30 THE QUEENS COURIER • SEPTEMBER 6, 2018 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
Photos via Twitter/NYC Mayor’s offi ce
Mayor & chancellor unveil expanded 3K for All in Ozone Park
BY EMMA MILLER
editorial@qns.com
@QNS
Approximately 5,000 three-yearolds
became students on Wednesday as
the city’s 3-K for All plan expands into
Queens and three other boroughs.
Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and the
Bronx now off er free, full-day preschool
for three-year-olds at 187 sites across six
districts.
Last year, the program had only 1,500
students at 47 sites in District 7 in the
Bronx and District 23 in Brooklyn. Th e
plan is to be in 12 districts across all fi ve
boroughs by 2021, providing 3-K for
19,000 students.
Mayor Bill de Blasio, Schools Chancellor
Richard Carranza, and Deputy Mayor
Phil Th ompson welcomed students on
Sept. 5 at one of the Queens schools participating
in the 3-K for All program: P.S.
377 in Ozone Park.
“Welcome back to our 1.1 million
students and their families, and our
145,000 educators and school staff – from
Wakefi eld to Tottenville, and Rosedale to
Washington Heights,” said Carranza.
Carranza said that he looks forward to
what will be his fi rst full school year in
the city.
“Th ere’s nothing more important than
unlocking the future of our youngest New
Yorkers and we’re excited to welcome our
students for what will be another successful
school year,” de Blasio said.
“3-K for All teaches young students
how to learn, how to cooperate, how to
solve problems and puts them on the
path to lifelong academic success,” said
Th ompson.
Senator Leroy Comrie agreed.
“Investing in early education brightens
the futures of our children and strengthens
the fabric of our city,” he said.
3-K for All helps give all families equal
access to education, de Blasio noted.
Without the program, only parents who
could aff ord the extra expense could send
their children to preschool.
3-K for All takes place in district
schools, pre-k centers and NYC Early
Education Centers. Families can choose
which type of location to send their children
when they apply.
Th e six districts participating in 3-K for
All this school year are District 4 in East
Harlem; District 5 in Harlem; District 7
in South Bronx; District 16 in Bedford-
Stuyvesant; District 23 in Brownsville,
East New York, Ocean Hill; and District
27 in Broad Channel, Howard Beach,
Ozone Park and the Rockaways.
Students within the district are given
priority, but 3-K for All is open to all New
York residents. Families from any district
can apply to send their children to 3-K.
3-K for All is part of the Equity and
Excellence for All initiative, a plan to
improve New York City schools. Th e
agenda includes focuses on pre-k, literacy,
AP classes and college access.
Another part of the program is Pre-K
for All, which provides four-year-olds
with free, full-day education. Last year,
67,881 students participated in Pre-K for
all.
For more information or to apply for
3-K, visit nyc.gov/3k.
Mayor Bill de Blasio welcomes a 3K for All student at P.S. 377 in Ozone Park on Sept. 5
Hey moms and
dads: Share you
back to school pics
with us!
Calling all Queens parents! We want
to see your “Back to School” photos of
your kids!
Ready or not, it’s that time of year
again. Kids are grabbing their backpacks
fi lled with fresh school supplies and are
putting on their best outfi ts for the fi rst
day of school. And, as always, parents
throughout the state will be taking their
annual “Back to School” photos.
Regardless of what grade your child is
entering this year, we’re calling on parents
throughout the borough to share
their child’s “Back to School” photo. Your
photo may be featured in an upcoming
issue of Th e Queens Courier or the
Ridgewood Times.
To submit a photo, email it to editorial@
qns.com or send it to us through
Facebook, Twitter (@QNS) or tag us on
Instagram (@qnsgram). Please use the
hashtag #QNSBackToSchool.
— QNS staff
File photo/THE COURIER
Students at the start of the 2017-18 school year.
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