VINEGAR HILL — Big changes are in the works for Vinegar Hill's P.S. 307.
The public elementary school was awarded a federal Magnet School Assistance Program (MSAP) grant at the beginning of the school year and school officials plan to use the money to add a new fifth-grade class, a new science lab, 84 new pre-K seats and new laptops and other technology for the students in the upcoming 2014-15 school year.
"Many exciting changes are in process at our school and we'd like to share this information with the community and especially with parents," said Servena Narine, magnet resource specialist at P.S. 307. "Enrollment is open to all pre-K to fifth-graders, even families who live outside of the local school zone because of the new magnet grant."
The magnet grant will also be used to transform P.S. 307 into a STEM school — a school that focuses on science, technology, engineering and mathematics. This new focus will be integrated into all of the school's programs, Narine said.
Planning for STEM activities is currently underway and might include a robotics program and "enrichment clusters" for gifted students, she said.
The school is also planning to add classes for students with autism next school year.
P.S. 307 currently has a science lab, art and music programs, a Mandarin Chinese language program, violin classes, choir and sports teams, according to Downtown Brooklyn School Solutions.
The P.S. 307 Magnet School for STEM Studies is holding open houses at the school — located at 209 York St. between Navy and Gold streets— on Feb. 4 at 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. and Feb. 8 at 11 a.m., officials said.
