P.S. 160, Queens
School Snapshot
Principal: Jermaine Garden
Student Population: 801
% Receiving Free or Reduced Lunch: 90%
School Story
Since August 2000, Change for Kids has been committed to helping P.S. 160, located in Jamaica, Queens, fulfill its motto: "Where Futures Begin." We learned about P.S. 160, also known as The Walter Francis Bishop Elementary School, through the Center for Children and Families.
What started with school supplies for kindergarten students has grown to literacy programs and exposure to cultural experiences for the entire student body – experiences that further the school's mission of creating “a learning environment that nurtures the greatest level of student achievement, builds self-esteem, and champions the value of education.”
CFK Programs
Literacy
Story Pirates: serves more than 220 students
One-on-One Literacy Tutoring: weekly tutoring with the neediest 2nd-3rd grade students
Pearson ABC Book Program: 50 students and families receive books
Classroom Support
School Supplies and Book Donations: hundreds of dollars of donations each year
School Beautification Days: school murals and classroom organization
Field Trips: museum outings and skateboard competitions
Greatest Needs
Fitness and Nutrition: students receive limited gym class time and there is no school-wide health curriculum
Music: the school's only music teacher has been forced to cut early childhood programs in order to serve older grades
P.S. 160 Slideshow
See all the amazing things happening at P.S. 160 thanks to your support -- beautiful playground murals, literacy fun with Pearson and the Story Pirates, field trips, and more! To learn how you can help transform P.S. 160, click here.
Did You Know?
The school takes its name from Walter Bishop Sr., a be-bop songwriter who was friends with jazz musicians Fats Waller, Eubie Blake, Sonny Rollins, and Art Taylor, and who recorded with Art Blakely's quartet and with jazz legends like Stan Gets and Miles Davis. His son, Walter Bishop Jr., was also a jazz musician.