STATE SENATOR JEFF KLEIN ANNOUNCES $18,000 IN PROJECT BOOST FUNDS FOR P.S. 72

  New Funding Boosts Local School’s Enrichment Opportunities for Students

State Senator Jeff Klein (D-Bronx/Westchester), joined by nearly 100 local parents, students and school administrators, today announced $18,000 in Project BOOST (Building Options and Opportunities for Students) funding for P.S. 72 in the Bronx. The announcement came at the school’s Project BOOST breakfast event on Friday.

“Whether it’s making sure our students are ready for high school or simply helping them ace that test, Project BOOST provides today’s students with the tools they need to be successful tomorrow. I’m proud to have secured $18,000 in BOOST funding for P.S. 72, and more than $700,000 for schools across the 34th Senate District. Project BOOST offers our students innovative cultural and academic enrichment opportunities that will greatly influence their educational paths and helps students grow and learn as they move forward in school. I want to thank the parents and administrators for their ongoing support and commitment to great this program,” said Senator Klein.

"Project BOOST has been an invaluable resource for our students and has opened the door to countless new academic opportunities that have enriched P.S. 72's curriculum, after-school programs and special events. We are very grateful to Sen. Klein for this essential funding and commend him for his efforts to improve education, provide supports and lift up all students across the Bronx and New York City,” said Margarita Colon, Principal of P.S. 72.

This year, P.S. 72 has used BOOST funds to benefit students in a variety of ways, including ballroom dancing, class trips to see Matilda on Broadway, a visit to the Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut, a trip to Times Square for bowling and a double-decker bus tour of Manhattan. P.S. 72's book club also went to pizza studio to learn about the history of pizza and the school’s student council recently visited the Pittsburgh Manor in Sleepy Hollow, Massachusetts.

Project BOOST is an enrichment program targeted at elementary and middle school students who have demonstrated a commitment to academic success but come from disadvantaged neighborhoods. Currently, Project BOOST operates in 60 elementary and middle schools across New York City.

State Senators Klein, Savino, Golden, Peralta & Addabbo give communities a say in social service providers coming to town

  State Senate passes bill requiring notification, hearings and giving City Planning Commission decision-making power

— State Senator Jeff Klein today empowered neighborhoods across the five boroughs by passing legislation (S.4542a) compelling social service providers, like homeless shelters, to provide notification to local community boards and the City Planning Commission and requiring the CPC to hold hearings to gather local input. The CPC would rule on the siting of the facility.

The bill, co-sponsored by Senators Diane Savino, Marty Golden, Jose Peralta, and Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr., responds to widespread outrage over lack of adequate notification when a social service provider suddenly moves into a neighborhood without any say from local community boards, associations or groups.

“I know constituents in my community in the Bronx are fed up with being a dumping ground for shelters due to a lack of foresight and planning for this population. Usually, communities are surprised when shelters or other social service facilities pop up in the neighborhood and this lack of transparency needs to end. Communities deserve notification and to have a say in what’s happening in the neighborhoods they care about,” said Senator Klein.

The legislation requires a social service provider to file notice with the CPC and the local community board within 45 to 90 days of selecting a location or file notice at the request of the community board within the same time frame if the social service provider plans to renew its lease. The CPC will hold a public forum considering a resolution issued by the local community board and hear testimony from local residents and groups. The CPC will have 60 to 90 days to approve, modify or deny the application of the provider.

In the 34th State Senate District, which Senator Klein represents, the Capri Whitestone Motel was transformed into the Crystal Family Residence in September 2014 as a “temporary family shelter” without community notification. In March 2015, the city renewed its contract.

In Wakefield,  a major site of concern for the community is Project Renewal, a men’s shelter, where an ex-resident tragically gunned down its director, Anna Charle, last month. Over 400 calls to 911 have been made from the immediate area. The site remains open without any community input.

