Our Educational Consultant Weighs In

Following up on our local schools discussion, I asked educational consultant Joyce Szuflita to comment on the possibility of parents working with local public schools to reform them, as well as considering the new charter school. Commenter Babs cited PS 8 in Brooklyn Heights as a possible public school model, writing:  "Ten years ago PS 8 was not a desirable school; the kids in Brooklyn Heights attended private schools… With the increase in real estate prices, however, private school tuition became less affordable and parents turned their attention to PS 8, resulting in a remarkable turnaround for the school.”

This is what Ms. Szuflita had to say:

Even though the school is called “Lefferts Gardens Charter School,” priority is given to all families living within District 17... If there are seats vacant, families from outside of the district may fill them. It is very likely that in the first couple years at least that there will be a sizable number of students from outside the neighborhood and the district (perhaps even the borough).

Public Turns Out for Charter School Hearing

Those of us who expected the public hearing for the Lefferts Gardens Charter School last night to be a love-in for the new environmental science school were in for a surprise: the opposition to placing the school at P.S. 92 was passionate and vocal.

Most of the opposition stemmed from parents of students at P.S. 92. The overwhelming concern was that sharing the space would create problems for kids already attending the school. "If your child can't take the seat next to my son, find another spot," said one of the charter school's critics.

To my mind, the most persuasive argument against locating the school at PS 92 was one raised by a few people who spoke at the hearing: though the Department of Education and LGCS insist that the charter school will only be at PS 92 for a few years while they raise money to build a permanent site, odds are that the permanent site will never materialize, the DOE won't kick LGCS out, and PS 92 will become overcrowded as LGCS continues to grow. At least, that's the typical pattern.

There were lots of positive things said about the charter school, too, but I was too busy chasing my toddler to write them down… and, frankly, I'd be preaching to the choir here.

In the end, the supporters of the school outweighed the opposition by a sizable margin: 21 pro, 10 against, and 3 neutral (arguably positive) by my count. That said, it was hard not to be troubled by the racial dynamic at play, with white people tending to support the school and black people opposing.

If the DOE elects to locate LGCS in the same building as PS 92, LGCS needs to seriously step up its community outreach beyond the Manor. The PS 92 student body is 0%  (yes, that's zero percent) white and 83% black. The Lefferts supporters are about as white as the PS 92 students are black, a situation that's bound to create tensions. As one friend of mine who attended the hearing wondered, "Are they planning on hiring bodyguards for all the rich white kids so they don't get beat up?"

LGCS also needs to do serious fundraising to raise the hundreds of thousands of dollars necessary to build their promised "green" permanent facility. All the more reason for LGCS to get its house in order and rebuild its flagging board of directors.

A flyer posted on apartment buildings along Winthrop Street by one of Lefferts Gardens Charter School's critics

RELATED:

Board Members Resign From Lefferts Gardens Charter School
Update on the Lefferts Gardens Charter School

Lefferts Gardens Charter School Information Sessions and Website

If you missed the first information session, the Lefferts Gardens Charter School (LGCS) will be holding information sessions in the neighborhood at local library branches.

This Saturday, January 30, at 11AM, representatives will be at the Crown Heights library (560 New York Ave. at Maple St.)  Next Saturday, February 6, at 10AM, representatives will be at the Flatbush library (22 Linden Blvd. at Flatbush).

If you were paying attention, you saw that the name of the school is now a link, which means that the website is up and running. The LGCS website is http://leffertsgardens.org and includes a FAQ as well as applications for students and faculty. You can also get updates by joining their mailing list.

DOT Responds to Hawthorne Street's Traffic Calming Request

Those of you who read this blog know how we feel about the intersection at Ocean and Parkside Avenues. (Hint: hate it.) You probably also know that, under the aegis of PLG Public Works, our "sister" activist group, we've asked the DOT to find a way to fix it, to make it safer for pedestrians, cyclists and all users.

I am happy to report that we've received a response. According to a letter from Borough Commissioner Joseph Palmieri, the DOT's Division of Traffic Planning is investigating the location and will recommend appropriate action soon. The letter states that they'll respond to us directly by March 29, 2010.

So there you go. Fingers crossed!

PLG Group Asks DOT to Fix Ocean & Parkside Intersection

Over a year ago, some fellow travelers and I put together a proposal to urge city officials to make the intersection of Ocean Avenue and Parkside Avenue safer for pedestrians and cyclists. Perhaps you read about that here or here. At any rate, the project got put on hold due to the group members' having personal lives (two couples had babies) but we've recently resumed. We call ourselves PLG Public Works and aim to make PLG streets better, quieter, and safer for all users. In some circles, this is known as building "livable streets."

