The WestView News has been following the proposed new school at 75 Morton Street, a story of tireless parents and community members who spent the last five years pressuring the Department of Education (DOE) and catalyzing City politicians to convert the site to a new school so desperately needed to address overcrowding. A huge milestone was recently reached when the School Construction Authority (SCA)finally signed an agreement to purchase the building from New York State for $40 million.
This case study of activists with the stamina and conviction to stick with such a long campaign is particularly impressive because the parent organizing effort was not just Village-centric withPS 41 and PS 3 parents. Over a hundred parents from schools throughout District 2 participated in a series of meetings to create a vision for the school. They ultimately came to consensus on a 600-700 seat middle schooland a 70-100 seat school for children with ASD (autism spectrum disorders). Over the last eight months, the 75 Morton Street Task Force, which included members from Community Board 2 and the Community Education Council District 2 (CECD2), worked hand-in-hand with the parent group and orchestrated compelling presentations to the community, DOE, and SCA officials. The CECD2officially endorsed the parents’plan through a resolution that includes a description of proposed facilities and aneducational approach: “…the brain maturation of young adolescents allows a deeper mastery of science, literature, second language fluency…and the creative spirit…allows them to explore the arts.”
There isstill much work ahead, however, to ensure that the DOE and SCAcarries through on their promise, stated back in January at a community meeting, to “build a school that the community wants.” The parent group, now calling itself the 75 Morton Community Alliance, is gearing up again for this next phase to ensure their dream school opens its doors in the fall of 2015.
