It’s deja vu all over again, as 50 children were wait-listed for Kindergarten at PS78Q this year, according to numbers just released. This compares to less than ten kids last year, but 31 back in 2013. At that time, the school expanded from two to originally three classes. After the big wait-list number was posted, there was a huge uproar and the school opened a fourth class. This time, due to capacity issues, that may not be possible.
We wrote about this crunch back in 20121. As for today, I don’t know what the answer is for those parents with children starting kindergarten next fall. I will say to maintain hope, as many spots will free up due to parents moving away or opting for charter, private, or G&T schools.
Going forward, we know the rest of HPS is going to be built out, plus plenty of smaller projects are going up in Hunters Point, and a cavalcade of residential towers are in various states of construction in Court Square. I can’t help but think that a big opportunity was lost when the powers-that-be granted the 5Pointz owners additional air rights in return for affordable housing. Seeing as how it’s perfectly situated location-wise, it would have been an excellent place to put a school. It may not have helped this year’s class or next, but now we’re looking at numerous years of dislocation. Next time let’s get it right: first build schools for the kids who already live here, then think about additional housing for others.
Kindergarten Wait Lists for NYC in 2015
More than 1200 Kindergartners Shut Out of Their Zoned Schools – citywide the numbers are about the same as last year
Review: One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest – playing now at the Chain Theater in LIC. In two words “it’s great”
LIC & Astoria Have the Worst Pollution in the Borough – seeing as how we’re closest to Manhattan, can’t say it’s much of a surprise
Commercial Tenants Now Flocking to LIC – at least they don’t take up school spaces
39 Condos Ready for Sale on Murray Park – live and own in the MPD
Commercial Site Purchased for $3.6 Million in ’04, sold for $40 Million – what more is there to say?
Sculpture Center Renovation Project Wins Prestigious Award – from the New York Landmarks Conservancy for the careful way it carried out the project
LIC Gets a Green Lesson – from the Smiling Hogshead Ranch
Children’s Hair Salon to Open in Hunters Point – well we know there’s plenty of children. Business in the front, party in the back
Wheelspur Rail Yard in LIC Back in Operation – Mitch Waxman digging down into the grit
‘More, more, more’ – interesting story behind how the song was made and who made it
- In fairness to the DOE, they were able to accommodate every child in 2013 as they said they would at that time, by adding the extra class. [↩]
Yo says
April 17, 2015 at 5:45 pmCoulda seen that a mile away
Anonymous says
April 20, 2015 at 7:31 amDoes anyone know what calculations are used by the
Board of Ed to determine school construction needs in a particular neighborhood?
not a parent says
April 20, 2015 at 12:16 pmOh well plenty of room in the burbs
Tikette says
April 25, 2015 at 9:35 pmHello! does anyone know how hard is it to transfer my kids from PS150 in Sunnyside to PS78? We are planning to move to LIC next year. My kids are in Kindergarten and 4th grade. Many thanks!