I received this comment about publishing suggestions, so I'm publishing it!  
Anyone care to comment?  

FROM OUR SUGGESTION BOX:

Comments:     publish suggestions to woodlawn residents:   two of mine - (1) extend ps19 school (about 30 thousand sq feet of yard space, so the school can have a library, adequately sized auditorium, and preK4, a gym, etc),  (2) PAL (police athletic league) operated an after school program for the neighborhood children during wintertime,  the program has since ceased.  other bronx neighborhoods have community programs for the children after school.  get one into ps19



Last edited by webmaster on Fri Aug 24, 2007 4:05 am; edited 1 time in total

I agree that it would be nice to have an afterschool program reinstated at PS 19.  I'm sure many moms in the area feel the same way.  
I'm not quite sure why the PAL ended the program.  It may have been funding?  It may have been something else?

Although PS 19 has limited facilities, it is a wonderful school.  My daughter is entering 1st grade there in a couple of weeks.  And I was extemely impressed by the amount of knowledge my daughter learned in only her kindgarten year!  I also agree that they could really use a gym, larger auditorium, library, and even a music room!  But I don't know about extending the building...... ?

Principal Schurek addressed the Woodlawn Heights Taxpayers and Board Members at the last general meeting (9/10/07).  The meeting was also attended by New York State Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz and Council Member Oliver Koppell.  They spoke about extending the building into the school yard and adding a PreK program to the school's curriculum. These issues were raised and could possibly be added into the budget in the next five year plan.  

There were very few parents that attended this meeting.  If more parents would attend these meetings and more voices could be heard maybe we could see more changes in our neighborhood on the issues that really matter to us.

To the one that urges more involvement with the Woodlawn Taxpayers:

What is on their agenda?? To reroute the 31 bus due to what they call "congestion"??    Please....  Get that old building that was formerly the firehouse a "landmark" status??  Please. . ..   What exactly qualifies that building as a landmark???

They do not mention the expansion of PS19 in any of their newsletters.  There are no rallies by those people to expand the school, the same way they rallied keep the fire house.    Other than the principal attending that meeting (which he may have initiated himself to push those plans through)  what is that association doing to get this thing done.

Where are the millions of dollars being spent to upgrade local parks due to the water filtration plant??   Is that association getting money for woodlawn playground??   There is no mention of this in their newsletters.

There are those that don't want public improvements (other than our little library) to keep out the "riff raff" from other neighborhoods.  Well my kids wouldn't have Indian Field if it were there.  but it is.  And so others from other neighborhood come in and use it.  They dont bother me.  But at least me and my family and my community can use it when we want to.  

What about expanding Van Cortlandt Park to include a running track,  more basket ball courts restricted only to children (other public  parks throughout the city have restricted zones for children only).   Why not build a community center in the park.  

Why not bring city funded after school programs into our public school, as other public schools have??

I raise real issues that deal with our community.  There is a group intending to form their own community association to deal with these real issues, as the one doesn't.   No-one wants to quibble with a group of people about whether or not to improve our own community, on the off chance that the "riff raff" (who are most likely very nice people) will use our facilities.  Shame on you!!   No-one wants to deal with irrelevant issues (the bus stop) or dormant issues (the old firehouse building is in no way shape or form a landmark, it is a delapidated building that needs to be replaced)

Maybe if the issues of that association reflect the real issues of the community, more would join.  Right now,  thjere is movement underway to form another association.

Are you kidding me? Do you get out much?  90% of the Bronx is a veritable warzone.  Do you want Woodlawn to become like just about every other neighborhood in the Bronx with gangs and drugs on every corner?

I don't want to see Woodlawn deteriorate as just about every other neighborhood in the Bronx has.  If you allow in the trash from other neighborhoods they will just screw up the place.

The Woodlawn Taxpayers Association is doing a great job.  They need to keep up the good work.  If the City won't help us keep Woodlawn a nice place to live we, as the residents of this neighborhood, need to do it on our own.

Do you guys ever take your kids on field trips? If you reward students for good grades and behavior, they are more likely to keep it up. We take our kids out to eat, to the movies, or pay them for A's and B's. Our 2 daughters both had A's and B's on their report card. We have also heard of parents taking their kids to the  dallas cultural center, as a reward. They loved it, and since they both did so great, we still paid them and took them out to dinner. If you try rewarding good behavior, the good behavior will become more and more common as they will want the reward.