{"id":294,"date":"2025-04-22T17:32:44","date_gmt":"2025-04-22T17:32:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/council.nyc.gov\/amanda-farias\/?p=294"},"modified":"2025-04-28T14:00:20","modified_gmt":"2025-04-28T14:00:20","slug":"majority-leader-farias-celebrates-win-to-keep-preston-high-school-doors-open","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/council.nyc.gov\/amanda-farias\/2025\/04\/22\/majority-leader-farias-celebrates-win-to-keep-preston-high-school-doors-open\/","title":{"rendered":"Majority Leader Far\u00edas Celebrates Win to Keep Preston High School Doors Open"},"content":{"rendered":"

Bronx, NY<\/strong> \u2014 New York City Council Majority Leader Amanda Far\u00edas proudly announced today that Preston High School, a beloved all-girls Catholic high school in Throggs Neck, will remain open following the public hearing by New York State Attorney General Letitia James.<\/p>\n

This announcement follows several weeks of tireless advocacy from students, alumni, families, elected officials, and community leaders who came together to oppose the unjust and untimely closure of Preston High School. Despite strong enrollment and academic success, the school faced the threat of being shuttered permanently.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a proud Preston alumna, I\u2019ve been deeply invested in this fight from day one; organizing, advocating, and working directly with stakeholders to ensure Preston had a future,\u201d said Majority Leader Far\u00edas. \u201cThis outcome, including the historic agreement with the Bally\u2019s Foundation to secure Preston\u2019s home for the next 25 years, shows what\u2019s possible when we lead with love, persistence, and unity. I was proud to be at the negotiating table shaping a deal that protects not just a school, but a legacy.<\/p>\n

\u201cPreston is more than a school; it\u2019s a home, a launching pad, and a symbol of possibility for young women, especially here in the Bronx. This outcome is a powerful example of what local leadership can achieve when it\u2019s rooted in community. Senator Nathalia Fern\u00e1ndez and I stepped up, used our platforms, and worked with our colleagues to deliver real results. This is what it means to lead with community at the heart of the work.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile this progress gives us hope, the work isn\u2019t over. We must now focus on securing Preston\u2019s long-term independence and sustainability.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to thank Attorney General Letitia James for her swift and thoughtful action. Her open communication and commitment to keeping all parties at the table were instrumental in reaching this turning point and in ensuring that due process and community voices were respected throughout.<\/p>\n

\u201cI also commend the Bally\u2019s Foundation for their commitment to Preston and to expanding educational opportunities for young women in the Bronx. Their support has secured Preston\u2019s home for decades to come and provided critical capital investment at a pivotal time. Their leadership has made a lasting impact.\u201d<\/p>\n

Majority Leader Far\u00edas, who graduated from Preston High School in 2007, led a coalition of elected officials calling for transparency and accountability after the Sisters of the Divine Compassion rejected an $8.5 million offer to keep the school open, including a public appeal to the Attorney General\u2019s Office to intervene. In response, Attorney General Letitia James held a formal public hearing earlier this month to evaluate the proposed closure and hear directly from students, teachers, alumni, elected officials, and community members. Today, following several weeks of advocacy and a formal public hearing, the Attorney General confirmed that Preston High School will remain open under the historic agreement previously secured by our coalition. The Bally\u2019s Foundation of North America has purchased the school property from the Sisters and will lease it to Preston High School for $1 per year over the next 25 years, with options to renew in five-year intervals, securing Preston\u2019s future while honoring the community that fought to preserve it.<\/p>\n

Acknowledging the collective effort behind this outcome, <\/strong>the Majority Leader expressed deep gratitude to Principal Jennifer Connolly, the Forever Preston Alumni members Crystal Donkor, Stefanie Fedak Rodrigues, Vanessa Javier, and Jackeline Stewart-Hawkins, the entire Preston community, State Senator Nathalia Fernandez, State Assemblymember Michael Benedetto, and the thousands of supporters who signed petitions, rallied, and never stopped fighting. She also reaffirmed her commitment to ensuring that institutions uplifting young women, especially in underserved communities, receive the investment, recognition, and protection they deserve.<\/p>\n

For media inquiries, please contact:
Nathalie Levey | <\/strong>Director of Communications, Majority Leader Amanda Far\u00edas
nlevey@council.nyc.gov | (332) 227-2157<\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Bronx, NY<\/strong> \u2014 New York City Council Majority Leader Amanda Far\u00edas proudly announced today that Preston High School, a beloved all-girls Catholic high school in Throggs Neck, will remain open following the public hearing by New York State Attorney General Letitia James.<\/p>\n

This announcement follows several weeks of tireless advocacy from students, alumni, families, elected officials, and community leaders who came together to oppose the unjust and untimely closure of Preston High School.<\/p>\n

…<\/p>\n

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