Dromm and other Elected Officials Celebrate Groundbrea​king of IS 297Q also known as the IS 230 Annex

Jackson Heights, NY– On Tuesday, NYC Council Member Daniel Dromm was joined by Queens Borough President Helen Marshall and other elected officials at a groundbreaking ceremony for I.S. 297 (also known as the I.S. 230 annex) in Jackson Heights. The school, which is set to open in the fall of 2014, will add 400 new seats for students in grades 6-8 and help to alleviate the overcrowding in nearby intermediate schools 230 and 145.

“This is a very exciting development for Jackson Heights as it is a major step towards alleviating the overcrowding in the intermediate schools in our neighborhood,” said Dromm. “As a former public school teacher for 25 years, I can attest to the City’s need for smaller class sizes. Smaller class sizes allow teachers to cater to individual student needs. I.S. 297 and other new schools are a necessary investment in the future of our students and I will continue fighting to see more neighborhood schools in Jackson Heights.”

Since Council Member Dromm took office, 1,350 new school seats have been added to his district. 600 new elementary school seats were added when Public School 280 opened in the fall of 2010 at the former Blessed Sacrament School site. Another 350 seats were added when a new wing was added to P.S. 13 in LeFrak City.

“Today’s groundbreaking is another step forward in the continuing crusade to eliminate overcrowding and reduce the approximately 3,000 seats needed in District 30,” said Queens Borough President Helen Marshall. “Working with our partners in government and the private sector we continue to make progress in providing our youngsters with modern, state-of-the-art buildings where learning can take place in an appropriate and comfortable setting.”

I.S. 297Q is the result of a community based effort to bring new schools to the area. The site on which the school will be built was originally the home of a doctor who worked at the Physicians Hospital which is currently I.S. 230. The doctor’s home was a beautiful mansion-like structure. When plans were first discussed to use this site for a public school controversy erupted in the community. After much debate, the community decided to back the building of the school as an annex to I.S. 230 recognizing that that school was severely overcrowded. This giveback from the community, approved by Community Board 3, was done with an eye toward improving education in the neighborhood.

“Our schools should be an environment where both students and teachers can thrive, yet crowded classrooms create just the opposite,” said Rep. Joe Crowley. “I applaud the groundbreaking of this new school in Jackson Heights, which is the first step in ensuring a positive environment for both learning and teaching. Every investment in education is an investment in helping our future generations to reach their full potential.”

“This community desperately needs this school,” State Senator Jose Peralta said. “Over the years, there have been some creative approaches to dealing with the overcrowding crisis in this area. Well intentioned, those strategies were rarely good for kids or their parents. The bottom line is, until there’s a seat for every child, it’s a game of musical chairs. No matter what you do, or how you zone or rezone, someone is left standing. We are greatly appreciative of the commitment made by the mayor, schools chancellor and School Construction Authority. I applaud Council Member Dromm for his work.”

“School overcrowding is a serious issue in Jackson Heights, as it is throughout New York. This new intermediate school will help resolve the problem, and I applaud the work of Council Member Dromm in advancing construction,” said NYS Senator Toby Stavisky. “As a former high school teacher, I look forward to visiting this school many times. I know it will serve the children of this community well.”

“Jackson Heights is one of the fastest growing communities in New York City, and school overcrowding poses a very real concern to the welfare and education of our children,” said NYS Assembly Member Michael DenDekker. “I want to thank and commend those members of the community – including Council Member Daniel Dromm – who worked so diligently to make this new school a reality.”

I.S. 297Q will be a fully air conditioned four story building with 12 standard classrooms and administration offices. There will also be a special education classroom as well as facilities for science, music, art and physical education.

“Council Member Daniel Dromm has been a great partner with our Community Educational Council in addressing the major issues our families face,” said Jeff Guyton, Co-President of CEC 30. “From pressing for more school seats to finding money for after-school programs to helping us resist the over-reliance on standardized tests, Council Member Dromm has been there as a friend and a staunch supporter. That’s the plain truth.”

“We are thrilled with the additional classrooms because our middle schools are very overcrowded at this point in time,” said Jackson Heights Beautification Group President Ed Westley. “We need more but this is a welcomed start.”

“I am very pleased to join Council Member Dromm in today’s groundbreaking ceremony for I. S. 297, the long awaited expansion for Intermediate School 230,” said Community Board 3 District Manager Giovanna Reid. “In District 30 and 24, from Pre-K to high school, classes are severely overcrowded. This new addition will bring some relief to our overburdened neighborhood schools. On behalf of the members and residents of Community Board 3, I thank our elected officials, the Department of Education and all parties involved in bringing this project to fruition.”Press Release –