GerritsenBeach.net

Since the resurfacing is complete, the DOT has been busy outlining what will be the lines that will be going down Gerritsen Avenue. We here at Gerritsenbeach.net can’t wait for the driving free for all to end!

One minor problem and its something to take note of now, it appears as though they got rid of the two foot solid white line in front of PS 277. Oh Noes!

Image above: 2004 and 2007 aerial

A 100 by 120 yard field (about 2.5 acres) behind PS 277 and next to the soccer field has been cleared and leveled with literally tons of wood chips. The wood chips have been coming in almost weekly via a local Brooklyn contractor (dragonetti) who has been dumping the wood chips and various other debris there for the last few years.

At first it was assumed that this was a parks department project because of the markings and logos on heavy machinery (caterpillars, bobcats, etc..) and trucks. However, this is not a parks department project. When asked, the parks department currently has no projects being constructed in Gerritsen Beach and has no knowledge of this project.

According to the parks department wood debris and wood chips generated from hired tree contractors are considered commercial waste and therefore cannot be used on park land.

Rumors are going around that it may become a parking lot for PS 277, a ball field, etc… Who knows? More rumors include an agreement for dumping in exchange for use of heavy equipment.

Does anyone know?

Photo Gallery

Update: April 20th 2009

This is a GB Cares project to: (via a comment)

“to help solve problems on the parkland. This area was covered with garbage and weeds before GB Cares started the project. The school had concerns with people hiding in the weeds, the softball teams could not find foul balls, the soil conditions were not very good, and this overgrown garbage filled area was changed by GB Cares.

We removed 10 (20) yard dumpsters of garbage, planted 1,000’s of daffodils, tulips and over a dozen trees in this area. GB Cares requested the wood chips as they turn into mulch (Dirt) it is used around the park. The GBPOA community gardens, bus stop gardens, GBLL area have all benifited from the mulch from the area. The insured contractor has helped St. James, Kiddie Beach, GB Little League, GBPOA gardens, Olga’s Bus stops gardens, NYC Parks, and GB Cares with Free tree removal and landscaping services for years.

The wood chip area would be clean, groomed and level right now. But, the Parks Department has requested GB Cares to stop work and resubmit a written request for approval of all the volunteer projects we do on the Parkland.

Update: April 25th 2009 Sent in Via Email:
Turns out GerritsenBeach.net was not the only one asking questions.

Take what you want from this letter.

“Kid Power and The Planet Protectors” – is a highly interactive, 50-minutes musical show, designed to help children, in grades K-6, learn the value of environmental awareness and preservation. This energetic show is packed with puppets, characters, clever visuals, and lots of singing and dancing. Through sing-a-longs, question answering, dancing, and volunteering, children are encouraged to develop the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors needed to make environmentally conscious choices.

The show addresses three elements of the environment: Earth, Air, and Water

A new sign popped up on the 277 grounds “NO IDLING CHILDREN BREATHING”. While I’m all for clean air for children to breathe, I’m more for saving money by avoiding fines. The city decided to cut the idling time from three minutes to 60 seconds in a school zone. They also gave the Department of Parks and Recreation and the Department of Sanitation, along with the Police and Transportation Departments, to issue summonses, appearance tickets and violation notices for engine idling.

Watch out if your one of the parents who double park, you could get hit up with a few HEAVY taxes fines. This new law the fines range from $220 to $2,000 for repeat offenders.

Mrs. Fish warned the ENTIRE school by sending out a letter. GerritsenBeach.net warned you. Still… you didn’t care.

Now, three $115 double parking tickets were issued during dismissal at P.S. 277. Two inside the thick solid white line, and one in front of the P.S. 277 playground. They were only issuing tickets if you were double parked and no one was in the car.

Parking within the thick solid white line is only supposed to be a drop off and pick up zone. Example: 15 minutes tops without leaving your car double parked with no one inside.

Favorite line from a parents: “This is F#$!@$# nuts, what are we supposed to do?”

What do you get when you park a patrol car with flashing lights at the PS 277 entrance? A lot of freaked out parents! but obviously not all got the message.

Some parents heeded our earlier warning and avoided the area by parking further away from 277, or dropping off their kids within the solid white lines and not sticking around to chit-chat, pulling away.

There was a good number of parents still double parking, making U-turns, all in front of an officer. What happened to them you ask? Well nothing… turns out the officer is just going to sit in his idling patrol car. Maybe just having a presence is “enforcement”.

At the last Property Owners meeting it was said that a traffic/moving violation would have to be witness by an officer, what good is having an officer present, if he’s not going to walk around, or enforce anything once in a while?

The whole situation might be a work in progress but my favorite moment came when someone said “I would stay and chat with you but I’m afraid of getting a ticket.”

Update: Dismissal
Same thing, different time, more proof . This time a guy that got out of his car to curse me out for stopping for a school bus stop sign. People are amazing.

Someone blew by the bus, while an officer witnessed it. I love selective enforcement. Why even call it enforcement when its just a presence?

Here is a photo gallery

Update: Letter (March 4th) Mrs. Fish

As you know double and triple parking is a serious problem in front of our school and across the street, in the bus stop at arrival and dismissal time. We have received
numerous complaints from many of you and from other members of the Gerritsen Beach community. I am once again asking your cooperation to solve this issue which affects the safety and well-being of our children.

