At a Glance
A tiny, faith-rooted elementary school where every child is known by name
Best suited for
Local Crown Heights families — particularly those seeking an affordable, faith-based elementary education with deeply personalized attention in a small, community-oriented setting.
What stands out
- An exceptionally low 3.1-to-1 student-teacher ratio that makes one-on-one attention the norm rather than the exception.
- A steel band program — an unusual offering for an elementary school that gives students real ensemble experience.
- Tuition set at $6,500, dramatically below most Brooklyn private schools and accessible to working- and middle-class families.
- Faith integration across the day, with religious studies paired with STEAM, music, and foreign language.
- Accreditation through both the National Association of Episcopal Schools and the National Independent Private Schools Association.
Things to consider
- Parent reviews are mixed, with recurring concerns about food quality, teacher conduct, and perceptions of favoritism — worth probing during a visit.
- With only 40 students total, the peer group is small and the range of extracurriculars and grade-level activities is necessarily limited.
- The Calvinist/Episcopal identity is central to the school's mission and may not suit families looking for a secular environment.
- Financial aid availability is not advertised, so the affordable sticker price may not translate to further subsidies for those who need it.
- Rolling admissions mean spots can open mid-year, but also that the cohort composition may shift more than at schools with fixed enrollment cycles.
Identity
Founded in the Calvinist/Episcopal tradition, St. Mark's Day School frames its mission around faith, intellect, and leadership — developing the whole child through spiritual, academic, and moral growth. The school is coeducational and serves pre-K through fifth grade. It holds accreditations through the National Association of Episcopal Schools and the National Independent Private Schools Association.
Community
With only 40 students enrolled, St. Mark's draws almost entirely from the surrounding Crown Heights community — 95% of students identify as Black, with the remaining 5% identifying as Hispanic. The school's small size means families tend to know one another well, and the community has a strongly local character.
Neighborhood
Crown Heights South is a working- and middle-class Brooklyn neighborhood where the median household income is around $70,000 and about 36% of adults hold a bachelor's degree. The area has a roughly 20% poverty rate and a mix of brownstone blocks, religious institutions, and long-time residents.
The school is a 4-minute walk from the Kingston Av (3) station, and also within 7 minutes of the President St–Medgar Evers College (2, 5) and Nostrand Av (3) stations.
Notable Programs
What Parents Are Saying
Mixed reviews; a 1.75/5 rating with complaints about food quality, teacher behavior, and favoritism; a 3.1/5 rating; some positive mentions of small class sizes, music/language/STEAM programs, and dedicated staff
Synthesized from public parent reviews · Apr 2026
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Is ST MARK'S DAY SCHOOL a good school?
- Published quality ratings aren't available for ST MARK'S DAY SCHOOL yet on Motley. It's a private school serving grades Pre-K to 5 in Crown Heights (South).
- What grades does ST MARK'S DAY SCHOOL serve?
- ST MARK'S DAY SCHOOL serves grades Pre-K to 5.
- How do students get into ST MARK'S DAY SCHOOL?
- ST MARK'S DAY SCHOOL runs its own private admissions process — typically an application, a visit, and sometimes testing.
- Is ST MARK'S DAY SCHOOL public, charter, or private?
- ST MARK'S DAY SCHOOL is a private school.
- What neighborhood is ST MARK'S DAY SCHOOL in?
- ST MARK'S DAY SCHOOL is in Crown Heights (South), Brooklyn.