Central School

1100 Palmer Avenue

School District

Mamaroneck Union Free
Grade

PK, K-5
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:13
Type

public

School Map for Mamaroneck Union Free School District

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 February 20, 2024

The best community environment where the students are excited to learn and be part of the larger school family! Teachers are passionate and there are many opportunities for parents to get involved too. There’s no place like Central!
Submitted by parent on July 07, 2022

The best school ever!! We were so lucky to go to this school!! Amazing teachers that put their heart and souls into teaching
Submitted by parent on May 18, 2020

Wonderful school with a nurturing environment and a dedicated team. Set in lots of green open space, with woodland classroom and gardens. The teachers go above and beyond to care for their kids. Our children have been so happy here.
Submitted by parent on May 19, 2019

8 years of excellence. We had nothing but a great experience.
Submitted by parent on May 13, 2019

My daughters have been going to Central for 3 years now. My oldest girl joined in 3rd Grade and my younger daughter in Kindergarten in September 2016. Both girls have had such an amazing experience here. All the teachers are caring and very supportive, and the school's ethos is very evident. Mindfulness is part of the curriculum for the lower grades, and the students are encouraged to be kind and respectful to each other, and to be thoughtful members of their community. I have been particularly impressed with how the school deals with the inevitable friendship issues that can spring up between children. Issues are resolved promptly and effectively by the teachers. My older daughter was unfortunately targeted by a bully in her first year in the school. As soon as we told her teacher about it, the teacher dealt with it immediately, with the full backing of the school's administration. Though my daughter clearly had a bad experience with the bully, she felt very empowered by the way in which the situation was dealt with. All of the teachers at Central are excellent. They clearly care very much about their students, and this shows through strongly in the affection that my girls and all their friends have for their teachers. The school is also blessed with a strong and active PTA that enriches the school further, raising funds to improve the school's facilities, and providing some great initiatives within the school. We have had 3 very happy years as members of the Central community - we will be sad to leave at the end of this year.
Submitted by parent on May 08, 2019

We moved from another area not very far away and were hesitant about using the public school system. Our kids had been in private school and we assumed we would continue on that path. However, our neighbors convinced us to check out Central before making a decision. I'm so glad we did! We have been nothing but impressed with the staff, the programs, even the physical space at the school - large classrooms, multiple playgrounds and plenty of running space. From our first meeting with the administration and our tour of the school (in the heat of August and with classrooms not even set up yet), we have been impressed and happy. Our kids are excited to go to school and are both doing very well. The PTA is amazing - working with the administration they bring great programs to the school and while I haven't been as involved as I wish I could I'm happy that there are parents who are. The staff is warm and professional - I feel very comfortable reaching out to them and am impressed with the work my kids are doing. Last year the classes were larger than usual in one grade and my child still did very well and had the same great experience we're used to. The administration is very visible and hands-on. Honestly, I don't think my kids had much interaction with the principal in their former school but here the kids speak about the principal and assistant principal often. Overall, my kids are in excellent hands as far as academics go and are also thriving socially.
Submitted by parent on May 08, 2019

Central is an Amazing school and we feel grateful our children get to learn here. The community is warm and nurturing and constantly striving to be great. It is a diverse population and these differences are celebrated. Students organically develop an appreciation for others and this spreads to the rest of the community. We absolutely love this school and can't say enough wonderful things about the school, staff, community, and administration.
Submitted by parent on May 08, 2019

Central rocks!! We count ourselves among the lucky ones to be able to call this incredibly nurturing place home. The teachers take their time to educate the students and show that they truly care. They even host special lunches with former students!! I find this to be one of many effective ways to show a young person how much they are valued. I have appreciated the time each teacher takes to go over units in each subject throughout the year. Have you seen the green spaces? These are tended to by dedicated volunteers and they even involve the students in different projects!! What a neat way to learn!!!This place is a very special community of people - from the administration to the staff to the PTA. We will continue to cherish our time at this very special place.
Submitted by parent on January 22, 2019

Central is amazing . Our family moved to this area over 14 years ago. All 3 of our sons went through the school; with this being our final year here, as our youngest is in 5th grade. We are originally from Queens, NY and we wanted a very diverse school for our children. We also wanted an academic excellence and strong leadership - all within a nurturing / caring atmosphere. Central is above and beyond in all these aspects. Everyone is treated as a family member and I have never encountered a teacher or staff member who didn't give 110% for the children attending the school. They have enriched our children and community so much that we are saddened that this is our last year at Central. We consider Central to be our family. To this day our 2 older sons (both in high school now) still go back to volunteer and visit. Central School is an extraordinary facility in every aspect of a school.
Submitted by parent on December 05, 2018

