Frequently Asked Questions
What is the school's religious affiliation?
Rabbi Arthur Schneier Park East Day School is a traditional Jewish Day School that focuses on providing students with a positive and uplifting link to their Jewish heritage, from generation to generation.
Do I have to be a Park East Synagogue member to enroll my child at the school?
No. Our students come from diverse Jewish communities from all over New York City and the world.
What are the school's tuition costs?
Tuition varies with age group and amount of time/days per week at school. The Early Childhood program ranges from $4,100 (Taste of School) to $19,425 (4 Year Olds). The Lower and Middle School programs range from $21,500 to $23,100.
Does Park East offer financial assistance?
Yes. We provide confidential financial assistance for qualifying families with students in grades K-8, in order to lighten the burden of tuition expenses.
When are admissions applications accepted?
We operate on rolling admissions, and applications are accepted throughout the year.
Does the school offer busing?
Yes. Many Park East students travel by yellow NYC school-bus. Private busing is also available for Queens residents and for nursery students. Students who do not take a bus to school are eligible for a free Metro-card.
How does the school handle security?
We maintain a full-time security staff on school premises, complete with an internal and external video-surveillance system. All students, parents, care-givers, and staff members are issued photo identity cards, which are used to gain access to the building.
Are there opportunities for parents to interact with school administration and faculty?
Our administration and faculty are always available to parents. There are numerous school functions that encourage parent-faculty integration, including an annual dinner, grade-level social evenings, and monthly family functions, in addition to scheduled parent-teacher conferences.
How large are your classes?
Children learn better in small classes and benefit from increased interaction with teachers. For this reason, we strive to keep class sizes small, with a low student-to-teacher ratio. In many subject areas, ranging from math to Mishna, we offer multiple levels in order to provide enrichment and remediation.
Is there a school uniform or dress code?
Children in the Early Childhood program may dress in comfortable clothing. Beginning in kindergarten, students wear the school uniform, which is available from Lands End.
How do you incorporate technology in your curriculum?
With state-of-the-art facilities, our students use technology to enhance learning in every subject – from math, science, and language arts to the study of Torah and Mishna. In addition to regular classes in our computer lab, there are computers in every classroom, from age four and up. In the Lower and Middle School, each classroom is equipped with a SMART Board interactive whiteboard to facilitate lessons that integrate video, audio, images, graphs, charts, and text.
What does your dual-curriculum entail?
In early childhood classes, general and Judaic studies are taught together in fully integrated lessons that are centered around the Jewish holidays, Shabbat, Israel, and the calendar, and use art, music, cooking, baking, and dance to enrich the curriculum. Beginning in first grade, there are separate periods for Judaic and general studies, in addition to regularly scheduled “specialty” periods for computers, art, music, dance, library, chess, and physical education.
How do we instill a love of Israel in our students?
Students of all ages learn to love Israel through studying the Hebrew language, examining Israeli culture and history, and making connections between American Jewish communities and the State of Israel. Annual charity drives, parades, celebrations, and schoolwide fairs remind our students of our Biblical ties to the land of Israel, as well as our political ties to the modern state.
How does the school promote acts of kindness and charity?
We take Rabbi Schneier's challenge of "perfecting an imperfect world through shining deeds of compassion, justice, and charity" very seriously. Our youngest students learn the value of tzedakah (giving charity) and of treating other people with respect, and they carry these values through the grades. Beginning in kindergarten, students participate in our annual Israel Read-a-thon, which has raised over $25,000 for Israeli charities over the past three years. Middle School students complete a "Chessed Requirement" by participating in community service projects for the school, Park East Synagogue, and our surrounding community.
What is the "Visiting Dignitaries Program?"
Due to Rabbi Schneier's international political and religious connections, our students are afforded the unique opportunity to meet world leaders regularly. When these distinguished colleagues – including ambassadors, religious leaders, and United Nations representatives – visit our school, students often have the opportunity to meet and greet them, in addition to learning about their religion and country of origin. In this way, our students gain a practical education in current events and world geography.