Last year, there were over 500 students enrolled in PS19. It has been the policy of the principal to accept any student whose family shows proof that they live in Woodlawn. Unfortunately, the ‘proof’ being supplied is far from what the Chancellor’s regulations require. Needless to say, there are a number of families who are lying about their residence in order for their children to attend PS19 including Parent’s Association board members.

I saw in another thread on this board the problem of St. Barnabas elementary school’s enrollment being very low. Parents have been making the decision to leave St. Barnabas and transfer their children into PS19. While it is good for the families that legitimately have this choice, it is unfair when parents who live in Yonkers choose to lie about their address so their child can get a New York City education for free. Parents who live outside the New York City limits can take the steps to have their child enrolled in a NYC school. However one of the provisions is that they have to pay the going rate for a NYC elementary school education. I think the cost is about $5,000 per child per year.

When it comes to educating their children, parents of Yonkers have a choice; a public school in Yonkers, a private school, such as St. Barnabas, or PS19 provided they are willing to pay the tuition.

Maybe if Yonkers parents were forced to choose between $5,000 a year for PS19 or paying tuition at St. Barnabas, more would choose St. Barnabas.

Just my 2cents:

If a parent is lying about where they live in order to get their child in any school, what message is that sending to their child?

Also, I'm sure that if it were the other way around, many parents in Yonkers would soon be announcing those children who didn't reside in Yonkers, i.e.,  if Woodlawn residents lied about their addresses and tried to attend the Montessori School at Mark Twain.

The people lying to get in to PS19 are not from Yonkers they are mainly from Bainbridge and over the bridge.  Somebody has something against Yonkers moms!!!

irishchick wrote:

The people lying to get in to PS19 are not from Yonkers they are mainly from Bainbridge and over the bridge.  Somebody has something against Yonkers moms!!!

As long as you live in NYC, you have a right to attend a NYC public school. There are an awful lot of kids who live outside Woodlawn but still within the city limits. They can attend through NCLB if they are entitled, or they can file other paperwork to be admitted (I think it is called a variance). My problem with Yonkers parents is that they are not entitled to attend a NYC public school without paying tuition. Period.

It is certainly true that PS19 is filled with Yonkers residents.  But the kids from other Bronx neighborhoods have every right to attend PS19 if their own school is substandard.  

But Barnabas has problems you can't blame on PS19 & Montessori.  Catholic schools are dying everywhere, and Barnabas leadership (in the school and the church) are not very sympathetic to families.  It's a shame because the school has lots of supportive families and some great teachers.

Back in the late 70's/early 80's, Lincoln High School in Yonkers was considered one of the "better" public high schools and pretty much the closest to Woodlawn.  There were quite a few  Woodlawn kids that attended Lincoln.  Though it was suppose to be a "secret" that these kids were from the Bronx, no Yonkers families "ratted" them out.  They all used addresses of family and friends.  I would suppose if Lincoln was still held at the standards it was back then, which it is not the case today, you would be seeing Woodlawn kids on the high schoold grounds come September.  I remember when I was a kid, and I'm sure still done today, we all had "Westchester park Passes" to go to the Tibbetts and Sprain Brook pools - we all used our friend's addresses from Yonkers.  No one ever seemed to mind.  

One has to look at the reason why Yonkers families are putting their kids in PS 19 - is it financial reasons that they can not afford Barnabas tuition?  Is it that they feel PS 19 is a better school academically than Barnabas?  Considering the fact there is no decent public school in Southeast Yonkers, except for the Montessori school, do you blame them for sneaking into PS 19?  With the Montessori School, your child must begin in kindergarten and it only goes up to 6th grade  (though  I hear chatter that they are thinking of making Montessori up to 8th grade since it is so successful).

I think Javamamma had it right with her comment that it is the lack of leadership of both the Pastor and the Principal that is driving families away.  Did you know that there were only 9 kids from Woodlawn in the Barnabas graduating class this past June?  The rest were mainly from Yonkers, who, given a choice and opportunity, would most likely have their kids in PS 19 as well.  And when you have a Principal whose motto is "If you don't like it you can leave" - well, there you go.  Yes, she actually said this to a friend of mine (and I've heard to many more parents) who had complained/expressed concerns over her child's well being at Barnabas - she pulled her kids out and put them in PS 19.

I stand corrected - only FIVE kids from an 8th grade graduating class of 61 students  at Barnabas actually reside in Woodlawn.  The rest are mainly from  Yonkers (off McLean Ave) which is considered part of the St. Barnabas parish - which I stated earlier pretty much have no other choice.  Maybe the PS 19 Catholic parents can offer some insight as to why they chose PS 19 over Barnabas..is it financial reasons or something else?