IMPORTANT DATES
Remember, you can find all of our newsletters on our website here: News
Saturday, April 17 - Equity Book Swap, in the school yard, 11 AM-1 PM (details below)
Wednesday, April 21 - PTA Virtual General Mtg, 6:30 PM (Nomination Meeting)
Wednesday, April 28 - Coping With & Managing Anxiety Virtual Workshop, 6:00 PM (details below)
Thursday, May 6 - Implicit Bias Awareness Workshop, 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Tuesday, May 11 - SLT Meeting, 4:15pm (contact slt_info@ps154.org for info)
Thursday, May 13 - Eid Al-Fitr - Schools Closed
Springtime is a busy time of year in schools so be sure to read through this newsletter carefully. Please continue to check your Google Classrooms for information from your teacher. As a reminder, you should also check Mr. Foreman's Google Classroom for important updates: class code gk2k2sr
SCHOOL UPDATES
COPING WITH AND MANAGING ANXIETY
Wednesday, April 28, 2021 6:00 PM
Join us for an informative and interactive workshop presented by Julene Mays, LMSW. Julene is a NY Department of Education Social Worker and Certified Psychotherapist with twelve years of experience helping students and families. From a subtle feeling that is just below the surface to outright panic, overcoming anxiety is a challenge that many of us face. Learn techniques to help both you and your child cope with and reduce anxiety in these challenging times. See attached flyer.
Zoom Link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83596254361 pwd=VkhmMUZPUVZaby9ML2xmWGhiUk1IZz09
Meeting ID: 835 9625 4361
Passcode: 695467
For Info email Julene Mays: jmays4@schools.nyc.gov
DISTRICT/ CITYWIDE WORKSHOPS & EVENTS
BKN IB AWARENESS FOR FAMILIES
Thursday, May 6, 6:00 PM - 8:00PM
In collaboration with OEA, BKN, we are thrilled to offer another Implicit Bias Awareness for Families workshop on May 6 (content is the same as the March 30 session). Parents and guardians will learn about Implicit Bias, the brain science behind it, and how to mitigate the effects of Implicit Bias in this interactive session with the DOE’s Office of Equity and Access. Please share the attached flyers in English and Español. We encourage parents and guardians to register. Spanish interpretation will be provided.
BUILDING RESILIENCE IN OUR CHILDREN
Wednesday, April 21, 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM
D32 invites BKN families to participate in this session, facilitated by Dr. Lisa Minicozzi from Adelphi University, on Wednesday, April 21, from 5:30pm - 6:30pm. You can register directly using the following link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwkfuyhqjIrG9C53PiWHfgkizcPsT-yFEgP.
CHANCELLOR’S MESSAGE
SUMMER RISING
Summer Rising is New York City’s free, summer plan for any child in grades K-12 who wants to participate. Please see the DOE website for more information here - https://www.schools.nyc.gov/enrollment/summer
CITY & COMMUNITY EDUCATION COUNCILS (CEC)
Voting Begins Saturday, May 1
2021 is an election year for New York City’s Education Councils. There is one council for each of NYC’s 32 community school districts, plus four citywide councils. For the first time voting is open to ALL parents of students! To vote parents will need to have an NYC Schools Account that has all of their students registered. If you do not have an NYC Schools Account, or need assistance registering your children to your existing account, please contact Debby Wattenbarger dwattenbarger@ps154.org.
CEC Elections Voting FAQs
SCHOOL-WIDE REMINDERS
In person students will need to complete their health screening at home every morning before they arrive in school. Click the link here: Online Health Screening
In person students must have a Covid-19 Testing Consent Form completed and on file with the main office. Click the link for more info: Covid-19 Testing for Students & Staff
All families must complete the Family Income Inquiry Form, which helps schools receive money for their programs. This is the lunch form, but even if you do not receive school lunch, you still need to complete the form.
