Our School

PS 163 is a Pre-K through 5th-grade elementary school on the Upper West Side of Manhattan made up of a diverse body of 580 students. We are located at 163 West 97th Street, between Amsterdam and Columbus Avenues in a midcentury three-story building constructed in 1957. The building houses only PS 163, and our large, tree-lined playground, Happy Warrior, is a neighborhood favorite.

 

We offer four educational programs: Gifted & Talented (grades 3-5), Dual Language English/Spanish, Integrated Co-Teaching (ICT) and General Education.

 

At PS 163, our instructional program fosters creativity while respecting individual differences in learning styles. Our literacy and math programs use a hybrid approach of curriculum aligned to the Next Generation Standards and best practices from older programs to give our students a core of important knowledge, promote critical reasoning and develop problem-solving skills. PS 163 provides instruction in content areas to examine ideas that shape our world. Our cluster programs offer a well-rounded exposure to the arts, science, and technology. All students have weekly instruction in Art, Music, Science, Computers, and Gym. Depending on grade level, they may also have Dance, Chess, and elective programs as well. Our school has a robust parent-run library to which every student has regular access. All students are encouraged to check out books weekly.

 

Our teachers are fantastic! They are committed to their students and our school. Keira Dillon, a fifth-grade teacher, won a prestigious Big Apple Award in 2017. Cynthia Castro, a second-grade teacher, received a Blackboard Award in 2013, and many others have received nominations in the past. PS 163 was named a 2019 New York State Recognition School—one of the top-performing schools in the state. It was one of just 277 New York City schools to receive this designation. From 2016 to 2019, PS 163 has been a Learning Partners Program School. Principal Donny Lopez was a 2018 Cahn Fellow.

To see our latest Quality Review Report, click here.