SOFTWER

Our two schools-Public School 196 and Middle School 582, successfully co-located in one school building in Williamsburg Brooklyn for the past ten years- are being threatened with the co-location of a second Middle School into our building, making three schools overall. This decision by NYC's Department of Education's Office of Portfolio and Planning, is uninformed and violates the community's expressed will and interests. It is one that will ultimately diminish, rather than enhance, the quality of the educational opportunities that it will be possible to offer the students that both our schools serve. 
The Community Education Council, our local community's voice on educational matters, having roots in and a deep knowledge of the specific educational needs of our district, have advised the Department of Education that they oppose this decision! Their reasons for doing so are instructive; first, they have said that whereas there is a need for additional Middle Schools in one part of our district, that need exists in sectors other than our own. Thus, they have advised the Department of an alternate, more appropriate siting for this proposed Middle School as being with M.S. 330, a Middle School with a low student population,and one that is in a district sector that is in need of additional Middle Schools.