Irwin Altman Middle School 172

Posted: July 29, 2026

Hello! Going to 7th at MS172 Irwin Altman, and so far my experience was terrible. Multiple students throw insults and call it 'jokes' afterwards, cause drama and create issues over minor inconveniences or do it for no reason, leave students out, and more. Ever since elementary school which is close by, I didn't have any friends. This caused me to believe that starting on the first day of middle school I have to wear an entire waist trainer, barely eat, heavy makeup, talk less because I was 'annoying' and hide all my interests. I like some older stuff like Fight Club, AC/DC, Black Sabbath, older video games, and a lot more. But as soon as I walked into that school and got told that was 'probably why I didn't have any friends', I compressed it all completely at one point. Girls who I were friends with started talking bad about me, calling me annoying, fat, ugly, etc. They stopped trying to be my friend, they just told me so and either left me out or completely said it to my face. After a long time of having to go to a bathroom during the lunch periods and not doing anything for 43-45 whole minutes, then having to ask to work alone during school assignments, I started to ask my mom if I can just miss 1 day of school. "Can I just miss one more day? I wont miss anymore for this marking period!!" or making excuses like I didn't get enough sleep or that it's raining too much. I didn't even wanna try turning in majority of assignments. I stopped hoping that someone will wanna be my friend for who I am, or just trying in general. Even guidance or social group didn't help at all. I wasn't all that close to anyone in my family, or at school. I had to realize the only person I'll really have is myself. Also, even educationally, I didn't learn very much at all. Overall, this school was terrible. They'll only like you if you're skinny, not too short or tall, doesn't talk too much, and up to students standards which is looks-wise.

(I don't know much about the special education category or family engagement, I just put it in the middle.)

Posted: July 29, 2026

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Posted: May 2, 2025

5 stars, for Ms. Mazun and Ms. Wanser amazing ELA teachers

Posted: May 2, 2025

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Posted: August 8, 2024

I have been at Ms 172 for 2 years (7th grade and 8th grade) the teachers were nice and they really care but the students were mediocre. Some were really bad. You can grow socially and emotionally. At the end, I would recommend but make sure you are not shy and don’t snitch. Also, if you are going in GT/SP, be prepared for the workload. They assign you lots of homework, and is rigorous. Like, 8/10. Study beforehand.

Posted: August 8, 2024

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Posted: June 11, 2021

My son is going to this school, it is amazing

Posted: June 11, 2021

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Posted: April 27, 2020

It's a very good school. Teachers care about the students and always encourage them to do their best. There are a lot of people to reach out to if you have any concerns. Bullying is highly tolerated. I would definitely recommend this school to anybody.

Posted: April 27, 2020

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Posted: April 7, 2020

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Posted: April 7, 2020

Lunch aids are very unsupportive, rude, and don't care about the students. Bullying is not highly tolerated.

Posted: October 23, 2019

My children have blossomed both socially and academically. There are after school activities such as photography, music & chess that are not only free, but highly engaging. My children want to participate every year. It opened up their minds to the arts and has helped them develop a passion for photography and the arts. Further, most teachers are kind and compassionate. They will call not only when there is a problem, but even when your child does a good deed or when they feel they should audition for an extra-curricular activity. Upon reading the other reviews - I do agree with the overcrowding as the classrooms are at max capacity (30-32 kids), but this is in most public schools in NYC.

Posted: October 23, 2019

Posted: October 23, 2019

I have two children in this school. The teachers reach out to parent if low grades or an issue. I even received a call about my child being good!

Posted: October 23, 2019

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Posted: August 30, 2018

Posted: August 30, 2018

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Posted: August 30, 2018

Posted: August 30, 2018

I was extremely excited to register my child to this school. I was excited for the road ahead! While entering the building a parent came that was exiting. Their child graduated and they were just picking up something. They told me I wish you guys luck, they are truly racist here. We were coming from the city, from a prodomintently All white school. We never experienced racism before so I just brushed that whole comment off. I truly forgot about it.
I met the principle, my disposition was happy remember I was excited. He then asked me where we were coming from. Then he said he knew our elementary school principal and asked me his name. I “excitedly” told him his name and talked about how great the principal is. We had a great relationship with him. Then I realized the principle did not know our old principle.. (perplexed I was).
Obviously our records WOULD show were we are coming from. Is it that unbelievable that a black family could be coming from that more affluent area...

Then day one in English class. A white teacher whispered to my child in class. What’s your address:/.
Then next thing you know we had someone unexpectedly at our home investigating. I asked other parents “not like us” if this happened to them as well. Since they too were new to the area but NO it did not!
Then the first quarter in. The assistant principal gave my child’s academic records to a complete stranger over the phone. No one else is on the Blue cards but myself. She never even met me, and she gave information over the phone. Hypothetically, speaking. What if... we relocated to run from an abusive relationship. What if we had a restraining order against the person who called / was trying to locate us (which we did).
Yet, we never received an apology! Instead, it was a combative and defense argument. The assistant principal had a very entitled and wrong and strong attitude. I could have taken this situation all the way up to their superiors, in addition to news channels but I did not. A simple sincere apology would have been nice but I guess I wasn’t deserving!
For the most part we encountered good, caring teachers. Yet, with that experience above and in every single grade there was one teacher that seemed very “left” with us. Made the middle school experience uncomfortable and made me worry if my child was being targeted.

Posted: August 30, 2018

Posted: November 19, 2014

It's a good school. The new hours are very fitting now, it's 45 minutes lower than last year. The teachers teach the lessons with skill. I would recommend this school to many.

