District 30 rezoning plan passes

After months of waiting, parents and educators in School District 30 will finally know the rezoning plans for elementary schools in Jackson Heights and East Elmhurst.
The Community District Education Council 30 (CDEC 30) met on Thursday, December 16 to announce it had reached a decision with the Department of Education (DOE) on rezoning of the eight schools in the district.
“I am confident the CDEC 30 Council has worked hard to get this done,” said Dr. Philip A. Composto, community superintendent of District 30.
Following months of careful deliberation, the sixth version of the rezoning plan was finally approved by the CDEC 30. Resolution No. 56 rezoned the boundaries for eight schools in the district to make room for P.S. 280 (formerly known as Blessed Sacrament School) located on 94th Street, between 34th and 35th Avenues. The schools that will be affected are P.S. 69, P.S. 92, P.S./I.S. 127, P.S. 148, P.S. 149, P.S. 212, P.S. 222 and P.S. 228.
“Because of the location of these schools, it was a very challenging rezoning decision,” CDEC 30 Secretary Jennifer Harper said. “Some of these schools are right next to each other, and their parents would have to walk a few blocks further now to take them to another school.”
Members of the CDEC 30 reiterated that they worked with parents, teachers and members of the community to ensure their concerns were met.
“When parents are involved 100 percent that is a really important support system,” said Jeffrey Guyton, a CDEC 30 member.
The CDEC 30 currently has a “hand-shake” agreement with the DOE’s Portfolio Office. They will have to revisit the rezoning agenda in a year’s time, when a new school will be opened to deal with the overcrowding issue in the district.
“This is a perfect rezoning, but due diligence was done and we listened to everyone’s concerns in the process,” Composto said.
For more information, parents should call the CDEC3 0 at 718-391-8380, email cec30@schools.nyc.gov or visit the office at 28-11 Queens Plaza North, Room 520, in Long Island City.