Blessed Sacrament School on 94th Street and 35th Avenue closed this year due to lack of enrollment. It is not often that new school spaces open in this area. Today I spoke to the CEC office for District 30 (which includes Jackson Heights to Astoria) and was told that the Department of Education will take over the space and will open teh doors as of September of 2010. The plans for the new school have not been set, but it will be an elementary school probably from Pre Kindergarten to 5th grade. I was told there are currently 5 proposals for the school and that although the official comment period is over no decision has been made yet. I asked that they send me the 5 proposals, but I have not received anything yet.
I know the Principal of PS149 has made a proposal to open a Dual Language Academy by moving its current dual language classes across the street to the old Blessed Sacrament Buildings and then use the free space in PS 140 to add Pre K classes in the original school building. This would make the school an Annex of PS 149 and open up more dual language classes in the neighborhood. There are more details below.
New spaces do not open up often, so if you have comments or suggestions, please act fast. You can e-mail
newschoolsteam@schools.nyc.gov or send your comments to Dr. Philip Composto District 30 Superintendent 28-11 Queens Plaza North, 3rd Floor, LIC, NY 11101.
Proposed Dual Language Academy as an Annex of PS149
With this proposal you have the following benefits:
(i) open much needed Pre-K seats in neighborhood
(ii) add coveted dual language class room seats to a proven program
(iii) easy transition and less administrative expenses as an annex
There is a great need for additional Pre K seats in the community. Each year local parents cross their fingers as they enter the lottery to enter public school pre-K programs and this will fill a great need. It is a great benefit to have siblings in the same school, which is why it is imperative to open Pre-K seats in PS 149. PS 149 doesn't have a Pre-K program as there is currently no space in the existing building, despite 2 additions. By moving the dual language program to the new seats across the street, spots would open so that families can have their kids in the same school from Pre-K to fifth grade.
As you know PS 149 is an “A†school with a celebrated dual language program which has to turns away kids every year. The dual language program at PS149 integrates third grade students from dual language programs from both PS222 and PS228 which are both early elementary school with students from Pre K to 2nd Grade. Due to a lack of seats, each year many children are pushed out of the dual language program and are forced into monolingual classes after 4 years of work on the second language. Each year parents complain, but they are told there is simply no space for additional seats. With these additional 400 seats, we can finally address this chronic problem.
As the school is to open its doors in just 9 months, it seems crazy to attempt to develop a new school theme, hire a new administration, group new teachers and recruit new students. As an annex, the current dual language classes from now starting in Pre K and proceeding to 5th grade can have their own place in the dual language annex across the street from PS149. This is a tried and proven program with an existing student base, curriculum, teaching staff and organization, it would just be enlarged and moved across the street. The new dual language academy would have the space for additional third, forth and fifth grade classes to seat the kids currently pushed into monolingual classes. As the program is already known and loved in the community, there is no need to recruit new students or educate parents. Adding Pre-K classes to the existing PS149 building is also an easy transition as the school is known by all in the community.
But just adding seats in the community is not enough. The dual language academy should also meet community needs. As the school is situated in an immigrate community, the school doors should not shut at 3 PM. Adult English as a Second language classes are critically needed in the community. Ideally there would be funding to have English Language classes for the parents at night and on weekend. The dual language academy should have a library for both students and their parents. This would give parents access to computerized English as a Second Language programs for individual study and resources for parents who want to improve their English.
In addition currently PS 149 runs a successful Beacon after school program that always has to turn away kids. The added building should also be a reason to expand the Beacon after school program to both buildings.
Info about Blessed Sacrament Space:
There are 2 building each with 3 floors and has approximately 400 seats. It has an auditorium and gym. There are no elevators in the buildings, but there are 2 outdoor play areas.
Topic: New School in Jackson Heights (Read 5037 times)