Council Member Eric Dinowitz (C.D. 11)  and his father, Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz (A.D. 81), 71, announced Monday, June 22, that P.S. 81 in Riverdale will open a new class for the upcoming school year, expanding capacity for 22 additional students. The news comes the day before Election Day, June 23. As reported, the assemblyman, who launched his reelection campaign earlier this year, is being challenged for his assembly seat, which he has held for over 30 years, by teacher and disability activist, Morgan Evers, 42.

 

According to the councilman and the assemblyman, the addition of 22 new seats is desperately needed at P.S. 81, where parents have been stuck on a waitlist for months. In response to concerns, they said they worked with NYC Schools to get the resources needed for adding the extra seats.

 

As chair of the City Council’s Committee on education, the council member said he has made expanding access to “quality public schools” a central focus of his work, and the new class at P.S. 81 is reflective of that. He said the addition will ease enrollment pressure at what was described as one of the district’s most sought-after public schools, and will allow more local families to send their children to a neighborhood school they know and trust.

 

The elected officials said that for families across Riverdale and the surrounding community, the new class brings school closer to home, sparing more children a long commute or a dubious place on a waitlist.

 

“Parents in our community have asked for more access to P.S. 81, and we listened,” said councilmember. “This new class means more local children get to learn close to home in a school their families trust. I am grateful to Superintendent Hernandez, Supervising Superintendent Torres-Hulla, Principal Kirrane, and Chancellor Samuels for working with us to get this done, and proud to stand with my families and partners in government to deliver for our neighborhood.”

 

For his part, the assemblyman said, “Every child in the 81st Assembly District, and beyond, deserves access to a quality education.” He added, “When I learned that many families were facing challenges enrolling their children in a school that, for some, is located just across the street from where they have lived for years, I knew we needed to act. I am grateful to the community for trusting our offices to advocate on behalf of your families and deliver results. I also want to thank Superintendent Hernandez, Supervising Superintendent Torres-Hulla, Principal Kirrane, and Chancellor Samuels for listening to our concerns and responding swiftly to secure a positive outcome for our community.”

 

The councilman and the assemblyman, who was recently attended and spoke at a Juneteenth celebration on June 19 held at Van Cortlandt Park in the Fieldston section of The Bronx, the new class is one step in a broader, ongoing effort to make sure every child has access to a strong public school close to home. They said they will continue advocating to make sure each child who needs to attend P.S. 81 has a seat for the upcoming school year.

 

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