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QUEENS WEEKLY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2019 QNS.COM
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
On the first day of
school at the East West
High School of International
Studies in Flushing,
two Queens lawmakers
announced legislation
that would boost diversity
throughout the Gifted
and Talented Program in
New York City.
Senator Toby Stavisky
and Assemblywoman
Nily Rozic introduced the
bill, S3542/A2240, that
would require all students,
prior to the third
grade, be screened for
Gifted and Talented Programs,
unless the parent
or guardian opts out.
“With the start of the
new school year, our
school system should
take this opportunity to
broaden the gateways for
students and ensure that
all New Yorkers have access
to the educational
services they deserve,”
Rozic said during a Sept.
5 press conference.
The purpose of the legislation
is to ensure that
all students are screened
and benefit from the resources
offered by their
school districts. Earlier
this year, the Independent
Budget Office estimated
it would cost the
city $3.8 million to test
every student from Pre-K
to second grade.
Stavisky said New
York City’s Gifted and
Talented Program allows
for children who benefit
from an accelerated
learning experience an
opportunity to be challenged
in the classroom.
“This legislation
would increase diversity
throughout the Gifted
and Talented Program
and include more students
from under-represented
populations,”
Stavisky said. “This bill
would ensure any child
with the ability to excel
has the opportunity to
f lourish and reach their
full potential.”
In 2015, the School
Board of Broward County
in Florida issued a
report that explained the
results of testing each
child in the second grade
and they found hundreds
of additional students
who qualified — 84 percent
of the students came
from under-represented
populations.
Broward County saw
an increase of 180 percent
amongst disadvantaged
students including, English
language learners
and those who qualify
for free lunch. There was
an increase of 130 percent
amongst Hispanic
students and an 80 percent
increase of African
American students.
The Assemblywoman
and Senator sent a letter
to the Mayor de Blasio
earlier this week to demonstrate
their support of
the Gifted and Talented
Program. Stavisky also
announced an online petition
on her website for
parents to show their
support for the gifted and
talented legislation.
Assemblywoman Nily Rozic (l.) and Senator Toby Stavisky (second
right) speak in front of East West High School of International
Studies in Flushing. Courtesy of Senator Toby Stavisky’s office
Honoring a Sunnyside leader
Street co-naming salutes a long-time civic activist & political trailblazer
Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer (far left) with State Senator Michael Gianaris and Eileen Auld (in black), Gert McDonald’s
daughter. Photo: Mark Hallum/QNS
BY MARK HALLUM
An outspoken trailblazer
in Queens politics and
long-time civic leader in
Sunnyside who died in 2017
had her own street placard
emblazoned in her honor
on Sept. 7.
Gertrude McDonald,
who died after turning
100, is still remembered in
Sunnyside for pushing the
boundaries, from a 1968
Assembly run as a trailblazing
woman to community
meetings where she
was known to take strong
stances about the issued in
her neighborhood.
McDonald, in later
years, would come to be
well-known as figure at
Sunnyside Community
Services, an organization
serving not only seniors
but range of residents
in the area.
Queens Boulevard and
38th Street is now co-named
“Gertrude McDonald Way”
through city legislation recently
passed by the City
Council and sponsored by
local Councilman Jimmy
Van Bramer.
“Although unsuccessful,
Gert’s jump into the
political ring in Queens
County was absolutely
monumental. Gert paved
the way for other women to
seek and be elected to public
office and she shattered
barriers in local politics,”
said Eileen Auld, McDonald’s
daughter. “I think we
can all agree Gert McDonald
showed up, was useful
to other people, voted, volunteered,
served, listened,
learned, was part of constant
reform and led dissent
when necessary. Gert did
the heavy lifting. She was
always a good citizen and
a patriot.”
State Senator Michael
Gianaris spent time in the
Assembly in a district set
apart from Sunnyside. But
he said that when he was
elected to his current office,
McDonald played a part
in familiarizing him with
the community.
“Gert would never
hesitate to grab me and
tell me what she thought
I was doing right, and
more importantly what
she thought I was doing
wrong,” Gianaris said.
“That was the role Gert
played in my life: a mentor
for this neighborhood. But
now that I’ve had the privilege
of representing it for
almost a decade, I think I
know it well enough. But
I could’t have gotten there
and represented Sunnyside
as well as I have without
the mentorship of someone
like Gert.”
Van Bramer, whose
district office is in Sunnyside,
looked back fondly on
his years advocating for
change in the community
alongside McDonald.
“Gert McDonald was
a dedicated civic leader
and pioneer for women in
Queens politics. She loved
our Sunnyside community
and worked tirelessly
to improve quality of life
here. I have so many fond
memories of advocating,
laughing, and serving
with Gert, and I am proud
to honor her legacy with
this street co-naming,”
Van Bramer said.
A s s emb l y woma n
Cathy Nolan commented
that McDonald was not
impressed by high-ranking
titles or big names;
her first question to any
big whig visiting the
neighborhood, Nolan recalled,
was always, “What
are they going to do
for Sunnyside?”
Qns. pols work to
save G&T program
/QNS.COM
