Stop the Relocation of HST

The Department of Education (DOE) has determined that they have a shortage of elementary school space for students living on the East Side of Manhattan. As a potential solution to this problem, they have proposed that they turn 421 E 88th St (OUR SCHOOL) into an elementary school and move us to another location next year. They offered to move us to the site currently housing Urban Peace Academy at 1st Ave and 120th St. The building also houses two middle schools.

We have told the DOE that we are not interested in moving to this new location because we feel that it would be detrimental to our students and our school community. We feel that a lot of our students might want to transfer instead of going to school at this other location. Although the proposed building has a real gym, a swimming pool, and a real auditorium, all of these facilities would have to be shared with the middle schools. We are concerned about after school activities continuing and about potential negative influences from the students attending the other schools. Many of our students have expressed concerns about the location and how it might affect the tone of our school.

As alumni of HST, we know how much this building meant to us in during our high school years. It was never just a building-- it was a home where we found safety, comfort and endless memories that cannot be replicated anywhere else, and most especially in a space shared by other schools. Having its own building in the neighborhood where it is currently located afforded HST the opportunities to establish after-school extra curricular activities, assemblies, school-wide activities and field trips without concern for other schools' agendas. We wish these conditions to be the same for all future HST students.