The head of The Bronx’s first all-boys charter school pleaded with Mayor de Blasio not to abort the new school’s opening by booting it out of promised city space.
“My appeal to the mayor is, ‘I hope you don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. Look at how we’re benefiting kids and families,’ ” said Boys Prep founding Principal Peter Herzberg.
Last June, then-Mayor Mike Bloomberg’s administration approved Boys Prep’s request for rent-free space at 1695 Seward Ave. in the South Bronx. The school would be co-located with PS 107 beginning in September.
But De Blasio — a critic of co-locations — has ordered Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña to review and possibly rescind some deals for charter space.
Herzberg — who has hired key staffers and is expecting more than 300 students to apply for 125 seats in kindergarten and first grade — admits he’s on pins and needles with no alternative space.
“We knew the climate toward charter schools would be less friendly than under Bloomberg. But to retroactively undo space arrangements approved for charter schools, that’s what is shocking. It feels like a revenge motive rather than anything productive for kids. It would upend lives,” he said.
Herzberg applauded de Blasio’s call for universal pre-K and a pledge to attack inequality. But he said charters like Boys Prep would help address the problem.
Boys Prep would a have a longer school day, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Students would have science and gym every day. He said the curriculum caters to young boys who are more physically active but develop fine motor schools like writing later than girls.
He also noted there’s a dire need for school choices for parents in a an area of the South Bronx — District 8 — where only 7 percent of students are proficient in reading.
Herzberg said he is working closely with educators at PS 107 in developing joint programming to help all students in the co-located building. For example, they’re forging a partnership with the National Dance Institute to provide ballet classes to all kids.
“Charter schools can serve a great source of inspiration if done the right way,” he said.