Dec. 21, 2023 By Ethan Marshall
The New York City Council voted to approve a new 696-seat elementary school in Flushing Wednesday, within the confines of Council Member Sandra Ung’s district.
The school, which will feature 36 classrooms and two special education rooms, will be built on a 70,000 square foot vacant lot at 137-31 45th St. It will feature a 29,800 square foot play yard on the northern portion of the site. The expectation is for the school to open in September 2027.
“This vote is a commitment to providing a quality education and shaping a brighter future for our children,” Council Member Ung said. “This new school will enable our children to thrive both academically and personally, and I look forward to welcoming the first group of students to the brand new, state-of-the-art learning facility.”
The school is slated to be for kids in Pre-K through fifth grade. In addition to classrooms, the new building will feature a kitchen/cafeteria, medical and administrative suites, a gymnasium and a library. There will also be guidance and resource rooms and dedicated science, art and music spaces.
The new school, Ung said, will also help the Department of Education comply with a new law passed by the state legislature last year to reduce class sizes. The law requires the DOE to limit class sizes to 20 students for Kindergarten through third grade, and 23 students in fourth through eighth grade. Implementation of these class sizes will be phased in over the next five years.
“This new school will help DOE meet the new state requirements in addition to being a worthwhile investment in the future of our city,” Ung said. “It not only addresses the immediate challenges faced by the district, but demonstrates a commitment to providing a quality education for future generations.”
According to a report released by the Independent Budget Office in July, nearly 72% of the elementary schools in School District 25, which includes Ung’s City Council district, would not comply with the new law’s class-size requirements.