Van Nest Democratic Debate for the 13th Council District

  Last night the Van Nest Neighborhood Alliance held a Democratic debate for the 13th city council district. It seems that the Van Nest neighborhood is split on one side by the 15th council district, and on the other side by the 13th council district. There can be advantages in having two council members representing your district, but there are also disadvantages in that the elected officials have to take care of where the most votes may come from first. Sometime after the primary the Van Nest Neighborhood Alliance will be having another debate, that one between all candidates on the ballot for the November general election. 

  As you will see in the photos below that this debate featured five Democratic candidates only, but there was never more than four candidates in the room at any time, with only three candidates for most of the debate. Candidates Egidio Sementilli, John Doyle, and Victor Ortiz were up front through the entire Democratic debate. Candidate Mark Gjonaj said that he would be leaving early to attend a previously scheduled fund raiser, and candidate Marjorie Velazquez arrived shortly before the Democratic debate was over.

Above - The four candidates who were up front at the beginning are (l - r) Egidio Sementelli, John Doyle, Victor Ortiz, and Mark Gjonaj

Below - The empty chair next to Egidio Sementilli is for Marjorie Velazquez who showed up with just two questions left, and the closing statements.

Above - Candidate Victor Ortiz tells of him and another hispanic candidate being thrown off the ballot by the third hispanic candidate Marjorie Velazquez, which he called fraud. He added that during the time he fought and won to be reinstated to the ballot that he exposed challenger Rebecca Chant as an agent of candidate Velazquez. Ortiz said that Chant was a college student from OHIO who had registered in June to gather signatures for Velazquez and Ms. Chant admitted under oath that she had no intention of staying in the 13th council district to vote and was leaving to go back to Ohio where she was registered to vote.

Below - Candidate John Doyle giving his opening statement.

Above - Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj tells why he is seeking to become the councilman building on his work and five year experience as a state legislator. 

Below - Ms. Bernadette Ferrara President of the Van Nest Neighborhood Alliance models the organizations T-Shirt which was on sale to guests. The two police officers from the 49th Precinct were not on hand to protect the two moderators, but to give a community report.

Above - You can see as candidate Ortiz answers a question midway Assemblyman Gjonaj has left.

Below - Candidate Egidio Sememtilli gets comfortable knowing that Assemblyman Gjonaj has left, and does not expect candidate Marjorie Velazquez to attend.

Above - However candidate Velazquez was to arrive with just two questions left to answer, and closing statements by the candidates.

Below Candidate Velazquez giving her closing statement. 

Above - Candidate Egidio Sementilli giving his closing statement shows his campaign material he has, only a small palm card which candidate Velazquez seems to be very interested in reading.

Below - Now that candidate Velazquez is seated at the table, candidate Victor Ortiz has no problem pointing to her and calling her a fraud for the way she was exposed in challenging him and fellow hispanic Alex Gomez.

MAYOR DE BLASIO AND CHANCELLOR FARIÑA KICK OF FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL WITH LAUNCH OF 3-K FOR ALL

Part of Mayor’s Equity and Excellence for All agenda now reaching over 1,150 schools

  Mayor Bill de Blasio and Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña today joined students, families, and educators in the South Bronx for the first-ever day of 3-K for All. Building on the success of Pre-K for All, New York City is starting on the path to free, full-day, high-quality early childhood education for every three-year-old with nearly 1,400 three-year-olds registered in School Districts 7 in the South Bronx and 23 serving Brownsville, Ocean Hill, and East New York.

3-K for All is part of the Mayor and Chancellor’s Equity and Excellence for All agenda. The Equity and Excellence for All agenda, now in its second full school year, is supporting progress across all schools so that, by 2026, 80 percent of students graduate high school on time, and two-thirds of graduates are college-ready. It builds on record-high graduation rates, record-high college enrollment rates, record-low dropout rates, and a high-quality pre-K seat for every New York City 4-year-old.

“As a parent, I know how special the first day of school is and it’s even more exciting this year with the historic launch of 3-K for All,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “Building on our work to make free, full-day, high-quality Pre-K for All a reality, 3-K for All will ease the financial burden on parents and give our littlest New Yorkers an invaluable head-start in life.”

