P.S. 130 Hernando De Soto

Wow, I get to review my elementary school now! This preK-​5 public school serves parts of Chinatown, Little Italy & Nolita, but the student body is probably 95% Asian, even from when I was attending to this day. It’s our family alma mater because my sisters went here and later, my nieces as well.
Back in my day, the school was K-​6 grades. Teachers & principals have come & gone, the school has been renovated & expanded, but it still has that neighborhood feel. There used to be a large schoolyard where we would run our silly little heads off during gym, recess & lunch, but is now the site of the building extension. I think they use the roof now for physical activities.
Some old classmates that I have recently contacted are planning a get-​together to reminisce about our days at PS130. I heard that Mr. Epstein is semi-​retired and still works part-​time as assistant principal! That’s amazing!
This review can’t be complete without talking about food. I don’t know how the food is these days (my son despises school food), but I thought school lunch then was pretty good. For a FOB Chinese kid exposed for the first time to hamburgers, pizza & fried chicken TV dinners? Remember your first time as a kid at McDonald’s? It was like a gift of ambrosia from the heavens!

This is definitely a school I would send my kids to! An A grade school with a warm principal! The school has a wonderful writing program! Their kindergartners can write wonderful paragraphs! That’s amazing!!!