Brooklyn Brownstone School

272 MacDonough Street

School District

New York City Geographic District #16
Grade

PK, K-5
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:14
Type

public

School Map for New York City Geographic District #16

GreatSchools Rating

The school rating calculation is based on four ratings: the Student Progress Rating or Academic Progress Rating, College Readiness Rating, Equity Rating, and Test Score Rating each designed to show different facets of school success. Learn more about GreatSchools Ratings

Reviews

Submitted by parent on July 08, 2024

The Brooklyn Brownstone School has been an incredible environment for both of our children. We've now experienced many years and different grades at the school, and in every year, my kids have felt supported, safe, and have been very well supported academically. Parents are very engaged and this feels like a community. The staff communicates well and frequently, and Principal Brunner and AP Richards are very dedicated to the ideals set forward in this school's founding- principals of equity, community, family engagement, and meeting each child where they are at. We are very happy to be a part of the TBBS family!
Submitted by parent on May 23, 2023

I recommend this school to all the parents looking for a fantastic elementary school for their child. The principal is by far the best principle EVER!!!! He ensures that the school is always safe and he cares about the children’s social and emotional needs. The staff is AMAZING ALL THE TIME. My daughter started this school in Kindergarten and she still attends the school. I do not live nearby the school but I’m willing to travel all the way to The Brooklyn Brownstone School. I’m happy that my daughter attends this school. TBBS WE ARE THE BEST!!!!!!
Submitted by parent on November 04, 2022

I really wanted to love this school but NO. My child attended this school and the work was so mediocre. She was very bored and the teachers are very aggressive- this is elementary school. The principal BRUNNER is also very rude and had made a rude comment about me in front of my child. It seems as though he’s trying to make the school up with faces of his kind (white). For years I noticed he would only engage in conversation with the white parents. I dislike the school and majority of the staff. They didn’t live up to half of what they promised at orientation.
Submitted by parent on January 15, 2022

Our experience at TBBS has been amazing straight from the get go. The virtual tour set the tone of our experience: it was all about answering our questions and helping us navigate the system of selecting a school in a genuine and knowledgeable manner. We could already feel that this school has students and families’ best interest at heart and in action. Our son started in pre-k in sept 2021 and absolutely loves his teacher. His classroom is an invitation to learn with different stations, birds, games and nooks of knowledge in a well lit and joyful atmosphere. The projects following the curriculum are really insightful and you can feel the vocation of the different teachers. The communication with the overall school is very transparent and we do feel that we can work together to create a safe, respectful, inclusive, and enjoyable environment for our kids to thrive. We can’t wait for our second son to join the school next year too. We are very grateful to be part of this community.
Submitted by other on January 15, 2022

Fantastic school. The best in Brooklyn. Teachers are supportive, kind, and know the children well. Principal Brunner is wonderful. He is very responsive, and goes above and beyond. They all really care about the community and kids. This year they added Spanish. It’s amazing that this public school has so much to offer. We are lucky to have The Brooklyn Brownstone School in Bed-Stuy.
Submitted by parent on January 13, 2022

Our daughter began at TBBS in Pre-K in 2020 and her teacher Ms. Yancey was incredibly attentive, encouraging, and straight-up loving, and managed the pandemic/blended learning situation with grace and stamina. We were thrilled to be able to send my daughter in person later in the year and she thrived there. Our daughter is now in Kindergarten and continues to have a great experience. She entered in September with very basic, sound-it-out-slowly beginning reading skills and was reading quite fluently by November! Just needed the push of a stimulating learning environment. We're also so grateful for the special classes teachers—particularly that they offer Spanish instruction, and a great music room! I have also had nothing but positive and productive dialogue with teachers & administration. The entire community is quite supportive and the academics are strong while being realistic for age level. So glad to have this school in our neighborhood.
Submitted by parent on January 13, 2022

