Parents of I.S. 278 Marine Park Junior High School students are furious over a plan by the city's Department of Education to "co-locate" a charter school in their building.The Marine Park community had wanted to expand the 6th-through-8th-grade school into a grades 6-12 performing arts high school under Principal Debra Garafalo, but the city's DOE turned down that proposal, saying there wasn't enough space in the building.
Now, the DOE, having decided that the school does have enough space for 150 new kindergarten and first grade students -- with more classes to be added each year -- plans to commandeer the I.S. 278 building for a new charter school, the Hebrew Language Academy.
In the worst-case scenario, I.S. 278 could lose its library, gym and band practice room to the charter, which may never leave. It has historically been near-impossible to dislodge charter schools once they have been established within public schools.
The parents of PS 222, PS 277 and PS 207 are wondering if the school will have room for their children.
The charter school issue will be addressed at the following upcoming meetings: Marine Park Civic Association, May 19 at 8:30 PM, PS 207, 4011 Fillmore Avenue; and the Madison-Marine Civic Association, May 21 at 7:30 PM, Kings Chapel, 2702 Quentin Rd. (basement).
Interested parents and neighbors are urged to attend.
The post from Gerritsen Beach Blog.
