tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70752292056203109012024-03-19T03:37:34.736-04:00Save Our Schools: Community Share CenterCreated to share information, press, events and updates among community members regarding a possible demolition of PS 199, PS 191 and the High School of Cooperative Technology.
This site is administered by community members who volunteer their time and is endorsed by the Lincoln Square Community Coalition.199demolitionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15494203519070255309noreply@blogger.comBlogger88125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7075229205620310901.post-43052881422204998512013-07-26T11:55:00.000-04:002013-07-26T11:55:13.265-04:00A Teachable MomentHere's a great post from our friends at PS 191:<br />
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<a href="http://noredevelopment.wordpress.com/2013/07/24/a-priceless-lesson/" style="color: #2585b2; text-decoration: none !important;" target="_blank"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />A Priceless Lesson</a></h2>
<span style="color: #888888;">by <a href="http://noredevelopment.wordpress.com/author/noredevelopment/" style="color: rgb(136, 136, 136) !important;" target="_blank">NoRedvelopmentMMS</a></span></td></tr>
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I have been telling this great story since June and today as I told it, I realized that this is why we teach...It wasn't something that was part of Common Core, you can't test for it, but we (not just me - but other teachers as well) taught one child a priceless lesson. We can't put a value or grade on it because the potential of it is limitless....</div>
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When our school was recently offered up to developers. We fought back. Our school community joined together. We joined a neighborhood coalition. We got community volunteers. We had a march, a rally, and participated in an educational forum. We had students, parents, teachers, alumni, community members and politicians join us. The next day we found out we won! Our school will stand!</div>
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About two days later at dismissal a small child walked up to me, I think a Kindergartener. She pulled on my shirt and when I looked down at her she said, "I helped save the school." I told her she did and she walked away with the biggest smile. I am not sure what exactly she has taken away with her, I do know that was the best lesson I never planned for.</div>
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djsaphierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13339792895729443056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7075229205620310901.post-64148609155956889392013-07-01T08:55:00.000-04:002013-07-01T08:55:06.424-04:00DNAinfo Reports on Efforts to Stop the DOE proposal for CTE<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #252525; font-family: Georgia;"><span style="line-height: 26px;">DNAinfo reports on the protest that took place outside the High School for Cooperative Technology on Friday.</span></span></span><br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px;">Politicians, students and teachers are calling for the Department of Education to drop plans to redevelop the </span><a href="http://www.co-optech.org/" style="background-color: white; color: #ad1515; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">School of Cooperative Technical Education</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px;"> on 96th Street between First and Second avenues because they say no one affected by the proposal was consulted.</span></blockquote>
Read the full article <a href="http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20130628/east-harlem/parents-politicians-fight-save-east-harlem-tech-school" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">here</span></a>.djsaphierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13339792895729443056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7075229205620310901.post-67265236694706409552013-06-30T14:38:00.002-04:002013-06-30T14:38:42.309-04:00Elected Officials Come Our Against the ECF Proposal for CTE<br />
The following elected officials wrote a letter to Chancellor Walcott and the heads of the ECF and SCA questioning the plans for the High School of Cooperative Technology:<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Scott M. Stringer, Manhattan Borough President<br />Charles B. Rangel, Member of Congress, 13th District<br />Jose M. Serrano, Senator, 29th District<br />Robert J. Rodriguez, Assemblymember, 68th District<br />Melissa Mark-Viverito, Council Member, District 8</blockquote>
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The letter begins:<br />
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Dear Chancellor Walcott, Ms. Maldonado and Ms. Grillo:<br />
<br />
We write to express our deep concern about a proposal currently under review by the Department<br />
of Education (DOE), the Educational Construction Fund (ECF) and the School Construction<br />
Authority (SCA), to redevelop the parcel of city-owned land occupied by the School of<br />
Cooperative Technical Education (SCTE) at 321 East 96th Street. We urge you to immediately<br />
halt this proposal, until such time as the DOE can constructively engage in a comprehensive<br />
conversation with the local impacted community about impending redevelopment plans.<br />
<br />
As you know, the School of Cooperative Technical Education is a District 79 school that has<br />
spent more than a decade addressing the academic needs of over-age, under-credited youth from<br />
across the five boroughs. The DOE and ECF’s redevelopment plans for the SCTE site, which<br />