“The City cannot move shelters into communities without notifying anyone. It breeds distrust and a lingering feeling that the community’s opinion doesn’t count. This bill addresses a major concern across the city and will finally allow residents to speak up and be heard when a homeless shelter or other social service facility moves next door,” said Senator Savino.

“This legislation will rightly guarantee community review prior to the creation of supportive housing or social service centers.  It is important that neighbors are notified so to bring concerns to the attention of the managing agency before a project advances. I believe this legislation will also bridge the gap and foster a dialogue, between community and social service providers, from the the program’s inception and over time during periods of renewal,” said Senator Golden.

“This common sense legislation would inform a community when the City intends to open homeless shelters and other social facilities within its neighborhoods,” said Senator Peralta. “The proposal that passed in the Senate would prevent future surprises when, from one day to the next, a community wakes up to find a social services facility in its backyard. This is in response to recent incidents, for example, housing at the Westway Motel in my own district. Social service facilities are a critical part of our society, but the community should know about them and has the right to offer its input and concerns.”    

“This legislation, while not avoiding or ignoring the crisis of homelessness, substance abuse, or other serious social ills in our society, does provide a necessary means for community members to be fully involved from the get-go when homeless shelters or other social service facilities are planned for their neighborhoods,” said Senator Addabbo, Jr. “All too often, communities are finding that facilities are being virtually rammed down their throats, with no real thought given to whether the buildings are appropriate for the programs, whether the neighborhoods have adequate transit or other services, or whether the proposed operators have questionable track records that should be challenged. We need transparency, honesty and in-depth community conversations about these programs – before they happen, not after the fact.”

The passage of the bill was hailed by community groups.

“It’s about time that we have this type of community review process. Our small neighborhood of 65 families was blindsided by a 95-family homeless shelter and we feel that the economic growth of this community has suffered significantly from not playing a part in the siting process. Ferry Point is not a suitable choice for a shelter because it lacks the necessary supports, transportation and infrastructure to help individuals and families get back on their feet. The Friends of Ferry Point Park support this bill and look forward to it being signed into law,” said Dorothea Poggi, President of the Friends of Ferry Point Park in the Bronx.

“This legislation is critical for protecting our communities. The Project Renewal Shelter on Bronx Boulevard is a blight on our community — draining police resources and serving as a threat to our safety. This facility was dropped into our neighborhood with no community input whatsoever. That’s unacceptable. I thank Senator Klein for his efforts to reform the shelter siting process and I look forward to this important piece of legislation becoming law,” said Jeremy Skehan of the President of the Webster Avenue Taxpayers Association.

“Our community would like to thank Senator Klein and the other Senators for passing legislation as important as this. Now the Community Board's and Civic Associations will have the opportunity to vet the operators and the facilities before they relocate into our communities. Through public forums we can identify which social services will best fit our neighborhood,” said John Marano, First Vice Chair of Community Board 10.

The bill awaits passage by the Assembly.

NEW PROSE SCHOOLS DRIVING INNOVATION ACROSS SCHOOL SYSTEM

PROSE program doubles in size to 126 schools serving around 48,500 students at all grade levels

PROSE schools suspend Department and union rules to drive innovations like longer school days, college-prep lecture and seminar classes, small-group instruction, hybrid courses that combine subjects like English and history

  Mayor Bill de Blasio and Chancellor Carmen Fariña today announced that 64 more schools will become Progressive Redesign Opportunity Schools for Excellence (PROSE) schools for the 2015-16 school year, allowing them to suspend Department and union rules to innovate new ways to reach students. The PROSE program is currently in its first year and already includes 62 elementary, middle, and high schools. With this latest cohort, the program is ahead of schedule and nearly two-thirds of the way towards its target of spurring innovation at 200 schools.

The PROSE program, made possible through new contracts with the United Federation of Teachers and Council of School Supervisors and Administrators, created an opportunity to experiment at the school level in ways traditionally blocked by Department or union rules. Schools are using the PROSE program to adopt some of the most innovative education practices emerging from the grassroots, like lengthening their school days, combining subjects to deepen students’ understanding of relationships between science and math, and replacing rigid student-teacher ratios with more flexible ones that allow for advanced lecture-style classes that prepare students for college and small-group breakout sessions to help struggling students.

