QUEENS, NY – Borough President Melinda Katz, Senator Leroy Comrie, Assemblymember Alicia Hyndman, Councilmembers Barry Grodenchik, Daniel Dromm, and I. Daneek Miller stated the following in response to the New York City Department of Education’s (DOE’s) withdrawal of its proposal to co-locate a new charter high school at I.S. 109Q Jean Nuzzi Intermediate School, an existing district middle school in Queens Village, Queens:

“The message is clear: the City has not given up on I.S. 109Q,” the elected officials said. “This was the right decision on the part of the DOE, and the community is gratified. The DOE truly listened over the course of several engaged meetings and discussions, taking into account our concerns – including that of over 1,200 parents and community members who signed the I.S. 109Q Parent Teacher Association’s effective petition against the proposal. This process has also brought to light some of I.S. 109Q’s needs, such as the conditions of the school’s antiquated facilities which deserve considerable capital upgrades. We believe I.S. 109Q is a community school in which the City should be investing, and we will continue our efforts to bolster I.S. 109Q’s future.”

In a joint letter last month, the officials expressed opposition to the co-location proposal, noting that it would be “better to invest in its future than to induce significant strain that would come from the addition of 400+ students of an entire high school.” Earlier this month, Borough President Katz convened a meeting at Queens Borough Hall with leaders, the DOE and elected officials to discuss concerns with the proposal.

In a joint letter on Friday, June 17, the officials together urged the DOE to withdraw the co-location proposal from the June 22nd Panel for Education Policy meeting agenda and to work on an alternative location to accommodate the new school.

Copies of the joint letters are available upon request.

Follow Borough President Katz via @melindakatz or www.facebook.com/queensbpkatz