Please sign on to the following letter:

Dear Superintendent Mashel, Mr. Caccioppoli, and Mr. Shelton,

As parents of current or graduated Riverdale Kingsbridge Academy students and as current or past officers in the RKA Parents Association, we’re writing to ask you not to place PS 24 students at RKA next year as has been proposed.

While we’re sympathetic to the situation faced by PS 24 administrators and parents, RKA is already dealing with space issues of its own. Many teachers now float between classrooms, hallways are so crowded during passing periods that students often can’t make it to their next class on time, and the cafeteria and other common areas are similiarly full.

RKA, a school built originally for middle school students only, is overcrowded and each year brings a larger group of incoming 6th graders. Next year there may be almost 300 in 6th grade alone, pushing our overall school population toward 1,500. Accommodating RKA students is challenging this year, and it will be more so as the population grows.

The two classrooms under consideration are being used now. There are an average of 30 students in each of these rooms in each of six periods. Moving PS 24 children in would mean finding alternate space for these RKA students in their own school building.

Community members fought hard to create a neighborhood middle-high school for Riverdale and Kingsbridge. RKA is a vibrant part of the community and most of the students in the area attend the school. Please don’t compromise the school environment students in grades 6-12 deserve by co-locating children from another school at RKA.

We appreciate your consideration.

Best regards,

Please note that this letter has already been signed by more than 60 RKA parents in addition to the online signers and may also be shared with our local elected officials and other Department of Education officials.