The Grand Central Parkway School, Public School 196 in Forest Hills, is named for its close proximity to the area's eponymous highway. Also, the school's back window has a substantial view of the parkway and Willow Pond Park.
The school, run by Principal Susan Migliano, prides itself on being "a school with heart" in a community where elementary school space is at a premium.
Considered a strongly multicultural school focused on a collaborative education, its mission is to prepare students for a secondary education in the New York City public school system.