Posted: April 28, 2014

school is very good specially the SP teacher get more involve in the student. student have first time common core and codex but thank to ela teacher she makes so easy.

Posted: February 24, 2014

This school has a lot of extra classes to participate in like cooking,music,vocal,wood shop ,drama,computers,math games forensics and I haven't see any bullies or have been bullied but the principal should get invoked more and they re the good teachers, bad and extraordinary teachers. I ll miss this school and can't believe I'm graduating.

Posted: June 15, 2013

I've been going here since September 2010 (my 6th grade year) and it has an absolute bullying problem. The dean in charge of helping, does not do his job. I've tried the principal and even the assisstant principal but none of them had helped either. Only two people are amazing at helping: A security guard and An 8th grade science teacher. I also don't like how I wasn't placed in Intergrated algebra. My strongest subject is Math and every year in elementary school, I scored a 4 but on the Ela I scored a high 3. This high 3 was one of the reasons I wasn't placed in sp. In seventh and Eighth grade I was placed in special help class "ex:731 or 831". This kind of helped me recieve 90% every marking period but the only thing I really wanted was to be in sp. The 8th grade assisstant principal, told my parents there was this "waitlist". Honestly, they need to switch the standards for sp. People in sp are failing and some non sp students are excelling. 3 months ago I found out I got into a specialized high school. I was ecstatic. A lot of people in my grade got into QHST, Van buren, Bayside and Francis Lewis though. If you want your child to go to an amazing hs pick a better school please!

Posted: May 22, 2013

My daughter has attended this school since 6th grade. She has been bullied by another student for all three years. This girl has sent slandering text messages out about my daughter, has disseminated petitions with a list of children that "hate" my daughter, has thrown a shoe in her face, has isolated ny daughter socially on numerous occasions and lastly, tripped her on the senior trip, causing a sprained ankle. The school has been willing to meet with my husband whenever we have asked but has not had one consequence for the bully. They have their anti-bullying campaigns and posters all over the school but do not follow through on anything. Bullying, emotional and physical, seems to be accepted. I have another child in elementary school and I will most likely send her to Our Lady of the Snows for middle school. I don't feel that this school is a safe place for children and am looking forward to the end of the year and getting my daughter out of there.

Posted: April 2, 2013

I think that MS172 is a very fine school. I am in 8th grade, in SP, and teachers really care about us passing our classes and Regents. In Foreign Language, we learn things that are meant to be taught in 10th grade. The SP ELA class is exactly like a 9th grade ELA class. The standard of work we do is really high. The Algebra I teacher is a pro on what he does. He's made us look at math from a different perspective. Social Studies is a breeze, you really learn History. The teachers, most of them, are caring and are there for you. The principal is the person most teachers and students don't like.

Posted: February 18, 2013

Terrible school. Lazy teachers that don't teach. Disrespectful students who are so loud that even when teachers are actually teaching. I was in SP which is supposed to be honors and all of this stuff happened. Fights happen a lot and some kids do drugs. As someone said before me the kids do run the school. It didn't prepare me for high school at all.

Posted: December 21, 2012

(Present student) First of all the teachers aren't really that great. Throughout my experience, there is about 2 or 3 teachers who will help you understand what you're working on. The rest are lazy, or don't teach The students, I think are the worst thing at this school. They lack respect towards basically everything. Since last year, about 3 fights have broke out, but were stopped quickly. One good thing there is always a security guard somewhere. There is some kids here who do drugs. Don't even get me started on the cleanliness of this school. It's horrid. There are bugs everywhere. The classes are divided into 3 diff. types. Extra help, Regular classes, and SP. I'm in SP and they say we are suppose to move quicker then the other classes but we don't. We should be a month ahead, but we're at the same pace. They also need to take certain students out of SP, who are failing, and replace them with kids from Extra help who have 94 averages. Overall, I would recommend trying to go to another school, such as 266, but if you have to come here, just keep studying and keep your distance from people you're uncomfortable around. Wish you the best of luck.

Posted: February 28, 2012

Staff that works there are so unprofessional. I just called to speak to someone about registration and the lady who answered the phone was making fun of me (it was probably my accent) without even realizing that she didn't put me on hold yet. I asked the second person ,who was not polite either, "what is the persons name that answered the phone first?" She told me Ms. Burke. I have them on tape and it is going on YouTube

Posted: February 22, 2012

i think this school is great. Im in 6th grade and so far i had a great year. I have a lot of new friends and the teachers are awesome.

Posted: December 23, 2011

I transferred my kids out of school. The principal does not know what hes doing, the school environment was ranked a C- by the department of education. This schools environment is terrible, the kids basically run the school and the principal is not very involved in anything. Avoid putting your kids in this school. The old principal was much better.

Posted: May 11, 2010

The kids don't like it because there is no free ride, the teachers are on to them. The teachers don't like it because there is no free ride, the principal is on to them. My son is graduating and all I can say is that my overall experience was quite good. I used to hear stories about the kids getting beat up and drugs and it scared me. I can tell you that there are drugs there but it is not prevalant. Fights happen rarely and are broken up quick. I found some teachers to be helpful and others were quite lazy but you get that in all schools. The principal knows most of the students by name, which is good. The way the general studies courses are picked is arcane and unfair.

Posted: April 10, 2010

Posted: March 27, 2010

Since reading about this school, I expect a good education. I am looking forward to beginning Middle School here.

Posted: September 3, 2009

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