The Brooklyn Brownstone School is thee one for your little one. If you’re looking for a school that’s:Expresses a close knitted and welcoming atmosphere for families of the enrolled.Keeps you involved and updated with the lastest on everything that occurs with the school. A staff that is reachable and conveniently available at every request or question you may have. Principal that listens and takes into consideration the needs of concerned parents. Amazing first year teachers!And so much more this is the school you need apply!This is my son’s second year here and I love it. It was the best decision we’ve made. We feel like family here. I’m happy we made the decision to send him to TBBS.
Submitted by parent on January 13, 2022

We’re a second year TBBS family, having started in Pre-K at the peak of the pandemic. At that time, our kiddo had only attended one prior school for both the daycare years and 3K — his best friends and trusted teachers had been there with him, every day, for years. To say transitioning to “big kid school” while relearning life in the time of COVID was a challenge is an incredible understatement. Our kiddo was resistant to adjust. Ms. Yancey, his teacher, was relentless — relentlessly communicative, compassionate, determined, loving, nurturing, observant, dedicated. She guided our son until he was back on track, once again confident, learning, growing, connecting, and thriving. All along, Vice Principal Ms. Richards was right there supporting our teacher, our child, and us. I never felt alone, uninvolved, or uninformed. In terms of supporting the entire parent population, I don’t think Principal Brunner has many peers. He goes extra miles (yes, miles) for his school community. He loves what he does and it’s so apparent in his every word and action. Other pluses: education plans are considered per child to keep al students challenged and engaged. Wellness is prioritized. The parent community—there is widespread involvement, contribution, and participation. A PTA and SLT team parents are encouraged to engage with, and an on-site after-school program led by incredibly warm and attentive educators.This year we have Ms. Fraser for Kindergarten and, frankly, we lucked out again. She is absolutely amazing, our son is learning by leaps and bounds, and his world is opening wide. Reading, language, mixed-medium art, and a love for jazz in the background to relax are this month’s obsessions — we can’t wait to see what’s next.What initially appealed to us about TBBS is the balance: a top-notch arts program and teachers coupled with significant amount of deeply experienced educators on staff. We almost didn’t apply due to the lack of a foreign language program. We’re so happy that the pros outweighed that one sticking point because, here are we, year two, with a very impressive Spanish language program taught by yet another incredible teacher. This is a school of absolute experts with endlessly generous hearts.
Submitted by parent on January 13, 2022

After trying two local private schools in our neighborhood, we opted to move our child to public and enrolled her as a Kindergartener this year at The Brooklyn Brownstone School (TBBS). TBBS stood out to us from the start, right from the virtual tours (which are ongoing--sign up now!). The staff (including Principal Brunner and AP Richards, but also others, including the school's counselors and family coordinator) genuinely cares about the students and their families and is seeing the school through unprecidented (i.e., COVID-related) challenges with grace, compassion, and patience. They are as transparent as possible, invite feedback and input from families, and are always responsive. Our experience with our daughter's homeroom, music, art, Spanish, and PE teachers has been consistently positive; they are kind, responsive, engaged, highly trained, and exhibit saint-like patience. Our daughter is excited to go to school every single day. We know she feels safe, cared for, and challenged academically. She very much enjoys her extracurricular classes, especially music--each child has their own keyboard! In short, we cannot say enough good things about this very special school, which is unique (especially in that it is a public school originally created by parents), inclusive, and deserving of praise.
Submitted by parent on January 13, 2022

Our daughter has attended Brooklyn Brownstone for Pre-k and Kindergarten, and we plan on sending her for the remainder of Elementary school. We have loved it. In the midst of COVID-19, the transparency and constant level of communication we received via ClassDojo and emails from both her teachers (Ms Yancey: Pre-k & / Ms. Diaz: Kindergarten) and the administrative staff have been fantastic.We're confident that she's keeping up with the foundations of her education (i.e. setting clear goals for reading and basic math and sticking to them) while enjoying her time exploring the school's broader curriculum which now includes learning Spanish. She likes going to school, she's really been at home here. Principal Brunner and Vice Principal Richards are incredible - they stay on top of questions the parents have and have routine town halls/other parent meeting to keep everyone on the same page. They have been open and receptive to all questions the parents have.Bottom line - our daughter enjoys going to school in the morning. She's safe, is making a ton of friends, and learning. We've been very fortunate to have her at Brooklyn Brownstone. I'd encourage anyone interested to take a tour of the school - I did that and immediately knew it would be great place to learn and grow.
Submitted by parent on January 13, 2022

