Riverdale Bronx NY P.S. 81-robert J. Christen School (Cortland: transfer, neighborhood)

[mr. flynn]

Hi there I am planning on sending my kid to P.S. 81-robert J. Christen School in Riverdale NY. I would like to know about the school.

1. Is it good or is it bad?

2. Is there drugs or gangs in the school, I know this is on Kindergarder to 5th grade but just asking?

3. How are the teachers nice and helpful or just plain selfish?

4. Have ther been any acounts of violence in the school.

5 If this school is wrong what good schools are there in the bronx?

Thatnk you

[rlrl]

I live near the school and my grandmother lived up the hill from the school for 25 years so I'm familiar with the area at least. I couldn't tell you anything about the school per se. However, taking an educated guess, the surrounding area is the best in NY City and has never changed and has always been very very stable, so i would have to assume the school is good, gangs are non-existent and there is no violence. The catchment area the school takes in is from N Riverdale which has always been stable.

I can't think of any good public schools other than maybe in Woodlawn Heights, City island, Pelham bay, Country Club or the private schools

[009]

P.S. 81 Robert J. Christen School

[mead]

I'm pretty sure they bus a lot of latin americans in from Kingsbridge. Both of the public grade schools in Riverdale have this going on. I think they are only 40% white even though Riverdale itself is probably closer to 80-90%.

For what its worth though the schools seem fine and there shouldn't be any sort of drug problem or violence problems till at least middle school. Even then High School is the real problem area, thats when its time to start considering private school or, if your kid is really smart, sending him to Bronx Science.

[Freak]

Originally Posted by mead

I'm pretty sure they bus a lot of latin americans in from Kingsbridge.

They bus in half the white kids in my neighborhood, as well. PS 95, the neighborhood school, has a higher number of White Kids in comparison to much of schools in the Bronx. That said, they still form less than 5 of the student body (parents from the Moshulo area send their kids to the school, leading to heavy amounts of Latino's and Blacks). Hence, the parents in my neighborhood figure the school suck (not the case at all) and put their kids on buses to Riverdale. My cousin does, too.

[Songbird42]

I understand that PS 95 now has a new principal, good luck, seems like a decent guy, PS 95 The Sheila Mencher Van Cortlandt School, I'm aquainted with her family, good lady and she worked hard for District 10.

[puppy_bear18]

Originally Posted by mr. flynn

Hi there I am planning on sending my kid to P.S. 81-robert J. Christen School in Riverdale NY. I would like to know about the school.

1. Is it good or is it bad?- medium

2. Is there drugs or gangs in the school, I know this is on Kindergarder to 5th grade but just asking?-gangs yes, drugs-no

3. How are the teachers nice and helpful or just plain selfish?-some are nice, some are helpful, a lot are just plain selfish

4. Have ther been any acounts of violence in the school.- yes

5 If this school is wrong what good schools are there in the bronx?- St. Magarets of Cortona

Thatnk you

I had been in that school for 6 years, belive me I KNOW any more questions, email me puppy_bear18@yahoo.com

[Songbird42]

According to an article in the Riverdale Press, Nov. 1, 2007 the school is so overcrowded that children are attending classes in the school stairwell landings. They also have begun to transfer 5th graders to PS 24 to reduce class sizes. The Riverdale Ave. school was built to hold 590 and at present there are 715 students.

[StillFreak]

Yes, I read that article. A woman discovored her son in the stairwell only to find out he was IN CLASS.

[tnewbill]

PS 81 is a good school. My daughter learned more there than her 4 years in St. Margaret of Cortona School (which is over priced and elitist-clickish) There was hardly any supervision at lunch recess at St. Margarets (if you count the 2 or 3 ancient women who stand around and pretend not to see the mayham) They ask for parent volunteers and some show up for their given day some don't but either way they are oblivious to the chaos. My daughter was physically assulted at that school during lunch recess and constantly harrassed and picked on. She had some really good teachers from k-3 grade but 4th grade was the worst. I felt it was a completely wasted year, for she had not learned a thing although she was being passed along with good grades. Her teacher had an uncaring attitude and often abandoned the class while she took long bathroom breaks. When the kids complained that they got picked on or hurt she would state, 'It's not my problem." I finally had enough and pulled my kid out of that hell hole and sent her to ps 81. PS is a great school, she learned so much there. My daughter is now in MS141 and doing terrific! BEWARE the catholic schools...they are ALL mirrors and lights.