The city Panel for Educational Policy last week approved the city’s plan to relocate Richmond Hill High School ninth grade students from their current location in an annex to a “temporary classroom unit,” otherwise known as a trailer. Photo Courtesy the NYC Department of Education
After the city Panel for Educational Policy voted last week to approve the city’s proposal to relocate Richmond Hill High School ninth grade students from their current location in an annex to a trailer, as well as the facility’s main building, a Queens education leader is urging Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio to void the PEP’s action once he assumes office Jan. 1.
“Hopefully Mayor-elect de Blasio will put a moratorium on this,” said Dmytro Fedkowskyj, Queens Borough President Helen Marshall’s appointee to the PEP who voted against the plan that has been lambasted by Community Board 9, parents, and students. “He could step into office and put the brakes on it.”
While city education officials said the move would occur because RHHS freshmen are now in classes situated in the former St. Benedict Joseph Labre Catholic School at 94-25 117 St. – which is slated to now become a new high school in September 2014 – community board members, civic leaders, parents, and students have said it will further stress an overcrowded Richmond Hill High School. At the last CB 9 meeting, all but one board member voted to oppose the city’s re-siting of the grade level. The only board member who did not oppose the proposal abstained.
“They’re going to take away that annex and are going to put kids into a trailer” said Richmond Hill High School Parent Teacher Association President Vishnu Mahadeo, who has been a vehement critic of the plan.
One of four to vote against the city’s proposal, Fedkowskyj agreed.
Dmytro Fedkowskyj, the Queens borough president’s appointee to the city Panel for Educational Policy, voted against the city’s plan to move some students to a trailer and is urging Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio to overturn the decision once he takes office. Anna Gustafson/The Forum Newsgroup
“Why would you put kids in trailers when there are seats?” he asked.”CB 9 voted against this – why aren’t we listening to them?”
Mahadeo, board members, students, and parents have repeatedly spoken about overcrowded conditions at RHHS, but city education officials said the new high school at the St. Benedict’s site would decrease the facility’s population. According to the DOE, enrollment at RHHS would drop from 2,184 students this year to as low at 1,580 pupils in the 2017-18 class.
“The DOE strives to ensure that all students in New York City have access to a high quality school at every stage of their education,” the DOE said in its educational impact statement about the RHHS plan. “The opening of a new district high school…is intended to provide an additional option to the students and families in District 27 and in Queens at large.”
“The DOE is planning to gradually decrease Richmond Hill’s enrollment by approximately 420 to 460 students over a period of four years,” the DOE continues in its impact statement.
By Anna Gustafson
