UES Families, Lawmakers Rally To Save Local After-School Programs

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — The fight to preserve after-school programs at two Upper East Side schools made it to City Hall this week, as lawmakers joined families Monday to demand greater transparency from the city about its decision to replace longtime providers.

The Monday rally came just weeks after families raised alarms over the city's decision to replace Manhattan Youth's afterschool programs at two Upper East Side public middle schools: the Robert F. Wagner Middle School and Yorkville East Middle School.

During the rally, Upper East Side Councilmembers Julie Menin and Virginia Maloney called on the Department of Youth and Community Development to reconsider contract decisions affecting middle-school after-school programs across New York City.

"Families have raised legitimate questions about how these contracts were awarded, what criteria were used, and whether community voices were adequately considered," Maloney said. "I have called on DYCD to provide the information necessary for parents and school communities to understand these decisions."

Menin said the City Council has twice requested information from the department about how the contracts were awarded and called on the agency to provide families with answers about the process.

"The Council has met with DYCD and twice requested greater transparency into how these contracts were awarded, but families still deserve clear answers and confidence that their children will not lose the breadth and quality of programming they have come to depend on," Menin said. "I am joining them today to call on the Mayor and DYCD to listen to these communities and reconsider these decisions before the proposed transitions move forward."

Parents of students at affected schools previously told Patch they are concerned that replacing established providers could disrupt programs students depend on for academics, arts, athletics and enrichment activities.

"Why would you take a program that was working perfectly and yank it out of the system for no reason?" Sharon D'Agostino, the vice president of Wagner's parent-teacher association, told Patch.

The rally follows weeks of organizing by families across Manhattan. Parents have launched a petition that gathered thousands of signatures and previously held a rally outside Wagner Middle School, where students and families urged city officials to reverse the decision.

Bob Townley, the executive director and founder of Manhattan Youth, said he was concerned about the way the contracts for the afterschool providers were awarded.

"Our concerns regarding the RFP process center on what appears to be an emphasis on written proposals rather than demonstrated program quality, proven attendance outcomes, and a long history of excellence in sports, STEM, arts, and more than 150 different enrichment activities," Townley said.

At Monday's event, families called on the city to pause the transitions, engage directly with school communities and allow principals, parents and students to play a greater role in determining who provides after-school services.

The city has not publicly indicated whether it plans to revisit the contract awards, but previously told Patch that the decision is final.

"We recognize that transitions are challenging and that parents and youth value relationships with their after-school providers," a spokesperson from the Department of Youth and Community Development told Patch. "Families can be reassured that programs will remain free, activities will continue to be enriching and safe, and the City and schools will work closely with the incoming providers to ensure a smooth transition."

The contracts with new providers will run through 2032.

For questions, email Miranda.Levingston@Patch.com.