include demolition of the building, will very likely cause serious disruption in the academic lives<br />
of some 2,000 students from across the five boroughs, including those with autism and other<br />
special needs. Relocating SCTE’s students puts these youth at significant risk of discontinuing<br />
and/or dropping out of school – a near-guarantee for poor long-term outcomes. How the DOE<br />
intends to address these concerns is a matter of utmost importance.<br />
<br />
The reality is that —whatever the pros and cons of this project may be – no one has been<br />
provided the information necessary to make an informed judgment about the project, because the<br />
DOE and ECF’s process of engaging the local community has been thoroughly inadequate and<br />
lacking in transparency. As a result, students, families and teachers have been left largely in the<br />
dark about the potential impact of any redevelopment proposal on their school and community.<br />
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Read the full letter <a href="http://www.mbpo.org/uploads/SCTELetter.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">here</span></a>.<br />
<br />djsaphierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13339792895729443056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7075229205620310901.post-45279759552979186202013-06-28T09:50:00.001-04:002013-06-28T09:50:17.771-04:00Protests are Starting Against the DOE Proposal for the East Side School<div class="tr_bq">
From yesterday's Daily News:</div>
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<br />Uptown parents, students and politicians are calling on the city to halt an under-the-radar proposal for private developers to knock out a school for luxury apartments. </blockquote>
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The Department of Education quietly floated the proposal earlier this year to demolish East Harlem’s High School of Cooperative Technical Education along with two upper West Side schools, to make room for high-rise apartment buildings that would house new schools underneath. </blockquote>
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The upper West Side locations averted demolition, but the city is still shopping the E. 96th St. vocational school to developers. </blockquote>
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Co-Op Tech students, parents and educators said they will demonstrate in front of the East Harlem school on Friday morning, joined byBorough President Scott Stringer, to call on the city to halt the project.<span style="border: 0px; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 12px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span><span style="border: 0px; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 12px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span><span style="border: 0px; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 12px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Read more: <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/uptown/school-selloff-sell-east-harlem-parents-article-1.1384670#ixzz2XWCqKayw" style="border: 0px; color: #003399; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none !important; vertical-align: baseline;">http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/uptown/school-selloff-sell-east-harlem-parents-article-1.1384670#ixzz2XWCqKayw</a></span></blockquote>
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Demonstrations will begin today at the High School of CTE outside the school on E. 96th between 1st and 2nd Ave at 10:30.<br />
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djsaphierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13339792895729443056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7075229205620310901.post-90856731182093115362013-06-25T10:57:00.002-04:002013-06-25T10:57:55.812-04:00Tax Breaks for the Wealthy = Less for Education<div itemprop="articleBody" style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; line-height: 1.467em; margin-bottom: 1em;">
Michael Powell reports in the NY Times today how residential buildings that are not normally eligible for tax abatements get them. The owner of a $90 million apartment gets a tax break while education goes underfunded.</div>
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The latest evidence that our developers scour sidewalks for pennies might be found at the 90-story <a href="http://www.thefreedictionary.com/ziggurat" style="color: #666699;">ziggurat</a> known as <a href="http://www.one57.com/" style="color: #666699;">One57</a>, with his-and-her bathrooms, super deep freeze, titanium-reinforced views that reach to the Arctic, or at least Putnam County. The Extell Development Company recently sold a 14,000-square-foot penthouse (but does it have enough closets?) to a hedge-fund billionaire for $90 million. Bargain flats are still to be found at $18 million.</blockquote>
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Read the full story <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/25/nyregion/luxe-builders-chase-dreams-of-property-tax-exemptions.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
djsaphierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13339792895729443056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7075229205620310901.post-57566945246659097202013-06-20T10:24:00.003-04:002013-06-21T13:08:57.707-04:00Discuss Land Use Issues (like PS 199) with City Council Candidates June 27th<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DfjFxmyIhDw/UcMQRRnX1WI/AAAAAAAAAO4/SqKQgzK7DdE/s1600/City+Council+Flyer+6_27_13.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="416" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DfjFxmyIhDw/UcMQRRnX1WI/AAAAAAAAAO4/SqKQgzK7DdE/s640/City+Council+Flyer+6_27_13.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />
