At a Glance
A small zoned elementary serving Bay Ridge's youngest learners, with near-universal parent trust
Best suited for
Families with pre-K, kindergarten, or first-grade-aged children (and those seeking a special education seat) who live in the school's Bay Ridge zone and want a small, trust-rich launch into public school — and who are prepared to navigate a transition to a larger elementary school after first grade.
What stands out
- Near-perfect parent-principal trust at 100%, signaling unusually strong leadership-family relationships
- Serves only the earliest grades (pre-K, K, 1) plus a special education program, creating a focused early-childhood environment
- 96% family survey response rate indicates near-total parent engagement
- Zoned school in a family-dense Bay Ridge catchment, with R train access in a short walk
Things to consider
- With only pre-K through first grade (plus special education), families will need to navigate a transition to another zoned middle elementary school starting in second grade
- Survey results are based on just 25 family responses, so the small sample limits how broadly the picture can be generalized
- No academic outcome data is available since the grade band predates state testing
- Zoned admissions mean eligibility depends on residence, not choice
Based on 2025 data
School SummaryDistrict 20
Across District 20, the peer set spans strong performers like The Christa McAuliffe School/IS 187 (94/100) and The Madeleine Brennan School (83/100) down to schools in the low 80s. This school's standout climate metrics — particularly the 98% parent satisfaction against a district average closer to 94% — place it among the more relationship-driven options in the district, even though its narrow grade span means families will eventually move on to one of these larger peer schools for the upper elementary years.
Academics
No state test scores are reported for this school, which is expected given it serves only pre-K through first grade and special education — testing in New York City starts in third grade. Parents can look at this as an early-childhood foundation school rather than one with measurable academic outcomes yet. The judgment of quality at this stage rests more on climate and engagement than test data.
Culture
The climate here is the standout story. Parent satisfaction reaches 98%, well above the district average of 94%. Parent-teacher trust (99%) and parent-principal trust (100%) are exceptional — families clearly feel heard by both teachers and leadership. The 96% family survey response rate, on a small sample of 25, suggests nearly every family took the time to weigh in, which itself signals engagement. The vibe reads as a small, communicative community where leadership has built real relationships with families from the start.
Community
The school draws from Bay Ridge, a neighborhood where about 19% of households have children, median household income sits near $89,000, and half of adult residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The area has a stable, family-oriented feel with a homeownership rate of nearly 38% and a median home value north of $900,000 — suggesting many families are rooted long-term in the neighborhood and value continuity in their local school.
Neighborhood
Bay Ridge is a settled, middle-class Brooklyn neighborhood where families tend to put down roots, with a median home value close to $913,000 and an adult population that's about half college-educated. The 19% share of households with kids is high for New York City, and the relatively low poverty rate (11.5%) reflects a stable residential base. It's the kind of place where the local school is genuinely part of community life.
Families can reach the school via the R train at Bay Ridge Avenue in about a four-minute walk — the closest option by far. The 77 Street (R) and 59 Street (N, R) stations are each about an eleven-minute walk away, giving reasonable coverage for families coming from different parts of the neighborhood.
Survey Results
NYC School Survey (2025) · 25 families responded (96% rate)
How to get in, step by step
Kindergarten
Joanne Seminara School of Law and Medicine has an attendance zone. At elementary level, in-zone students get a guaranteed seat. Every family still applies on MySchools: the application confirms the zoned seat, and ranking other schools doesn't cost you it.
Kindergarten application
- Opens
- Wed, Dec 9
- Closes
- Fri, Jan 22
- Offers
- Tue, Mar 30
The DOE’s published dates.
- 1Check that your address is inside the zone — zones change, so confirm it before you sign a lease.
- 2Apply during the kindergarten application, even with a zoned seat.
- 3Rank this school along with any others you'd take, in true preference order.
Open houses and tours
We haven’t seen open-house dates for this school yet.
From the MySchools admissions calendar, checked weekly.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Is Joanne Seminara School of Law and Medicine a good school?
- Published quality ratings aren't available for Joanne Seminara School of Law and Medicine yet on Motley. It's a public school serving grades K to 1 in Bay Ridge.
- What grades does Joanne Seminara School of Law and Medicine serve?
- Joanne Seminara School of Law and Medicine serves grades K to 1.
- How do students get into Joanne Seminara School of Law and Medicine?
- Joanne Seminara School of Law and Medicine admits by zone — children who live in its attendance zone get a guaranteed seat.
- Is Joanne Seminara School of Law and Medicine public, charter, or private?
- Joanne Seminara School of Law and Medicine is a public school in NYC Community School District 20.
- What neighborhood is Joanne Seminara School of Law and Medicine in?
- Joanne Seminara School of Law and Medicine is in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn.