Challenge Preparatory Charter School

710 HARTMAN LANE

School District

Challenge Preparatory Charter School
Grade

K-11
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:18
Type

charter

School Map for Challenge Preparatory Charter School

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 November 26, 2024

It’s not a good school. There are a handful of good teachers, most are unprofessional, rude & under qualified. Strong lack of communication with parents in regards to students overall academics. & wellbeing. This coming from a parent who has students attend their Elementary, Middle & H.S. I removed them. They target a certain demographic. Do your research it’s a failing school.
Submitted by parent on September 05, 2024

If this is the last resort for an in person school home school your children. The communication ducks they are extremely unorganized and the enrolled my children after I've expressed to them on multiple occasions that they will not be attending the schools. Which happen to be the elementary and middle school. I feel as they enrolled my children without my permission due to budgeting.
Submitted by teacher on August 16, 2024

Having worked in public schools and colleges, where I was treated as a professional and respected for my knowledge of the content of the course I was teaching, working at challenge high school was a nightmare...to say the least. The school is so focused on assessments and regents scores... .the students (or scholars as they call them) are not learning content ...test prep and test scores are the focus at Challenge.... project based learning is the approach that more progressive educators take. Good scores on a test only demonstrates that you know how to take a test....it is not an indicator of the students knowledge of content. Students are rarely held accountable for their behaviour. .and as a result they show little respect for teachers, peers, or themselves.Part of the problem is the students are in school eight hours a day, and given homework as well..giving little time for constructive socialisation, free time, or forming positive relationships with their peers. Another concern parents should have is that there are teachers who are not certified or licensed to teach in New York State and have little knowledge of the content area they are "teaching".Staff turnover seems to be on the high side...teachers quit or get fired at an alarming rate. As a result the students are denied consistency in their education. I believe that high staff turnover has a lot to do with the principal of the high school. If you're not on her "good side"...watch out..you will bear the brunt of her anger and hostility. . This is an individual who "shoots and asks questions later". If you're thinking of teaching there, take my advice....don't...unless you like working in a hostile work environment.For parents who have a child that will be going to high school....choose wisely...there are many excellent public schools in New York City.
Submitted by teacher on April 28, 2024

Don’t be fooled by any positive reviews here for this school. I was a teacher at this school and I was demoted because admin called my teaching into question after students refused to take an important regents seriously in my class.
Submitted by other on April 04, 2024

Working for Challenge for 9 years now, I am a proud employee. Our school is always finding creative ways to meet the needs of the children in our district. We have a lot of challenges in our community, and we work to constantly evaluate our teaching practices and scholar support to help scholars receive the education they deserve. We are a diverse school with a diverse staff. Our school is not perfect, but we are passionate about making a difference in the lives of our scholars and by extension their families. We care about the trajectory of their lives, not just their grades or performance in school. For teachers, there is weekly professional development and robust benefits. It takes commitment and dedication to work in Far Rockaway, but it is worth the effort.
Submitted by parent on January 25, 2024

have been trying to reach someone to help me with an incident that happen at school with my son. He was beaten down at school by another student who busted his eye up and had to take him to the hospital I have made several calls and visits to the school. No one is talking to me about the incident. I’m not sure what’s being done I haven’t spoken to the principal or anyone at school who has told me anything about it what’s going on? They told me they were going to check the cameras two times and I’m not sure if they did it or not but I need to know what’s going on with the other child and his parents because something has to get done because my child was physically abuse at school where he was supposed to be safe and now I am struggling trying to talk to someone about what’s being done about my son being beaten down at school now my next step is trying something else, and I don’t want to take that route. I want to talk to somebody about the incident. My son deserves an apology. He hasn’t gotten one from anyone. I woke up to take my son to school. He said mom I’m so scared of going to school today because I’m not sure what the kid is going to do to me and that’s not fair. My son deserves an education like everyone else every other kid at the school, I have gotten no apology from the principal. I have not even got no compassion from the staff members at the school with the incident that happened except for his teachers and classmates. This is just a sad heartbreaking Situation and something needs to get done. I’m reaching out. I’m not sure if this is the right department, but I am reaching out to speak to someone about it and hopefully get an answer back thank you.
Submitted by parent on August 09, 2022

