Construction Begins At New Sunset Park School

SUNSET PARK, BROOKLYN — Officials on Monday broke ground on a new K-8 school in Sunset Park, the first of four new schools coming to the neighborhood.

The school, on the corner of 59th Street and Third Avenue, will hold 676 kids in District 20, which includes lower Sunset Park, Bay Ridge, Borough Park and Bensonhurst, DNAinfo reported when the school location was announced.

City Councilman Carlos Menchaca, whose district includes Sunset Park and Red Hook, joined leaders from Community Board 7 at the groundbreaking.

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"This groundbreaking marks the dawn of a new day in Sunset Park," City Councilman Carlos Menchaca, whose district includes Red Hook and Sunset Park, said in a statement.

"Sadly, for too long our students have been chronically underserved when it comes to education, crammed into classrooms with class sizes well beyond the capacity. This hurts students’ ability to grow and excel, especially in communities like ours with higher than average numbers of English Language Learners."

The location is one of four new schools that Menchaca has announced during his tenure as city councilman.

The other new schools coming are located at 46th Street and Eighth Avenue; 43rd Street and Fourth Avenue; and 36th Street and Fifth Avenue.

"With construction now underway, we have a brighter future to look forward to," Menchaca said about the 39th Street school. "This is the result of a community coming together and working with their elected official to address a vital need.

"Today's crucial step is just the latest in our effort provide a new sense of opportunity to Sunset Park students, and I pledge to keep up this effort - working with the DOE to bring quality dual-language programming to our beautifully diverse community."

Additionally, Menchaca has been working on a deal to turn St. Agatha School, which will close at the end of the semester, into a public school. That deal "is moving forward" and would require capital work before the school could be converted, a Menchaca campaign spokesman told Patch.

Menchaca faces re-election in September's Democratic primary for his city council seat. One of his opponents, Assemblyman Felix Ortiz, has also been vocal in his support for keeping St. Agatha open.

Image courtesy Carlos Menchaca campaign