Brooklyn Brownstone is definitely the best school you could ever choose for your child. My daughter has been going there since kindergarten and she has had such Amazing teachers each year. The teachers communicate well with me and this helps us work as a team to support my daughter. The staff, Principal Brunner and Vice Principal Richards are such a great team they work together to support the children and parents with whatever is needed. Brooklyn Brownstone is not just a school, we are a very close community that is more like a family. My daughter has developed and grown educationally,, emotionally and mentally. The Brooklyn Brownstone School community really supports the entire family. Both me and my husband have crazy work schedules but the teachers, Vice Principal and Principal make time to speak with us and answer any questions or give us guidance on things. Especially with the crazy pandemic times that we are in open communication is key to making sure your children are set up for success. I don't worry about my daughter when she is in school because I know they truly care for her. My daughter is known by name and face to Principal Brunner and Vice Principal Richard's and it is great to be apart of The Brooklyn Brownstone School (TBBS) community. My daughter has learned so much, when she was struggling with reading last school year they helped me get her into a free tutoring program and now she reads above grade level. When my husband was sick The Principal checked on us and the Vice Principal checked on us and went out of her way to support us. I can't thank them enough for everything. I truly Thank God for the TBBS community. So if you are looking for a strong school and community join the The Brooklyn Brownstone School community you won't be sorry. Your children and you as parents will benefit when you come to TBBS.Signed Grateful and Blessed Mom Shemeka B.
Submitted by parent on January 12, 2022

As a teacher myself it was extremely important to me to find a school where I felt my daughter was supported, challenged, accepted and loved. Brooklyn Brownstone has met each of those expectations. Even though 1.5 years of her time was spent remote, my daughter was still able to receive a quality education and make connections with her teachers- some of whom she never even met in person! The teachers at TBBS obviously care about the students. They value differentiation which was also something I looked for because my daughter doesn't like to be "bored" in school. By the end of kindergarten, she was reading a year and a half above grade level and her teacher took the time to do 1 on 1 book club meetings with her during remote learning so she would feel challenged. In 1st grade, the teachers departmentalized during remote learning and she was able to connect with each during their live meetings. Now that she is in 2nd grade and back in person, I have watched her growth in all subject areas. She is able to articulate the things she's learned and make connections. The school also offers. music, art, P.E and Spanish to engage students other skills, which is awesome. The principal Mr.Brunner is involved, communicative and clearly cares about the school. The use of Class Dojo is great for keeping parents informed. I cannot recommend TBBS enough. My daughter loves her school (when we had to move, one of her biggest concerns was "do I have to change schools?!) and she is eagerly awaiting seeing her younger cousin potentially enroll for kindergarten!
Submitted by parent on January 12, 2022

Daughter is in kindergarten! Teachers and PTA very attentive. Respond very quickly to needs and concerns.
Submitted by parent on October 01, 2019

Great. My child is happy and learning and they seem invested in adapting the latest practices to help their kids succeed. Nurturing environment gets the same quality education into kids without being selective or militaristic like charter schools. The after school program could use more of an emphasis on academics and I would LOVE for them to offer a language that’s critical for kids. But their are lots of clubs developing (chess, lacrosse) and everyone is trying to pitch in to make it happen so I’m grateful. My kid’s happy and learning so I’m happy.
Submitted by other on June 21, 2019

School is great. I was very pleased with my son's teachers. Overall I am pleased with the school. However; my issue is with the unprofessional school safety agents. They lack professionalism and are very ignorant.
Submitted by parent on June 27, 2017

I am SO over this school. Ms. Haskins has a terrible attitude, always thinks she's better than others AND always looks out for her friends and families. She picks and chooses her people. The school does NOTHING for their graduates, where Kindergarten or 5th graders. Their PTA and fundraising efforts don't seem to go to the students. There's a lot more, but I hope you get the drift.
Submitted by other on March 11, 2017

