In Park Slope, P.S. 39's Principal Shares Her Keys to Success

PARK SLOPE, BROOKLYN — This week, P.S. 39 was selected as a Blue Ribbon school for the second time, but principal Anita De Paz thinks what works there could work in many other schools, too.

And she's happy to share. That, she explained, is the point of the Department of Education's National Blue Ribbon Schools Program: to give schools a chance to highlight best practices.

P.S. 39, which teaches pre-K to 5th grade, won for the first time in 2009, after keeping all of its students progressing at the same rate for three consecutive years — including those in subcategories, like non-native English speakers and those with learning disabilities.

This year, the school was selected as an Exemplary High Performing School. That means its students finished in the top 15 percent of the state on English and math tests, while its subgroups (like ESL students) finished in the top 40 percent.

In New York City, P.S. 39 finished 21st out of 911 schools in language arts during the 2015 round of state testing, and 88th in math.

"The level of collaboration in our school is what makes everything work," De Paz, now in her 11th year as principal, told Patch on Friday. Parents are updated multiple times a week on the school's activities, she said. They're familiarized with the curriculum, and have their children's work provided to them in comparison to state standards, for helpful context.

De Paz said P.S. 39 believes that state standards are important, but doesn't drill its students on test questions. Rather, "we feel that kids need a well-rounded experience and curriculum," she said. The school therefore incorporates many field trips and arts activities into its work, taking advantage of partnerships with organizations like the New York Philharmonic and the New Victory Theater in Times Square.

There are certainly some unusual benefits that P.S. 39 enjoys, De Paz said. At 422 total students, it can keep it classroom average at between 23 and 26 students, smaller than many city classrooms.

There's also the physical layout of the building, one where classrooms lead into each other, allowing De Paz and other staffers to easily "walk through and feel the pulse" of what's going on inside.

"When you're working in an environment where you know that your work is completely transparent, it keeps everything very vibrant," De Paz said. But teachers don't work harder because they're afraid of being seen, she continued. Quite the opposite: they're proud of their work, and the school allows them to show others what they're accomplishing.

There is also the fact that P.S. 39 is located in an affluent area. About 15 percent of its student body qualifies for free or reduced lunch, and De Paz said the parent-teacher association picks up the tab for many extra-curricular activities and supplies, allowing her to spend more money on her staff.

But the principal said the economic background of her student body also means the school gets less city funding than other institutions. And she was clear that she didn't think money was what made the difference at P.S. 39.

Rather, she said, what matters is parent involvement and a teaching staff made up almost entirely of career teachers who believe "that there's always something for us to learn and improve upon."

The Department of Education will be hosting an awards ceremony for the Blue Ribbon winners in Washington, D.C. on Nov. 8. De Paz joked about how packed the nation's capital will be on that day (it's election day, of course). But that's not the reason no one from her staff will be able to attend. Instead, they'll be at P.S. 39, as the day has already been set aside for professional development.

Pictured at top: P.S. 39 principal Anita De Paz reads with second graders Noelani, left, and Sully, right. Photos by John V. Santore