Fort Hill Collaborative Elementary School

Test scores remain below the Staten Island district average — 37.5% in ELA and 46.9% in math compared to district averages around 61% — but the trajectory is encouraging. After hitting a rough patch with proficiency as low as 22.6% in ELA and 15.5% in math during 2022, the school has clawed its way back, with 2025 marks representing the highest scores in six years. Grade-level performance varies: 4th graders are doing better in reading (45.5%) than math (39.1%), while 5th graders show the opposite pattern, excelling in math (57.1%) but lagging in reading (36.4%). The 1.69 overall score on the 4-point scale is below the district average of 2.45, reflecting that this school is still catching up to its peers.

The culture here tells a compelling story: nearly every parent and teacher trusts the leadership, with satisfaction at 95% and principal trust at 99%. Teachers report 100% trust in the principal and rate instruction quality at 100% — numbers you almost never see. Discipline is exemplary with zero suspensions for three consecutive years. However, there's a disconnect between this warmth and the attendance reality: chronic absenteeism sits at 53.3%, meaning more than half of students are missing too much school. Female students (57.6%) and Hispanic students (59.6%) miss school at even higher rates than the already-struggling average. Teacher-reported safety (80%) also trails the district average of 94.8%, which may reflect classroom-level behavior concerns or just different reporting standards.

This is a high-need community: 88% economic need index and 35% of students have IEPs. The student body is predominantly Hispanic (59%), with Black students comprising 22%, White 7%, and Multi-Racial 6%. The diversity index of 67% is moderate. Compared to the neighborhood — which has 33% BA+ education rate and 35.4% homeownership — many families here are working parents navigating economic challenges. The school of just 202 students is small by NYC standards, which can be a plus for personalization but means limited extracurricular depth.

St. George-New Brighton sits on the North Shore of Staten Island with excellent transit access (85.82 score) making it connected to the rest of the borough, though family density is low at 24.52. The neighborhood has a 19.5% poverty rate, median home value of $556,676, and moderate stability (79.69). Environmental safety indicators show some concerns: elevated lead rates (19%) and asthma rates (47.3 per 1000) suggest older housing stock. Crime density is notable but not extreme. The area has seen redevelopment in recent years, with new housing and amenities bringing more young families.

The school is accessible by walking from the St. George terminal area; families from further afield rely on the Staten Island Railway or bus routes. The neighborhood is hilly and partly residential.