Zoom difficulties? Please reach out to Ms. Rached (lrached@ps154.org) with any issues joining Zoom meetings. This is a much faster way to get support than posting to the class stream.
Complete the Emergency Blue Card here: Emergency Blue Card. Please email the completed form to dwattenbarger@ps154.org
Schools.nyc.gov/freemeals
All families can continue to go to any school building (9am-12pm on weekdays) to pick up three free grab-and-go meals. No identification or registration is necessary. Halal and kosher meals are available at some sites.
PTA UPDATES
PTA GENERAL MEETINGS & SLT MEETINGS
Wednesday, April 21 - PTA Virtual General Mtg, 6:30 PM (Nominations Meeting)
Please note that the nomination process for PTA and SLT elections will begin next week, and that information about that process will be announced through class parents. We recommend looking at the PTA and SLT webpages for parents who are interested in considering running for a position, so please make sure to attend the April meeting to be nominated.
Tuesday, May 11 - Virtual SLT Meeting, 4:15 PM (contact: SLT_Info@ps154.org)
Wednesday, May 19 - PTA Virtual General Meeting, 6:30 PM (Elections Meeting)
Zoom details will be provided in the days ahead of the PTA General Meetings.
Minutes from SLT Meetings are posted on the webpage: ps154.org/school-leadership-team-slt
Minutes from PTA General Meetings are posted on PTA’s webpage: ps154.org/your-pta
EVENTS
EQUITY BOOK SWAP
Saturday, April 17, 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM, P.S. 154 Schoolyard
Join the Equity Book Swap on Saturday, April 17, 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM in the P.S. 154 schoolyard (Masks and social distancing are a must). The Diversity Committee is providing children with a wide range of books to explore, including titles by authors of varying ethnicities, gender, and sexual orientation. Thanks to Brooklyn Book Bodega for donating a lot of diverse books. It's a chance for families to gather together, catch up, swap stories, and books! Attached are tips on reading for parents from Brooklyn Book Bodega. We need volunteers to help on the day! Please contact pta_info@ps154.org.
SCHOOL PICTURE DAY TIMELINE
For information about remote school picture re-takes (between Monday, May 3 and Sunday, May 9), or to order pictures before the deadline of Wednesday, May 19, please visit the school pictures timeline (https://iloveschoolpictures.com/PS154/4344).
P.S. 154 GALA
The PTA of P.S. 154 has postponed our leading fundraising event this year - The Gala! We would love to get your input about if, and when to host it, whether it should be an in-person, or virtual event, or simply whether you would rather make a donation. Our goal was to bring in $10.5K from this year's Gala, which averages out to approximately $125 to $150 per person. We have 69 responses so far. Please can you take two minutes to complete the three-question survey below by SATURDAY, APRIL 17:
CAMP SUMMER FRIENDSHIP
July 6 - August 6
For rising kindergartners, Camp Summer Friendship offers an especially warm introduction to public school spaces, easing the transition to school in the fall. For our older campers, up to 3rd grade, it offers a fun and engaging way to meet new peers and make lasting friendships. For full info, visit the Camp Summer Friendship webpage.
Daily Activities include: Arts & Crafts, Music & Theater, Water Games, Team-Building Games, Dynamic Movement Enrichments. Lead counselors include experienced instructors and professional teaching artists from the PS 154 After-School-Program.
The program runs: Week 1: July 6-9, Week 2: July 12-16, Week 3: July 19-23, Week 4: July 26-30, Week 5: August 2-6, The cost is $475 per week (Holiday week $400). Space is limited! Please contact Christine Jordan at cjordanps154@gmail.com
COMMUNITY CORNER
STEM Matters NYC is offering a variety of exciting, hands-on, experiential science and STEAM programs for students entering grades 1 through grade 12 in September. Programs include one-week camps and one- and two-week high school courses. If you are interested in animal science or architecture, marine biology or mechanics, ecology or engineering, and so much more, come discover, investigate, design, check out the website. Deadline to apply, Friday, April 23.