Greek Orthodox School expanding in Whitestone

From the Times Ledger:

Community Board 7 approved an expansion of a Whitestone Greek Orthodox church’s school at a meeting Monday night by a vote of 35-1.

Dozens of parents and educators flooded the meeting to voice their support for the proposal, which will more than double the size of the existing Holy Cross of Whitestone school from 5,870 square feet to a 14,201-square-foot building.

“My son has seen his parents, his teachers and community coming together to not only build his school, but also his future,” said Dina Skokos, a Holy Cross parent whose son is in the first-grade. “I know that will have a profound impact on the boy he is today and the man he will be tomorrow.”

Holy Cross, located at 150-05 12th Ave., first opened as a nursery and daycare center in 2002 and became a school with a kindergarten class in 2008. The school, which has had to bring in trailers to accommodate its growing student population, now offers third-grade classes and is going to add fourth-grade in the fall.

The proposed enlargement will enable the school, which currently has 180 students, to add a fifth-grade and to grow its capacity to 250 students.

No one spoke out in opposition to the expansion at the meeting, but Kim Cody, a CB 7 member and president of the Greater Whitestone Taxpayers Civic Association, quietly voted against it.

Cody, who lives near the school, said in an interview later that he had concerns about traffic in the area, as there is also a preschool on the same corner called Qsac Preschool, in addition to a number of public and private facilities, such as the Whitestone Academy and the Whitestone Community Volunteer Ambulance Service.