"With programs like 3-K for All, young children across the City will get the early support they need to thrive inside and outside of the classroom. Early childhood education, particularly for low-income children, has long term benefits and is essential for their intellectual and emotional development,” said First Lady Chirlane McCray, Co-Chair of the NYC Children's Cabinet.

“September is a month of possibility, particularly for our youngest-ever New York City public school students starting 3-K for All today,” saidSchools Chancellor Carmen Fariña. “With our school system the strongest it’s ever been, we are investing more than ever before in the earliest years of our children’s education – with 3-K for All, Pre-K for All, Universal Literacy, and Algebra for All – and that is a true game-changer for New York City. These investments are going to give every child, no matter what neighborhood they come from, the foundation they need to succeed in college and careers. I join our 1.1 million students, their families, and our educators in their excitement for this school year.” 

“With our successful expansion of Pre-K for All, we delivered on our promise to give every four-year-old the foundation needed to achieve their full potential in school and in life. Today’s expansion of free, full-day, high quality pre-k to three-year-olds marks an important continuation of our commitment to children and families,” said Richard Buery, Deputy Mayor for Strategic Policy Initiatives. “The research shows that two years of pre-kindergarten is a game changer. I am thrilled that families in Districts 7 and 23 will be the first to see their little ones blossom and grow in 3-K for All this year!” 

"The evidence is clear: early childhood education offers considerable benefits to our children. Mayor de Blasio's "3-K For All" program will provide Bronx and New York City students with even greater opportunities for learning at an earlier age, and I look forward to working with the mayor, Chancellor Farina and the Department of Education to see this program expanded across our borough and our city," said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.

Below is a breakdown of the Mayor and Chancellor’s Equity and Excellence for All agenda for the 2017-18 school year:

3-K for All

3-K for All is the nation’s most ambitious effort to provide universal, free, full-day, high-quality early childhood education for every three-year-old child. This is the first year of a two-year expansion to create hundreds of new, free, full-day, high-quality seats in School Districts 7 and 23 serving Brownsville, Ocean Hill, and East New York. For the first day of school,798 students are registered for a new 3-K for All seat at a DOE district school, NYC Early Education Center, or Pre-K Center. 577 students are registered for existing seats in these neighborhoods in EarlyLearn programs. DOE is on track to provide a seat for every three-year-old living in Districts 7 and 23 that wants one by fall 2018.

By fall 2020, the City will expand free, full-day, high-quality 3-K for All to at least six additional school districts, for a total of eight districts. Each pair of districts will have a two-year expansion, with the last pair of districts starting in fall 2020 and offering universal access in fall 2021. In order to achieve the vision of 3-K for All citywide, the City will need additional support from partners in the State and federal government.

As part of its commitment to free, full-day, high-quality 3-K for All, the City is also providing additional support to the public early childhood center programs currently serving approximately 10,000 three-year-olds through EarlyLearn across the City – including in Districts 7 and 23.

Pre-K for All 

Pre-K for All is in its third year of providing a free, full-day, high-quality pre-K seat for every four-year-old in New York City.

1,879 DOE district schools, NYC Early Education Centers, Pre-K Centers are offering free, full-day, high-quality pre-K. Families can continue to find free, full-day, high quality pre-K seats by calling 311 or visitingnyc.gov/prek.

Free School Lunch for All

Free School Lunch for All will provide over 200,000 more students with free lunch starting this school year. Last school year, 75% of students were eligible for free lunch and starting this school year, 100% of families will be eligible to receive free lunch.

This summer, the State started a new data matching system that directly certifies families who are eligible for free lunch – this allowed NYC to qualify for a federal program (Community Eligibility Provision). The Free School Lunch for All initiative will benefit all families regardless of where they live or attend school.

Universal Literacy

Through Universal Literacy, schools receive support from a dedicated reading coach, who works with kindergarten through 2^nd grade teachers to ensure students are reading on grade level by the end of 2^nd grade. The goal of the initiative is to have at least two-thirds of students reading proficiently by the end of 2^nd grade by 2022, with the target of 100 percent of all 2^nd-graders reading at grade level by 2026.

242 Universal Literacy reading coaches are supporting all 305 elementary schools serving approximately 75,000 kindergarten through 2^nd graders across 14 districts, including all districts in the Bronx.

Algebra for All

Through Algebra for All, by 2022, every student will have access to Algebra in 8^th grade, complete Algebra no later than 9^th grade, and there will be academic supports in place in elementary and middle school to build greater Algebra readiness.

