3 THE QUEENS COURIER • MARCH 25, 2022 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
Construction on new Broad Channel school building begins
BY BILL PARRY
BPARRY@SCHNEPSMEDIA.COM
@QNS
A ceremonial groundbreaking was held Tuesday,
March 15, in Broad Channel, to celebrate a
new, state-of-the-art replacement building for P.S.
47, which was demolished last year.
Th e new $49.9 million 260-seat, four-story
school will be a fully air-conditioned, accessible
facility for 3K through eighth-grade students and
will contain one 3K, one pre-K and one kindergarten
classroom; eight standard classrooms; three
special education classrooms; and middle school
science demonstration and multi-use rooms.
“Our children deserve the best, and aft er a
long wait, we are fi nally able to give the families
of Broad Channel a school building they deserve,”
Assemblywoman Stacey Pheff er Amato said. “Th e
school will be a beacon of safety, resiliency and
productivity, the perfect environment for our
children to learn and thrive in.”
Th e replacement building will also feature a
gymnasium and library and will utilize solar
panels on both roof levels.
“I am thrilled to break ground on this replacement
building for P.S. 47, which will provide
the children of Broad Channel with a modern,
educational environment that will help them
achieve their full potential,” Queens Borough
President Donovan Richards said. “Every child in
our borough deserves a quality education, which
is why it is important to continue to strive for
the construction of modern, high-quality school
buildings in Queens and throughout our city.”
Th e previous P.S. 47 building was at 140%
capacity and experienced extensive damage
from Superstorm Sandy in 2012. It also endured
structural issues related to heating, cooling and
electricity. Th e old facility also lacked a gymnasium,
cafeteria, adequate outdoor play space and
a library.
“I am excited to see the beginning of the construction
of P.S. 47 in Broad Channel,” Councilwoman
Joann Ariola said. “My predecessor,
former Councilman Eric Ulrich, was the driving
force behind this project. We look forward to the
children being able to return to their neighborhood
school in September of 2023.”
Students from the school have been temporarily
relocated at the former Stella Maris High
School, the former all-girls school at Beach 112th
Street in Rockaway Park, until the new P.S. 47 is
ready for occupancy.
“A new P.S. 47 is long overdue and has been a
long time coming, but we are fi nally here breaking
ground on a brand new school in Broad Channel,”
state Senator Joseph Addabbo said. “Aft er many
meetings with the School Construction Authority,
community leaders, school representatives and
parents, the vision for this beautiful school begins
today. I am excited for the students of P.S. 47 and
their families, along with their teachers, faculty
and staff , to be able to get into their new building
as soon as construction is complete.”
Broad Channel Civic Association President
Dan Mundy Jr. said, “It is fi tting that as we approach
the 10-year anniversary of Sandy, we will
see a new school rise on this site. One that is above
the fl oodplain, resilient with many great features,
and will serve the community for decades to come.”
In District 27, the SCA will also be completing
a 120-seat 3K Center on Beach 99th Street later
this year and will open a new, 145-seat addition
for P.S. 96 that will be ready in 2024.
“We are thrilled to provide the P.S. 47 community
with a state-of-the-art school building
that is safe, environmentally centered, and
will serve New York City students for years to
come,” Schools Chancellor David C. Banks said.
“Hurricane Sandy had a lasting impact across
our city, especially in Broad Channel, and this
project refl ects the incredible resiliency of our
communities.”
PTA President Sabrina Gross can’t wait to see
the new replacement facility.
“As a school community, we are overjoyed with
obtaining a building that matches the spirit of our
school,” Gross said. “On a personal note, my deceased
mother-in-law was instrumental in leading
the charge for the additions that were added to the
school and it is my honor to continue her work by
playing a small role in obtaining this brand-new,
beautiful facility.”
