<< Back

Budget, Education & City Services

Proposed zoning for two new elementary schools: P.S. 281 and Foundling Hospital Elementary School

At the monthly meeting of Community Board Five on Thursday, November 08, 2012, the Board passed the following resolution by a vote of 35 in favor; 0 opposed; 1 abstaining:

WHEREAS, DOE is proposing to zone two new elementary schools: PS 281, located at 1st Avenue and 35th Street, and Foundling Elementary school, located at 17th St & 6th Ave; and

WHEREAS, Community Board Five commends the DOE and SCA for building new schools in a district that suffers endemic overcrowding; and

WHEREAS, According to DOE data, the proposed zone for PS281 does not provide enough relief to overcrowding at PS40; and

WHEREAS, According to DOE data, the new zone for PS281 will create an uneven ratio of free lunch students in the neighboring schools affected by the rezoning; and

WHEREAS, Community Board Five believes that school zones should reflect neighborhood natural boundaries as much as possible; therefore be it

RESOLVED, Community Board Five is urging the DOE to revise its zone boundaries as follows and to address the following concerns:

-          Broaden boundaries of Foundling School to encompass Park Avenue South to the East and to encompass 23rd Street to the North.

-          Redraw the zones boundaries of PS281 to even the number of Free Lunch students between the affected schools; and be it further

RESOLVED, Community Board Five is urging the DOE and SCA to better assess enrollment and to keep building new elementary schools to alleviate the still acute overcrowding problem faced by elementary schools serving CB5 students.

Sign Up For Our Newsletter