What’s up in LIC? School, [Read more…] about SCHOOL’S UP IN LIC
SCHOOL’S UP IN LIC
PS78Q
10TH ANNUAL PS78Q SPRING FAIR THIS SATURDAY ON CENTER BLVD
RIDES, games, food and entertainment, the tradition continues as the 10th Annual PS78Q Spring Fair comes to Center Boulevard this Saturday from 11am – 3pm. No need to schlep your 6-year old 100-200 miles to Great Adventure or Hershey Park, all these things are brought to you, plus you get to support a good cause: your kid’s welfare (via the PS78Q PTA). We’ll throw in the carnies for free. [Read more…] about 10TH ANNUAL PS78Q SPRING FAIR THIS SATURDAY ON CENTER BLVD
NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TO BE INCUBATED IN LIC, NOT WOODSIDE
When a problem comes along
You must whip it
Before the cream sits out too long
You must whip it
When something’s going wrong
You must whip it
DON’T let anyone tell you that incubation is bad/dirty/will make your child go blind. It’s not and is perfectly natural and normal. Now that we have that out of the way, we are happy to report that next year every child in LIC will be able to incubate in LIC. That’s because after much brainstorming and jawboning by an ardent group of local advocates, the DOE has decided to convert the large Pre-K center at 27-35 Jackson Avenue in Court Square into a new K-2 location called 30Q384 to incubate the brand new elementary school coming to 54th Avenue in Hunters Point. Therefore the lucky parents of the class of 2032 will have two local options as to where to send their kids for elementary school as opposed to all previous classes who were relegated to a sole choice.. That’s a 100% increase, and as every teacher knows 100 is perfect. In addition, it now gives parents in Court Square (of which there will soon be many more – see below) a much closer option than PS78Q. Finally, we hear that the trailer pre-school on 49th Avenue, which was slated for closure, will now remain open.
//RENT War Breaks Out in LIC – that should have been the title of a story below in the WSJ, as it relates to how [Read more…] about NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TO BE INCUBATED IN LIC, NOT WOODSIDE
#LICUnited
The battle for increased school capacity has been waged by parents for several years now, many of whom won’t be the beneficiaries of the new schools. Though most ultimately were unscathed by the controversy, inasmuch as their child eventually received a seat in PS78, the uncertainty was unsettling, and may have motivated others to move out or not move to LIC in the first place. Also, in the question-mark that is truncation, it was a factor in prompting some recent middle school parents to opt for the new middle school instead of sticking it out at 78.
In viewing the current situation, I can’t help but think that for every action there is at first a delayed response, and then inevitably an overreaction. Since it’s been primarily parents along the waterfront who have been demanding schools now, that is where the schools have been going. Yet any chess player can see that the next big need is closer to Court Square. The powers that be completely screwed up in not insisting a school be placed in the base of 5Pointz. In addition to being extremely well-situated to accommodate children from all parts of LIC, it would have been available in time for the school year beginning in 2018. Instead the community received baubles in return for granting the developers a zoning variance allowing them to build an additional 28 stories.
The words above were written here in LICtalk almost two years ago. They are especially prescient given the specifics surrounding the current battle for seating capacity/location in local elementary schools. [Read more…] about #LICUnited
HI SCHOOL? BRIDGE TOLLS? XI’AN FAMOUS FOODS COMING TO LIC!
It’s deja vu all over again when it comes to schools in Hunters Point. Over half-a-decade ago, which in LIC-years is two generations, LICtalk wrote about similar capacity crises, and then again in 2015 (aka one-generation past). The calculations back then turned out to be not as drastic, partly because the powers-that-be instituted some fairly obvious solutions – but not before riling up the parent base. It all (sorta) worked out in the end, and will probably do likewise this time – but not before riling up the next generation of parents. Nevertheless when the furor dies down, maybe we should take some advice from the latter article and funnel the energy into what’s next and not-too-far-away: high school. A very wise local mother has wondered why NYC hasn’t expanded capacity of it’s elite-8 (Stuyvesant/Bronx Sci etc.) despite tremendous growth in the student population over the years? Furthermore, having noticed LIC’s growth and desire-to-be-on-the-cutting-edge, or the cusp of it anyway, she asks might there be a chance to locate one here? Technion High anyone?
//DON’T be fooled, were congestion pricing to be enacted you very well could pay to cross the Queensboro Bridge were you to use it both there and back no matter which direction you head upon arriving in Manhattan. That is because [Read more…] about HI SCHOOL? BRIDGE TOLLS? XI’AN FAMOUS FOODS COMING TO LIC!