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Generally Speaking: Site for new Bay Ridge school identified

April 16, 2021 Theodore W. General

The proposed site for a new 572-seat primary school.

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The New York City School Construction Authority has issued a Notice of Filing for the proposed site selection of a new, approximately 572-seat primary school at 8802 Fifth Ave. and 429 89th St. within Community School District 20. The site is located across the street from the Fort Hamilton Post Office.

According to the published announcement, comments about the proposed new school may be submitted to the SCA until May 16, 2021, to [email protected] or by postal mail to New York City School Construction Authority, 30-30 Thomson Avenue,

Long Island City, NY 11101, Att: Gayle Mandaro.

Community Board 10’s Youth Services, Education and Libraries Committee and the Zoning and Land Use Committee met jointly with the SCA via a Zoom session on April 8 to hear, discuss and deliberate on the proposed SCA site selection. Prior to the conclusion of the proceedings, the joint committees voted to approve the site. Getting the site shovel ready is a long bureaucratic process. Once the full community board has voted on the proposed site and the SCA has prepared a design plan, they will be back seeking approval of the proposed school building.

We were informed by an SCA representative that it usually takes a full year to design a new school and two years to build it.

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The New York City Department of Education is gearing up to hold citywide Community Education Council elections. Only parents who have children attending public schools will be able to vote between May 1 and May 11. They will be able to pick their choice of candidates on a computer, laptop, tablet or smartphone, but they must have an NYC Schools Account to participate.

There are12 members on each Community Education Council: nine parents, two residents and/or local business appointees by the borough presidents and a non-voting high school senior who lives in the district and is appointed by the community superintendent. The two-year term of office begins July 1, 2021 and ends June 30, 2023. Names of candidates in each Community Education Council District and more details are available on the DOE website: schools.nyc.gov/Elections2021. While there are nine open seats on each council, DOE rules are only allowing voters to select three candidates.

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Mayor Bill de Blasio has appointed Nina Kubota as the new president and CEO of the School Construction Authority. She’s no stranger to the SCA organization, having been there in various capacities since 1998.