Tag Young Scholars

We have a 5th grader and a 1st grader at TAG. The teachers are fantastic, the principal (Mr. Dascal) is kind, hard-working and passionate, and the community is warm and welcoming. The school is very diverse and we feel blessed to have our kids here.

Awesome school academically and socially! Great enrichments! Wonderful staff of teachers and administrators. I am sure my child will be prepared to be successful when she graduates!

Our second year at TAG was horrible. But last year more than made up for it. The parents and teachers are very supportive. The students feel more like family not just friends. There are
Loads of added (yes added into the curriculum not just after or in addition to) curricula activities such as swimming. The quality of the education is what we value most. A child can go to any school and be educated. at TAG each child is treated as an individual where everyone knows their name. The students meet outside of school for play dates and other events. This is a great place for gifted students.

Excellent teachers and great parents make for a terrific education. My daughter, started 6th grade here and we are extremely happy and thankfull that she attends TAG.

Excellent school!

I am writing this review because I am so very grateful to have been given the opportunity to send my son to TAG and I wanted to share my thoughts on the school. NYC’s G&T school process is extremely competitive and one of the few things that parents have any control over. When my son was offered a seat at TAG, I naturally accepted but not without reservations. What if (1) he didn't assimilate with the other students? (2) there was too much homework? or (3) he didn't like his teacher? Today, each and every one of my concerns has been put to bed (see below) and I look forward to what the rest of his academic career at TAG will bring.

On the first day of school, I recall looking around my son's classroom and seeing a mixture of families from every background. My son went to a preschool where everyone was pretty much the same in terms of race, ethnicity and socio-economic background. I was worried that it would be too drastic a change for him. I was wrong. Not only has the diversity of the school made him more aware, but it has also helped him understand and become open to the things that make each of us different. To me, this is perhaps one of the most important lessons we can teach our children and it is not something we can teach in a vacuum. The diversity at TAG is probably one of the most special aspects of the school. Every morning, my son is eager to go to school to see his friends. Friends that include both boys and girls (there was a period where he wanted nothing to do with a girl), who are in the same grade and older (TAG is fantastic about developing a real sense of community within its student population regardless of the student's age or grade), and who are from all kinds of backgrounds.

In pre-K, my son had no idea what homework was and any attempts to get him to do any sort of workbook would be met with tears and excuses. When I had begun researching the various schools, there were whispers about the tedious amounts of homework that the students had to do. I, therefore, was genuinely concerned about whether it would be too much for him to handle. Today, I can honestly say that while the children do have homework, it is neither unmanageable nor tear-inducing. In kindergarten, the children are given homework packets each week and due the following week. The key is to have your child do a little bit each day or alternatively, figure out how to break it up into manageable chunks over the weekend. At the beginning of the year, it was more difficult because the concept of homework was so foreign to my son. The issue wasn't that there was too much or it was too hard, but rather that he hadn't learned how to sit down and concentrate for more than a minute at a time. Homework, at least in kindergarten, is ultimately training for what is to come in the later grades. Today, my son will sit down after school and do homework that I have set out for him all by himself with only a question or two for clarification.

If you have read this far, then you will learn about the most AMAZING aspect of TAG - the teachers. A child's teacher is one of the most important people in his life. I have talked to many parents and students at TAG - at all grade levels - and everyone only has good things to say about the teachers. While I cannot speak personally to other teachers, I can say that my son's kindergarten teacher, Ms. Sun, is the BEST teacher he has EVER had. Ms. Sun has always been the consummate professional - always available to meet me and address my questions or concerns, responsive to emails, and provides thorough and detailed feedback on my son's progress. More importantly, however, is how she is with the children. She is able to be sweet and nurturing, yet enforce rules in a way that the children will listen and understand. Each day, I amazed by her - how she instills a love of learning in the children, how she teaches them to respect themselves and their fellow students, how she guides them to become independent thinkers and role models for others. I imagine that all teachers are TAG are similar in their thinking and teaching, and I can say this because when I speak to the older students at TAG, they all - in their own unique ways - love learning, are polite and have their own opinions about things.

When I ask myself whether or not I made the right choice in sending my son to TAG, my answer is always in the smile that my son gives me every morning when I drop him off at school. It is always bright and huge and followed by his race up the steps so that he can get into school and start his day as soon as possible. I hope this helps any parent out there who is considering what schools to apply for this year. TAG is a hidden gem that does not get as much attention as the other city-wide G&T programs, but it does not mean that it does not shine just as - if not brighter - than the other schools.

My son is just finishing his kindergarten year at TAG and we have been very happy with the overall experience! The amount he has learned this year is amazing. He was reading before coming into kindergarten and we worried that he wouldn't be challenged through the regular public school track, which might lead to him not liking school. At TAG, he has been challenged and engaged in learning. While there is a strong focus on academics, including quite a lot of homework, the classrooms are nurturing and there is not a competitive feeling between students at the school. The student body is very diverse. The current kindergarten is about 30% Asian, 30% African American, 30% Caucasian and ~10% from outside those groups....but when the kids are interacting, all they see are other kids. This is something special at TAG. You don't see this at many G&T schools. If I had to name downsides, I would say the lack of after school options for kids & outdoor space that needs renovation. TAG is committed to after school care being available at no cost to all families through the YMCA, but this limits the number of other options that can be offered due to space limitations and the agreement with the Y. For families who can send kids to other afterschool activities, this doesn't present too big a problem but not everyone can. The outdoor space, while large, needs to be renovated. The PTA is actively working to bring attention to this issue. There are many involved parents, an active PTA and a very supportive school community. All in all, I think it's a wonderful place for my son to be and I'm excited we are part of this wonderful community.

TAG is a parent's dream. My child attends and I'm very impressed by how she is challenged on a daily basis. The school does an amazing job providing a comfortable and clean atmosphere. TAG is very diverse. It's diversity is an amazing anomaly that creates a synergy with the children where they are comfortable because everyone is different but just like me. The parent association works very hard and is extremely passionate in making sure the school runs smoothly. My only issues is with the managing staff that operates on the bureaucracy of the NY public school system. Some issues that can be handled simply are tangled in red tape. But luckily the PA is challenging and continues to fight those issues.

Class size is a concern for the elementary grades with 31 students for one teacher with no assistant. There is no bussing unless you live in the district and carpool is reserved for parents within close proximity to each other and it is expensive. Other than that, the staff are nice and easy to talk to.

Diverse g and t school that is public. Rare to see this combo. Kids will be well prepared for rigorous higher ed and diversity

My daughter Jasmine Smith has been going to Tag since Kindergarten. The faculty has been top notch since day one. Academically she has been challenged and the teachers have been there to help, guide, and encourage her to keep doing her best. My daughter loves this school and so do I. Can't believe she only has two more yrs left. I highly recommend this school.

Proud Parent,
Jason Smith