In a press conference last Friday, Borough President Claire Shulman challenged Governor Pataki to quit his day job for just a day, to be a principal of Newtown High School.

Queens schools are the most overcrowded in the City, with Newtown at the top of the list. Newtown is also the eighth most overcrowded school in the country. The school is bursting at the seams with 4,500 students when it has a capacity for 2,800.

The Pataki invitation comes months after a landmark decision that found that the State of New York does not provide sufficient funding for "sound education" for New York City children.

School construction in Queens has been accelerated to promise the borough 11 new schools by 2004. This school year alone, Queens received 7,176 seats, more than 50 percent of new seats citywide.

"It’s very exciting for the students," said Newtown Principal John Ficalora. "I hope this an opportunity for the Governor to see how much we are in need
of space. . . Despite all the difficulties we can still provide a good education," said Ficalora.

Shulman also took Pataki aside for a private conversation about the New York Power Authority’s (NYPA) power plants being built on the Long Island City waterfront.

"She just asked for his help," said spokesperson Dan Andrews.

Shulman is concerned about the power plants’ location on a pristine waterfront property.

NYPA is rushing to get two turbine generators at the plant operational by a self-imposed deadline of June 1st.

Shulman’s concern is that the power plants were supposed to be temporary until 2003. However, a public hearing last week revealed that the plants might be around a lot longer.

Shulman noted that the Fresh Kills garbage site in Staten Island was supposed to be temporary.

"She wants [the power plants] out of there," said Andrews.

Television pundits are questioning the start-off success of NBC’s recently debuted Queens-based sitcom "The Fighting Fitzgeralds."

While the show has enjoyed healthy ratings and periodic appearances in the top 20 of the Nielsen ratings, analysts wonder how much of that is based on merit or the fact that the longtime smash hit "Fraiser" airs the same evening.

A move to a different day and time might be the beginning of the end for the fictitious Fitz family, some entertainment publications have speculated.

Airing on Tuesdays at 8 p.m., the show details the life of a loud yet lovable Irish American dad (Brian Dennehey) and the trials he suffers at the hands of his three adult sons "who can’t seem to escape the gravitational pull that frequently places them back on the door step," of their father’s Queens home, according to the network.

The program is partly the brainchild of actor Ed Burns, who starred in films such as "Saving Private Ryan" and created the critically acclaimed film "The Brothers McMullen."

In case anyone was wondering what all the hubbub was in Oakland Gardens last week, shooting was taking place for an upcoming episode of the NBC series "Third Watch."

Camera crews were seen setting up shop in the early morning hours of March 21 on 73rd Avenue and 224th Street for the shoot.

"Third Watch," airs on Mondays at 10 p.m.

Bush League

Shulman Snubbed

"An exhaustive, comprehensive reference guide" — that’s what Beep Claire Shulman is quoted as saying on the Yale University Press’ website about "The Encyclopedia of New York City"— but the thing we here at QConfidential have to ask is "What book were you reading?"

We agree, that the thousand-plus page book is an excellent tool for all who want to learn about the people and places that have made Big Apple history but c’mon Claire, don’t be modest, they left you out.

And it’s not like they forgot any of her contemporaries either.

The last publishing date of the resource guide, edited by Kenneth Jackson, was in 1995 when Shulman had begun her ninth year in office.

For those who are counting, Shulman had been serving the city for seven more years than Rudy Giuliani.

We admit that Shulman’s name is listed under the category of Borough Presidents.

But at QConf we think it’s about time that Jackson and the other editors give due to the woman who gave 16 years to the City’s best borough when they publish a new edition.

Give Shulman her own listing!

And Claire, the next time you provide a review of a book, make sure you read carefully and let this example serve as proof that writers can sometimes leave the best parts out.

Confidentially New York . . .

E-MAIL your items to: conf@queenspress.com