Fort Hamilton

Child Youth and School Services
137C Poly Place
Brooklyn, NY 11209-4307

Phone 718-630-4805 / 718-630-4812
Phone (DSN) 312-232-4805
Fax (DSN) 312-232-4874

Mon - Fri 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Every third Sat of the Month: Super Sat 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Sat and Sun - closed
Holidays - closed

Schools

New York City supports more than 1.1 million children, who attend the 2,500 public, private and parochial schools in the five boroughs. The New York City Department of Education is the largest public school system in the United States. With the assistance of the Fort Hamilton School Liaison Office and the following information, you will be able to find the right school for your children.

Here are some tips to consider when enrolling your children in a New York City school:

• You may choose to enroll your children in public, private or parochial schools throughout New York City. There are numerous schools in close proximity to Fort Hamilton that offer quality education to children of all grades, but you are not necessarily constrained to schools closest to the garrison.
• The enrollment process for public schools varies depending on the grade and program. Families registering children in elementary schools may register at the school directly. When registering high school students please call the School as it may be necessary to register at an enrollment office. Enrollment Offices are located in each district. The best advice is to do your research and contact the Fort Hamilton School Liaison Office.
• Schools vary in size, age of facility, and programs offered. There are a number of official and unofficial websites that will give you the opportunity to research any school you are considering.
• Schools vary in student population size from very small (100) to extremely large (4,000+). There are many specialized high schools available that offer students with a particular interest or talent the opportunity to obtain a unique high school education directly related to their interest.
• Each year, the NYC DOE publishes a guidebook of all the public high schools in New York City that lists vital information about each school. This guidebook is issued to all junior high school students during 7th grade or a copy can be obtained at the DOE region office.

Fort Hamilton is located in District 20, Brooklyn.

Private Schools

There are 68 private and parochial schools within 3 miles of Fort Hamilton. You can further research these schools at the private schools reviews website.

The NY Mayor and NY Schools Chancellor announced recently that New York City's four-year high school graduation rate rose to a new high of 60.9 percent in 2008, marking the first time the City's graduation rate has surpassed 60 percent according to the State Education Department, which released the data today. The graduation rate rose 3.6 percentage points between 2007 and 2008, furthering a continuous rise since the Mayor won control of the school system in 2002. The rise in the graduation rate between 2007 and 2008 is accompanied by an equally large increase in the percentage of students earning Regents diplomas. Additionally, the graduation rate among English Language Learners rose more than 10 percentage points between 2007 and 2008. Black and Hispanic students continue to narrow the graduation gap with their white and Asian peers.

Alternative HS Programs

Overview of Referral Centers for High School Alternatives

Referral Centers for High School Alternatives are one-stop guidance centers, located in every borough, where high school age students can be connected to academic options and wrap-around supports. If you experience difficulty in contacting a Referral Center, please contact the Distric 79 Office of Student Support Services at 917-521-3639 or you can further research Referrals centers at the NYC Department of Education website.

Special Programs

Although there are many outstanding traditional public schools in New York City, we also offer a variety of programs that help us meet the needs and interests of every student. You can learn more about these programs at the links below:

Special Education

We serve students with a range of special needs, from the most mild to the most severe.

The vast majority of our special education students are enrolled in “general education” schools, attending classes with students who do not have disabilities. In some cases, these students are in “Collaborative Team Teaching” classrooms, in which a general education teacher and a special education teacher teach special and general education students together in one class. Other special education students attend self-contained special education classes in general education schools. About 23,000 students who have moderate to severe challenges attend schools in District 75.

English Language Learners

We have three main types of programs for students who speak a language other than English at home and score below a state-designated level of proficiency in English upon entering the New York City public school system:

• Transitional Bilingual Education (TBE), where academic instruction is in both English and the native language.
• Dual Language, where academic instruction during the school day is 50 percent in English and 50 percent in another language.
• English as a Second Language (ESL), where all academic instruction during the school day is in English.

Gifted and Talented Education

We seek to provide challenging standards-based instruction to children with exceptional capacity or creative talent.

In recent years, we have expanded our gifted and talented programs through the use of two educational models, the self-contained classroom model, in which students receive appropriate instruction together in all content areas, and the school-wide enrichment model, which includes a variety of enrichment, acceleration, and grouping options for students who have abilities and interests in particular content areas. We focused on creating new programs in traditionally underserved communities, as well as maintaining and supporting existing programs.

