A pre-k and kindergarten annex for P.S. 234 has emerged as the leading solution to the school's growing population. The idea was put forth by the Department of Education last month in a meeting with community representatives, and on May 18 it got the endorsement of Community Board 1

"This is not a final decision," said Paul Goldstein, CB1 district manager. "But this is where most people thought it should go."

		A resolution passed by the board gives support to the annex proposal, but with two stipulations: that school and community representatives be involved in making the final decision and that the annex not be viewed as a substitute for new schools. The only "rational and effective" solution to overcrowding, the resolution states, is building new elementary and middle schools, "with the proposed k-8 school on the east side but a first step." P.S. 234's parent coordinator, Kathy Sussel, told the board that adding more classroom space could allow the school to grow too large. If the student population goes over 700 students, she said, the school would become very difficult to manage. "We understand that," said Madelyn Wils, CB1 chairwoman. "That's why we're working hard to get
another school." The resolution also calls for admission to P.S. 234 and P.S. 89 to be limited to zoned residents with no variances given to students from other neighborhoods. The 10,000-square-foot "feeder" school, likely to be located in a planned residential tower on the lot behind P.S. 234, known as Site 5C, is a scaled-back version of an earlier city idea to create a pre-k through second-grade school there. That plan was roundly rejected by the community board and P.S. 234 principal Sandy Bridges. Even dividing the school by moving just the pre-k and kindergarten to another building is far from an ideal solution, said Bridges. "Splitting up the school is very upsetting to me. But building another school is not going to happen in the near future and I have to accept that. I have to look at the best possible options that are available to me and if building an annex, and increasing the size somewhat is what it takes, I'll do the best I can with it." Bridges said she understood that an assistant principal would head a P.S. 234 annex. It is unclear whether the proposed annex would share facilities with P.S. 89. "My concern is that with the school getting larger and classroom space going into ancillary space on 5C, the school will be taxed with more kids and no common space, specifically lunchroom, gym and auditorium," said Bob Townley, a CB1 member. Townley is the director of Manhattan Youth, which will probably run a community center also proposed for the Site 5C development. Plans for a k-8 school to be built on the east side of Broadway are proceeding, according to Mariano Guzman, the Region 9 deputy superintendent. He told the CB1 Youth and Education Committee that the city's plan is for a 90,000-square-foot school that would accommodate 630 students. "I am very pleased the deputy superintendent is telling us we're getting a k-8 school on the east side," said committee chairman Paul Hovitz. In the meeting, Guzman said that the prospective East Side school was "the one on Water Street," apparently referring to 250 Water Street, a development site that has been under discussion for a school. Later, however, he said that no location had been definitively determined.