PS 186 CASTLEWOOD

www.ps186.org

319 Students

Elementary School Pre-K - 5th

School Overview

PS 186, also known as the Castlewood School, is a public elementary school located in the Bellerose neighborhood of Queens, New York. Serving students from Pre-Kindergarten through grade 5, the school is part of the New York City Department of Education’s District 26, a district consistently recognized for its high academic standards and strong performance metrics. The school fosters a community-oriented environment, emphasizing core academic skills while encouraging the social and emotional development of its diverse student body.

Academically, PS 186 is well-regarded for its commitment to preparing students for middle school through a rigorous curriculum and a variety of enrichment programs. The school places a significant focus on literacy and mathematics, often integrating technology into the classroom to enhance learning experiences. Beyond the core subjects, PS 186 typically offers various extracurricular opportunities and school activities aimed at fostering student engagement, creativity, and a sense of school spirit, making it a staple educational institution within the Bellerose community.

319

Total Students

47.8

Full-Time Teachers

6.7

Student/Teacher Ratio

48.0%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for PS 186 CASTLEWOOD
Demographic	Student Count
White	50
Hispanic	78
Black	38
Asian	132
Two or More	13
American Indian	5
Pacific Islander	3

Asian
132 (41.4%)
Hispanic
78 (24.5%)
White
50 (15.7%)
Black
38 (11.9%)
Two or More
13 (4.1%)
American Indian
5 (1.6%)
Pacific Islander
3 (0.9%)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Elementary School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	NEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT #26
Phone:	(718)831-4021
Website:	http://www.ps186.org
Grade Range:	Pre-K - 5th
Total Students:	319
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	47.8
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	6.7
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	144
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	9

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Pre-Kindergarten 39

Kindergarten 50

Grade 1 45

Grade 2 41

Grade 3 44

Grade 4 53

Grade 5 47