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Middle Village school extension to reduce crowding at PS/IS 87

Middle Village school extension to reduce crowding at PS/IS 87
Photo by Bianca Fortis
By Bianca Fortis

Students, parents and other members of the PS/IS 87 community celebrated the opening of a $20 million extension to the campus Tuesday.

For years the elementary and middle school, at 67-45 80th St., have struggled with overcrowded classrooms, too few restrooms and not enough room for physical education, according to students and teachers.

When Principal Caryn Michaeli arrived at the Middle Village school more than 10 years ago, she was told the extension would never happen.

She thanked the children, parents and community leaders who worked to put the project into motion. She said it was the students who gave a presentation to city Department of Education officials several years ago.

“If it wasn’t for support of the community, this never would’ve happened,” she said. “Our children deserve not to be the stepchildren of Middle Village.”

The extension, directly behind the main school building, features a welcoming lobby, a main office, four new classrooms and a gymnasium.

“Finally we’re not the outliers of the district,” eighth-grader Julian Kilichowski, the student government chairman, told the crowd who had assembled outside of the new building. “Finally we have what we’ve needed over the years. This extension wasn’t built for the adults and teachers. It wasn’t built to show off. It was built to create a better learning environment for the students.”

City Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village) said that more than 10 years ago, the school, which was an overcrowded elementary school, was told it needed to also serve middle-school students.

“In order to have a middle-school population, we really need to make sure the students have the facilities so they can properly learn,” she said.

She said the community got its extension because it never gave up.

“You kept fighting for what was right, fighting for what you deserve,” she said.

She said students now have what they need for a well-rounded education.

District Superintendent Madeline Chan also attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

“When I walked into the gymnasium, I thought to myself, ‘This is what this school deserves,’” she said. “I am so very happy it has come to fruition. I know PS/IS 87 will continue to strive, as it has, in the future.”

Reach reporter Bianca Fortis by email at bfortis@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4546.