Central is a hidden gem! My family moved to the Larchmont/Mamaroneck area 5 years ago with the express desire to send our kids to a good, decent-sized public school district. At the time, we were not looking for a specific elementary school within the district and bought a house in the Central zone. I honestly feel like we won the lottery--my kids love going to school! Now in our 3rd year at Central, my children have had 7 different teachers between them, and each has been more amazing than the next. My children's previous teachers take their own lunch time to sit and eat with past students, or go out of their way to say hi and see how the next grade is going. You can tell just by walking into the building that the teachers, staff and administrators love what they do and genuinely care about each student, and they all work closely with the parent body and community to make Central a warm and welcoming place every day of the school year. My family wouldn't trade our experience at Central for anything.
Submitted by parent on December 03, 2018

This school feels like it's in 1958 Alabama rather than 2018 New York state. The racism. disrespect and lack of compassion is frightening. I feel like my child is Ruby Bridges. I hope going public will encourage the district to effect changes. Larchmont is a beautiful area where my husband and I decided to purchase our home over 10 years ago. It is a shame that Central School is sullying the reputation of this town.
Submitted by parent on November 14, 2018

It's truly a terrible school. There is hardly any diversity and the school discriminates against minorities. You would constantly be concerned about your children's wellbeing. I prefer my child in a diverse school that respects children from all walks of life and advocates a "no place for hate" but the atmosphere in this school is horrible, I'm so glad my child no longer attends such a school.
Submitted by parent on June 17, 2017

We found the school to be below our expectations. Great offering of extracurricular programs. OK progress on curricular activities. Poor leadership, discrimination towards minorities, lack of focus on kids mutual respect.
Submitted by other on May 06, 2017

Our son is about to finish K and we've found the school to be fabulous in terms ofacademics and overall offerings (music, library, gardening, afterschool clubs, field trips) all designed at developing the whole child. We have a lot of Central kindergarteners in our neighborhood and everyone has been thrilled. An amazing PTA that puts on a bevy of great events.
Submitted by other on September 01, 2015

You will not be in good hands at Central, you will be in GREAT hands. My child transferred into this district last year and we have had nothing but a positive experience from teachers to aides to Principal. The principal is a hands on class act. She is wonderful. My child adjusted so well. The teachers are phenomenal. Central school is truly a gift. I cannot find one single flaw to mention here. It's a real community feel with very nice families. Nothing is perfect. But this place is as close as it gets!
Submitted by parent on May 15, 2015

We love Central School. It's our fourth year at the school and we can honestly say the teachers are great, class sizes generally small (unless there are a lot of late enrollees), the student body diverse, after school clubs and other activities enriching (Circus Arts and Magic are my kids' favorites), and families friendly. We also like that this school has the most green space out of any elementary school in the Mamaroneck Union Free School District. Very happy to be at this school.
Submitted by parent on February 01, 2015

This school never closes. I don't know about you but in a blizzard I don't want anyone driving on the roads. God firbid a bus crashes. They don't care, they are always open. They are not on news 12 so be prepared for your 5am wake up call to tell you it's a 2 hour delay. I can't wait to move. The bullying at this school is also a huge issue. Never again will I come back to Westchester schools. The teachers are the only good thing here, but in the end it's not about what they say, it's the district. Choose wisely before moving here.
Submitted by parent on January 29, 2015

We are so grateful to the faculty and staff at Central School. We moved our daughter here from another area school and have had one great teacher after another. We find the atmosphere at the school to be very professional, warm and centered on the needs of the children. We think this school really is a wonderful and happy learning environment for children.
Submitted by parent on August 23, 2012

This school is a gift - from administration to office staff to teachers, everyone works hard and has the students' best interest at heart. Students are viewed as individual learners and the teachers focus on providing additional support when needed and nurturing each child's strengths and interests. As a parent, I have been so impressed with how in depth the teachers can discuss my children's progress throughout the year. The overall feeling of the building is comfortable and inviting and from the moment you enter the school, children's work is celebrated everywhere. I have also been very pleased with how approachable the administration is. They truly have an open door policy and are happy to answer any questions. I attended a couple of workshops they led and feel they are truly instructional leaders. Both the principal and assistant principal have extensive teaching experience and taught many grade levels before becoming administrators. They clearly understand curriculum and are very supportive of teachers expanding their own learning. Overall, we could not be happier with our experience at Central and are thrilled that our children are in such good hands!
Submitted by parent on April 06, 2012

Great school in a great district. Teachers are caring and use a very differentiated approach to instruction while still following rigorous curriculum guidelines and meeting state standards. The atmosphere is warm and inviting and the administration is very attentive to both kids and parents. I am so pleased with the diversity of this school and feel it is another one of its strengths. The teachers have many professional development opportunities and while they might be out of the classroom to be involved in it, they come back with new ideas that benefit all of our children. This school addresses both the academic and the social development of children which is something I've come to love about Central. Also, the administration takes time to inform parents about the curriculum through written information as well as parent workshops. Many teachers also do this through weekly or monthly class newsletters. I feel like I have a strong understanding of what my children are learning and how they are learning it through these workshops and newsletters. Overall, Central has been a wonderful experience so far for our children and I'm sure it will continue!