The Indian Panorama

Tag: Brooklyn

  • CHANCELLOR BANKS ANNOUNCES NINE NEW SCHOOLS OPENING FOR THE 2024-25 ACADEMIC YEAR

    CHANCELLOR BANKS ANNOUNCES NINE NEW SCHOOLS OPENING FOR THE 2024-25 ACADEMIC YEAR

    NEW YORK (TIP): Schools Chancellor David C. Banks, on April 4, announced that NYC Public Schools’ newly revamped Office of New School Development and Design will open nine new schools for the 2024-25 academic year. This marks the latest effort by Chancellor Banks to fulfill the administration’s promise to provide increased access to accelerated schools as well as increasing elementary school and high school seat capacity in neighborhoods with overcrowded schools.

    “Every child deserves a high-quality education that gives them the support needed to thrive in our changing world,” said Chancellor David C. Banks. “We are reimagining the student experience through these innovative school models — a citywide effort only possible thanks to mayoral accountability.”

    The Office of New School Development and Design is charged with engaging district and school leaders as well as families, communities, and partner organizations to create innovative learning spaces specifically targeted to meet the needs of students today. This includes overseeing early visioning, strategic planning, operationalizing and leadership development for each new school. This approach creates high-quality, sustainable school models.

    “Every single new school shapes futures and empowers the next generation with the tools they need to build a more informed, inclusive world,” said Dr. Shawn Rux, Senior Executive Director of the Office of New School Development and Design. “We are opening schools with groundbreaking vision, and the fearless conviction that all students can and will succeed.”

    The new schools that will open in September 2024 are:

    M.S. 644

    District 9

    Grades 6-8

    M.S. 428

    District 15

    Grades 6-8

    P.S. 482

    District 13

    Grades Pre-K – 5

    P.S. 456

    District 15

    Grades Pre-K – 5

    Bard High School Early College- Brooklyn

    District 19

    Grades 9-12

    P.S. 331

    District 20

    Grades K-5

    P.S. 413

    District 20

    Grades K-5

    M.S. 407

    District 20

    Grades 6-8

    Motion Picture Technical High School

    District 30

    Grades 9-12

    “The SCA is proud to have been part of the collaborative effort behind integrating these new schools into NYC’s public school system,” SCA President and CEO Nina Kubota said. “Five of these schools will inhabit newly constructed buildings by the SCA, designed to offer students the optimal learning environment and resources for success. They are part of the 24 buildings we are opening in 2024 adding more than 11,000 much-needed seats citywide.”

    “With the arrival of M.S. 644, our young scholars in the South Bronx will soon have a curriculum focused on debate, multilingualism, and experiential learning that will prepare them for high school and beyond,” said Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson. “I am excited the Bronx is included in today`s announcement and look forward to working with Mayor Adams and Chancellor Banks to expand pathways and opportunities for our youth to receive a high-quality education in our borough.”

    “Brooklyn’s getting new and much-needed public schools, and I am so grateful for the tremendous benefits they will bring to our students,” said Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso. “I’m particularly excited to welcome Bard High School Early College to Brownsville/East New York, a community that has faced generations of barriers to higher education and deserves the accessible accelerated learning opportunities the school will bring.

    I’m also glad to see more public-school seats opening up in southern Brooklyn’s District 20, where my Comprehensive Plan shows overcrowding is particularly acute. Thank you to the Department of Education and the School Construction Authority for championing these new education opportunities for our youngest New Yorkers.”

    “As communities across Queens continue to grow, our need for more school seats is clear. With the opening of Motion Picture Tech High School slated for this fall, hundreds of Queens students will be able to enjoy a specialized education in preparation of careers in the film production industry,” said Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. “I look forward to working with NYC Schools to rapidly expand our stock of school seats across Queens in the months and years to come.”

    “Adding a Bard High School Early College Program as an option for students in Senate District 19 is an excellent investment in the community. It will lead to a path of many opportunities for the students who will attend. I look forward to its opening in the upcoming academic year and commend Chancellor Banks on his vision to reimagine the student experience by providing more educational options to our scholars”. – Senator Roxanne J. Persaud.