At first I was excited to enroll my 2nd child at this school due to the lack of academically quality schools in my area. However, as the years progressed with my parental experiences, this school is not what it appears to be. Some of the staff are extremely unprofessional, plays favoritism, and will give you the runaround when you’re an actual involved parent. They do not effectively communicate with parents about your child’s well-being and will bombard you with unnecessary emails, automatic phone calls, and text messages. Also, when my child faced a bully, little to nothing was done to correct it or address it. Instead, I was shunned by the principal and parent coordinator, and treated differently following my ongoing frustration with the lack of care or attention. They pick and choose who and what they want to deal with- which is extremely unprofessional and unacceptable. The homework is excessive and their grading policy mostly relies on assessment performance. There was little regard for students to adjust following the pandemic and no updates are given about your child’s academic performance until you receive a report card grade or inquire yourself. There is always a request for money, excessive back to school supplies list, no awards ceremony or honor rolls to praise students positive reinforcement. Depending on the teacher or if the main teacher is absent, the kids weren’t supervised properly because on more than one occasion my child was hurt and the parent coordinator “invested” the situation by asking other kids what happened… unbelievable! I can go on forever, you’ve been warned!
Submitted by parent on April 29, 2022

I switched to this school because my child’s previous charter school did not offer transportation. This was a terrible decision because their transportation isn’t even reliable. The bus has been late or has not showed up at all on countless occasions. A bus full of children was lost for over an hour, in which 1 child was dropped off to the wrong location without a parent! There was a mob of angry parents at the school waiting for the bus to return to the school so we can get our children so safety is not a priority here. The office/operations stuff is very unprofessional and rude. The school is disorganized, constant hanging the schedule she sending out event notifications the night before. The curriculum is not challenging at all and is in no way better than public school. This school needs a change of leadership and reorganization. I can’t wait for this school year to be over so we can get back to a class work that actually fosters my child. I now know all charter schools aren’t the same and this is truly a poor school.
Submitted by parent on September 05, 2019

At first, I thought the school was better than Public School...Unfortunately as the time passes, it has gotten worst.
Submitted by parent on May 13, 2019

Not very good. My son is very bright, but has regressed due to poor teachers.
Submitted by parent on October 10, 2017

Horrible experience. School leadership needs to go.
Submitted by parent on May 14, 2015

Challenge Prep is a top notch school that offers an exemplary education to help prepare children to emerge into a globally diverse society. Their curriculum includes all academic subject areas and in addition music, art and a foreign language. Thus, propelling itself among other neighborhood public schools who have cut their fine arts academia due to budget cuts. At Challenge Prep all parties are accountable. These parties include the administration, teachers, staff, parents and students. The problem that many parents will face with this type of structure is that they are accountable. Yes, the homework is rigorous. Yes, my child is accountable for his/her actions. Yes, I am responsible for pouring into my child's education. No matter what school my child attends the factor that doesn't change is that it is my child. I can not expect others to do for my child what I am not willing to foster. I have personally witnessed both of my children blossom into prolific thinkers while at Challenge Prep. I am a proud PARENT of two beautiful Challenge Prep scholars.
Submitted by parent on February 18, 2015

This school has been a huge disappointment. Their main focus is test prep, yet they have low state test scores. The school is over crowded and as a result students receive inadequate music, art and physical education training because teachers must "push in" or the gym is being used as an auditorium. Although Spanish classes were promised since the school opened, this is the first year it was offered and only for once a week however, administration cancelled it for 4 weeks to rehearse for a winter festival. Computers are only used for test prep although classes and tablets were promised. There are no curriculum based trips and students are not being taught to be thinkers or intellectually challenged, despite the schools name. The "excessive" homework is more test prep and or repetitious busy work. The school day is long and routinely unorganized. Yelling at students has been an on going problem. Students and parents are not respected at this school. The so called middle school being offered is another makeshift unacceptable space without key components found in a real school.
Submitted by parent on September 09, 2014

I have 2 children in their 3rd yr of attendance at CPCS and my family loves this school. Many parents complain about their strict rules, excessive homework and intense curriculum, but its my belief that this is the preparation required for outstanding intellectual leaders of tomorrow. I am very impressed and pleased with all that my children have learned while at CPCS. Since the school is adding middle school grades 6-8 (at another location) I will definitely continue my now 5th grader at Challenge Ptep.
Submitted by parent on August 23, 2014

This school is horrible. A change in leadership will make this school a much better school, the assistant principal does not belong around children. This school has poor ELA and Math Scores. I feel sorry for the students and the staff at this school.