<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/31/nyregion/business-pac-plans-a-push-in-city-council-races.html?_r=1&" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Read the New York Times article on real estate influence in the race.</span></a>djsaphierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13339792895729443056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7075229205620310901.post-17669781140559611392013-06-20T09:33:00.001-04:002013-06-21T09:26:55.203-04:00CB7 Meeting with E3 Charter Middle School Presentation and Beacon Building Working Group Update<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;"><span style="color: #666666; font-weight: bold;">Info on the Proposed E3 Charter Middle School and Beacon Working Group </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;"><span style="color: #666666; font-weight: bold;">At CB7's Youth, Education & Libraries Committee</span></span><b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;"><br /></span></b><b style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Thursday, June 20th 6:30</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;"><br />250 West 87th Street</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;"><br /><br />Tatiana Hoover and Claire Lowenstein will present on their proposal to establish the E3 Charter Middle School in District 3. You can learn more about this proposed charter in a recent </span><a href="http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20130503/upper-west-side/new-charter-school-for-uws-middle-school-students-works?cluster_id=100110&group_hood_id=" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;"><b>DNAinfo article</b></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">. According to the article, the school is evaluating space on West 64th and 61st streets. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">The meeting will also include updates and ongoing issues regarding the Beacon Building Working Group. Now that Beacon need not be utilized as a temporary space for a building demolition, the UWS can concentrate on its use for a district 3 public middle and/ or high school.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;"><a href="http://www.nyc.gov/html/mancb7/html/agendas/committee_agendas.shtml"><b>more info</b></a>...</span>199demolitionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15494203519070255309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7075229205620310901.post-64799584227957517022013-06-19T16:09:00.005-04:002013-06-19T16:09:59.997-04:00JCC City Council Candidate Forum on EducationIf you were not able to attend last nights forum, you can listen to it here:<br />
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<a href="http://www.jccdigital.org/podcast/play.php?file=57">http://www.jccdigital.org/podcast/play.php?file=57</a><br />
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<br />djsaphierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13339792895729443056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7075229205620310901.post-63589538794118894582013-06-19T10:26:00.002-04:002013-06-19T10:26:44.890-04:00Brooklyn's Pacific Branch Library - Saved!Congratulations to <a href="http://citizensdefendinglibraries.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Citizens Defending Libraries</a> on saving the beautiful Beaux-Arts library. Many of our libraries, like our schools, are under threat. CDL is doing a heroic job of raising awareness and defending public libraries throughout the city.<br />
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You can read the New York Times article <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/19/nyregion/a-deal-spares-a-brooklyn-library-for-now.html?_r=0" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">here</span></a>.djsaphierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13339792895729443056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7075229205620310901.post-84939699188356243502013-06-16T19:10:00.003-04:002013-06-17T13:12:26.646-04:00Thank You for This Great Victory<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Hi All -</span><br />
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I want to personally thank all of you who stepped up to help in various ways. I won't name you but you know who you are: the folks who sometimes braved insults handing out flyers, the folks who collected petition signatures, those of you who drummed up support from neighborhoods and friends, those who attended community meetings, those who participated in the Lincoln Square Community Coalition, those who spoke up at building board meetings and lobby meetings and especially those who stood up to challenge the "wait and see" approach of the P.S. 199 PTA. </div>
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I will mention some people by name:</div>
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Roberta Semer who lives in Lincoln Towers, called the first meeting with elected officials in early March, got the ball rolling for us as a community, had the idea for LSCC and has worked with me every step of the way.</div>
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Melanie Brazil who stepped up to rally those parents at P.S. 199 who wanted to save their school and wanted to speak up now.</div>
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Stacie Loraine and Susannah Blum who organized the P.S. 191 community. They were amazing and passionate, and the P.S. 191 community was critical in getting the DOE to recognize that the UWS was united in opposition.</div>
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I also want to mention how supportive City Council Member Gale Brewer and State Assembly Member Linda Rosenthal have been.</div>