When driving your child to school, please stop long enough to drop off your child and proceed so that other parents may do the same. When picking up your child, I urge you not to park illegally. Do not park in the city bus stop, in the school bus stops and/or double or triple park in front of the school. In addition to being illegal it also presents a serious safety hazard for our children.

After receiving many complaints from parents and members of the Gerritsen Beach community, Community Affairs Liaison, Police Officer Grant of the 61·t Precinct, has
informed me that beginning next week, traffic violations will be issued for the above mentioned infractions. I would not like to see any of you receiving a summons, but more importantly, I want to avoid any of our children becoming seriously injured.

I thank you for your cooperation in this matter.

If you park in or around PS 277 you need to know that starting Monday March 9th the 61st Precinct will be strictly enforcing parking and traffic laws during the morning arrival and afternoon dismissal.

Don’t double park! Don’t pass a bus with flashing reds! Don’t make any u-turns! I wouldn’t even stick around within the solid while line for too long.

Are you willing to risk high fines and/or moving violations?

Hi Parents! You know you’re crazy right? We all know how crazy you are, but when did it become acceptable to live with crazy people?

On any day at ANY school dropping off and picking up is messy, our PS 277 is no exception. For about a half hour every morning and every afternoon our arrival and dismissal times are a mess but you parents make it one million times worse.

Many 277 parent drivers double park on BOTH SIDES of Gerritsen Avenue all the way down to Avenue X. You make crazy dangerous U-Turns, you basically drive any way you want to. Then if it rains or snows multiply everything by 100. You do these dangerous things, all the while kids are crossing everywhere and two lanes of  traffic are moving in and out. I personally like when your kids run across two lanes of traffic to get inside a double parked car.

Since you don’t follow those rules of the road why would you follow that pesky law that says YOU HAVE TO STOP for flashing red lights on school buses on ALL sides. Maybe I need to become a parent so I can drive anyway I want to. Failing to stop for those pesky flashing red lights carries 5 points plus a fine.

I am going to start to take pictures of each and every single one of you. You are allowed to park within that SOLID white line, but it’s really only supposed to be used for dropping off and picking up, YOU SHOULDN’T STAY PARKED THERE. Be warned.

It’s amazing that you parents CRY for a traffic light on Channel Avenue when you can’t even stop for your own crossing guard.

Hope to see you on this site soon.

PS 277 Kindergarten Pre-Enrollment through March 2nd, 2009

On Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays
8:30 am – 3:00 pm
ask for Denise Flanagan

Mondays and Wednesdays
8:30 am – 3:00 pm
ask for Karen Salinas

You are required to bring proof of age IE: birth certificate, passport, baptismal certificate. Also proof of address IE: Mortgage statement, or utility bill. Telephone, Cable, Drivers license are not acceptable

Senator Golden is holding a education town hall at PS 277 on Monday November 17th @ 7pm

Representatives from the Department of Education will be on hand to answer any questions you may have.

PS 277 had a pumpkin and cupcake sale, that I headed over to after the concord.

Seemed like loads of fun, most of the grades came out. Its very funny to see the kids try to eat cupcakes while running around trying to get a pumpkin.

Ever tried to round up a dozen first graders, then have them look at a camera? Its fun and you get whats above.

Kid + Cupcakes + Clean Clothes = hysterical

Photo Gallery

The children of public school  277 are collecting old suitcases & backpacks in conjunction with gb cares, inc. To support the Brooklyn canarsie lions program “kases for kids”

Thousands of children are removed from their homes every day, because the person taking care of them either can not or will not care for them properly. The children’s possessions are placed in plastic or paper bags. The children traumatized by their pending displacement see their personal belongings placed into bags commonly used for trash. If the child has to travel to a new home (relatives) by plane or bus they are not allowed to board with the plastic bags and many times have to leave their belongings behind.

You can help by donating your old suitcases and backpacks.

GB Cares will also be collecting your donated suitcases and backpacks to help these children. Please drop off suitcases and/or backpacks any Saturday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at our storage containers by GB Little League “Larry Veling Fields” (Gerritsen Avenue Off Cyrus Avenue).

Drop off your donation of old suitcases or backpacks at:

PS 277  2529 Gerritsen Avenue (by Bijou Avenue)
(Weekdays from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.)

Call Michael Taylor for any questions at 646-220-8215

2008 Progress Report

The city’s annual School Report Cards are out and, overall, more schools got “A’s” this year. To find the rundown of Brooklyn schools, click here. Reports are also available here on the Dept. of Education’s website.

Schools are assigned letter grades based on their overall Progress Report score.  Schools that get As and Bs are eligible for rewards. Schools that get Ds and Fs, or 3 Cs in a row, face consequences, including change in school leadership or school closure.

• This school’s overall score for 2007-08 is 68.4
• This score places the School in the 76 percentile of all elementary schools Citywide–i.e., 76 percent of those schools scored lower than this school
• This school met 100% of its improvement target from last year

Links:

• School Budget Overview and Detail 2008-2009
• Budget Allocation FY08 to FY09 Comparison
• Learning Environment Survey Report 2007-2008
• Quality Review Report 2007-2008
• Elementary/Middle School

The Dr. John Playground sprinklers have been open for a few weeks. Looks like fun!

Our PS. 277 had one of the best scores in the city, having on of the top 5 reading scores in the city. Good for them!

Best reading scores IS 187: 98.9%
IS 187: 98.9%
IS 392: 98.3%
PS 172: 97.6%
PS 277: 97.2%
PS 31: 94%