it has, loss of PTA revenue and DOE budget cuts due to the coronavirus pandemic could have an effect on hiring TAs.

Do you offer breakfast and lunch? How much does it cost?

We offer breakfast and lunch every day. On early dismissal days we offer a bagged grab-n-go lunch. Lunch is free for all DOE students regardless of family income. We follow the DOE alternative lunch menu for K-8. More about school food can be found at https://www.schools.nyc.gov/school-life/food/menus

Students have a 25 minute lunch and a 25 minute recess every day.

Who supervises the children during lunch and recess?

Lunch and recess are supervised by administrators, TAs and other school staff members. We also have recess coaches who engage the children in exercise and games during recess.

Do you have a library?

Yes. Classes visit the library to check out books on a weekly basis. Note: we are in the middle of a full library renovation. We hope it will be completed by fall of 2021 but there may be a delay.

What specials classes do students have each week?

Pre-pandemic our students went to phys-ed, art, music, theater and technology. We plan to re-instate them when possible.

What literacy program do you use?

We use the Teachers College Reading and Writing Program which encompasses balanced literacy with a focus on the Common Core Standards. Reading includes word study, phonics, spelling, decoding vocabulary, daily read-alouds, guided, shared and silent reading. There is writing in every subject area.

What math program do you use?

We use a standards based math program that includes many components. Students use Math Rotations and Number Talks, working in small groups at math centers. Students are assessed using ECAM (Early Childhood Assessments in Mathematics) a research-based, comprehensive interview assessment tool in K-2 and Screener Centers in 3-5.

Is there homework in kindergarten?

Teachers assign homework to students to both reinforce units of study and to deepen the level of understanding of classroom lessons. Homework promotes student responsibility, helps to foster independence and helps students to budget their time and organize their work.

Kindergarten teachers begin sending reading book baggies and abc sound cards (based on need) home in October. Spelling words will be shared in October but formal spelling homework and any and all written homework will begin in January. Students should read (or have parents read to them) 20 minutes nightly. Reading 20 minutes a day increases a child’s vocabulary by 1.8 million words a year.

Are any foreign languages taught at PS 166?

No, but some language classes are available in the Re-Create Arts and Athletics Afterschool Program.

What outside organizations do you work with?

Organizations we have partnered with recently include Metropolitan Opera, NY Historical Society, Child Mind Institute, Landmarks West, Wellness In The Schools (WITS) and more.

Do students go on field trips?

Pre-pandemic, students went on many field trips.  At PS 166, teachers takes advantage of being in a city with so many cultural institutions and opportunities. Our students visit many museums such as the Guggenheim, the Whitney, the Met, the NYC Fire Museum, the Tenement Museum and more and see performances at Symphony Space, the Met Opera, and the Swedish Cottage, just to name a few.

What is the interaction between programs?

We are one school with 2 programs –General Education (which includes ICT classes) and G&T. Teachers in both programs plan lessons together across the grade. Students visit other classrooms for publishing parties, science fairs, etc. In recess and lunch, students are grouped by grade. Performing Arts shows, assemblies, field trips and afterschool programs are also opportunities for all students to get to know other children outside of their classroom.  

Where do the 5^th graders move on to?

Fifth graders move on to many different schools. In recent years, the largest number of students went to MS 54, followed by West End Secondary and the Computer School. Some went to Anderson, Columbia Secondary School, Mott Hall II, Lafayette Academy and MSC, among others. A few move on to attend private schools.

Do you have an afterschool program?

Re-Create Arts and Athletics is our afterschool provider. They offer a wide variety of classes as well as supervised activity/homework help. Afterschool begins with a snack when school ends and runs until 5:40 PM. Students may attend from one class per week up to 10 classes per week. Please visit their website http://artsandathletics.org/ for more information. For the 20-21 year, all afterschool classes are off-site or virtual. 

Is there yellow bus service?

Transportation is available to students in accordance with the eligibility guidelines of the Office of Pupil Transportation (OPT) Please visit https://www.schools.nyc.gov/school-life/transportation/bus-eligibility for more eligibility requirements.