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Gale pushed the DOE to tell us what their plans were going to be, asked for more transparency and public review, and pushed them to make a decision before the end of the school year. She has also been pushing for P.S. 199 landmark status, has attended our meetings and spoken strongly and publicly against the ECF proposal.</div>
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Linda has been one of our strongest advocates, writing letters and introducing legislation - which we will continue to fight for - to prevent this type of proposal without public review happening again. Linda made her staff available to us, they helped us strategize and plan our march, rally and last week's amazing forum. They did robo calls (first one I ever liked!), handed out flyers and really got the word out about the forum.</div>
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I also want to acknowledge that Laurie Frey and Noah Gotbaum of CEC3 were particularly strong supporters as was Mel Wymore of Community Board 7.<br />
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Also, Batya Lewton and The Coalition for a Livable West SIde, The United Federation of Teachers, Olive Freud who made sure that the issue was raised at all her candidate events and anyone else whom I forgot!</div>
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A very big thank you to all of you.</div>
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<b>This is real proof that a community can come together, speak up and affect change. </b></div>
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Best Regards,</div>
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David Saphier and the 199demolition.com team.</div>
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djsaphierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13339792895729443056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7075229205620310901.post-31728545836123765812013-06-15T08:05:00.003-04:002013-06-17T08:43:01.659-04:00More Victory PressNY 1 coverage is <a href="http://manhattan.ny1.com/content/top_stories/183875/parents-praise-decision-not-to-demolish-two-uws-schools" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">here</span></a>.<br />
<br />
A New York Times <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/15/nyregion/two-public-schools-in-city-are-spared-the-tear-down-of-development.html?_r=0" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">article</span></a> which credits the <a href="http://www.westsiderag.com/2013/06/14/breaking-public-school-demolitions-averted" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">West Side Rag</span></a> with breaking the story.<br />
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Curbed is <a href="http://ny.curbed.com/archives/2013/06/14/two_schools_slated_for_luxury_towers_saved_from_demolition.php" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">impressed</span></a> that "a blog-slash-petition and some political support" does work!!<br />
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WNYC School Book covers the decision <a href="http://www.schoolbook.org/2013/06/17/city-withdraws-plan-to-lease-land-from-west-side-schools/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">here</span></a>.djsaphierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13339792895729443056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7075229205620310901.post-14416068056895271732013-06-14T17:49:00.001-04:002013-06-14T17:49:12.558-04:00Victory Message From Assembly Member Linda Rosenthal<div align="center" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Victory: Upper West Side Successfully Fights off DOE Redevelopment of Our Public Schools</strong></span></div>
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In a victory for Upper West Side schools, the New York City Department of Education (DOE) bowed to community pressure and has announced that it will not move forward with plans for redevelopment at Manhattan P.S. 191 and Manhattan P.S. 199. I am gratified that DOE came to realize that trying to force a project of this magnitude without any public process on the Upper West Side will always be met with a wall of united opposition.</div>
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The DOE first proposed to demolish these schools and the School of Cooperative Technical Education on the Upper East Side with an advertisement to developers in a November 2012 issue of Crain's. The DOE would have leased the land to a private developer who would demolish the schools and build luxury housing with a school at the base. Make no mistake about it: this plan was never about education or providing seats for our children--it was conceived as a giveaway to developers. The DOE did not notify anyone in the targeted communities of its intentions and, even after a community outcry, gave just one presentation in February which provided little useful information.</div>
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On the Upper West Side, we refuse to stand for the City playing games with our public schools, and I wrote to the DOE to express my disgust with its refusal to engage the community and let parents have a say in its decision on whether to redevelop any of the schools. I also sent DOE a Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) request for answers to many of the questions it left unanswered and worked with the affected communities of both schools to organize informational meetings and rallies. The marvelous collaboration with community leaders and area elected officials culminated last night in a rally and forum attended by hundreds of parents, teachers, children and community members who made their voices heard and said no to redevelopment.</div>