The Department of Education has also implemented a standardized, citywide assessment and identification process for Pre-Kindergarteners through second graders who are applying to gifted and talented programs.

Career and Technical Education

Career and Technical Education Schools (CTE) integrate rigorous academic study with workforce skills in specific career pathways. Students participate in programs that meet business and industry standards. Students receive instruction in an industry-related area like computer graphics, veterinary science, restaurant management, carpentry & nursing, among many others. They have the opportunity to graduate high school with industry-specific competencies and skills that lead to postsecondary education, further industry training and/or entry into the workforce. Through these programs, students can earn the Regent’s Diploma with a Technical Endorsement.

Assessment and Support Tools

The Office of Accountability coordinates yearly testing in city schools including New York State Tests and Regents Exams, high school admissions tests, accelerated assessments for eighth grade students, and the PSAT for students interested in applying to college.

The DOE also offers schools no-stakes Periodic Assessments tools to give teachers more information about what students have learned and help them plan instruction.

ARIS (Achievement Reporting and Innovation System)

Elementary and middle school students in New York City take annual State exams, which help to determine whether they are achieving State standards. They include:

• English Language Arts (ELA) -- Students in grades 3-8 take this exam each winter. Learn more about what your child is learning in ELA and how that learning is measured.
• Mathematics -- Students in grades 3-8 take this exam in late winter and early spring. Learn more about what your child is learning in math and how that learning is measured.
• Social Studies -- Students in grade 5 take this exam in the fall; students in grade 8 take it in the spring. Learn more about what your child is learning in Social Studies and how that learning is measured.
• Science -- Students in grades 4 and 8 take this exam in the spring. Learn more about what your child is learning in science and how that learning is measured.

To graduate, high school students are required to pass five Regents exams: English, Mathematics, Science, Global History, and U.S. History and Government.

In addition to these State exams, the City provides an array of citywide tests to students, including:

• PSAT/NMSQT -- Starting in 2006, we began an initiative to help prepare students for college admissions. Now, all students in grades 10 and 11 can take the PSAT for free in the fall.
• High School Admissions Tests --  Students in grades 8 or 9 who wish to enroll in a specialized high school may participate in a timed multiple-choice test in the fall to determine proficiency in verbal and mathematical skills.
• New York City Accelerated Assessments -- Students in the eighth-grade who are in accelerated global studies, art, or music classes may take a timed test in spring to earn possible high school course credit or advanced placement. 

Special Education Students

Students in all grades with “standard promotion criteria” listed on page 9 of their IEP are subject to the promotion criteria listed above. Students with “modified promotion criteria” on page 9 of their IEP will be evaluated based on these stated criteria.

What is a Magnet school?

A Magnet school is part of the public school system. Usually students are zoned into their schools based on location. Students mostly go to the school which they are closest to (this may not always be true since boundaries can seem arbitrary). With Magnet schools, the public school system has created schools that exist outside of zoned school boundaries. The point of them is that they usually have something special to offer over a regular school which makes attending them an attractive choice to many students, thereby increasing the diversity of the student population within them (in theory).

Magnet schools are different from private or parochial schools in that they remain part of the public school system. They differ from Charter schools in that they remain part of the public school system bureaucratically. Charter Schools have a different organizational model (i.e. they have a charter that releases them from the regular school administration). Magnet schools operate under the same public school administration (they don’t operate on their own).

Distinguishing them from other public schools, Magnet schools usually have alternative or otherwise compelling modes of instruction. For example, you might find a Montessori Magnet school. A school doesn’t have to be a Magnet school to be a Montessori School. There are also public schools that are not Magnet schools which still offer fine academic experiences. Magnet schools differ from other public schools in that they receive additional funding to enable them to spend more money on their students, supplies, teachers, programs, etc.

Magnet School Facts

Magnets offer special curricula, such as math-science or performing arts programs, or special instructional approaches.

Adult Education

There are numerous opportunities for continuing education in the NYC area. Contact the Site Education Center on post for details. Contact site Education Center, 218A Marshall Drive, 718-630-4715, Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. -5:00 p.m.

The Education Center has an entire building to assist you with your educational needs. If you are military, family member or retiree you may utilize their services. The Education Center has trained counselors to assist you with your educational decisions.

Learning Resource Center, Computers, MOS Library & BSP Program

The learning Resource Center is open Tuesday-Thursday from 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. and can be reached at 718-630-4715.

The Testing Office is open Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m - 4:30 p.m. and can be reached at 718-630-4344.  Appointment only. Counselors are available for evening sessions, please call.