    “We are excited to bring a new Middle School to District 9 in the 77th Assembly District. The children in our community deserve a quality education that will allow them to reach their potential to be great New Yorkers. All of our children deserve quality education in updated educational environments.” -Assembly Member Landon Dais, 77th District

    “I am thrilled to celebrate the opening of nine new schools for the 2024-25 academic year. This announcement marks a significant investment in our children’s future and underscores our commitment to providing quality education opportunities for all. These new schools will not only enrich our educational landscape but also empower our students to reach their fullest potential. I commend the dedication and vision of the educators, administrators, and community members who have worked tirelessly to bring these institutions to life. Together, let us embrace this exciting milestone and continue to prioritize the success and well-being of every student in our great city.” – Council Member Rita Joseph and Chair, Education Committee

    “As a District 20 kid, I’m really so proud just to be around for this moment. Since day one, I’ve made it my mission to help build as many new public schools as I could so that every child will have the same access to opportunity that I had growing up. District 20 is one of the best school districts in the city and therefore it is also one of the most overcrowded so building new schools is truly a win-win for generations to come. I deeply value this partnership with Chancellor Banks and NYC Public Schools because strong schools ultimately equal strong communities.” – Council Member Justin Brannan and Chair, Finance committee

    “I alongside many of my constituents welcome the opening of new public schools in South Brooklyn. Even more so, I’m very excited to see a middle school in Sunset Park set to provide a culturally competent education with Spanish and Chinese programming to meet our students where they are. I thank the Department for recognizing the diverse needs of the people in our neighborhood and I look forward to working with the principal, teachers, and parent bodies on the naming of the school and so much more!”- Council Member Alexa Avilés

    “Ensuring the provision of high-quality education accompanied by comprehensive support for every child in the 42nd Council District is essential. This school model will help prepare our students academically and with personal growth.” – Council Member Chris Banks

    “I’m excited to celebrate the opening of Motion Picture Technical High School in CEC 30 to ensure our scholars have access to high-quality public school education,” said Council Member Julie Won. “This new high school on Northern Boulevard will provide students with technical film and television skills to prepare them for careers at institutions like Silvercup Studios and beyond. Thank you to Chancellor Banks and NYC Public Schools for your partnership in providing our children with the educational opportunities they need to flourish.”

    “As the mother of two girls attending our city’s wonderful public school system, it is necessary that we build more schools and make sure that every student has a seat in the classroom. Every student has a right to a quality education. I’m incredibly grateful to Chancellor Banks and the Department of Education for prioritizing the expansion of schools in our district. This is a tremendous step forward in our efforts as a city towards education equity.”

    – Council Member Susan Zhuang

  • Dr. Jagdish Gupta bestowed President Gold Medal by the Brooklyn Medical Society in a Bicentennial Year Honor

    Dr. Jagdish Gupta bestowed President Gold Medal by the Brooklyn Medical Society in a Bicentennial Year Honor

