Senator Golden: Department of Education Approves Nest Program for Marine Park Junior High School

Brooklyn- State Senator Martin J. Golden (R-C-I, Brooklyn) today issued a statement announcing that the New York City Department of Education has approved the ASD Nest Program for placement at Intermediate School 278, the Marine Park Junior High School, beginning in the 2012-2013 school year:

“The New York City Department of Education should be commended for working with the school, and listening to the community and the parents, and granting their wish to see Intermediate School 278 designated as an ASD Nest Program site. For the past couple of years, I have strongly encouraged the Department of Education to increase their capability to serve higher functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder students by adding a program at this school.

I am proud to have worked alongside all the interested parties and to be able to announce today that starting Fall 2012, the Marine Park Junior High School will be a site that will assist in aiding the special education needs of the neighborhood. This is a victory for all of School District 22, and I hope that the two sections which will be added in September, will be the start of a successful program designed around educating our children in need.”

The ASD Nest Program started in September 2003 and since then, the Department of Education has opened more than twenty sites, and serves more than 400 children.