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This victory, coming on the heel's of last night's public meeting, would never have been possible without the thousands of Upper West Siders who signed petitions, wrote letters, demonstrated and organized. I especially want to thank the following groups and fellow elected officials for their efforts and advocacy:</div>
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<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Coalition to Save Our Schools</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Museum Magnet School / Manhattan P.S. 191 Redevelopment Committee</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
United Federation of Teachers</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Lincoln Square Community Coalition</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Amsterdam Houses Residents Association</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Coalition for a Livable West Side</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
New York Communities for Change</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Congressman Jerrold Nadler</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
State Senator Brad M. Hoylman</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
State Senator José M. Serrano</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
State Senator Adriano Espaillat</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
City Councilmember Gale A. Brewer</div>
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However, DOE will unfortunately continue pursuing its secretive redevelopment process at the School of Cooperative Technical Education at 321 East 96th Street. I was told that DOE will release a Request for Proposals, but it does not have a firm timeline for doing so. Targeting the school whose students are most geographically dispersed and less organized does not make DOE's agenda any more palatable. If the East Side community opposes this development, I am sure we will work together to save their school.</div>
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I want to again congratulate the Upper West Side on showing the City that we have had enough of backroom deals and secret plans. The students of P.S. 191 and P.S. 199 can go on summer vacation knowing that they will have a school to return to in the fall!</div>
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<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Linda B. Rosenthal</div>
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Member of Assembly - 67 AD</div>
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djsaphierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13339792895729443056noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7075229205620310901.post-51235645880583242752013-06-14T15:52:00.002-04:002013-06-14T16:11:34.064-04:00WIN!!!!!!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VYjdR8otsEE/Ubt0SR1QWLI/AAAAAAAAAOg/nWW8rkvoid0/s1600/Rosenthal+Tweet.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="339" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VYjdR8otsEE/Ubt0SR1QWLI/AAAAAAAAAOg/nWW8rkvoid0/s640/Rosenthal+Tweet.tiff" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />
Will report more when we know it. This is great news!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!<br />
<br />
West Side Rag reports on the news <a href="http://www.westsiderag.com/2013/06/14/breaking-public-school-demolitions-averted" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">here</span></a>.djsaphierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13339792895729443056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7075229205620310901.post-80533743645031936142013-06-14T15:40:00.003-04:002013-06-14T15:40:31.806-04:00Save Our Schools Forum - AMAZING!We had an amazing meeting last night. Braving the rain, 200+ people showed up; a standing room only crowd to mostly speaking out against the DOE's proposal to demolish and rebuild P.S. 191, P.S. 199 and CTE.<br />
<br />
Children from P.S. 191 sang, some spoke about their great school, <a href="http://www.davidcbloomfield.com/biography/" target="_blank">David Bloomfield</a> spoke about how disruptive and damaging this would be to the kids and about our legal options.<br />
<br />
Gale Brewer, Linda Rosenthal and Scott Stringer were all there and spoke as did many parents, students and members of our community.<br />
<br />
We know that the DOE is listening! Stay tuned.djsaphierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13339792895729443056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7075229205620310901.post-40271020510224737542013-06-13T10:26:00.000-04:002013-06-13T10:26:34.775-04:00JCC Forum for City Council Candidates<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<b><u>City Council Candidates will speak on Youth and Education</u></b></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span class="aBn" data-term="goog_96968426" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span class="aBn" data-term="goog_96968426" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Another good opportunity to quiz the CC candidates on their views concerning PS 199 and PS 191.</span></span></div>
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<span class="aBn" data-term="goog_96968426" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span class="aBn" data-term="goog_96968426" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span class="aBn" data-term="goog_96968426" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">June 18th</span></span> at the JCC</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span class="aBn" data-term="goog_96968427" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">6:00pm - 7:30pm</span></span></div>