“Our public schools have educators and parents hungry to innovate new ways to reach their students. The reforms we are seeing through the PROSE program would have been unthinkable in a district school just a year or two ago, especially at this scale. We are unlocking new teaching practices that we can learn from and bring to more and more students across the City,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio.

“These PROSE schools are offering innovation with a purpose that best serves their school community,” said Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña. “I am encouraged by the creative and impactful changes schools across the City are already making with this program and I look forward to seeing how the 64 new PROSE schools will serve their students and families while giving pedagogues an opportunity to innovate and improve academic outcomes.”

“We are doubling the size of the PROSE program today, which shows the excitement that teachers, administrators, and school staff have in being given the freedom to come up with their own ideas on how to best improve their schools,” said Michael Mulgrew, president of the United Federation of Teachers. “We are seeing schools develop innovative schedules to better use the most precious resource in a school day – time. We are seeing schools like Petrides take a page from

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universities by wanting a teacher's workday to include ‘office hours,’ a chance for teachers to meet individually or with small groups of students at the start of school. We are seeing schools find solutions that work for their students. As a teacher, I would have loved this kind of flexibility. With the UFT and the Department of Education working together in this way, we can move education in New York City, and be a model for the rest of the country.”

“We support this program because it allows school leaders to develop innovative strategies that they can implement hand-in-hand with a supportive staff. Their success stories can then be replicated by their colleagues at other schools across the City,” saidCSA President Ernest Logan.

All PROSE schools announced today were developed by school faculty; reviewed by a joint DOE, UFT and CSA panel; and approved by their principals and at least 65 percent of teachers. There was overwhelming support at the grassroots to see reforms implemented, with nearly 90 percent of UFT staff voting in favor of their school joining the PROSE program this year. In total, 119 schools submitted PROSE proposals, an increase from 107 schools last year. In addition to the 64 new PROSE schools, all 62 current PROSE schools will remain part of the program, many of them making deeper changes in the coming school year.

New PROSE schools were selected from across all five boroughs based on the quality of their proposals, their readiness to implement innovative work, and a proven track-record of school communities working collaboratively: 14 from the Bronx, 24 from Brooklyn, 13 from Manhattan, 11 from Queens and 2 from Staten Island. 7 of the selected schools are elementary schools, 1 is a K-2 school, 2 are K-8 schools, 1 is a K-12 school, 19 are middle schools, 6 are secondary schools, and 28 are high schools. The new PROSE schools will implement a wide range of innovations designed by school staff, including:

·         Michael J. Petrides School, Staten Island: This K-12 school is implementing larger seminar-style classes in its high school that mimic the college-style lectures students will encounter after graduation.  This innovative approach breaks with formulaic staffing ratios and allows team teachers in the classroom to also work one-on-one with students, something not possible under existing rules.

·         Middle School 390, Bronx: This school is reworking its entire schedule to focus aggressively on reading and writing instruction. While continuing to preserve instructional time for other subjects, the school will provide students with up to 30 minutes of independent reading at the beginning of the day and up to 36 minutes of focused writing at the end of each day.

·         Riverdale Avenue Community School, Brooklyn: To provide additional learning time for students, more collaboration time for teachers, and additional opportunities for family engagement, this elementary school will stagger teacher schedules to enable students to have a longer school day. 

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“PROSE schools give teachers and administrators the flexibility they need to make their schools successful,” said City Council Education Committee Chairperson Daniel Dromm. “Teachers and administrators work together to tailor a program for each individual school. Involving the education practitioners in each school is ultimately what has led to success in these PROSE schools. I am very pleased to see this program expand.”

“The PROSE program is all about meeting students where they are and doing everything possible to help them succeed,” said Joann Buckheit, principal of The Michael J. Petrides School. “My staff and teachers, as well as educators across Staten Island and the City, are really excited about this program because of the tremendous opportunities for improvement it offers. When school staff come together to work collaboratively to develop innovations that work for students, everybody wins.”

