Earlier today, EV Grieve reported on the closure of Open Road Park. We now have more details about what led to the closure. The park was closed by officials at East Side Community High School; principal Mark Federman cited an increase in drinking, smoking, fighting, littering and vandalism on the premises as the reasons for the closure. The school will hold a public meeting next week to discuss how to improve conditions at the park — in the meantime, children will have to look for another spot to skate and shoot some hoops.
—Chelsia Rose Marcius
EAST SIDE COMMUNITY SCHOOL
Meeting Set on Park Closure
By CHELSIA ROSE MARCIUSCommon Traits at Successful Schools
By ANDRE TARTAR
Andre Tartar A group of eighth grade students at Tompkins Square Middle School, one of two schools in the East Village to receive “A” grades on a recent evaluation of city schools. Students attributed the school’s success to strong bonds with the faculty. “We are like a family,” said one eighth grader.The halls of Tompkins Square Middle School fill with children headed to their next classes. The silver-haired dean of community affairs, Devan Aptekar, warns a visitor to get ready for some noise. But it never really comes. Instead of hollering and ricocheting off the walls, students chat with each other using their inside voices. A few even wave hello to Mr. Aptekar as they pass. Nearby, a math teacher jokes with a student and asks him to answer a question before he can enter the class: “What is negative fourteen squared?” Clearly, something is going right here.
In the wake of the recent progress reports on which East Village schools performed poorly, The Local decided to ask the two schools awarded “A” grades, Tompkins Square Middle School and East Side Community School, about the ingredients of their success.
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