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Details can be found here:</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<a href="http://www.jccmanhattan.org/cat-content.aspx?catid=2994&progID=28393#/EJCCCC00S3" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://www.jccmanhattan.org/<wbr></wbr>cat-content.aspx?catid=2994&<wbr></wbr>progID=28393#/EJCCCC00S3</a></div>
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<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
RSVP is required.</div>
djsaphierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13339792895729443056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7075229205620310901.post-53503451851136536842013-06-13T10:06:00.000-04:002013-06-13T10:23:31.884-04:00Gale Brewer Writes Letter to DOE Requesting Timely Decision<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FPp1seRQPmM/UbnRbmyrYsI/AAAAAAAAAOQ/MHeGMfR36no/s1600/Walcott,+Dennis+and+Grimm,+Kathleen+2013-06-10+ECF+RFEI.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FPp1seRQPmM/UbnRbmyrYsI/AAAAAAAAAOQ/MHeGMfR36no/s640/Walcott,+Dennis+and+Grimm,+Kathleen+2013-06-10+ECF+RFEI.png" width="494" /></a></div>
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Click on the image to enlarge or view the PDF <a href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=sites&srcid=ZGVmYXVsdGRvbWFpbnwxOTlwcm9wb3NhbHxneDo1MWRkMzFjYTM4MzQwNzll" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">here</span></a>.</div>
djsaphierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13339792895729443056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7075229205620310901.post-16624214236102976682013-06-10T08:50:00.001-04:002013-06-10T08:50:37.362-04:00DNAinfo Reports: P.S. 199 Parents Break From PTA to Fight Redevelopment at UWS School<div class="tr_bq">
DNAinfo reports today on the movement by PS 199 parents against the proposed demolition of the school:</div>
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<blockquote>
"A group of parents at <a href="http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/places/ps-199" style="color: #ad1515; outline: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_self">P.S. 199</a> is breaking from their PTA to fight against the Department of Education's proposed demolition of their school. </blockquote>
<blockquote>
More than 200 supporters have <a href="http://www.change.org/petitions/chancellor-walcott-mayor-bloomberg-nyc-doe-ecf-ps-199-parents-say-don-t-demolish-our-school" style="color: #ad1515; outline: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">signed a petition</a> against the DOE's plan, which would give a developer the right to knock down and rebuild the school and develop a high rise<br />on top of it."</blockquote>
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<a href="http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20130610/upper-west-side/ps-199-parents-break-from-pta-fight-redevelopment-at-uws-school" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Read the full article here. </span></a>djsaphierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13339792895729443056noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7075229205620310901.post-51082247667348458992013-06-07T13:30:00.000-04:002013-06-08T09:02:40.318-04:00Op-Ed Piece: Coveting Public School Land Leads to a Bad DealAn Op-Ed piece by Mel Wymore in WNYC SchoolBook (a site created by the NYTimes and WNYC).<br />
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Here's one excerpt:<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;">In the case of </span><a href="http://www.schoolbook.org/school/154-ps-191-amsterdam" style="border: 0px; color: #666699; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">P.S. 191</a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;"> on West 61st Street and </span><a href="http://www.schoolbook.org/school/155-ps-199-jessie-isador-straus" style="border: 0px; color: #666699; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">P.S. 199</a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;"> on West 70th Street, the ECF requested “expressions of interest” to demolish and redevelop these public schools, offering what amounts to a goody-bag of tax perks for the developers involved. Simply put, it’s a sweetheart deal designed to attract builders of luxury towers, with schools on the lower floors, not one designed to serve our kids, our community or New York City.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.schoolbook.org/2013/06/07/coveting-public-school-land-leads-to-a-bad-deal" target="_blank">Read the full piece here.</a> </span>djsaphierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13339792895729443056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7075229205620310901.post-84746062464957709592013-06-05T16:33:00.000-04:002013-06-06T12:42:11.422-04:00The Coalition to Save Our Schools Public HearingWe are one of the sponsors of this very important event. Please come to listen, speak and let the DOE know how you feel about their proposal. Please print, distribute an post this flyer. You can download it <u style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.4;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=sites&srcid=ZGVmYXVsdGRvbWFpbnwxOTlwcm9wb3NhbHxneDozZDdkN2Q1OTI0OTBlNTI1" style="color: #33aaff;" target="_blank">here.</a></u><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"> </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhILx20LGywZLWAib2coLGXfN4D_sOx8RRugTF_zaSgdzZJYyRuf-367ZLoX3mO79CJr17xz-4gpxzXbiT9DmqHh6wCkDEMTXijwqnAbUIFjxwGZ8LtY0gZJwLf7cS45tHFrMcuwE8QixQ5/s1600/Save+Our+Schools+Public+Hearing+700d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhILx20LGywZLWAib2coLGXfN4D_sOx8RRugTF_zaSgdzZJYyRuf-367ZLoX3mO79CJr17xz-4gpxzXbiT9DmqHh6wCkDEMTXijwqnAbUIFjxwGZ8LtY0gZJwLf7cS45tHFrMcuwE8QixQ5/s1600/Save+Our+Schools+Public+Hearing+700d.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />djsaphierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13339792895729443056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7075229205620310901.post-81159737947233834402013-06-04T11:19:00.000-04:002013-06-09T21:44:44.765-04:00March and Rally this Friday, June 7th!!! - CANCELED - due to weather<b>The weather forecast has turned for the worse - potential thunder and lightening, therefore, <span style="color: #cc0000;">todays rally is CANCELED.</span></b><br />