The 64 new schools come in addition to the 62 PROSE schools from last year, which included:

·         School of Integrated Learning, Brooklyn: This school has implemented flexible teacher-student ratios to accommodate small-group learning experiences. With larger classes – up to forty students in a class – one teacher can lead the room while a second teacher simultaneously works with small groups of three to five students to give hands-on attention to students who are struggling.

·         Bronx Park Middle School: Over five days this school year, the staff at Bronx Park Middle School engaged in full-day professional development sessions during which teachers reviewed student work and discussed strategies to support increased student learning in upcoming units. This time enabled teachers to develop targeted teaching strategies for individual students and classrooms. PROSE allowed the school to rearrange the calendar to accommodate these days, while the school worked with community organizations to offer full-day programming for students during the professional development days.

The DOE’s Research and Policy Support Group (RPSG) is collecting information from school faculty and administration through a survey and is conducting focus groups to assess the impact of provided flexibilities on school instruction and operations. A preliminary report will be available in the summer. The PROSE team is also supporting schools to develop systems to monitor the progress of their own initiatives.

Complete List of Schools Selected

Bronx

The Laboratory School of Finance and Technology

International Community High School

Pablo Neruda Academy

Urban Assembly Academy of Civic Engagement

Urban Assembly School for Applied Math and Science

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Bronx Center for Science and Mathematics

PS 274 The New American Academy at Roberto Clemente State Park

The Leadership and Community Service Academy

Bronx International High School

The Bronx School for Law, Government and Justice

Claremont International High School

Brooklyn

Urban Assembly Unison School

Urban Assembly School for Law and Justice

Academy of Arts and Letters

The Brooklyn Latin School

The Green School

The Upper Academy

PS 321 William Penn

Brooklyn Frontiers High School

Carroll Gardens School for Innovation

The Math and Science Exploratory School

Nelson Mandela School for Social Justice

PS 249 The Caton School

PS 770 New American Academy

Cultural Academy for the Arts and Sciences

Academy for Young Writers

Spring Creek Community School

Liberty Avenue Middle School

School of the Future

The Urban Assembly School for Collaborative Healthcare

International High School at Lafayette

Kingsborough Early College Secondary School

Origins High School

PS 446 Riverdale Avenue Community School

Riverdale Avenue Middle School

Manhattan

Bard High School Early College Manhattan

Tompkins Square Middle School

The Urban Assembly Maker Academy

Urban Assembly School of Design and Construction

NYC Lab School for Collaborative Studies

Urban Assembly New York Harbor School

Lower Manhattan Community Middle School

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Lower Manhattan Arts Academy

Urban Assembly Media High School

PS 112 Jose Celso Barbosa

Central Park East 1 Elementary School

Urban Assembly School for the Performing Arts

The Urban Assembly Institute for New Technologies

Queens

Forest Elementary School

Bard High School Early College Queens

Voyages Preparatory High School

Business Technology Early College High School

Goldie Maple Academy

EPIC High School North

Metropolitan Expeditionary Learning School

Institute for Health Professions at Cambria Heights

Benjamin Franklin High School for Finance and Information Technology

The Young Women’s Leadership School of Astoria

Hunter’s Point Community Middle School

Staten Island

Michael J. Petrides School

Concord High School

SMILE Your on Candid Speed Camera.

This white Ford Escapade parked in front of P.S. 81 located at 5550 Riverdale Avenue (between West 254th and 256th Streets) looks like almost any other white Ford Escape, or does it. If you look at the top of this car you will notice a camera and flash bulb that flashes as the camera take a photo of your license plate number if you are speeding at least 10 miles over the posted 25 mile per hour speed limit. At least that was what Mayor Bill deBlasio said when he introduced the 6 speed camera cars in the photo below on September 2, 2014. 