    BROOKLYN, NY (TIP): The Medical Society of the County of Kings (MSCK), Brooklyn’s oldest scientific organization, honored Dr. Jagdish K. Gupta with the President Gold Medal, inducting him into its Prestigious President-Club. The County Society was celebrating its 174th President’s Dinner at Dyker Beach Golf Club, culminating in a grand finale to its Bicentennial Year Celebrations. MSCK President Dr. Madhu Gudavalli introduced the guest of honor, Dr. Gupta, President of the Association of Indians in America – (AIA-NY chapter), and invited 14 past presidents of the society, along with Dr. Parag Mehta, past President of the Medical Society of the State, to honor Dr Gupta with the 174th President Gold Medal. Dr. Robert Frankle, Chairman of the Board of the Medical Society of the State of New York, presented the plaque-award to Dr. Gupta. Additional citations from NYS Senator Andrew Gounardes and Assemblyman Lester Chang were presented to Dr Gupta by Dr. Lance Austein, past President, and Dr. Donald Moore, past President and Vice Chairman of MSCK. Mrs. Meena Gupta was presented with the Golden Charm as the 174th First Lady. While accepting the honor with humility, Dr. Gupta reflected on the highlights of the MSCK’s Bicentennial Year Celebrations that started last year marking 200 years of its advocacy, dedication, and patient care. Proclamations at the state Assembly and City Council had declared May 25, 2022 as the “Bicentennial Celebration Day for MSCK.” Another notable achievement of MSCK involved a collaborative session with other New York counties and MSSNY at the iconic Brooklyn Borough Hall. A video message from NYS Senate Majority Leader Hon. Andrea Stewart-Cousins and a personal session with NYS Health Committee Chairman, Hon. Gustav Rivera, and six other Assembly members emphasized opposition to the Wrongful Death Liability Expansion Bill. The successful veto of the bill by Governor Kathy Hochul marked a rare achievement against the trial lawyers’ association.
    The prestigious event was chaired by Dr. Neeraj Acharya, Past President and Treasurer of MSCK, and unfolded under the guidance of Dr. Sherman Dunn, Chairman of the MSCK Board, and Dr. Gudavalli, the current President. The keynote address by Dr. Sanjiv Chopra on “Reflections on Lasting Happiness and Living with Purpose” received a standing ovation. An exhibition curated by County Historian, Dr. Moore, displayed historical artifacts, The dinner event concluded with a cake-cutting ceremony, where the past Presidents of the MSCK and other prominent guests joined Dr. Jagdish Gupta to celebrate his induction into the Board of Trustees of the Academy of Medicine of Brooklyn.

  • Selena Gomez has found love in The Chainsmokers’ star Drew Taggart

    Selena Gomez has found love in The Chainsmokers’ star Drew Taggart

    Singer-actress Selena Gomez, who recently slammed netizens over body-shaming, is said to be enjoying time with The Chainsmokers star Drew Taggart. The couple is apparently not afraid to showcase their “casual” relationship. The singer, 30, had recently joked she was in a ‘throuple’ with Nicola Peltz-Beckham and her hubby Brooklyn, but it appears she’s now potentially found a man of her own!

    The former Disney Channel star is said to be “so affectionate” with her fellow musician as the pair enjoy regular date nights. A source claimed, “Selena can hardly keep her hands off him…They are having a lot of fun together.”

    The news comes after Selena admitted she is ‘a little big right now’ in a response to fans who tried to body-shame her following her appearance on the red carpet for this year’s Golden Globe Awards.

  • Woman pushed onto Subway tracks dies; elected officials express concern and indignation

    Woman pushed onto Subway tracks dies; elected officials express concern and indignation

    NEW YORK CITY (TIP): A woman was killed on Saturday, January 15 morning after she was pushed in front of an oncoming subway train at the Times Square station, the police said.The woman was standing on the platform around 9:30 a.m. waiting for the train to arrive at the station at 42nd Street in Manhattan, the police said. As a Brooklyn-bound R train pulled into the station, she was pushed onto the tracks and struck by it.

    She died at the scene, the police said. Her name was not immediately released. Officers took a man who they said may be homeless into custody shortly afterward, and he was still being questioned at around 11 a.m., the police said. A second man was also being interviewed, the police said. The woman who was killed was Asian, though it was unclear whether she was targeted because of her race or ethnicity.

    Unprovoked attacks on Asian Americans during the pandemic, including several in the subway system, have stoked fear and anger in New York and elsewhere, with activists and elected officials pointing both to mental illness and the impact of rhetoric blaming the coronavirus on China.

    The killing on Saturday lies at the crux of several issues that have spurred concerns from some New Yorkers over subway safety since the pandemic began. It came after state and city officials this month announced changes to how the police would operate in the transit system and work with homeless people as they aim to lure back more riders.

    Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mr. Adams have said that the more than 2,000 officers who are assigned to patrol the system will lead more regular sweeps of subway platforms and trains as they attempt to ease broad concerns of crime.

    Elected officials said the killing on Saturday underscored the importance of a more well-rounded approach to matters of safety and homelessness in the subway system. “We need to implement better policies to protect New Yorkers riding mass transit and to get people the proper help that they need — mental and social services,” Representative Grace Meng wrote on Twitter after the killing. The state plans to develop small teams of social workers and medical professionals to provide services as homelessness on the streets and subways persist for thousands. Officials said that transit officers would make referrals to the teams, with an aim to better address the needs of people who are homeless or who have mental illnesses. Mr. Adams said that he believed an underlying “perception of crime” had prompted worries among some subway riders.