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The <i><b>Save our Schools Coalition</b></i> is organizing a march and rally in opposition to the DOE demolition plan for all three schools. Please join us in joining them this Friday, June 7th at 3:30. The march will begin at PS 191, 61st and Amsterdam and end at Columbus Circle where speakers will be heard with maybe a special guest speaker.<br />
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Approximate timing for the march:<br />
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3:35pm - Leaving PS191 at 61st & Amsterdam<br />
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3:40pm - Pass Lincoln Center plaza (fountain area)<br />
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4:00pm - Arrive at Columbus Circle. Rally will be in the center by the monument.<br />
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<b>Please join us at any of these locations.</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAX32kp_ghRsnPHhzfC6xkgHsr-naOWQQVwFzXWXWjpsCse5Yq67RD2ihl5iC_69ZS_5VBgyu4NSDYE67DkhgXGMqnU1X1Nsj3722R3uNhwjZGdywdVz0TxEf_UTdrAZe9Q7G-XqEQq9xf/s1600/ThreeSchoolMarch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAX32kp_ghRsnPHhzfC6xkgHsr-naOWQQVwFzXWXWjpsCse5Yq67RD2ihl5iC_69ZS_5VBgyu4NSDYE67DkhgXGMqnU1X1Nsj3722R3uNhwjZGdywdVz0TxEf_UTdrAZe9Q7G-XqEQq9xf/s1600/ThreeSchoolMarch.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />djsaphierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13339792895729443056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7075229205620310901.post-41416116897521676212013-06-02T07:10:00.000-04:002013-06-06T10:52:28.992-04:00CANCELLED EVENT - Mayoral Candidates Answer Questions about Schools and Education<br />
<strong style="background-color: white; font-family: tahoma, 'new york', times, serif; line-height: 1.22em; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman'; font-size: large; line-height: 1.22em;"><span style="color: #222222;">We have heard that this event is </span><span style="color: red;">CANCELLED</span><span style="color: #222222;">.</span></span></strong><br />
<strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: tahoma, 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 15.555556297302246px; line-height: 1.22em; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.22em;"><br /></span></strong>
<strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: tahoma, 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 15.555556297302246px; line-height: 1.22em; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.22em;">2013 Mayoral Candidate Forum: </span></strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'times new roman'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.22em; text-align: justify;">Come hear the 2013 NYC mayoral candidates' visions for New York City’s public schools at a forum organized by the Chancellor’s Parent Advisory Council (parent body, not DOE). This will take place on Monday, June 10<sup style="line-height: 1.22em;">th </sup>from 6pm - 8pm at the New York Historical Society Auditorium (170 Central Park West at 77<sup style="line-height: 1.22em;">th</sup> Street). Send your questions in advance to <a href="mailto:infocpacnyc@gmail.com">infocpacnyc@gmail.com</a>.</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yvrKmtfyZ2o/Uat1ut-Wa7I/AAAAAAAAANw/IiAUYrekeWQ/s1600/CPAC+Mayoral+forum.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yvrKmtfyZ2o/Uat1ut-Wa7I/AAAAAAAAANw/IiAUYrekeWQ/s640/CPAC+Mayoral+forum.png" width="451" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'times new roman'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.22em; text-align: justify;"><br /></span>djsaphierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13339792895729443056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7075229205620310901.post-50736528160333509262013-05-31T10:16:00.002-04:002013-05-31T13:10:20.481-04:00Follow the Money in City Council Race<span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; line-height: 22.002840042114258px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, times, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15.454545021057129px; line-height: 22.002840042114258px;">An <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/31/nyregion/business-pac-plans-a-push-in-city-council-races.html?_r=0" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">article</span></a> in the New York Times today exposes a new PAC, Jobs for New York, which is attempting to influence the City </span><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;">Council</span><span style="font-size: 15.454545021057129px; line-height: 22.002840042114258px;"> elections. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; line-height: 22.002840042114258px;">"A group of real estate executives and corporate leaders, bracing for the departure of Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, plans to spend up to $10 million to make sure the City Council elected this fall is friendly to business.</span> </blockquote>
