DOE To Slash Teachers At Metropolitan Campus

Late Sunday night the Department of Education released potential layoff information specific to schools across the city, and in Forest Hills, the news is grim.

While District 28 is losing five percent of its overall staff — a relatively low number compared to other areas — some of the schools in Forest Hills are being hit hard by layoffs.

The current “last-in, first-out” policy will have a big impact on at least two schools in the area. After less than a year of operation, the schools at Metropolitan Educational Campus are likely to be the hardest hit, with both and the losing 35 percent of their active teachers.

The schools are small but still growing, at MELS, the layoffs will leave six teachers without jobs, while the high school will lose nine teachers. The layoff announcement comes on the heels of

Community Board 6 District Manager Frank Gulluscio said he was deeply concerned about what the cuts could mean for the students at the school.

“I imagine that would be a major impact since the school is in its infancy stage,” Gulluscio said. “I think that would hurt them. It would hurt every school and every kid, but particularly that school. … It’s a major concern, the biggest is the impact to the children and the campus.”

will also lose six teachers. Some schools in the area, including , will not suffer any layoffs.

More on this story as it becomes available.