Forest Hills Beacon School Could Close July 1

was slated for closure on Friday, drawing the ire of local groups and a campaign to protect children's programs.

The program has been a target for budget cuts for months, after an announcement last year that its funding was more than the city could afford.

SInce then, there has been a concerted effort from local electeds and civic groups to prevent the Beacon School's closure.

On Friday, the Campaign for Children got involved, urging Mayor Michael Bloomberg to reverse his planned cuts.

"These closures mean that thousands of young people will be left without the educational, enriching after-school environments that help them succeed in school, and thousands of parents will be forced to scramble to find safe places for their children while they’re at work," said Campaign spokeswoman Emma Woods. "This is just the tip of the iceberg – with the Mayor’s proposed cuts to child care and after-school programs, more than 47,000 children and families face this same crisis this year. Mayor Bloomberg must restore funding for child care and after-school programs that children and working families depend on.”

and have personally made the Beacon school a priority for funding, but so far nothing has moved the needle in the program's favor.

Do you depend on the Beacon school at Russell Sage? Tell us how the program has helped you or your children.