Expanding the SUNY Maritime Educational Pipeline: One Step Closer To The Dream Of A Harbor Middle School

For the past several years, I have had the privilege of working with Murray Fisher, President of the New York Harbor Foundation and Urban Assembly New York Harbor School staff to help build a pipeline for Harbor School graduates into SUNY Maritime, one of the premier maritime institutions in the world. From this collaboration, the idea emerged to create a Harbor Middle School. For the past several years, I have been working with a wide range of stakeholders to create a feeder middle school in Red Hook or Sunset Park that would expand the Harbor pipeline to students all across Brooklyn.

Recently, I reconvened the Harbor School Working Group for an update on the proposal for a Harbor Middle School. I am pleased to announce that after a year of evaluating potential sites, President Grillo and the School Construction Authority (SCA) have identified a site in Red Hook to be the permanent home for the Harbor Middle School. While negotiations continue, SCA hopes to begin the review process in the next two months.

The maritime industry is a source of exciting and well paying careers. New York City is surrounded by water and it is vital to maintain a  working, industrial waterfront. I am committed to ensuring that all of our children have the opportunity to explore this fascinating career path. I look forward to continuing to engage stakeholders as this project moves progresses.

For more information about SUNY Maritime, visit www.sunymaritime.edu

For more information about Urban Assembly New York Harbor School, visit https://www.newyorkharborschool.org

To learn more about Senator Montgomery's efforts to build an education pipeline into SUNY Maritime, download the timeline PDF and visit:

https://www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/articles/velmanette-montgomery/senator-montgomery-reconvenes-harbor-school-working-group

https://www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/articles/velmanette-montgomery/senator-montgomery-receives-captains-award-new-york-harbor