P.S. 89 in Kiryas Joel, New York

“This is an Academically poor school. We live right in the building above the school but we will not be sending our daughter back to P.S. 89 for the next school year. Our other disappointments with this school have been the lack of disipline and not much of a physical education program.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“Not the school we expected when we enrolled our children last year. It is hyped as one of the best but leaves much to be desired. The wacky Principal sets the stage for what tends to be a cold atmosphere. The school does have some good teachers if you are lucky enough to get one of those. There are good and bad teachers at all schools.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“This is a good school for the sheep in our society. The school is definitely overrated. The school building itself is a modern spacious facility but it is filled with chemical dust from construction and traffic that are both right outside the windows. Some of the other many negatives are that the Parent Coordinator is an inflexible bureaucrat. The Principal is more of a sales person than an educator, the programs are academically disappointing and parents are not made to feel welcome.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“PS-89 is a wonderful school! Everyone is so nice and helpful from the principal to the school gaurds!! It is more than a place where they work. It is their baby and the communities as well. I am thrilled to be a part of the PS-89 community!!”
This review was posted by a parent.

“Clean, pretty school by NYC standards but a big disappointment academically speaking. Our children, who were good but not exceptional students, transferred to PS89 from out of state, and were easily a year ahead of their NY classmates. Perhaps it has more to due with the overall lower standards in the NYC public schools, but we never could figure what all the hype was all about.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“From my experience my grandson had a fabulous kindergarten experience. It amazes me that one teacher can teach 22 little ones and each child is special. I work in a Pvt. school and see teachers and students all day.. but nothing has impressed me as much as the education, love of learning and total awareness of each childs strengths and weakness and how they are addressed. I hope my grandson has as good a year as he enters first grade. Thank you -”
This review was posted by a other.

“My daughter will be graduating this summer and has been at PS 89 since pre-k. What I like best about this (pretty) school is how they create a love of learning. Kids get really excited and involved in their projects-based learning. I highly recommend it!”
This review was posted by a parent.

“This is our third year at the school and we are continually impressed with the teachers, administration and facilities. The teachers are top rate, caring and involved. The principal is focused on her students, not the whims of parents - she is focused on education and nurturing a community focus. While there are a lot of students, this is a predicament indicative of all nyc public schools. I highly recommend PS89.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“Our child has had an absolute wonderful Kindergarten year at PS 89. Despite a larger than we'd like class size, our teacher is aware of our child and his needs and the school was able to pick up on a slight special need and recommend a solution (speech therapy). We couldn't be happier.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“I have had great experiences with both of my children in PS 89. The top teachers, the best facilities, and an engaged administration.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“The teachers are excellent at PS89”
This review was posted by a parent.

“We have been terribly disappointed in this school. When we moved here, I was impressed by the school--it is a beautiful building and has many fine elective classrooms, such as art, and dance etc. However, my impression of the leadership after a couple of years of involvement with the PTA is that parents are a nuisance and shouldn't interfere with their children's education. It has been quite frustrating. My child has done very well despite the overcrowded classrooms---but this community is headed for a significant overcrowding problem in the next couple of years, and since no new school has been slated yet (despite the community's efforts to get one) I am not sure what they will do. If you are looking to move to this community (which is fabulous--we love living here) you may want to consider private school.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“i love ps89 is a wonderful school and mr.cacioppo is a very nice principal”
This review was posted by a student.

“I myself, was a former student of PS 89. My experience there was amazing. It was a fun school with a lot of nice people (students, teachers, staff, etc.), but not necessarily a great school academic wise. If you want your child to graduate this school and enter a great middle school, don't just rely on the education that they give there- allow them to have a private tutor or something like that because my graduating class (class of 05) did really well in entering good middle schools mostly because they had private tutors. The year before and after us didn't have as much people attend the top district two schools. Good luck.”
This review was posted by a former student.

“This school has been a tremendous disappointment. Our child craved an academic challenge, and the school did not provide this. The school is safe and orderly but not one that encourages each child to stretch his/her abilities.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“After 4 years, PS 89 has been an amazing blessing for my family and has indeed become part of our family. My two children who attend there are both thriving. When small problems arise, their teachers address it head on. When I have concerns, the staff listens to and addresses my issues. My children are not only getting a great education but are truly loved in their school community. Also, the other kids who attend there are all great kids. There are little to no security concerns. Ronnie Najjar, the principal, knows every child by name and can usually tell you where they are located in the building at any given moment. The PTA is probably one of the best is the city. Phenomenal school and community. We have moved to Brooklyn but I'm still driving my kids into Battery Park everday because I can't find anything close to PS 89.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“Great teachers and program”
This review was posted by a parent.

“If you are moving to Battery Park City for this school beware. It is way overrated. Our experience has not been good. The teachers are very disappointing. If you are looking for a friendly, nurturing and challenging environment for your child p.s. 89 is not it.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“The level of commitment from the principal, teachers, parents and the students themselves far surpassed all of my expectations when my daughter entered this school in first grade, three years ago. Now as she enters 4th grade, I can truly see how she is evolving in an incredible way, in many ways due to the way her mind and skills and interests are challenged daily at P.S.89. If you've never seen a child devour books voraciously because a love of reading has been instilled in her, it is truly a delight to witness.”
This review was posted by a parent.