Above - You can tell this is a city owned car by the license plate.
Below - There is a DOT employee (or at least someone in a DOT jacket) sitting in this air conditioned Ford Escape Speed camera car.

Above - Apparently this Speed camera car can be parked next to a hydrant as it is in this photo.
Below - It appears however that the Speed Camera car can only pick up speeds of cars going past it northbound only, and needs lots of room as you see the cones that are needed to seperate the Speed Camera car from the school bus it is behind.

Here you see someone who is talking to the operator of the Speed Camera car. However when I approached the Speed camera car the operator refused to speak to me, I wonder why Mayor deBlasio, what was I not suppose to know about the Speed Camera cars?

Assemblyman Luis Sepulveda Introduces Legislation to Create a Board of Review for Police Officer Involved Death and Near Death Incidents

  New Legislation Would Help Alleviate Distrust in the Criminal Justice System

  With the state legislature still in session Assemblyman Luis R. Sepúlveda today announced new legislation that would create an independent board of review to examine cases in which police officers are involved in the death or near death of a civilian. The bill would establish a ten member board made up of former law enforcement officials and appointees by a broad range of stakeholders to examine in real time the evidence found during an investigation into an incident involving a civilian death or near death by a police officer.

“Recent events around the country and in New York have resulted in a feeling of distrust in the current criminal justice system, especially amongst blacks and Latino communities,” said Assemblyman Sepúlveda. “The goal of this legislation is to remove that distrust and the politics that exist in grand jury proceedings and between police officers and communities of color. While still leaving the district attorney in charge of grand jury proceedings, this independent board will review and will hold them accountable for their decisions once an investigation has commenced.  Unlike other proposals offered, this legislation will provide real time oversight of an investigation.”

The bill requires that cases of death or near death of a civilian be reported immediately to the Superintendent of State Police, who is then responsible for overseeing the investigation of the local police authority and then report to the board of review. The bill also requires the respective district attorney to cooperate and share relevant information with the board of review. The board of review would act as an additional opinion prior to a district attorney’s presentation to a grand jury in their respective county.

The bill has received support from the New York Puerto Rican/Hispanic Task Force and is part of the criminal reform package of the Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic, and Asian Caucus.  It will soon be introduced in the Senate as well.

Bronx Puerto Rican Day Board Announce the 29th Annual Bronx Puerto Rican Day Parade

  

  The Bronx Puerto Rican Day Board announced the 29^th Annual Parade honorees and legends during the press conference this morning at the Affinity headquarters. The press conference commenced with an introduction by the vice president of Affinity Health Plan. There were over fifty people in attendance. Honorees and Legends received their awards for dedicating years of service to the community. They included: NY State Assemblyman Jose Rivera, Robert Sancho—Health services provider of the year, Sofia Thiebaud—in honor of her legendary father, two madrinas: Paloma Hernandez & Rosalba Rolon—Pregones Founder, and Joe Torres—owner of Joe’s Place. Furthermore, Victor Pupo—El Padrino was honored as the Grand Marshall of the parade! Legends and their awards went as follows: Boxer Alberto Mercado, Larry Scott Blackmon—New Business, Mike Sassano (La Sorsa Auto Group)—International Grand Marshall, Mikey Melendez—community Activist and Arnie Segarra—humanitarian! The national anthem was beautifully sung by the Queens, Kings, and Princesses for 2015.

   The 29^th Annual Bronx Puerto Rican Day Parade. It will commence with the Kick-off party at Poe Cottage Park at 10:AM. The parade will run along the Grand Concourse from 192^nd Street to Van Courtlandt Ave East (+20 block stretch). This is the largest Multi Cultural Event held in the Bronx that is celebrating the diversity of the Puerto Rican Culture and people. The Bronx then and now is the location with the largest population of Puerto Ricans outside to the beloved Island, over 350,000 strong. Below are photos from the announcement.

Mr. Francisco Gonzalez welcomes everyone to the 29th Annual Puerto Rican Day Parade press conference, and says a few words about the humble beginnings of the parade that has grown from only a few to more than 100 groups and organizations that participate. 

