Edu Update

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Dear John

Please note! We are in the formal “communications blackout” period, less than 90 days from the November general election. To comply with election law, we are restricted with what we can discuss in mass communications until election day. We will continue to send out a weekly newsletter to keep our community updated, but bear with us as we pare down and change content to comply with election law. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out.
* Curbside composting is coming to Brooklyn on 10/2! To get ready, be sure to order your free Brown Bin while supplies last before 10/13. ([link removed])
* Back by popular demand is another session of our Community Cannabis Conversations ([link removed]) ! We’re inviting parents, teachers, and other members of the school community to join us virtually ([link removed]) on 9/13 from 6:30-7:30 PM for a parent focused conversation about cannabis. We’ve put together another all-star panel of cannabis experts to answer all of your questions about the legal cannabis industry. Zoom link here! ([link removed])
* Our office is excited to host our annual Brooklyn PTA Fun Run on 10/28 at 10 AM (bib pick-up and pre-race activities at 9 AM)! Sign up now or donate ([link removed]) if you are unable to attend. We are also recruiting volunteers to join theHost Committee ([link removed]) to help raise money and register your school community! If you or someone in your school has financial difficulties in paying for the Fun Run, please contact Mia at my office, [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) .

As we gear up for back-to-school, we wanted to give a quick education recap of what we’ve been up to this summer and share a few resources to ensure students in District 39 have a successful start to the school year.

Money For Our Schools

This summer, we allocated over $2.8 million to capital projects across a number of schools in our district, including support for playground upgrades, auditorium maintenance, indoor gardens, improving bathroom accessibility, and enhancing technology. You can see the breakdown of where we allocated capital dollars to schools here ([link removed]) .

Over the past year, I visited over 20 schools across the district to hear from school leaders and students directly about what makes their learning environment special and what more is needed. These visits have deeply informed my office’s advocacy around education and I am ready to continue fighting for the investments we hear about from schools most, especially long overdue accessibility upgrades. A recent report from Advocates for Children ([link removed]) highlighted that as of 2023, only 31.1% of schools in our City are fully accessible to students, parents, educators, and community members with physical disabilities (you can see which schools in our City and District are fully accessible here ([link removed]) ). In November, the School Construction Authority (SCA) will propose its capital spending plan for the next five years
and it will be critical that the dollars to improve schools accessibility are included. Having first-hand experience with a disability, I know how critical it is that New Yorkers of all ages and abilities can navigate our city and I will be fighting in the Council to ensure schools have the capital funding support they need to be accessible to all teachers, students, caregivers, and school community members.

During my visit at the Brooklyn New School, I met with the Disability Awareness Club, a club that encompasses disabled students as well as their their friends. This amazing club is led by the beloved Kristel Kubart, the school’s speech language teacher and disability activist. The club has been advocating for an accessible school building and in our conversation, these students always centered compassion. They reflected on their brilliant classmates who don’t have an opportunity to be at the school simply because of the lack of elevators and other needs that would make the school more welcoming and diverse. I’m inspired by their spirit and excited to join their efforts toward an accessible school!
Council Member Hanif at the students of the Disability Awareness Club at BNS

Your Council Member and the Disability Awareness Club at BNS!

Education Legislation Spotlight

Another issue we’ve heard about from constituents this summer is around air quality in schools. This summer, in collaboration with Council Member Keith Powers, I co-sponsored a bill ([link removed]) that would require the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) to set standards regarding air quality in schools. The bill would also require the Department of Education (DOE), in collaboration with the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), to issue real time and annual reports on their website regarding air quality and the installation and maintenance of air quality monitoring devices. The bill would also require the DOE and the DOHMH to engage in outreach and education regarding indoor air quality in schools. The bill currently has 21 co-sponsors and we’re pushing for a hearing soon, so stay tuned!

Resources Heading into the New School Year
* Advocates for Children ([link removed]) (AFC) runs a helpline, funded in part by our office and the City Council, which is staffed by English- and Spanish-speaking education specialists who provide information and resources around the NYC school system and, in a limited number of cases, can assign AFC attorneys to represent low-income families. The phone number is 866-427-6033 (toll free), and it is open from Monday to Thursday, 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
* AFC also has a series of recorded workshops available here ([link removed]) on Education Know Your Rights topics from understanding your child’s individualized education program (IEP), to support for students with disabilities. Other resources and guides to help navigate school resources are available here ([link removed]) .

As always if you have any school and education policy related questions, you can reach out to our office’s Education Director, Mia Perez, at [email protected] for assistance.

Community Bulletin
* Do you manage a chain business? New containerization rules for your business start on 9/5! If you have questions or need more information about how to safely dispose of your trash, attend any of the upcoming DSNY webinars on 9/5 ([link removed]) (11 AM), 9/14 ([link removed]) (2 PM), 9/18 ([link removed]) (6 PM) or9/27 ([link removed]) (3 PM).
* Looking for a new or used bike? Join the New York Bike Jumble Flea Market ([link removed]) at the Old Stone House on 9/9 from 1 PM - 4 PM for bike bargains and some spare parts!
* Join Danielle Medina ([link removed]) , creator of Fit N Play Mama, for a playful Dinosaur Yoga-themed journey. In this special class, we will send you back in time and have you moving and stretching your body in various dinosaur ways. Parents and caregivers are encouraged to participate alongside their children and create meaningful memories while learning fun facts. Classes are on 9/16, 9/23, and 9/30.
* The Civic Engagement Commission (CEC) is entering its second cycle of New York City's Citywide Participatory Budgeting ([link removed]) starting in October! To support idea generation, the CEC is looking for community groups, schools, and nonprofits to partner on hosting idea generation workshops for neighbors. These are paid opportunities! Please see the Application Link ([link removed]) and read about the partnership levels, deliverables, and requirements. ([link removed])
* Applications for Brooklyn Arts Council's 2024 grants cycle are NOW OPEN! Check out BAC’s website ([link removed]) for grant guidelines, applications, and info sessions. All applications are due Sunday, 10/8.
* The Vision Zero Youth Council (VZYC), a youth-led organization advocating for safe, sustainable, equitable, and accessible transportation systems, is hosting a virtual Youth Networking and Showcase on 10/12 at 7 PM! This event will bring together youth interested in road safety, transportation/mobility, and/or urban planning, and those with projects/initiatives are encouraged to sign up to present! Learn more and sign up. ([link removed].)
* New York City has some ambitious goals to help address climate change, and a big part of reaching those goals includes upgrading our aging buildings. New York City has an amazing Accelerator Program ([link removed]) to help building owners and managers learn about new regulations and find financing options for green upgrades. Check out this program ([link removed]) to help our City prepare for a Net-Zero Carbon future!

In Solidarity,

Shahana
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