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The organization, made up of real estate developers, property owners, banks, insurance companies, investment firms and others, has established a political action committee to direct donations to back candidates in both parties who support pro-development policies. </blockquote>
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Called Jobs for New York, the PAC represents an aggressive new involvement in New York’s heavily regulated city elections by a major independent expenditure group."</blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, times, serif;"><span style="line-height: 1.467em;">We are not endorsing any particular candidate for District 6, but we do think it's important to know if any of the candidates are being backed by organizations that want to promote further development of our neighborhood. If would not be surprising if these same interested parties are backing the DOE proposal to build luxury high-rises above t</span><span style="line-height: 1.467em;">hree schools in Manhattan.</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/31/nyregion/business-pac-plans-a-push-in-city-council-races.html?_r=0" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Read the full article here.</span></a></div>
djsaphierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13339792895729443056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7075229205620310901.post-43524491079472914572013-05-29T11:44:00.000-04:002013-05-29T12:43:16.486-04:00High School of Cooperative Technical Education - the other school.Coop Tech is the third school mentioned in the ECF proposal other than PS 199 and PS 191. I was able to visit this school yesterday and it is amazing. This is a school for students not on a college track but for those who want to learn a skill and get out into the workforce. A large portion of the school is essentially a factory for learning where welding, carpentry, electrician skills, green energy, automotive mechanics - 17 separate programs in all are taught. Once students complete their course work the school has an active internship and job placement program.<br />
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I looked at this school and could not image how 1) it could possibly be moved on a temporary basis because of all the equipment and specialized set up, and 2) how it could exist with a luxury high-rise atop it. If this school is chosen for demolition and re-development I'd like to hear from the DOE how they will preserve it and put it back together again.<br />
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But, the impression I really walked away with is that the city needs another 10 schools like this one. For any kid not on a college track, what is better, more standardized testing or training for a real job?<br />
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You can check out their brochure <a href="http://schools.nyc.gov/NR/rdonlyres/DD8746A0-F86D-4690-9A12-1066FF7E3C8F/0/coopbrochure.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">here</span></a>.<br />
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<br />djsaphierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13339792895729443056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7075229205620310901.post-35253778605411030882013-05-29T11:00:00.004-04:002013-05-29T11:00:52.727-04:00PS 199 Parents Speak Up!A group of PS 199 parents posted a petition yesterday expressing their opposition to the proposed demolition and re-development plan for PS 199. I can only assume that this is also a sign of their frustration with the wait and see attitude of others at the school. In less than 24 hours they have amassed 174 signatures from parents. This is amazing.<br />
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If you are a PS 199 parent and have not signed yet, check out the petition <a href="http://www.change.org/petitions/chancellor-walcott-mayor-bloomberg-nyc-doe-ecf-ps-199-parents-say-don-t-demolish-our-school" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">here</span></a>.djsaphierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13339792895729443056noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7075229205620310901.post-61125982048127650352013-05-20T10:54:00.000-04:002013-05-20T10:54:32.509-04:00United Federation of Teachers Article and LetterWe originally posted on the United Federation of Teachers article about the proposed demolition of the schools <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.199demolition.com/2013/05/united-federation-of-teachers-reports.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</span><br />
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Subsequently, they published our Letter to the Editor:<br />
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Parents oppose selling schools<br /><a href="http://www.uft.org/news/ny-teacher/issue/2013-05-16" style="color: #666699; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">MAY 16, 2013 NEW YORK TEACHER ISSUE</a>To the Editor:<br />Thanks for your article “Schools for sale” [May 2]. The city and Department of Education are pursuing actions that are disruptive to students and parents, and expensive to the city in the long term, while providing little to no upside for increasing the quality or quantity of educational resources in the affected neighborhoods.</blockquote>
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<a href="http://www.uft.org/letters/parents-oppose-selling-schools" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Read the full letter here.</span></a><br />
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djsaphierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13339792895729443056noreply@blogger.com0