Gravesend Welcomes John Dewey Annex, Creating 553 New Middle School Seats

On Tuesday morning, the John Dewey Annex officially opened its doors on Stillwell Avenue, ushering in a new era for public education in Gravesend. The three-story facility, freshly painted and gleaming in the September light, adds 553 much-needed seats for Brooklyn’s growing middle school population—a timely boost as families adjust to the rhythms of the new academic year.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani and School Construction Authority President and CEO Celeste A. Ramirez toured the site, exchanging fist bumps with students who streamed in with crisp backpacks and first-day jitters. The Annex, built adjacent to the original John Dewey High School campus, features state-of-the-art science labs, a sunlit library, and a multipurpose gymnasium designed to double as a community space after hours.

The expansion arrives as Gravesend and surrounding neighborhoods brace for a projected surge in student enrollment before the 2026-2027 school year. Local parents, some of whom waited outside the new building Tuesday, spoke of finally seeing relief after years of overcrowded classrooms and long commutes to distant schools.

The city’s investment in the John Dewey Annex is part of a broader push to expand capacity and modernize aging infrastructure across the five boroughs. In the coming weeks, officials are expected to cut ribbons on additional school projects in Sunset Park and East New York, with a focus on easing pressure in districts facing the sharpest demand.

For many in Gravesend, the first bell at the John Dewey Annex sounded a note of optimism—a signal that, in this back-to-school season, the city is listening to its youngest residents and their families.