By Helen Klein
Relief appears to be on its way for Public School 69, which currently has about 200 more students than it was built to house. Carlo Scissura, the president of the District 20 Community Education Council (CEC) told members of the District 20 educational community who were in attendance at the CEC’s February meeting that the Department of Education (DOE) and School Construction Authority (SCA) are now in negotiation with Regina Pacis parish, for a long-term lease of the Regina Pacis convent building as an annex to P.S. 69, which is located at Ninth Avenue and 63rd Street. “We are close to getting the building,” Scissura told his listeners, gathered in the auditorium at Public School/Intermediate School 104, 9115 Fifth Avenue. The building, which is estimated to be able to hold eight or nine classes, plus a multipurpose room, would be used for early childhood classes, he said. The need is urgent, Scissura stressed. P.S. 69, he noted, has, “Grown enormously over the last couple of years, with no relief in sight.” Given the population boom in that area of the district, Scissura said, DOE reached out at his suggestion to Regina Pacis to try to find space for the burgeoning student population. In a subsequent interview, Scissura noted that the annex project, “Is really moving quickly. I called the pastor a few months ago and asked him if he was interested in speaking with us about space. The next day, the School Construction Authority (SCA) went there and approved it as an annex to P.S. 69.” The convent building, Scissura said, will be, “Completely gutted and renovated. It’s not a big building so it can be done in six months.” Once it’s complete, said Scissura, P.S. 69 will be able to reduce class size, while keeping intact specialized rooms such as labs. Getting the annex to P.S. 69 will help not only that school but also Public School/Intermediate School 180, 5601 16th Avenue, because P.S. 180 currently houses some of P.S. 69’s classes. Once they are sent elsewhere, said Scissura, “P.S. 180 will have a whole bunch of new classrooms, and will be getting a District 75 (special education) classroom for its own use.” P.S. 69 opened in September, 2002.