    New York State Senator John C. Liu commenting on the incidents of attacks on Asians across New York City, said in a statement issued to media: “It’s 2022 and Asians in New York City and around America still suffer from relentless and hate-fueled attacks on a regular basis. Just this week, there have been at least three despicable and high-profile attacks on Asians – one on the eve of Korean American Day when a good Samaritan was assaulted as he attempted to help a man shivering in the cold, then an elderly woman was viciously shoved to the ground in Queens resulting in serious injuries, and finally today’s horrific and fatal attack in the subway. In addition, Yao Pan Ma, a 61-year-old who was collecting cans when he was attacked eight months ago, sadly succumbed to his injuries this week. Mayor Adams has shown tremendous promise in his commitment to address public safety, but hatred doesn’t care about who’s in office. Our city clearly needs to act immediately to address these unending attacks; do more to connect mental health services to those who so desperately need them and redouble our efforts to improve and expand education about the Asian American community and experience.”

    Transit officials have emphasized that serious crimes in the system are at their lowest in decades, and major felonies were at their lowest combined total in 25 years through November. However, ridership was also much lower, and the rate of several crimes per million riders has risen since 2019.

    High-profile attacks throughout the pandemic against Asian New Yorkers, along with other episodes, such as assaults, stabbings and the shoving of people onto tracks, have also generated a flurry of news reports about violence that transit officials say have fed the fears. Three murders were reported in 2019 in the system; that the number doubled to six in 2020. Through November, six murders were also reported in 2021.

  • Man kills his 1-year-old daughter, stepdad and half-brother in Brooklyn home before shooting himself

    Man kills his 1-year-old daughter, stepdad and half-brother in Brooklyn home before shooting himself

    Mohammed Jaffer

    BROOKLYN, NY (TIP): A festering family feud ended in a Brooklyn bloodbath, with a deranged gunman executing his 1-year-old daughter, stepdad and half-brother before turning the gun on himself.

    The bodies of Terrance Briggs and his three relatives were discovered Wednesday, March 14 in the blood-spattered apartment when Briggs’ mother returned home around 5 a.m., police said.

    Briggs marched methodically from room to room, pumping bullets into the heads of his victims, including helpless little Laylay Briggs, Loyd Drain Jr., 57, and his 16-year-old namesake son Loyd III.

    Briggs, whose previous domestic battles with the stepdad brought cops to their home at least twice, saved the last bullet for himself, cops said.

    Manhattan dad recalls shock of learning nanny killed his two kids

    The little girl’s mother, Olivia Callender, was away on an overnight gambling trip when the horror unfolded, police sources said.

    “My baby! My baby,” the 27-year-old woman wailed at a prayer vigil outside the Riverdale Osborne Towers in Brownsville.

    “She’s gone. She’s not coming back. My Laylay. Oh my God,” she cried, her tear-streaked face buried in her hands.

    Cops believe Briggs, 27, shot his stepfather first in the bathroom, then blasted his teen brother in a bedroom as he played video games. He finally killed his own daughter in a second bedroom.

  • 60-year-old dies after man he met for rendezvous bashed him in the head with dumbbell

    60-year-old dies after man he met for rendezvous bashed him in the head with dumbbell

    Mohammed Jaffer

    NEW YORK CITY (TIP): A Brooklyn man was bludgeoned to death with a dumbbell Wednesday, March 14, by a man he tried to put the moves on, police said.

    Clifford Williams, 60, met the 21-year-old suspect on the street outside his apartment on Willoughby Ave. near Marcus Garvey Blvd. in Bedford-Stuyvesant shortly before 2 a.m., sources said.

    The pair went up to Williams’ fifth-story apartment, where Williams came on to the suspect, cops said.

    The younger man allegedly grabbed a dumbbell and smashed Williams in the head.

    Williams’ stepfather, who also lives there, called 911.

    The septuagenarian was rushed to Woodhull Hospital, where he died, according to authorities.

    The suspect remained in the apartment, where cops took him into custody pending charges.