IMPORTANT DATES
Black History Month - February 1 - March 1
Friday, February 5 - District 15 Poetry Slam, 5:00 PM (details below)
Tuesday, February 9 - Virtual SLT, 4:15 PM (contact: SLT_Info@ps154.org)
Wednesday, February 10 - PTA Virtual Exec Mtg, 6:30 PM
Friday, February 12 - Lunar New Year, School is Closed
Sunday, February 14 - READ-A-THON & Bookmark Contest Ends (details below)
February 15 - 19 - Mid Winter Break, School is Closed
Wednesday, February 24 - PTA Virtual General Meeting, 6:30 PM
Find the A/B Cohort calendar here: Weekly Schedule
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
NYC SCHOOLS ACCOUNT
Make sure you have the NYC Schools Account
NYC Schools Account (NYCSA) is a DOE application that lets you access important information about your child on any device. The website is accessible in nine languages.
Why is the NYC Schools Account important?
The NYC Schools Account allows you to view your child’s grades, report cards, attendance history, test scores, transportation information, IEP information, submit COVID consent forms, track your child’s progress to graduation, and more to come!
This year, a NYC Schools Account is the only way to apply and vote in the 2021 Education Council Elections.
UPCOMING EVENTS
DISTRICT VIRTUAL POETRY SLAM
Friday, February 5, 5:00 PM
We are pleased to announce the first ever District 15 Live Virtual Poetry Slam! Focusing on the theme "Things That Matter", we are inviting all of our talented students to submit and perform an amazing piece of spoken word at our poetry showcase on Friday, February 5, 2021, at 5:00pm. Check this out: Spoken Word Resource
Please email Mr. Foreman by January 25, 2021 at jforeman@ps154.org. The written piece needs to be submitted by February 1st to the District Office by e-mail to Maggie at MDesir2@schools.nyc.gov and Gina at GKeller2@schools.nyc.gov.
DOE UNIVERSAL LITERACY INITIATIVE
Parent Workshops, February 10 & 25
Are you looking for ways to improve your child’s reading and writing skills? Are you searching for resources to help you work with your child at home? Then you have come to the right place. In this workshop, we will provide you with strategies to support your important work with your child at home. Check out the Universal Literacy Initiative flyer.
STEM ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS
Apply Now for Exciting STEM Enrichment Programs for Spring Break!
This spring break, (re)discover STEM with STEM Matters NYC! Kindergarten through grade 12 students can apply now to attend programs with STEM Matters NYC. Explore your passions and uncover new interests at the NYC Department of Education’s Genovesi Environmental Study Center; Audubon New York; Bronx Zoo; Central Park Zoo; Green-Wood Cemetery; GrowNYC Teaching Garden at Governors Island; Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum; Makerspace NYC; New York Aquarium; New York Botanical Garden; Prospect Park Zoo; Queens Botanical Garden; Queens County Farm Museum; Queens Zoo; Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden; Solar One; Staten Island Museum; Staten Island Zoo; and Wave Hill. Meet and work with field experts in programs that feature real-world learning experiences.
STEM is taking over the city this spring break! Don’t miss out, spots are limited and the application deadline is Wednesday, February 10.
Download our flyer, learn more, and apply now. For questions, contact STEMMattersNYC@schools.nyc.gov.
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
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 (9:00 AM-12 PM 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
Tuesday, February 9 - Virtual SLT Meeting, 4:15 PM (contact: SLT_Info@ps154.org)
Wednesday, February 24 - PTA General Meeting, 6:30 PM
Tuesday, March 16 - Virtual SLT Meeting, 4:15 PM (contact: SLT_Info@ps154.org)
Wednesday, March 24 - PTA General Meeting, 6:30 PM
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
PTA EVENTS
THE 2021 P.S. 154 READ-A-THON
Friday, January 15 - Sunday, February 14
We’ve had a few questions about the Annual P.S. 154 READ-A-THON, which is underway, and runs through to Valentine’s Day, February 14th. Over the course of the next week, we are going to share with you some photos, quotes, and videos from past winners about why this is such a great activity! Follow us and like us on Facebook to see more stories: https://www.facebook.com/PTAofPS154Brooklyn.
How can we take part? Download the reading packet with all the information and forms you need from https://www.ps154.org/readathon-2021. Your child needs to keep a Reading Log of time they read in school and time they read out of school every day until SUNDAY FEBRUARY 14.
How do I sponsor a child? Encourage family members and friends to sponsor your child for each minute they read on the Pledge Form. ALL forms and donations must be received by SUNDAY FEBRUARY 21. You can donate sponsorship money at any time during READ-A-THON, or at the end by clicking the SPONSOR A READER button on the website: https://www.ps154.org/readathon-2021.
How do we enter? Add up your child’s minutes and the total amount raised and send both your Completed Reading Log and Completed Pledge Form to readathon@ps154.org by SUNDAY FEBRUARY 21.
Each child that reads the most in his or her grade will receive a gift certificate to Terrace Books, and each grade's class that collectively read the most will get a special reading session with our own Principal Foreman. Please ask family and friends to sponsor your child’s reading per minute or make a fixed donation. (We can only accept online donations this year due to COVID-19.)
BOOKMARK DESIGN CONTEST
Friday, January 15 - Sunday February 14
Our youngest Bookmark Design Contest Winner, Galiana Jones, who earned the accolade last year in kindergarten, talks about the joys of taking part in both the READ-A-THON and Bookmark Design Contest, Be inspired, get creative! One winner is selected from each grade based on how their design shows what their love of books and reading means to them. Every child in each grade will receive a copy of the winning bookmark. This year we will create a virtual gallery to share designs online. For information, visit: https://www.ps154.org/readathon-2021
The deadline for mailing the bookmarks to school, or sending them via email: MONDAY FEBRUARY 14TH. PLEASE SEND YOUR BOOKMARKS TO: pta_info@ps154.org
COMMUNITY CORNER
We are planning a P.S. 154 Scavenger Hunt for the Spring Break. We would love to team up with local businesses to combine finding clues with shopping/eating opportunities. If you own or work for a local business, or can recommend one that is within walking radius of the school, and would be interested in taking part in this collaboration, please reach out to Fundraising Chair, Sara Murphy at saravmurphy@gmail.com.