Mr. Victor Pupo of Affinity Health Care (where this event was held) is glad to be honored by the Bronx Puerto Rican Board.

Here is the King of the Bronx Puerto Rican Day Parade, standing between one of the Princesses, and Princes of the parade.

A group photo of all the Princesses, Princes, King and Queen of the Bronx Puerto Rican Day Parade.

Another photo of the parade royalty with a few of the Honorees who were able to attend the event.

Corruption is Not Exclusive to Politics in Albany

What You Should Know 
By Senator Rev Rubén Díaz 
32^nd Senatorial District 

  You should know that in his Commencement Address on Sunday, May 17, 2015 at Pace Law School in Westchester County, U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara – one more time – has singled out corruption in Albany.  Standing before the Graduating Class of 2015, he announced: “We have corrosive corruption in our State Capital,” giving the impression that corruption only happens in Albany.

It is important for you to know that I do believe that there is corruption in Albany, and it has been proven.  But I also believe that when the U.S. Attorney keeps going after and saying that there is a culture of corruption in Albany, you should also keep in mind that it’s not only in Albany.

I can assure you that if U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara could use all of the resources that the federal government provides for his office (including but not limited to money, lawyers, personnel, etc. etc.) on any other place such as the New York City Council, City Hall, state businesses, factories, media, Wall Street, Main Street, school systems, unions, etc. – if he concentrated on any of those institutions – he would also conclude that Albany is not an exclusive cesspool of corruption.

For example, an article titled “Lobbyist who helped Viv become council boss reaps rewards - SI FIRM THE LAW ‘MAKER’ FOR CITY UNIONS” written by Amber Jamieson appears on pages 10 and 11 of the May 24, 2015 New York Post print edition.  The first three sentences of this news story state:

“The lobbying firm Pitta Bishop Del Giorno & Giblin helps elect politicians — then tells them how to vote when they get in office.

In her quest to become City Council speaker, Melissa Mark-Viverito enlisted the help of the firm, paying it more than $61,000 in consulting fees.

Since Mark-Viverito took power last year, Pitta Bishop has been paid more than $3.3 million by clients to lobby council members, including the speaker, to get mostly pro-union laws passed.”

The article quotes Citizens Union Executive Director Dick Dadey: “ … when one firm or individual controls too much of the information coming in and out of the elected official’s office, it’s a problem.

My dear reader, if U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara is cheering on recent law graduates to concentrate on Albany by highlighting the evil that is being done in Albany, and not concentrating on the good things that are done in Albany, the conclusion that everyone will come to is that Albany is exclusively corrupt. But we all know that we can find corruption in any part of life. Man’s heart can be geared toward evil things. Where you find human beings, you are bound to find corruption.

You should know that for now, Albany happens to be the Preet Bharara’s bull’s-eye. Not only is he concentrating his U.S Attorney General attention and resources on State elected officials, but the media is also focusing on Albany with the sole purpose of finding corruption.

Even though there are many decent, well-intentioned and God-fearing elected officials in Albany who work hard on behalf of their communities, the topic of corruption is crushed into almost every news story and editorial about politics in Albany. It is a shame for all elected officials to be painted with the same brush and for so much good work to be overshadowed with the crushing message of corruption everywhere. It is as if nobody should know  nor care about the real fights and struggles for social justice that some of our most dedicated elected officials take on in Albany to produce very good legislation and effectively represent their constituents.

To my colleagues in Albany whose good work and truly noble efforts are being ignored because of the concentration and fixation on evil and not good deeds in Albany: I take my hat off to you!

Ladies and gentlemen, I can assure you that Albany is not the only place where corruption can be found. While I agree that it needs to be addressed, its presence in the New York City Council, City Hall, corporate New York or elsewhere is probably just as much in need of U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara’s resources and attention. The law school graduates he is cheering on should know about this as well.

I am Senator Reverend Rubén Díaz, and this is what you should know.