The Boerum Hill school that has been ordered by the city to share space with the new Khalil Gilbran International Academy is at least getting lots of perks in return.
At a Parent-Teacher Association meeting last week, Department of Education officials announced that the building housing the Math and Science Exploratory School and the Brooklyn High School of the Arts will get new computers, a renovated technology lab, and a dance studio. In addition, the math and science middle school will get, for the first time, its own gym.
Parents at the school hailed the announcement of the rewards — though they didn’t necessarily call it that.
“The DOE has committed to stay focused on the needs of our schools,” said Barbara Newsome, co-president of the middle school’s PTA.
The PTAs of both schools wanted the promises — which were hammered out during a series of meetings and emails between principals, Education officials, and parents — in writing. Parents said they were wary of an agency that moved the Arabic-language middle school to their building without prior discussion or public announcement.
Councilman Bill DeBlasio (D–Park Slope) said he was sympathetic to the parents, but encouraged that they got something in return.
“I didn’t like the way this began,” he said, “but they have come around to a much better place.” DeBlasio promised to make sure the city followed through on all of its promises.
Education official Garth Harris also reassured the parents, saying there was more than enough space for the Gilbran Academy — and that Academy students would have their own entrance. After the first year, the city will evaluate the space to see whether the Academy could grow from 60 to 120 students, as proposed.
After the second year, the Arabic school is slated to move anyway, probably to its own building.
“We’re still figuring it out,” said Melody Meyer, an Education spokeswoman. “We have a lot of construction all over the city.”
The Gibran Academy has been a hot potato ever since it was sprung on parents at Park Slope’s PS 282, an elementary school, in March. Like the Boerum Hill parents, the Slopers were not told in advance or consulted. But they protested and defeated the city.