To date, approximately 900 teachers across 357 elementary, middle, and high schools have received Algebra for All training to strengthen math instruction and are working to increase the amount of time they devote to math instruction. 139 elementary schools are working to “departmentalize” 5th-grade math – having their math instruction led by a specialized teacher who has received intensive training.

AP for All

AP for All is adding Advanced Placement courses so that by fall 2021, students at all high schools will have access to at least five AP classes.

152 high schools are offering new AP courses, including 60 that offered no AP courses before the initiative.

Computer Science for All

Through Computer Science for All, every student will receive computer science education in elementary, middle, and high school by 2025.

To date, approximately 940 teachers have received Computer Science for All training to bring back to their 524 elementary, middle, and high schools.

Single Shepherd

Single Shepherd is pairing every student in grades 6-12 in District 7 in the South Bronx and District 23 in Brownsville with a dedicated school counselor or social worker who will support them in their school on the path to graduation and college enrollment.

Approximately 140 Single Shepherds are serving approximately 15,000grade 6-12 students at all 49 middle and high schools in Districts 7 and 23.

College Access for All      

By the 2018-19 school year, every middle school student will have the opportunity to visit a college campus. 355 middle schools across 22 districts will bring approximately 43,000 7^th-graders to college campuses during the school year, and engage students and families in a schoolwide college and career culture.

By the 2018-19 school year, every student will have the resources and supports at their high school to graduate with an individual college and career plan. 269 high schools are receiving training and funding to build a schoolwide college and career culture. The initiative has also eliminated the CUNY college application fee for low-income students, and made the SAT exam available free of charge during the school day for all high school juniors.

District-Charter Partnerships

District-Charter Partnerships pairs district and charter schools to foster strong relationships and share best practices.

Over 120 district and charter schools are partnering around sharing best practices this school year, including co-located schools building campus community and sharing practices; collaborative learning partnerships through the District-Charter Collaborative; the KIPP Through College Summer Bridge program; and training through the DOE Uncommon Schools-Impact Partnership. In addition, several community and high school superintendents are working to implement district-wide partnerships throughout the year. 

Community Schools

New York City’s 227 Community Schools provide students with the support they need inside and outside of the classroom, including expanded learning opportunities, robust family engagement, an explicit focus on social-emotional development, and enrichment programming through partnerships with community based organizations (CBOs). New York City is the largest Community Schools system in the nation.

Together, the Equity and Excellence for All initiatives are building a pathway to success in college and careers for all students. Our schools are starting earlier – free, full-day, high-quality education for three-year-olds and four-year-olds through 3-K for All and Pre-K for All. They are strengthening foundational skills and instruction earlier – Universal Literacy so that every student is reading on grade level by the end of 2nd grade; and Algebra for All to improve elementary- and middle-school math instruction and ensure that all 8th graders have access to algebra. They are offering students more challenging, hands-on, college and career-aligned coursework – Computer Science for All brings 21st-century computer science instruction to every school, and AP for All will give all high school students access to at least five Advanced Placement courses. Along the way, they are giving students and families additional support through College Access for All, Single Shepherd, and investment in Community Schools. Efforts to create more diverse and inclusive classrooms through Diversity in New York City Public Schools, the City’s school diversity plan, are central to this pathway.

BP DIAZ ALLOCATES OVER $20 MILLION TO BRONX EDUCATION PROJECTS

  On the first day of the new school year, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. announced that his office is providing more than $20 million in capital funds to 87 education projects all over the borough, as part of his FY 2018 capital funding allocations.

Projects funded this year include numerous classroom upgrades, the creation of new media centers, library renovations, technology upgrades, playgrounds, auditorium renovations and other physical plant improvements in public schools across The Bronx.

 

“I am proud to have funded so many important school projects in every corner of our borough. As I have said many times before, a quality education is the foundation that elevates all of us as society and as a community,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. “Funding like this is critical to our borough’s continued growth.”

School projects funded by Borough President Diaz this year include $400,000 for the restoration and modernization of the library at the Bronx High School for Law & Community Service; $600,000 for technology upgrades for the entire school at I.S. 339; $50,000 for new computers and carts at New School for Leadership and Journalism, as well as dozens of technology upgrades at schools across the borough. 

