RIOC Announces It Will Operate Interim After School Drop In Program For Children Grade 2-8 Replacing Roosevelt Island Youth Program - RIOC Hosting Meeting With Parents Sunday March 4

Less than 24 hours after rejecting the Roosevelt Island Youth Program (RIYP) as operator of the Youth Center,

RIOC announced late this afternoon that it will operate an interim after school drop in program for children in grades 2-8.

According to Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Public Information Officer Alonza Robertson:

The Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC) will operate an interim after-school drop-in program beginning Monday afternoon at the island’s 7,000 square-foot youth center building at 506 Main Street.

The action comes after the Roosevelt Island Youth Program (RIYP) - former operators of the center - informed RIOC officials on Friday that they would be ceasing all business operations by the end of the day, Friday March 2.

“We wanted to make sure that the center is open for the children while RIOC decides the future plans for the youth center,” said RIOC President Susan Rosenthal.

The drop-in program will be open Monday through Friday and provide afterschool care from 2:45 p.m. - 6 p.m. and serve children in grades 2 – 8.

The program will be managed by former RIYP Director Roy Magsisi. Other former RIYP staff counselors have been made offers of part-time employment as RIOC employees at the center. Additional programming for the center, teen and weekend activities will be considered in the future, but are suspended now, Rosenthal said.

RIOC will host a parents meeting at the center to discuss the changes Sunday, March 4 at 3 p.m.

Here's report from last night's RIOC Board meeting rejecting the RIYP as Youth Center operator.

More to come.