P.S.171 Queens
Peter G.Van Alst
Elementary School
ABOUT P.S.171Peter G. Van Alst School
Principal’s Message
“Children are not things to be molded, but are people to be unfolded…”
P.S. 171Q, the Magnet School of the Arts, is there to help our children unfold. We believe that each one of our children possesses a unique quality that adds to the beauty of our school.
This school year, our focus will be on working together, as a family community, and embarking on a new beginning, brought on by the many changes we have faced and persevered through, together. Our students will be offered opportunities to support their learning, to support them emotionally and to support their aspirations to learn. We are confident that their love of learning will come from their teacher’s energy and love of teaching. We are there to prepare our students for a strong voice in the world.
Working together, we will provide the best for our children and our community.
With respect and love,
Laura Kavourias
Principal
Our Philosophy
Mission Statement:
Our mission at P.S. 171Q the Peter G. Van Alst School is to promote excellence and provide our students with a quality education and rich academic experiences in cooperation with parents and community, so that they can move forward with knowledge,self-confidence and joy to take their rightful places in the world.
Instructional Focus-Academic Policy
Using data to identify the diverse needs of our learners, we will cultivate critical thinking and address equity and life-long learning skills through effective questioning and student discourse embedded in rigorous curriculum and tasks. Learners will engage in the rigorous instructional practices of guided reading and problem solving to support oral language development. We will increase our focus on listening and speaking standards through academic language skills development and high utility vocabulary in all content areas. This will be partnered with strategic practices in writing to prepare our students to have a strong voice in the world.
Our History
In 1943, the City of New York acquired this property for the Department of Education. Soon thereafter, the city built Peter G. Van Alst Public Elementary School 171, which has a capacity for 1,361 pupils. On July 22, 1948, they drew up plans to build a jointly operated playground on the leftover land. P.S. 171 opened to students on February 5, 1952, and on October 28, 1952, the city hosted a dedication ceremony at the school, in honor of Peter Van Alst. Known as Playground 171, this facility opened on July 10, 1957. Although these grounds are officially under the jurisdiction of the Department of Education, Parks is responsible for maintaining the playground. In 1985, Parks renamed this playground Van Alst Playground.
http://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/van-alst-playground/history
Student Population
We support students from our local Astoria neighborhood in 3K, Pre -K and grades K -5. Our diverse student population is supported in general education classes, special classes for students with disabilities, collaborative team -teaching classrooms, and with ENL services.
What to Expect
PS171Q believes that our school community is a true family, and we work to establish strong connections amongst students, staff and families so that all feel welcome and supported each and every day. Each day students engage in a focused literacy block with emphasis on building early phonics, reading fluency, and a rich vocabulary. The school also sets time aside each day for restorative circles that teach social emotional learning skills at an age - appropriate level in every class.