FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.queenscourier.com JANUARY 22, 2015 • THE QUEENS COURIER 11 Pressure builds to expand school program in northern Queens and Whitestone BY ERIC JANKIEWICZ ejankiewicz@queenscourier.com @EricJankiewicz A push to expand programs for gifted and talented students into middle schools in a northern Queens district has the support of local elected offi - cials and at least 500 parents who have signed petitions backing the effort. “We’re tired of getting the run around from Superintendent Danielle Di Mango and the city,” said Lisa Fusco, a parent from Whitestone who is leading the charge in an appeal that will now go to Schools Chancellor Carmen Farina. The program’s fate is decided by each school district’s superintendent. The parents who are signing the petition have children in School District 25, where the program is limited to seven elementary schools. Fusco and the other parents decided to write the letter after meetings with School District 25 Superintendent Di Mango and education offi cials didn’t produce any results. They expect to send the letter by the end of the week. District 25 is bordered by Flushing Meadows Park to the west and Bayside to the east, and it encompasses Pomonok to the south up to Whitestone and College Point. P.S. 79 in Whitestone offers students the gifted and talented program, but the area doesn’t have this program for middle schools. Using the force of 500 signatures, the contingent of parents will be sending a letter to Farina requesting that she support their efforts to expand the gifted THE COURIER/Photo by Eric Jankiewicz and talented program into the district’s middle schools. Elected offi cials representing the area have also sent letters to Farina in support of Fusco’s efforts. The list of lawmakers backing the effort includes Rep. Grace Meng, Assemblyman Ed Braunstein and Assemblyman Ron Kim. The Department of Education didn’t return requests for comment. “Providing students with a challenging curriculum to compete in today’s globalized world is extremely important,” Meng wrote in a letter to Farina advocating for the program to be expanded into School District 25. “We must work together to grant all qualifi ed students equal access to G&T programs.” Meng pointed out that the program is in the middle schools of neighboring school districts 24 and 26. She also advocated for school district 28 to get the expansion. The gifted and talented program is currently in district 25’s elementary schools but once students get to sixth grade, the program ends. The program is meant to provide extra services for students with a high aptitude who get bored easily in regular classes, according to the Department of Education. “They’re dropping the ball,” Fusco said. “And I don’t know why, but hopefully our letter to the chancellor will help create Gifted and Talented in District 25.” Complete access. Complete control. Complete Banking. Complete Banking gives you even more freedom and time to do the things you love. Plus, get up to $200 when you open a new Complete Checking Plus account.* Complete Checking Plus. Flushing Bank is a registered trademark earn interest ATM fee rebates mobile check deposit Checking For more information, visit your local Flushing Bank branch, call 800.581.2889 or visit www.FlushingBank.com. * New Complete Checking Plus account with new money only. Existing checking account customers are not eligible. An existing checking customer is defined as anyone who currently has or has had a Flushing Bank checking account within the last 24 months. This offer is limited to one Complete Checking Plus account per household. Minimum deposit required to open a new Complete Checking Plus account is $100. No minimum balance required to be eligible for the Bonus. Direct Deposit – You will receive $100 for signing up for and receiving a recurring direct deposit of $250 or more. Tax refund checks do not qualify as direct deposit. Direct Deposits must be completed prior to 90 days after the account is opened. Debit Card Purchases – You will receive $50 for the completion of 5 debit card purchases. Each debit card purchase must be $25 or more. Online Banking Bill-payments – You will receive $50 for completing 5 online banking bill-payments via Flushing Bank’s Online Banking portal. Each online bill-pay must be $25 or more. Debit Card Purchases and Online Bill-payments must be completed prior to 60 days after the account is opened. THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT ANY CUSTOMER CAN RECEIVE IS $200. The compensation will be credited to the checking account on or about the end of the month following the completion of the above qualifying transactions within the required time after account opening. A 1099 will be issued in the amount credited to your account. Other fees and restrictions may apply. All offers are subject to change and termination without prior notice at any time.
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