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I.S. 229 Roland Patterson

Grades: 6-8
275 Harlem River Park Bridge
Bronx NY 10453
Phone: 718-583-6266

Our Insights

What’s Special

A thriving drama club

The Downside

Classrooms don’t have walls

Dr. Roland N. Patterson School, IS 229, a tiny middle school near Roberto Clemente State Park and the Harlem River in Morris Heights, offers a thriving drama club, songwriting and composition, and various styles of dance. 

Most students live in the nearby River Park Towers Apartments, a public housing development, according to the school’s Comprehensive Educational Plan (CEP). About one-fourth live in temporary housing and some are still learning English. 

The school has some nice features intended to tap into the talents of teens who are learning to speak English, and struggling to read or write. The American Composers’ Orchestra brings in drumming, rhythmic composition, chorus, songwriting and sight-reading. Wingspan Arts works with all 6th grade classes; students study modern, hip hop and Latin dancing. 

Long-time performing arts coordinator, Hugh Fletcher, produces two theater performances a year complete with props and costumes. He has made IS 229 the only middle school in the Bronx that is a member of New York Thespians, and writes about his experiences with the drama club on Schooltheatre.org.

The school, which shares a building with PS 274, has an open-floor plan. Classes are separated by dividers that don't reach either to the ceiling or from wall to wall. The situation gets noisy and can be hard to supervise “hot spots” such as hallways and classrooms, where conflicts arise, according to the CEP.

Principal Patrick Kelly took the helm in 2018, following a principal who had served for 16 years. Kelly was formerly principal of MS 325 in the Bronx, which closed in 2018 due to poor performance.

Admissions: Neighborhood school also open to districts 9 and 10. (Lydie Raschka, web reports, May 2019)

Read more

School Stats

Citywide Average Key
This school is Better Near Worse than the citywide average

Is this school safe and well-run?

From the 2020-21 NYC School Survey

How many students say they feel safe in the hallways, bathrooms and locker rooms?
88%
78% Citywide Average
How many students think bullying happens most or all of the time at this school?
44%
58% Citywide Average
How many teachers say the principal is an effective manager?
100%
84% Citywide Average

From the 2019-20 NY State Report Card

How many students were suspended?
1%
4% Citywide Average

From this school's most recent Quality Review Report

Are teachers effective?

From the 2021-22 School Quality Guide

How many teachers have 3 or more years of experience teaching?
71%
79% Citywide Average
Years of principal experience at this school
2.5

How do students perform academically?

From the New York State 2022-2023 Assessment Database

How many middle school students scored 3-4 on the state math exam?
31%
46% Citywide Average
How many middle school students scored 3-4 on the state reading exam?
39%
51% Citywide Average

From the 2021-22 School Quality Guide

How many 8th-graders earn high school credit?
3%
39% Citywide Average

Who does this school serve?

From the 2022-23 Demographic Snapshot

Enrollment
173
Asian
1%
Black
32%
Hispanic
64%
White
1%
Other
2%
Free or reduced priced lunch
94%
Students with disabilities
35%
English language learners
14%

From the 2021-22 School Quality Guide

Average daily attendance
88%
90% Citywide Average
How many students miss 18 or more days of school?
48%
38% Citywide Average

From the 2020 School Directories

Uniforms required?
No

How does this school serve special populations?

From the New York State 2022-2023 Assessment Database

How many English language learners scored 3-4 on the state math exam?
13%
15% Citywide Average


For more information about our data sources, see About Our Data · More DOE statistics for this school

Contact & Location

Location

Morris Heights (District 9)
Trains: 1 Line to 191st St
Buses: Bx18, Bx3, Bx36, Bx40, Bx42, M100, M101, M3

Contact

Principal
Vernon Johnson
Parent Coordinator
Christin Fincher

Other Details

Shared campus?
Yes
This school shares the building with PS 274
Uniforms required?
No
Metal detectors?
No

Zone for the 2019-2020 school year. Call school to confirm.

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