SCHOOL WALK IS TOO SCARY Woodside Parents Demand Buses For Students than a half-mile from the school, but not far enough under OPT rules to be eligible for school buses. Regulations from the DOE do not provide bus rides for general education students in third grade or above living a less than a mile from school. For many years, children living in the Big Six complex were bussed to school under a long-standing waiver from the DOE. That waiver was eliminated in fall 2011. Children are now asked to cross a winding Med Workers Stole ER Patient Info Pair Busted For Hacking & Identity Theft information, and unauthorized use of a computer. If convicted, they each face up to four years in prison. “These defendants are accused of blatantly violating their HIPAA obligations and illegally trolling through confidential patient records,” Brown said. “Their alleged actions led to patients who were seeking treatment for injuries unwittingly being victimized again with the by Noah Zuss Parents in Woodside’s Big Six apartment complex again pressed Department of Education (DOE) officials at last Tuesday’s (Mar. 25) District 24 Community Education Council (CEC 24) meeting to provide school buses for their children to attend P.S. 229 in Maspeth. The parents argued the DOE should grant a safety waiver for P.S. 229 students living at the Big Six because the children currently have to walk through dangerous intersections on their way to school. Alexandra Robinson, executive director for the Office of Pupil Transportation (OPT) heard parents say they want bus seats for their children, even if DOE rules prohibit providing rides to students living less than a mile from the school. The apartment complex is more -SEE CEC 24 ON PG. 34- Two employees of Jamaica Hospital Medical Center have been charged with illegally accessing medical records and personal identification information of emergency room patients who were then contacted—some while they were still in the emergency room—by attorneys seeking to solicit them as clients and by others seeking to provide outpatient services. Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown identified the defendants as Maritza Amador, 44, of 148th Street in Jamaica and Dache Prawl, 45, of Linden Boulevard in St. Albans. The defendants were arrested last Thursday night, Mar. 27, and were variously charged with computer trespass, second-degree unlawful possession of personal identification -SEE ER ON PG. 54- TIMES, THURSDAY, APRIL 3, 2014 • 8 Mayor’s UPK Wish Granted In Budget State Pumps Millions Into Pgm. by Robert Pozarycki State lawmakers have once again approved an on-time bu dget—and it proved to be a big win for Mayor Bill de Blasio’s campaign to expand universal pre-kindergarten (UPK) programs. Announced by Gov. Andrew Cuomo and legislative leaders last Saturday, Mar. 29, the budget deal includes $300 million toward expanding UPK in the city and $1.5 billion to build a statewide, statefunded UPK system over the next five years. Schools across the Empire State stand to benefit from the budget deal, as education funding will increase by $1.1 billion this fiscal year, which began on Tuesday, Apr. 1. This represents a 5.3 percent in education funds over the previous fiscal year. The implementation of the controversial Common Core Educational Standards is also changed in the budget deal, as it included a series of reforms such as ending standardized bubble tests for young children, ensuring instructional time is used for education and protecting student privacy. Charters schools across New York State will also receive an additional $250 per student in tuition payments the first year, followed by $350 in the second year and $500 the third year. The budget also allocates $2 billion toward technological upgrades in all schools. “This budget builds on the state’s progress over the past three years in order to grow the economy and create new opportunities for New Yorkers and their families,” Cuomo said in announcing the budget’s official passage Monday night, Mar. 31. He added the budget “contains targeted investments that will transform our schools, ensure safer, cleaner and fairer communities and restore the public’s trust in government.” Debate over funding UPK caused some friction between Mayor de Blasio and Governor Cuomo. De Blasio asked the state for authority allowing the city to implement a onepercent tax on wealthy city residents to pay for expanded UPK programs. Cuomo, however, balked at the idea, insisting the state could provide ample UPK funding without raising taxes. Following the budget deal’s announcement last Saturday, de Blasio struck a grateful tone in a statement to the press, thanking -SEE BUDGET ON PG. 54- Honor R’wood Student Who Saved Mother’s Life Anthony Rivas, a third grade student at P.S. 88 in Ridgewood was awarded with a medal of honor by the United Federation of Teachers at a ceremony Friday, Mar. 28. Rivas was recognized for saving his mother’s life after she suffered a stroke that left her right side paralyzed and unable to speak. Rivas’ called 911 and his quick action in those critical minutes saved her life. An ambulance arrived shortly after and paramedics rushed his mom, Soribel Bonifacio to the hospital. (photo: Marcin Zurawicz)
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