Still No Site for New District High School, CDEC 26 Chairwoman Says

The city has still not designated a locale for a due to a lack of available spots and transportation concerns, Community District Education Council 26’s chairwoman said.

The School Construction Authority has considered several sites, mostly in Bayside and Auburndale, for the school. But the city has nixed the idea of building at the former Leviton manufacturing facility’s property.

Jeannette Segal, CDEC 26’s chairwoman, told board members that the site for the new school had been discussed during a recent meeting at the Queens Borough President’s office.

“We touched upon the overcrowding of high schools but, as always, there was no resolution,” Segal said during last night’s monthly meeting. “The problem is there is no land. And the problem with building too far east is transportation – getting kids there is not cost effective. They are looking more to the west.”

David Kazansky, the United Federation of Teachers’ director of school safety and victim support groups, turned up at the council’s meeting to discuss a city hotline for victims of bullying.

“Kids can call and talk to a mental health professional – someone who doesn’t know them or invested in the drama of what’s going on at a particular school, but who’s job it is to deal with the issue of bullying and provide some coping skills,” he said of the UFT’s Be Brave Against Bullying program.

The hotline, which is funded by the UFT, is 212-709-3222. Kazansky said more than 300 calls have been placed to the number in the past three months.

“Everyone has a different idea of what bullying is – being pushed into a locker or being called this or that,” he said. “We need to figure out the difference between a one-time conflict and bullying. As adults, we need to be advocates and allies.”