8 The QUEE NS Courier • may 1, 2014 for breaking news visit www.queenscourier.com Board approves Greek-American school expansion BY LIAM LA GUERE [email protected]/@liamlaguerre Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church is planning a $1.5 million expansion of its elementary school in Whitestone, and recently cleared a major hurdle in the process. Community Board 7 voted almost unanimously, 35-1, on April 28 to allow a variance for the planned expansion of the Efstathios & Stamatiki Valiotis Greek-American Day School, which sits on 12th Avenue and 150th Street. The school currently enrolls pre-K to third grade, but administrators want to provide nursery to fifth grade education. The building expansion proposal includes raising the ceiling on the school’s attic level to create a full second floor, as well as expanding the side of the building on 12th Avenue more toward the street. Also, the school’s parking lot will be rearranged more efficiently and about half a dozen new spots will be added. The expansion will include much-needed classroom Rendering courtesy Giannopoulos Architects Community Board 7 voted to approve the variance to expand the Efstathios & Stamatiki Valiotis Greek-American Day School in Whitestone. Autism bills introduced to City Council BY ANGY ALTAMIRANO [email protected]/@aaltamirano28 A package of bills has been introduced to the City Council with the hope of preventing another tragedy similar to the disappearance of autistic teen Avonte Oquendo. The 14-year-old was last seen at the Riverview School in Long Island City across the street from the East River in October, when he ran out past school security. Almost four months later his remains were found washed up in College Point. The City Council’s Mental Health and Public Safety Committee held a joint hearing Friday, April 25, during which the four proposals, all aimed to avoid dangers to individuals with autism and other developmental disorders, were presented. “We’ve had several tragedies in the last couple of years in New York City, so it’s always heartwretching when we do legislation that reacts to tragedy, but on one hand it helps us to make sure these tragedies never happen again,” said Councilman Ruben Wills, who spearheaded the group of bills in the City Council together with Councilwoman Vanessa Gibson. One of the bills calls upon the state’s Office for People with Developmental Disabilities to include the use of GPS tracking devices as a covered service. If You’re Ready to Buy a Home,We are Ready to Help. The State of New York M ortgage Agency offers: Up to $15,000 Down Payment Assistance 1-800-382-HOME(4663) for Housing www.sonyma.org The package also includes legislation that would create a voluntary registry for people with special needs. The database, including names, addresses, phone numbers, medical conditions and more, would allow parents or guardians to register their children with the NYPD at local police precincts. The other two bills call for the city’s silver alert program to include missing people with developmental disorders and for the U.S. Department of Justice to fund any projects that would help protect and locate missing people with autism. “We know that Avonte’s death was an unspeakable tragedy and certainly we are here as a collective to prevent anything like that from occurring across our city,” Gibson said. For Lauren Thierry, Avonte’s disappearance hit close to home because her 16-year-old autistic son, Liam, attends the New York Child Learning Institute in College Point. For the past two years, Thierry has been creating a clothing line, called Independence Day Wearable Tech, which makes clothes that include internal pockets to fit GPS devices. Customers get a free GPS device when they purchase an item on www.inddayclothing.com. THE COURIER/Photo by Angy Altamirano Avonte Oquendo’s mom, Vanessa Fontaine, and grandmother attended a joint public hearing at the City Council where four bills were introduced to prevent another tragedy like Avonte’s disappearance from happening again. space and other amenities, including a computer lab. The Greek Orthodox community showed strong support during the vote, and parents and residents said it will benefit the neighborhood. “It’s great for our families and it’s great for the community,” said Chris Koukounas, a parent of two students at the school. “Right now we don’t have enough square-footage per child. There are fewer facilities, we don’t have a science and computer lab, the lunchroom is very packed, and it’s not a safe environment.” The school’s enrollment for its Greek-American day school is about 180 students. The expansion will allow for 250 students. For the board to agree with the proposal, its Land- Use Committee had stipulations to increase safety. Holy Cross has agreed to the conditions, which include putting a stop sign on the corner of 150th Street and 12th Avenue. Councilman Paul Vallone is working with the Department of Transportation to have the stop sign added, and the legislator voiced his approval of the expansion. The recommendation from the board, as well as a letter from Councilman Paul Vallone, will be sent to the Board of Standards and Appeals, which has final say on the expansion.
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