PS 56 Lewis H Latimer, Brooklyn, NY (2026 List)

About Ps 56 Lewis H Latimer

P.S. 56 Lewis H. Latimer School is located at 170 Gates Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11238, in Clinton Hill. It serves students in Pre-K through grade 5, giving families an early-childhood through upper-elementary pathway. Enrollment is 245 students, creating a compact elementary setting within New York City Geographic District 13. The student–teacher ratio is 14:1, rounded from 14.37 reported by federal school data. Gender enrollment is 50% male and 50% female, showing an evenly balanced student body. Recent state results indicate 47% math proficiency and 32% reading proficiency. The school operates as a regular non-charter public elementary and an authorized International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme school with Maker World, dance, literacy, mathematics, physical education, and arts-based enrichment. Its IB program structure gives PS 56 a concept-based instructional lens while keeping a neighborhood public-school role in Clinton Hill. Residential properties in this corridor trade near $1,049,000 in the local school-area market. Compared with nearby District 13 elementary options, PS 56 offers a small inquiry-driven pathway for families researching best elementary school in New York.

Academic Performance

Subject Proficiency

Mathematics 47%

Reading 32%

State average proficiency is 47% in Math and 32% in Reading.

17

Full-time Teachers

14 : 1

Student-Teacher Ratio

245

Total Students

$82249

Avg. Teacher Salary

Student Demographics

White 39.59%

Asian 2.45%

Hispanic 15.1%

Black 33.47%

Two+ Races 7.76%

Native Am. 1.22%

White

39.59%

Asian

2.45%

Hispanic

15.1%

Black

33.47%

Two+ Races

7.76%

Native Am.

1.22%

Gender Distribution

Total Students: 245

50.2%

123 Female

49.8%

122 Male

Student Population

245 Students

With a student-teacher ratio of 14 : 1

Minority Enrollment

25%

Percentage of minority students

Students per Counselor

263 : 1

Student to counselor ratio

Ps 56 Lewis H Latimer Contact Information

Address

170 GATES AVE, BROOKLYN, NY 11238

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Phone

(718) 857-3149

Call Now

Website

http://www.ps56k.org

Recent News & Updates

New Playground Name

We are so excited to announce the name of our new playground! Following a school-wide and Robinson community vote we narrowed a large list of names down to four. Since our students will be using the playground on a daily basis, we gave them the final vote! 476.....

School Timings

Regular School Hours

All Grades: 8:20 AM - 2:40 PM

Early Dismissal Days

Dismissal Time: 12:15 PM

Note: Doors open at 8:05 AM for student arrival. Please refer to the school calendar for specific early dismissal dates.

After School Activities

Information coming soon

School Session Dates

September to June

School session starts in September 1st week and ends in June 3rd week. For exact dates, please contact the school.

Remarkable Alumni

Being Updated

Map

Latest News

P.S. 56 Lewis H. Latimer has ties to a new upcoming S.T.E.A.M. at PS56 event that will take place on January 31, 2026. The S.T.E.A.M. event highlights the contributions of Lewis Latimer as an inventor by challenging children to come up with patent inventions, work on design problems, and produce 3D anaglyph artwork. This announcement will resonate well with the school’s identity since P.S. 56 is an IB school and has a Maker World program.

FAQ

Q1. What is the learning model used at P.S. 56 Lewis H. Latimer?

Ans. P.S. 56 Lewis H. Latimer uses the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme to guide students in developing skills of inquiry, communication, reflection, and global-minded thinking.

Q2. What is P.S. 56 Lewis H. Latimer's hands-on learning space?

Ans. Maker World at P.S. 56 Lewis H. Latimer, where students explore robotics, coding, bridge building, circuitry, weaving, Lego, K’nex, and upcycled design projects.

Q3. What support does P.S. 56 Lewis H. Latimer provide for arts education?

Ans. P.S. 56 Lewis H. Latimer provides dance, visual arts, music partnerships, performances and arts-based enrichment during the school day.

Q4. How can families stay connected with P.S. 56 Lewis H. Latimer?

Ans. P.S. 56 Lewis H. Latimer’s website provides PTA, after-school, supply, admissions, school calendar, and stay-connected information.

Q5. What is the school culture like at P.S. 56 Lewis H. Latimer?

Ans. P.S. 56 Lewis H. Latimer is a community of learners and leaders, with a focus on wellness, creativity, collaboration, and student growth.

Games & Extracurricular Activities

Sports

Soccer Club Grades 1-3 | Mon/Wed 3:30-4:30pm
Basketball Grades 2-4 | Tue/Thu 3:30-4:45pm
Track & Field Grades 3-5 | Fri 3:30-5:00pm

Arts

Art Club Grades K-2 | Mon 3:00-4:00pm
Drama Club Grades 3-5 | Wed 3:30-5:00pm
Choir Grades 2-5 | Thu 3:15-4:15pm

Clubs

Chess Club Grades 2-5 | Fri 3:15-4:15pm
Garden Club All Grades | Tue 3:15-4:00pm
Robotics Club Grades 3-5 | Thu 3:30-5:00pm

Note: Schedules may change during school holidays. Please contact School for exact Schedule.

Summer Suggested Reading

Horn Book Selections

Vocabulary.com +3 Horn Book +3 What to Read to Your Kids +3

ML

Maggie Lou, Firefox

by Arnolda Dufour Bowes

PS

The Puppets of Spelhorst

by Kate DiCamillo

MLV

The Mona Lisa Vanishes

by Nicholas Day

Vocabulary.com Top Picks

Penguin Random House +10 Vocabulary.com +10 Wikipedia +10

F

Frindle

by Andrew Clements

WR

The Wild Robot

by Peter Brown

JGP

James and the Giant Peach

by Roald Dahl

Penguin Random House Features

Horn Book +2 Penguin Random House +2 The Guardian +2

SLB

The Secret Language of Birds

by Lynne Kelly

S

The Swifts: A Dictionary of Scoundrels

by Beth Lincoln

Free Robotics and Stem In-person Workshop in Your Neighbourhood for 7-14 Years Tech Enthusiasts.

Local kids are transforming ideas into real-world.

See the projects happening right in your neighborhood

What Parents Say