 

In addition, $1,200,000 has been allocated to the Taft Educational Campus for renovations and improvements to the school’s athletic field, which will be converted into a multi-purpose sports field. The borough president has also allocated $4,632,000 towards the complete renovation of several school auditoriums. This includes renovations such as seat replacement, new lighting, sound systems and curtains. 

 

Since taking office in 2009, Borough President Diaz has provided $60,226,000 in capital funding to 388 school projects, nearly a quarter of his office’s total capital allocations during the time period.

 

“Helping to improve our schools is one more step forward towards providing better education in The Bronx. At the same time, this critical funding helps keep our educational institutions vibrant, and our students, teachers and parents inspired, and is an important component as we continue push to improve the lives of our 1.4 million residents,” said Borough President Diaz.

 

This year, Borough President Diaz’s office has provided $58,718,000 in total capital dollars across 146 projects. Since coming to office in 2009, Borough President Diaz has provided $248,646,000 in total capital funding to 725 projects.

Join us as The Bronx Chamber of Commerce's Hispanic Heritage Luncheon honors Bronx Hispanic Leaders

Bronx Borough President - A Day of Remembrance

Bronx Dems Annual BBQ & Softball Game

Engel Calls President Trump’s Decision to End DACA a “Cruel Mistake”

  Congressman Eliot L. Engel, the Ranking Member on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and a top member on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following statement on reports of President Trump’s decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, with a 6 month delay:

“Since the campaign, President Trump has threatened to terminate the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which for the last 5 years has protected young unauthorized immigrants from senseless deportation. Now, according to reports, the President has decided to follow through on his threat, and that decision is a cruel mistake.

“To date, the program has protected over 800,000 young immigrants—DREAMers whose parents brought them to our country so they could have a chance at the American Dream. Since arriving, these young men and women have worked hard, attended school, and joined our workforce. But killing DACA will now force hundreds of thousands of those young DREAMers back out of work, overturn their lives and the lives of their families, create disruption for businesses, and send shockwaves throughout our economy. Those are serious implications for every American, no matter their background or ethnicity.

“We are a nation of immigrants and our strength has always lied with our diversity. Punishing people because their parents sought a better life for them on our soil isn’t just disgraceful, its un-American. The President has made a bad move here, one that could have broad implications for our country and economy. We should be building bridges with our immigrant communities, not walls.”  

State Senator Ruben Diaz Sr. and Assemblyman Luis Sepulveda Bring $500,000.00 Dollars to Jamie Towers

 Jamie Towers is a wonderful Mitchell-Lama coop of four 13 story buildings having a total of 624 apartments that was built in 1966. Jamie Towers located in the Castle Hill section of the Bronx, and has a private pool for residents of the four buildings. since the four buildings were built in 1966 the first real upgrade repairs were done in 2008 forty years later. While many probl;ems were fixed, as the building continued to age additional repairs to the building are needed. One can see water damage to the brickwork, and tenants said that the elevators need major work in order not to keep breaking down, as well as other complaints. 

  Enter State Senator Ruben Diaz Sr. and Assemblyman Luis Sepulveda. the pair listened to tenant complaints, and both have delivered to the tune of $500,00.00 dollars for needed repairs of the four building Jamie Towers complex. see the photos below of the beautiful landscaped Jamie Towers. 

Above - State Senator Ruben Diaz Sr. arrives with his Blue Crew and is greeted by Assemblyman Luis Sepulveda who who both have a 'Thumbs Up' for Jamie Towers and the 18th City Council primary.

Below - Residents of Jamie Towers were treated to a day of fun with free Gigantic Hero sandwiches, a choice of various chips, and either water or juice for them and/or their children.

Above and Below - It was photo op time with soon to be Councilman Ruben Diaz Sr., and the man who hopes to go to albany soon as State Senator Luis Sepulveda. 

Above - A check made out to Jamie Towers for $500,000.00 for repairs to the now fifty-three year old buildings. With Senator Diaz and Assemblyman Sepulveda are Jamie Towers Coop Board President Barbara Johnson, and Vice President Lisa Pizarro.

Below - You can see the beautiful area of lush trees and well mowed grass as many of the attendees from the buildings want to be in this photo wit Senator Diaz, Assemblyman Sepulveda, and the check for half a million dollars being held by Mr. George Alvarez.