Kids that are a part of the after-school Beacon program are seen here at a rally protesting last year's potential closure at Queens Borough Hall. Programs like the one at JHS 190 in Forest Hills are set to face being cut once again this year. File photo.
Although some Beacon after-school programs were saved from closure last year, the fight to remain open will come around once again.
At last week’s Community Board 6 meeting, it was announced that the beacon program at Junior High School 190 in Forest Hills would again be in danger of losing its after-school program.
The reason for this is because the City Council funded the seven programs that were already on the choppng block, but the save was only really for one year and the issue of putting money towards those programs, which includes the one in Forest Hills, would have to be revisited again as budget season approaches.
The Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) renewed the contract of most Beacon programs throughout the city until 2014, but the seven that were saved by the city council are not included in that renewal. Among other six schools that are not a part of the renewal is MS 158 in Bayside. The rest of the list consists of two schools in Manhattan and one each in Brooklyn, The Bronx and Staten Island.
Cathleen Collins, Deputy Chief of Staff at DYCD, confirmed the renewals in an e-mail to The Forum, adding that, although all 80 Beacon programs throughout New York City are funded by DYCD, 7 of the programs had to have its funding slashed due to city budget cuts. The funding for those schools was restored as discretionary contracts via the city council and those contracts only last for one year.
For the people who run the Beacon program at JHS 190, the prospect of fighting to keep their after-school program alive does not come as a surprise.
Pat Pinchinat, director of the Beacon program at 190, said that he was well aware that they would go through this same cycle again this year because of the one-year renewal. He described the experience of advocating for the program while facing closure as stressful because of the uncertainty surrounding the future of the program.
“It was very stressful, especially for the children because they didn’t know if they still had a place to go after school,” he said.
Last year, they, along with the other programs that were in danger of being cut, held several rallies throughout the year to protest its possible closure, including one at Queens Borough Hall in April of this year that was attended by many supporters and local elected officials.
But Pinchinat said he is ready to petition for their program again.
He argued that if it were to be shut down at the end of the school year in June, it would affect many kids and adults who are a part of the program. According to Pinchinat, the program is contracted to serve about 950 people, which is a number he says has been well surpassed, and about 100 kids on average attend the program during the day.
The program has been at the school since 1998 and Pinchinat noted that during
that time, it has forged a close relationship
with the community and that would be lost if it were to be cut. “We’re a staple here in Forest Hills,” he said.
Helena Ku, director of Queens Community House’s School-Based Programs, said that many in the program are just taking it year-by-year and the possibility of going through a second round of protesting its possible closure can serve as a distraction.
“This is just causing another disruption for the kids,” she said.
Both Pinchinat and Ku noted the large amount of support they got from the community and elected officials during last year’s drive to keep it open and they are confident that the same will be the case this year.
That support includes Community Board 6. Its district manager, Frank Gulluscio, said that the board will be prepared to throw its support behind the program once again.
“We are very concerned about the program that services our community and we’ll do whatever it takes to keep it open,” he said.
Councilwoman Karen Koslowitz (D-Forest Hills) also was a supporter of the program.
“Last time around the seven Beacon programs that were slated for closure was restored thanks to the NYC Council. This time around it’s the same battle, unless a deal can be worked out with the Administration,” said Richard Mumlith, communications director for Koslowitz.
There is a town hall meeting planned to discuss the possible closure of the Beacon programs. That meeting is slated for Thursday, January 17 at JHS 190 and starts at 6 :30 p.m.
By Luis Gronda
