PS 354 principal credits grants and programs with sharp test-score gains and upgrades under way
Summary
Principal Dr. Emanuela Remy told the CEC 28 that PS 354’s ELA proficiency rose from about 19% in 2022 to 53% and math from about 15% to 66% after targeted interventions and more than $2 million in school-directed grants; the school is pursuing STEM lab, gym and auditorium upgrades timed for 2026.
Principal Dr. Emanuela Remy presented a progress report for the Jermaine L. Green STEM Institute of Queens (PS 354) to the Community Education Council for New York City Geographic District #28 on Dec. 4.
Remy said PS 354 currently serves approximately 536 students, including about 21% with individualized education programs and roughly 12% who experience housing insecurity. She said the school’s New York State English language-arts proficiency rate rose from roughly 19% in 2022 to about 53% and math from roughly 15% to about 66% over three years.
Those gains, Remy said, reflect a combination of instructional changes, expanded student supports and targeted investment. “We installed 29 smart boards, expanded our STEM majors and used resume/reso A grants to build culture and capacity,” she said.
Remy listed school-directed grant spending she said has supported the turnaround: about $500,000 toward a STEM lab (projected completion by September 2026), roughly $300,000 for technology, $750,000 for a gym upgrade, $450,000 for an auditorium upgrade, $75,000 for cafeteria improvements and smaller awards for branding and arts. She also noted an $80,000 arts grant for the current year and said the school has received more than $2 million in such discretionary grants over three years.
Remy described PS 354’s specialized programs — a NEST program for autistic learners in partnership with NYU, dual-language classes, micro- and macro-classroom models and departmentalized grades 4–5 — and said ongoing family partnerships and multilingual staff have helped raise attendance to about 92% so far this school year.
Why it matters: The presentation showed how targeted, school-level spending and instructional changes have accompanied measurable score improvements in a district facing widespread overcrowding and facility needs. Remy encouraged other principals to apply for resume/reso A grants and to use SCA and borough-office resources when planning capital improvements.
Next steps: Remy said SCA and elected-official funding supported her school’s projects and encouraged principals to apply early in January when reso A windows open. She said families and school teams should expect construction timelines to continue into 2026 for larger capital work.
