Daniel Kikuji Rubenstein, the Executive Director of the Brooklyn Prospect Charter School, informed those on the mailing list that the NYC DOE has proposed placing BPCS within the new building on 4th and 35th. Is it a done deal? After a quick phone call, I can tell you that it is definite (other than some administrative hoops).
I wonder if the location will change some people's minds about applying. My understanding was that the hope for the original location was either in downtown Brooklyn (proximity to BAM and other educational/arts organizations) or somewhere decidedly more Park Slope. I, for one, hope the organizers aren't too disappointed. There's plenty of culture to soak up in Sunset Park, and there is definitely a need for the 88 sixth grade seats if others decide they don't want to make the trip.
Reminder for Sunset Park (and all District 15) parents of current 5th graders, the deadline for applications is SUNDAY. See below for more information.
from the email:
We are pleased to inform you that the NYC Department of Education has proposed placing Brooklyn Prospect Charter School within the newly constructed Sunset Park High School building. We are thrilled to potentially locate the school within the Sunset Park neighborhood and to have the opportunity to allow Brooklyn Prospect to begin serving 6th grade students within this new facility.
The Sunset Park High School Facility is a newly constructed building located at 35th Street and 4th Avenue in Sunset Park , Brooklyn . Sunset Park High School will have approximately 400 students in its first year in a building with a capacity of 1600. Brooklyn Prospect Charter School will have fewer than 100 sixth grade students in its first year.
We are grateful to Principal Corinne Vinal, Council Member Sara Gonzalez, the Center for Family Life Co-director, Julie Stein-Brockway, Community Board 7 and the Sunset Park High School Task Force who have worked tremendously hard in the creation of Sunset Park High School. We look forward to working closely with them to ensure a seamless collaboration and strong foundation for both schools.
Please keep in mind the following important information:
- April 5th 2009 is the last day to sign up for Brooklyn Prospect Charter School ’s lottery . Please go to our website http://www.brooklynprospect.org/Students to register. Families without internet access and/or Spanish speaking families may leave a message at (718)-289-3174. Note this is an extension of the deadline.
- Entering Brooklyn Prospect’s lottery does not affect the NYC Department of Education’s middle school admissions. Brooklyn Prospect Charter School is an additional free public school option; but the student/family must enroll in the lottery by April 5th to have Brooklyn Prospect as an option.
2 comments:
Had it been the Upper East Side fighting for over 30 years for a public high school in there district, never in a million years would the Mayor, the City Council person and/or the Department of Education agree to steal 1/2 of the new seats for a Charter junior high school!
The DOE says it will be a temporary situation? This Charter school has NO existing lease nor firm prospects for space. The school will move in two years? Where to? First in Fort Greene, now Sunset Park...Gowanus?
This is a horrific example of the privatization of our public school system. This time it will be high school students paying the price.
Ivette Cabrera
I agree with most of what you say. I'm not a fan of charter schools, although I think a lot of them are very well intentioned and many do perform wonderfully. I'm also not a fan of the breaking up of the larger high schools into smaller high schools (three schools in the same building, with the same principal), but I am a teacher in a large high school, so I'm quite biased.
Check out this link for someone who reflects what you've said:
http://tinyurl.com/d376gg
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