‘Generous’ $1 million donation marks largest gift in St. Francis Prep’s history
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
CMOHAMED@SCHNEPSMEDIA.COM
@QNS
St. Francis Prep in Fresh Meadows is celebrating
its largest-ever single donation, a $1
million gift from an anonymous alumnus in
honor of a track star classmate from 1955.
St. Francis Prep, located at 6100 Francis
Lewis Blvd., received the donation following
an ongoing fundraising eff ort prompted by
a commitment from school leaders that no
student would be denied a St. Francis Prep
education due to fi nancial hardship caused by
the COVID-19 pandemic.
“St. Francis Prep has provided generations of
students a place where they can grow, learn and
develop in a religious, joyful school environment,”
said Brother Leonard Conway, president
of St. Francis Prep. “Th is $1 million donation for
the Sheehan Fund from a very generous alumnus
will support students for years to come and
is representative of the generosity and service
enshrined in the St. Francis Prep education.”
Th e Th omas J. Sheehan Memorial Scholarship
Fund was established in honor of Th omas
Sheehan, a member of the class of 1955. A scholarship
recipient himself, Sheehan continues to
hold some of the school’s all-time track records
and is still celebrated by his contemporaries as
an exemplary student leader and model.
His friends created the Sheehan Fund to
honor Th omas’ legacy, and it has already
helped more than 50 students since its inception
in 1986. Th is new historic gift more than
doubles the Sheehan Fund’s principal sum and
ensures it can benefi t many future students at St.
Francis Prep.
“My brother Tom continues to leave an indelible
mark in the world, even decades aft er
his passing. It is an honor to have his memory
celebrated by the St. Francis Prep alumni
community,” said Jerry Sheehan, brother of
Th omas Sheehan and St. Francis Prep Class of
1962 alumnus. “As an alumnus myself, I know
how valuable a St. Francis Prep education can
be, and our family is thrilled to continue to be
a part of the journey that future generations of
St. Francis Prep students embark on.”
Th e generous donation follows successful
fundraising eff orts with St. Francis Prep’s
TerrierSTAR (Student Tuition Assistance and
Relief) Program launched during the pandemic.
Th e program was initiated by alumni invested
in supporting the school’s mission to help
students and families experiencing hardship.
Donors including Julie Chen Moonves, class of
1987 alumna, helped bring in over $1.8 million
that helped more than 400 students.
Th e country’s largest private Catholic high school,
St. Francis Prep has off ered New Yorkers a holistic
Catholic education in the Franciscan tradition for
more than 160 years. Th e 2021 graduating class
alone secured over $170 million in college scholarships,
and 99% of graduating seniors attend the
college of their choice.
“Th is donation from an anonymous fellow
Prep graduate is humbling and inspiring for the
entire alumni community,” said Wally Bishop,
St. Francis Prep alumni board president and
class of 1980 alumnus. “Th e students who
walk through the Prep’s doors can attest to the
school’s unwavering commitment helping families
facing fi nancial hardships to have the ability
to enjoy a world-class Catholic education that
prepares young people for college and beyond.”
Jack Ward, manager of the Th omas Sheehan
Memorial Scholarship Fund and class of 1955
alumnus, said the education and experiences
one gets at St. Francis Prep have an undeniably
profound impact on a person, including
himself.
“When Tom passed, his friends knew it was
important to honor his memory and how the
Prep not only brought us together but prepared
us to live fulfi lling lives. We’re incredibly
grateful to our anonymous donor and his
generous spirit that will help ensure more
students have access to the Prep and its
wonderful community,” Ward said.
Photo by Paul Frangipane
Local offi cials and community members mark the groundbreaking for the new P.S. 47 in Broad Channel on
Tuesday, March 15, 2022. The school, set to open in September 2023, will boast 260 seats and off er amenities
for students in 3K through grade 8.
Photo courtesy of St. Francis Prep
The country’s largest private Catholic high school, St. Francis Prep, has off ered New Yorkers a holistic Catholic
education in the Franciscan tradition for more than 160 years.
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