West Q

West Q Elementary · PS 437Q

West Q Elementary: Be curious. Be kind. Be you.

District 24’s only non-zoned elementary school, in Woodside, Queens.

Enroll via MySchools (opens in a new tab)Learn more about West Q

To: families across District 24

Now enrolling 3K, PK & Kindergarten.

Join West Q/PS437 via MySchools (opens in a new tab).

3K · PK · K

Now enrolling

Welcome

A school community the whole district can choose.

West Q Elementary is a new public school in Woodside and District 24’s only non-zoned elementary school. That means West Q isn’t tied to one neighborhood. Families across the district have a choice to join our school community.

At West Q, we’re building that community around strong academics, hands-on learning, and a simple belief: children should have the space to wonder, the confidence to be themselves, and the responsibility to care for one another.

That’s what we mean when we say:

Be curious. Be kind. Be you.

Learn More about West Q
West Q staff and a student outside the school holding speech-bubble signs that say Be curious, Be kind and Be you
Greetings from Woodside, Queens

What’s in a name?

West Q honors our home in Western Queens.

The name West Q reflects both where we are and who we are. It honors our home in Western Queens and represents the commitments that guide our school:

  1. Wonder.
  2. Exploration.
  3. Safety.
  4. Togetherness.

Our Core Values

Our core values are rooted in what we believe every child needs in order to learn and grow: to be loved, to feel safe, to have agency, to develop competence, and to feel connected.

  • No. 1

    Love

    To know they are cared for

  • No. 2

    Safety

    To feel secure enough to take risks

  • No. 3

    Agency

    To have a voice and make meaningful choices

  • No. 4

    Competence

    To experience success & believe I can do this

  • No. 5

    Connection

    To know that they belong

Mission, vision and core values

Building West Q

West Q is already taking shape

through conversations, community events, and the people helping bring it to life.

  • West Q’s founding team with NYC Public Schools staff in front of a press backdrop
    NYCPS Press Day, Spring 2026
  • Two West Q educators smiling beside a navy and sky-blue balloon arch
    First Day of West Q
  • A white mailbox printed with the West Q Elementary PS 437 seal, ready for families’ wishes
    West Q Wishes Mailbox
  • Two educators standing together in a bright classroom
    West Q x Transcend
  • The West Q table with WQE letters, the wishes mailbox and family information cards
    West Q at NYCPS Press Day
See the Building West Q album
Suzanne Sheerin, Interim Acting Principal of West Q Elementary

Principal · West Q

Principal

Suzanne Sheerin

Interim Acting Principal / Project Director

Building West Q has been the opportunity of a lifetime. After more than 20 years in education, I was given the rare chance to take everything I’ve learned and build something new from the ground up.

I want West Q to be a place that takes learning seriously without taking the joy out of it. A place where children are known, families feel welcome, and everyone has a place.

Warmly, Suzanne Sheerin

Read More of the principal’s letter

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