Roosevelt Island's PS/IS 217 G & T Class For Fall 2010 May Be Saved If Enrollment Can Be Increased Says DOE - Details Being Worked Out

An update to last Wednesday's report regarding decision of the NYC Department Of Education (DOE) not to offer a Gifted & Talented Class Kindergarten program at Roosevelt Island's PS/IS 217 for the 2010 -11 school year though the current G & T Kindergarten class will continue to the first grade next year in the G&T Program.

A meeting was held last Friday regarding this decision by the DOE.

PS/IS 217 G & T Meeting Image From RIGAT Class Blog

In attendance were Roosevelt Island elected officials, City Council Member Jessica Lappin, and Assembly Member Micah Kellner, Sarah Chu of Community Board 8 and the District 2 Community Education Council, Elizabeth Rose from the Department of Education, Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) President Frank Farance. PS/IS 217 PTA President Nikki Leopold, Ms. Mandana Beckman, Principal of PS/IS 217 as well as other concerned members of the school community.

Ms. Lappin's office sent the following report as to what happened during the meeting:

The upshot of the meeting is that Elizabeth {DOE's representative} said that the reason the program wasn’t going to be taking a kindergarten class this year was that enrollment was not high enough. However, if the enrollment were to increase, the DOE would open another kindergarten class in the program next fall. We’re getting started now on working with the DOE, the school, and parents in Manhattan and Queens to build up enrollment for next fall. All of the details are still being worked out on how that’s going to happen, but I’ll keep you updated.

Thanks for following up on this. It really is a big deal for the school and there’s a lot of potential for a great program on Roosevelt Island if it’s done right.

I will continue to follow this and update you when additional information is available. Meanwhile there is more to PS/IS 217 then the Gifted & Talented Program as shown by this 2010 Spring Concert performed by the school's Kindergarten Chorus.