A quick thought to move the children at PS 138 to J47 or worse, to various locations, was appalling and heart breaking. PS 33 is thriving and PS 138 is part of that community. A novel
idea might be to let them grow and continue in the D2 tradition of building capacity and excellent schools through a well rounded education. If Clinton, Museum, and Quest, were to move into BREC, these high school students could move to any number of schools the adminsitration is closing down, or,(perhaps),downtown. Lab middle school had 36 students in a classroom, last year. Perhaps Lab should stay were it is and open an incubation site for early elementary, G&T, or SpED, classes. Salk is overcrowded and growing. If Salk were to move to J47, this would free up space in PS 40, and also benefit PS 116. Maybe even open up a cluster room or a neighborhood G&T. When and if Clinton is moved, it impacts many schools. Rather than pitting parents against parents, a true analysis of the impact of all schools, for all neighborhoods should be taken into account. PS 11, will end up taking enrollment from other neighborhoods, still needs their cluster rooms, and was in a perfect position to continue and expand the G&T programs. I hope that PS 51 is still getting their promise of a new school. with the current situation at St Vincent’s there may be no telling, when and if the school will happen.
Having been on the tour of pre K possibilities, last year, I know 5,000SF could be developed at NYU, with a yard, and on the ground floor. Perhaps an Early Childhood School of GV would east the impact of these overcrowded schools. Dare I say 75 Morton? There are many 10 year olds to come out of these overcrowded classes rooms-it isn’t complicated to track a trend. I know Elzora Cleveland, CECD2 President, the zoning sub committee and the entire CECD2 council has given a tremendous effort to address these issues, often with hands tied behind their back. Even with the help of all the elected officials (and they have been amazing), teachers and a very competent superintendent, the DOE has to jump in and address the entire issue of education in District 2. The situation at hand is impossible, even a child understands you can’t keep you thumb in the dyke. MY 2 cents.

Rebecca Daniels (child at Bronx Sci and a sophomore in college). Please excuse typos- no time to proof.

1) CECs do not “draw new zoning lines.” The DOE does. CECs approve.

2) CEC2 was given the number of CURRENT kindergartners and 1st graders who LIVE in the particular catchment zones, regardless of WHICH *DOE* school they are enrolled in. We were given no information as to the number of those already enrolled in PS 234 by location and whether they had younger siblings, as may have informed the zoning decision at hand for Fall 2010, and no information as to the total number of kids (inclusive of those who may be in private school, etc).

3) Note that both of the DOE plans under final consideration were designed to have roughly the same number of kids zoned for PS 234. My current understanding is therefore that BOTH options would have resulted in a lottery at PS 234.

4) In the case of PS/IS 397, the Tweed incubator opened in Fall 2009, TWO years ahead of its move to the new location on Spruce Street, currently scheduled for Fall 2011. They will be in Tweed for Fall 2010 also.

5) This most recent Lower Manhattan rezoning effort is not “final,” though it will certainly feel that way for any entering kindergartner in the Fall 2009 cohort. The stated intent the last few months has been to revisit this “temporary” Lower Manhattan rezoning… when DOE provides the full and appropriate data they have had all along and that we have been requesting since Summer 2009 if not earlier.

“Mayoral Control” of the schools is one thing; mayoral control of the information that would allow the public and its representatives to make fully informed decisions on one of the few powers left to the Community District Education Councils is quite another.

My belief is that ACCURATE and DISCLOSED forecasting data would show that there are STILL not enough seats planned for Lower Manhattan, let alone the entirety of District 2, and that the Mayor and Chancellor simply don’t want to see true demand forecasts out of sync with what they are willing or able to fund on the supply side.

I applaud Borough President Stringer for his tireless efforts to shed light on the school overcrowding crisis, and State Senator Squadron and Assemblymember Kavanagh for proposing this bill. It shouldn’t have had to come to this.

Bottom Line: Zoning doesn’t build seats.

Michael D. Markowitz, P.E.
Member CECD2
Member, BP Stringer’s Overcrowding Task Force
Co-founding Member, PSPAC
PS41 parent x 2