Our inaugural act is a letter to the Department of Transportation, cc'd to local elects and Community Board 9. I've copied the letter below, which was mailed out today. To read the full proposal, download the PDF here.

Future plans call for improving Parkside Avenue and weighing in on the DOT's stated plans to improve Flatbush Avenue south of Empire.

If you'd like to get involved, join our Googlegroup to find out about upcoming meetings. If you're part of a local organization or block association and would be willing to endorse our proposal, please email me at brooklynite282 at gmail.com. Thank you, thank you.

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Flatbush Daffodil Project this weekend

This just in from our people down south, Flatbush Gardener and Sustainable Flatbush:

The Daffodil Project was originally created to commemorate September
11th; a Dutch bulb grower donates 500,000 bulbs each year to NYC
community groups who plant them in neighborhoods all over the five
boroughs. This year, New Yorkers for Parks distributed more than
125,000 Daffodil bulbs for planting throughout the City. Sustainable
Flatbush received 500 bulbs for planting in tree beds and other public
areas in our neighborhood.

This will be Sustainable Flatbush's second year of co-sponsoring the
Daffodil Project locally. If you enjoy gardening, feel like digging in
some dirt, or if you just want to delight in the company of your
neighbors, join us this weekend!

WHAT: Flatbush Daffodil Project
WHEN: Saturday and Sunday, November 14th and 15th, from 10:00am until 12:00pm
WHERE: Meet in front of Vox Pop Cafe at 9:45, 1022 Cortelyou Road
(corner of Stratford Road)

205 Parkside available for free?

  Spotted at 205 Parkside Avenue:

FREE BUILDING
14 residential, 3 commercial units
Pre-War, 4 story, abandoned rathole
Squatters included at no charge

Moses and Bernice Fried
(718) 377-4444

There is also a sister advertisement on Craiglist with more detail.

If 205 Parkside sounds familiar, that's the neglected building that Moses Fried tried to turn into an hourly "hotel" three years ago. For those who take the train at Parkside, the place is pretty hard to miss — it's next door to the Pioneer grocer on a busy, high-traffic commercial strip.

We haven't heard anything out of 205 Parkside since 2007, when Fried's lawyer said that the owner was  "reviewing his options" of what to do with the place. Apparently, Fried has been reviewing his options for some time. According to city records, the building has been "vacant and untenanted" since 1979. The building has been condemned and has no Certificate of Occupancy. Lights are often on at night, though, and clearly people are living there.

We're pretty sure this real estate isn't actually free (in any sense), but hope Fried is getting lots of calls. Property owners who let buildings fester for decades don't deserve to keep them. Fried clearly has no concern whatsoever for how his properties affect local the local community. But who knows. Perhaps a sly kick in the pants will get him to do the right thing and clean this s***hole up — or sell it to someone who will.

UPDATE: Fried response to "free building" prank

Memorial for Brian Scott Held Last Night

Last night, a memorial was held for Brian "Cosmik" Scott, the young man who was murdered in the Parkside Avenue Donut Shop. That link includes video of the NY1 story about the memorial, which was held by his fellow rollerbladers in a Lower East Side skate park. They were also collecting donations to help defray funeral expenses for the family. If anyone knows who to contact regarding donations, let us know and we'll post the information here.

Mr. Scott was not, according to police, the intended target. I haven't read anywhere whether one of the other injured patrons was the intended target or if they were connected to Mr. Scott in any way. Police are still searching for the shooter.

As we've written before, Cosmik was getting a reputation in the rollerblading scene. Below the fold are a tribute photo montage and a three videos of Cosmik shredding around town.

Curious new mural on Parkside & Ocean

Over a week ago, a three-sided mural landed on Parkside, just in front of the Q subway station. I found a bit about it on Gothamist. Apparently, the paintings are by a Toronto-based street artist, Specter, who has been working out of Bed Stuy for the past few months (and also brought us this). The Department of Transportation and ISPC NYC sponsored the artwork, which is intended to depict "stories and memories from senior citizens in Flatbush, Brooklyn."

Of course, most senior citizens who grew up in Flatbush aren't still here now, which may be part of the reason the mural is a tad inscrutable to some. The only thing our Jewish relatives who grew up around here ever talk about is the Loew's Kings Theater, which I don't even see here. So who is the guitar player? The young woman with the funky hat? Bohack? Huh? Anyone?

PLG CSA Stoop Sale, Saturday 7/25

 PLG Community Supported Agriculture will be having a stoop sale this Saturday 11am to 3pm at the Maple Street School. One-hundred percent of the proceeds from the sale will be used to help subsidize low-income shares in the CSA next year. Come check out the bargains! 

This is also a great opportunity to meet your neighbors and find out more about Community Supported Agriculture!