Admissions

Admissions - Elementary Grades

2023-2024 Kindergarten-3rd Grade Offers:

Enrollment for the 2023-2024 school year has ended. Our classes are fully enrolled.

2024-2025 Kindergarten-3rd Grade Offers:

The Department of Education has published the schedule for admissions for both Kindergarten and also grade 1-3 Gifted & Talented:

DOE Enrollment Grade by Grade

Anderson Open Houses for incoming Kindergarten - third grade have been completed. 

*The Anderson School does not enroll new students into grades 4 or 5.

All admissions decisions are made by the Department of Education. Anderson does not have a direct role in this process.

For questions other than waitlist position, please contact the Community Coordinator, Donna Smiley,  dsmiley@schools.nyc.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

FAQs: (updated January 2024)

  1. What is the Anderson School? Anderson School is a citywide accelerated school and students living in all five boroughs may apply via the DOE’s Gifted and Talented admissions process. Its curriculum is developed internally following the New York State and City core curriculum framework for grades K-8 and is both accelerated and enriched. Anderson is co-located in the O’Shea Complex on W. 77th St. with Dual Language Middle School and the Computer School.
  2. What is the difference between Anderson and local district Gifted & Talented Programs? District G&T programs offer a curriculum that is academically enriched and draw students from the local district only. Anderson’s program is accelerated as well as enriched.
  3. How large is Anderson? In Fall 2024, we expect to have 525 students in grades K-8, with two classes per grade. Kindergarten classes are capped at 25 students, with the class size increasing to 29 in grades 1-3. In addition to the main teacher, there is an assistant teacher in Kindergarten and a shared assistant in each of the other grades.
  4. What are the school’s hours? The school hours are 8:15 AM - 2:35 PM. Students may arrive for a free breakfast only between 7:45-7:55 AM. There is no entry until the main arrival doors open at 8:05 am.
  5. Are there specials? Specials offered are Art, Music, P.E., Science, Spanish (K-4, exposure program; 5-8, core subject), Enrichment electives (K-8), advisory/health (5-8), Library. Also: Artist-in-residence (1-2), Chess (K-3), STEM/Lego Robotics Lab (1-4), Law (5), Advisory (4-8), field trips (K-8), student council (6-8). Music specifics: Music/dance (K-1); singing, theory; composition; recorder (2-3); guitar (7-8); band/pops orchestra (4-8, clarinet, flute, sax, trumpet, trombone, piano, percussion); chorus (6-8); jazz band (6-8).
  6. Are there enrichments? We visit or have affiliations with: MOMA, Met Museum, AMNH, Symphony Space, MoMath, Metropolitan Debate League, NY Math League, Clearwater, El Museo del Barrio, N-Y Historical Society, Van Cortlandt Manor, Theaterworks, and Museum of the City of New York. Students participate in national competitions including: Wordmasters, MathCounts, Noetic Math, National Geographic Bee, Scripps Spelling Bee and the international AMC 8, and Math Kangaroo competitions.
  7. Any other features? Cardiovascular fitness/wellness classroom, mindfulness classroom, large schoolyard, playground climbing structure, library media center, art studio, SmartBoard in each classroom, laptop/iPad carts for classrooms, lateral climbing wall, recycling/composting program, STEM room, new cafeteria.
  8. Is there an after-school program? Arts and Athletics is our K-5 afterschool provider, with academic, athletic, and arts classes. They have a moderate fee structure and offer some scholarships. The program begins when school ends and runs until 5:45 PM. NY Scholastic Chess Club provides afterschool chess instruction and team coaching for tournaments, also for a moderate fee. Anderson offers for free: academic support (3-8), seasonal elementary track programs (3-5), annual musical (6-8), 15 sports teams (6-8, boy, girl, co-ed, JV) and clubs (6-8, math, debate, robotics, and Science Olympiad teams).
  9. Is busing provided? It depends. The DOE provides yellow school bus service to Anderson only in certain areas of Manhattan. Students’ grade, distance eligibility, and route length limitations apply for bus service, or parents may opt for their child to receive a MetroCard. Students living beyond yellow school bus service receive MetroCards automatically.
  10. What role do parents play? Our parents have always been an integral part of Anderson’s success. They serve on the School Leadership Team (SLT), on the PTA, and as Lunchtime Leaders. They volunteer at open houses for prospective parents and help organize fun community-building events. They run fundraisers – an auction, movie nights and more.
  11. Are gender, diversity, or home address considerations in the admissions process? The DoE determines who is offered seats. Siblings of current students are given first priority in kindergarten – 3rd grade. In kindergarten there is also a priority for students in areas of northern Manhattan and the South Bronx.
  12. Is there life after Anderson? All Anderson 5th graders who are in good academic standing may choose to continue at Anderson Middle School through 8th grade. We are proud that the vast majority of our 8th graders have consistently received offers from their top choice high schools. Many received acceptances to specialized public high schools (Stuyvesant, Bronx Science, Brooklyn Tech, LaGuardia Arts, American Studies at Lehman College, and MSE at City College) and desirable, high performing local schools including Beacon, Bard Early College HS, Eleanor Roosevelt, Millennium, Nest + M, Townsend Harris and Upper Lab. In addition, students have been accepted at private schools such as Trinity, Brearley, Dalton, Fieldston, Horace Mann, Nightingale, Regis, Spence, and boarding schools.  We have a full-time guidance counselor who helps families with high school articulation.

Questions?  Donna Smiley, Admissions: DSmiley@schools.nyc.gov or Ana Crenovich, Parent Coord: ACrenovich@schools.nyc.gov  1/10/24