School History
From a small program for accelerated learners to one of NYC’s best K–8 public schools.
The Anderson School began as the grades K–5 Anderson Program in 1987, started by a group of visionary and tenacious parents who saw the need to accommodate young students with high academic potential. Anderson was designed to provide highly gifted children from diverse backgrounds with a curriculum that is both accelerated and enriched. From its opening as a program with four classes and some eighty students within P.S. 9 on W. 84th St. at Columbus Avenue, Anderson has grown into a mature school of nine grades and over 500 students. In its multicultural public school setting, the school has brought together a truly remarkable community: imaginative, caring teachers; an innovative administration; and committed, involved families who sustain Anderson through their very active participation.
In July 2005, Anderson was granted school status by the Department of Education. As a school — rather than a program — we have our own administration, budget, PTA, and School Leadership Team. This momentous change followed the significant milestone of the launch of our middle school grades in September 2003.
We are proud that the vast majority of our 8th graders have consistently received offers from their top-choice high schools. Many have received acceptances to specialized public high schools — including Stuyvesant, Bronx Science, Brooklyn Tech, LaGuardia Arts, American Studies at Lehman College, HSMSE at City College, and Brooklyn Latin — and to desirable, high-performing local schools including Beacon, Bard Early College HS, Eleanor Roosevelt, Millennium, Nest+M, Townsend Harris, and Upper Lab. Students have also been accepted at private schools such as Brearley, Chapin, Dalton, Fieldston, Friends, Horace Mann, Regis, Riverdale, Spence, and Trinity.
In July 2009, the Department of Education moved Anderson to larger quarters on the corner of W. 77th St. and Columbus Avenue — right down the street from P.S. 9, our home of 22 years. We share our building, the William J. O’Shea Campus, with the popular District 3 middle school The Computer School and the growing District 3 Dual Language Middle School, M.S. 247.