This Brooklyn Brownstone School is one of the best elementary schools in Brooklyn. They are, by FAR, the best in Bed-Stuy/ District 16. Their performance on state tests is not only far above the district average, but the entire city! There is a reason this school has grown every year. They offer programs such as Music and Visual Arts to every student every day. They have a basketball team, robotics club, school garden, cooking workshop, and after-school tutoring for all 3rd-5th grade students. It's unfortunate that a few disgruntled parents are the ones posting on this website to paint a poor picture of such a great school.
Submitted by parent on March 09, 2017

To put this bluntly---this is not a good school for African American children. My child started Kindergarten at TBBS, and he was sent home with a spelling word sheet. The teacher listed one set of spelling words for the class, another set of easier words for specific students, and another set of challenging words for another group of students. (Yes, she actually listed their names). I quickly noticed that the challenging spelling words were assigned to the two white students and one bi-racial student in the class. My kid is now in first grade. The white students from his Kindergarten class are now in his class. Guess who the first, second and third place winner of the school Science Fair were? The two white and the bi-racial kid---the same ones who were challenged more in Kindergarten. Guess who got Honor Roll for the quarter? The same two white kids and bi-racial kid. As a matter of fact, for the entire first grade, almost every kid awarded a prize for the science fair was white. Only one black student won anything. I saw the science fair projects. The one student who won had a sloppy project that was far less impressive than some of the others. If you think these are isolated incidents, think again. The principal openly favors the white parents---even taking more time to talk to them after school. The white students are pushed ahead at every turn. They even take the white kids from the Pre-K class and move them into Kindergarten and first grade classes to study. I teach my kid that white kids are not inherently smarter than he is---that intelligence is not linked to race. But the school gives a different message entirely. Don't believe me? Look at the past honor roll winners, the science fair winners, the star of the week winners---overwhelmingly white in a school that is overwhelmingly black. My son told me that the kids went to a field trip and participated in some sort of skit where only the red haired white children got a strawberry shortcake while the other kids had to watch and get nothing. The administration is all black---heck, the prinicpal is black woman---and they cater to the white parents at the expense of the black students and their education.
Submitted by parent on October 15, 2016

Pre-K is awesome. Ms. Samayoa and Ms. Glover are great, just awesome. Lots of communications that are lovely to read. The homework was varied, well organized and relevant to our child's level. Our family felt very involved in the class, perhaps because drop off was at the classroom. Kindergarten drop off is, by necessity, at the door of the school. K has just started and there is a lot of homework and the work seems disorganized. We often find that we have missed an assignment because the instructions were confusing or there was a page of work that we didn't see stuffed into the notebook. Our child is often doing homework late into the evening, despite good motivation. At that time, the child is falling asleep and trying really hard to complete it. Class time seemed well used, the one time I visited. I've not had/taken the opportunity to observe it much. Our child is learning and enjoys school, and that says a lot about the classroom environment. The parent community for K and Pre-K has been great. There is art or music every day. And the principal seems to know every student and the kids are well behaved, which I feel comes from the environment that the principal has established. The family coordinator is very helpful. I am concerned that learning will become a grind if the homework load isn't reduced. It is understandable that they are pushed to meet standards, but perhaps it is overboard. Perhaps if it were more focused, there could be less with a similar result.
Submitted by other on May 31, 2016

I had high hopes for this school, but I'm disappointed. My child is in kindergarten, and the amount of work they pile on is ridiculous. My child has a minimum of an hour to an hour and a half of homework each night. No breaks. This means homework over holiday breaks, weekends, etc. NO BREAKS. And it's basically a bunch of busy-work worksheets. Every parenting board and the American Association of Pediatrics suggests that children this young should not have homework at all. The average night: -Math worksheets-A writing assignment-Spelling test study-A reading log-A spelling assignment-Phonics workbook assignmentWeekly book reports, monthly projects and a weekly spelling test. It's TOO MUCH for a kindergartener. My child is often too exhausted to play after school. This busywork discourages creativity and gives forth the message that it is better to not try than to try and fail. I'm so fed up with this school I can't wait until the end of the school year.