Jackson Heights Life

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Members of our garden committe have found three dead squirrels and one dying squirrel in our garden over the past several days.  A couple of weeks back, we had those yellow signs up warning that they had put out some sort of poisons, I assume to kill pests that might effect our trees.  I love our trees, but I am extremely concerned that this poison might be what killed the squirrels, and that it could pose a threat to other animals, or more importantly, to our children.

Has anyone else seen anything unusual in your gardens?

I have a bunch of questions.

First of all, is it possible to get an injunction against the sale, pending an investigation of potential impropriety?

Secondly, if the sale takes place, is it then possible for the city to invoke eminent domain and take over the land from the potential developers?

Finally, is there anyone who can help the Garden School get a better deal on this ridiculous loan?  People get better mortgages or transfer their credit card debt to a card with a better rate all the time.  Given that there are clearly a bunch of offers on the table for this land, there must be some legitimate creditor willing to give them a loan at market rates.

Wow.  A million dollars at 12.99 % interest, at a time that the nation's interest rates were the lowest ever? 

Yeah.  The economy was bad, but interest rates were low!  Wasn't 2009 the year that half the coops in JH refinanced their mortgages at 3.9% or 4.4%. 

And the interest goes up to 24% if they default?   In other words, a quarter of a million dollars a year interest?

This sounds like a loan shark, not a legitimate financial institution. 

And this deal came from a family member of the board?? 

I feel sorry for the families who have entrusted their children to this institution. 

With all due respect to the staff and board at the Garden School, as well as the students and the parents, I have to agree with Dudley.  

The Garden School has a lot going for it.  It is part of our community’s history.  It has a great after school program in the arts and music.  By all accounts, students and parents do feel like an extended family.

But over the years, the Garden School has made the decision to, on many levels, set itself apart from the larger community.  More recent educational institutions, such as the Renaissance School and 82nd Street Academics have integrated themselves into the fabric of the community through linkages and partnerships and activities that reflect a concern not only for their students and their families, but also for the larger community.  

The Garden School, it seems, has not even looked at the changing demographics of the neighborhood in recent years, and recognized that the influx of more middle class and upper middle class families with young children should be bringing them lots of business.  Instead, they prefer to reach out to Manhattan families and families from more affluent Queens and Brooklyn neighborhoods, who find them more economical than Manhattan private schools.  

When my daughter was 2, I took a tour of their preschool, and seriously considered it as an option for the following year.  The program looked great.  But I was baffled by the fact that they did not run a UPK program for 4 year olds.  Why would I pay for something that should be free for all NY kids?  Many active, involved parents who plan carefully for their children’s education start looking at quality UPK programs at least a year or two in advance.  I wanted to send my 3 year old to the school where she would attend UPK (plus extended day, paid for out of pocked) as a 4 year old.  Why would the Garden School decide to exclude that huge pool of parents?  It seems to me that a quality UPK program would not only bring money into the school for the kids attending UPK, but would also bring families into the school, a percentage of whom would undoubtedly decide to keep their kids there for kindergarten, and perhaps even through high school!

In a neighborhood in which all of the other schools are bursting at the seems, why is the Garden School having low enrollment and financial problems?  I believe that for many many years, they have dismissed the surrounding Jackson Heights community.  And I believe that their recent actions demonstrate that they intend to continue to dismiss the community.  

Actually, it is worse than that.  They have alienated the community that should be filling their classrooms.    

As I research kindergartens for my daughter to attend next September, most of my first choices are schools with crazy competitive lotteries.  Renaissance accepted 40 students out of 1400 applications last year.  We will apply.  We probably won’t get in.  

Up until a few weeks ago, the Garden School was my backup.  My “safety school.”  If my daughter did not get into any of the other schools that we are applying to, I could figure out a way to pay the tuition at the Garden School.  

At this point, I am so mad at the Garden School, that I no longer consider them an option.  And I’ve spoken with quite a few parents of Sept 2011 kindergarteners who feel the same way.  

As Dudley said, their behavior is “bizarre and inexplicable.”  Unless they plan to sell out once the Race to the Top money, (which will create 64 new charter schools in 2012) starts flowing.  

Sorry to come to this thread late. 

In response to Foxy's question, I did.  Lot's of cute holiday stuff at Frank's Pharmacy.  I always find surprising stocking stuffers at the amazing stationary store two doors down from Jahn's.  Got my wreath at Ultima Florals. I LOVE Ultima.  Never waste your money on 800 flowers.  Got wrapping paper and gift bags at the 99 cent store. 

Really wanted to get hat/mittens for my 4 year old at Inner Peace, but they never had her size.  Beautiful painted gourds are on my tree from last year's purchase at Rudy Volcano. 

In previous years I got DVD players and things like that at the appliance/electronic store on 37th and the mid 80's.  Forget the name J&R?  J&A?  Something like that.  They also sell, deliver and install high quality air conditioners much cheaper than PC Richards, and have exceptional customer service. 

I had a conversation recently with a friend who surprised me me when she said that there was nothing interesting to buy on our commercial strip.  I really disagree.  I usually say that I can find almost anything here, other than clothes or books. 

I also went to some chains.  EB Games and the Children's Place.  But I prefer to spend my money in the family run businesses when I can. 

I am not suggesting that anyone change their vote based on this incident, and that was certainly no the intention of my post.  It was a pure vent. 

For quite a while I have been resigned to the fact that I will vote for Moya, or I won't vote.   I had decided to just vote for Moya.   And sadly, I probably still will.   

This incident will just make my vote sting a little more.