The Children's Workshop School

What a gem on the lower east side! I have been very happy with the principle and the staff of this school. I feel so lucky to be able to send my child to a pubic school that uses the same philosophy of some other very expensive private schools.
—Submitted by a parent

Terrible school, nothing to do with resources. But lack of leadership and a Principal who is not 'present'. My son failed in that school yet one year into Middle School he is high honors! Go figure! CWS is great if you want your kids to paint and do ballet and yoga!
—Submitted by a parent

The school tries, unfortunately with the school system today , this school like many others, suffer from the lack of resources, budget and simply the care for students. Because of the lack of school funds the quality of education becomes second to the welfare and proper education techniques or lack there of.
—Submitted by a parent

Children's Workshop is a wonderfully small and diverse school with a focus on the arts, social justice and collaboration. My daughter loves the after school club offerings, with everything from guitar to chess to glee club. The teachers are all energetic and loving (Maria the principal chooses great teachers and gives them a lot of space to be creative) and there's a strong core of involved parents who cook up fun fundraisers. I like that Children's Workshop shares the building with a like-minded school, East Village Community School, and a special ed school, PS94--all 3 schools share the same cooperative spirit.
—Submitted by a parent

Both of my kids started in Pre-K and will graduate soon, so we know this school for years. I feel they have sometimes a bit too much homework, but especially their writing training (with regular writer's celebration) makes my kids excel in their command of English. They also love science, and for all the other stuff there are lots of offers from parents for the after-school clubs. It is a great community, and principal and staff do great work to make it all happen.
—Submitted by a parent

All three of my children attend Children's Workshop and overall, our experience has been extremely rewarding. The school really IS warm and welcoming, and kids definitely get the sense that they are cared for and respected. The teachers and administration do their very best to serve all of our children, under sometimes difficult circumstances, given the mixed backgrounds and incomes of families and the varying levels of participation among parents. But that diversity is another thing that makes this school so special, and there is an enormous emphasis on compassion, tolerance and kindness at this school - something that I've not seen elsewhere. My kids have LOVED their experience at CWS -- each of them has at some point expressed their desire to be teachers when they grow up so that they can go back and teach there! It's not always perfect, but then no school is. . My kids come home talking about what they've learned, sharing new information, and excited about their projects. We wouldn't trade our experience.
—Submitted by a parent

My child attends this school. Very ,very weak school. Their DOE report card shows major weakness in all areas, especially math.
—Submitted by a parent

This is an awful school. While there are some decent teachers overall it is very disorganized with no clear leadership. A very casual approach to education and a Principal who is not helpful at all. Avoid this school at all costs!
—Submitted by a parent

Please stay far away from this school. They are too laid back and it shows on their state report card. The Children's Workshop School received an F grade for Student Performance and an overall grade of a C. What on earth is the school prinicpal doing to fix this? The teachers rarely give any homework, and the students do not study from text books or workbooks at home. I have never seen a book in five months! It is literally up to the parents to create lessons on their own if you want your child to actually learn something. Of course, they do not even mention this to parents, as you have to figure it out on your own. The school secretary rarely answers the phone, rarely returns phone calls and the phone lines are down often. If you have a question or an issue, good luck getting through! If you want your child to learn in an extremely laid back environment which promotes laziness, by all means- send your child to this school! It gets worse and worse as your child moves up in grades. I am glad to say that this will be my child's last year attending!
—Submitted by a parent

This used to be a decent school but poor Principal leadership and weak focus and engaged teachers have the DOE giving student performance an F fail grade already. Of course they teachers are now stressing the parents/kids out with pressure to perform and letters that state the child might not progress to the next grade. Since the school has an overall grade of F in student progression they need to look at schooling and leadership and not 'punish' the children so stressfully.
—Submitted by a parent

This school focus is on Ballet hispanico, yoga and arts. When they are failing with ELS! I don't get it!
—Submitted by a parent

I attended this school for two years back in the '90s, and I absolutely loved it. This school will forever be my favorite school. Most of my fondest memories happened at this school. Every student, no matter what grade you were in knew each other and was friendly with each other. The teachers were very nice and engaging.

It's a great community where kids are taught to care about each other and the larger world.
—Submitted by a parent

We have found this school to be a wonderful, warm, and enriching place. The weekly community meetings with the entire school are amazing; watching 250 plus kids all sing together and cheer each other on as they perform- is really something special.
—Submitted by a parent

I love CWS and I love that my dear grand-daughter is a student there. I've visited the school and been very impressed with the caring, expertise, child-centered practices, and patience of the teachers I've seen. I also appreciate the efforts for inclusiveness and creativity at CWS. CWS deserves all the support it can get!
—Submitted by a parent

Teachers and Staff are just great... My kids love their school!
—Submitted by a parent

Dedicated teachers, innovative social science curriculum, lots of field trips related to the curriculum, devoted parent body, open and inclusive admissions policiy
—Submitted by a parent

CWS--a wonderfully diverse, tight-knit community--nurtures creative individuality, a love of learning and respect for others in a warm, accepting atmosphere!
—Submitted by a parent

It's a warm and loving place that teaches kids about the life long joy of learning. CWS also encourages a beautiful sense of community based on the teachings of Martin Luther King.
—Submitted by a parent

The school has such a big heart and soul and the kids grow up to be strong, thoughtful conscious people
—Submitted by a parent