Motley
Private schoolP
PrivatePrivate

ST ELIZABETH SCHOOL

612 WEST 187 STREET

At a Glance

A Small Catholic Elementary School Serving a Predominantly Hispanic Community in Northern Manhattan

Best suited for

Families seeking a small, faith-based elementary education in Washington Heights who are comfortable with Catholic values and want their children to learn in a predominantly Hispanic community. Parents should prioritize visiting the neighborhood to assess safety firsthand and should align with the school's religious mission.

What stands out
  • Small elementary school with approximately 220 students across PK-5
  • Catholic faith-based environment with daily prayer and religious instruction
  • 12:1 student-teacher ratio allows for more personalized attention
  • Strong representation of the local Hispanic community — nearly 80% of students
  • Located in a culturally rich neighborhood with excellent subway access
Things to consider
  • The safety score of 10/100 is notably low — parents should visit the neighborhood at different times and factor this into their decision
  • As a Catholic school, families should be comfortable with religious instruction and practices
  • Very high Hispanic representation (78%) means less demographic diversity than some Manhattan schools
  • Small enrollment means limited extracurricular offerings compared to larger schools
  • Tuition costs for private Catholic schools are not listed here but represent a significant annual investment
IdentityThe School Operates On Traditional Catholic Educational Values — Emphasizing Discipline, Respect, And Moral Development Alongside Academic Learning. This Is A Faith-Based Environment Where Parents Seeking Religious Instruction Alongside Elementary Academics Will Feel At Home.

St. Elizabeth School is a coed Catholic elementary school in Washington Heights, serving children from pre-kindergarten through 5th grade. As a parish school rooted in Roman Catholic tradition, faith integration is woven into daily life through prayer, religious instruction, and character education.

CommunityModerate

With 220 students across pre-K through 5th grade, St. Elizabeth is a small school where families likely know each other. The student body is predominantly Hispanic (78%), with smaller populations of white students (8%), Black students (6%), and multiracial students (6%). This reflects the surrounding Washington Heights neighborhood.

NeighborhoodWashington Heights (North)

Washington Heights is a vibrant, predominantly Dominican neighborhood in northern Manhattan with strong cultural identity, excellent transit connections, and busy commercial corridors along Broadway and 181st Street. However, the safety score of 10/100 is a serious consideration — this reflects crime statistics in the area that warrant careful research and potentially escorting children to and from school.

The neighborhood has strong transit options (76/100) with easy access to the A, C, and 1 subway lines. Families living within the neighborhood can likely walk to school, though the safety concerns should inform arrival and dismissal plans.

Notable Programs

Dual Language1-1 Laptop ProgramArtMusicSports (Basketball, Soccer, Volleyball)

What Parents Are Saying

Highly positive reviews; parents describe school as welcoming with diverse community, excellent safety measures, supportive staff. Niche rating 4.71/5, GreatSchools rating 4/5. Multiple reviews praise Principal Stark and note strong sense of family.

Synthesized from public parent reviews · Apr 2026

Frequently Asked Questions
Is ST ELIZABETH SCHOOL a good school?
Published quality ratings aren't available for ST ELIZABETH SCHOOL yet on Motley. It's a private school serving grades Pre-K to 5 in Washington Heights (North).
What grades does ST ELIZABETH SCHOOL serve?
ST ELIZABETH SCHOOL serves grades Pre-K to 5.
How do students get into ST ELIZABETH SCHOOL?
ST ELIZABETH SCHOOL runs its own private admissions process — typically an application, a visit, and sometimes testing.
Is ST ELIZABETH SCHOOL public, charter, or private?
ST ELIZABETH SCHOOL is a private school.
What neighborhood is ST ELIZABETH SCHOOL in?
ST ELIZABETH SCHOOL is in Washington Heights (North), Manhattan.
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