October 10 News
October 3 News
In this Newsletter
A Note from Ms. Rached
Friday’s Storm
Hispanic Heritage Assembly
Lost and Found
Upcoming Events
PTA General Meeting - October 4 (rescheduled from 9/28 🌧️)
Kindergarten Parent Social - October 11
Picture Day - October 11
Boo Bash - October 21
Brooklyn PTA 5k Fun Run - October 28
5th Grade Update
Class Dues
Middle School Preparation
A Note from Ms. Rached
I know that many in our our community were impacted by the storm last Friday, and my thoughts are with you. Thank you to everyone who helped out in the cafeteria - our custodial team, school staff, kitchen staff, and even some parents all pitched in to keep our school safe for our students. And thank you to Susan and Veronica, our fearless crossing guards, for helping everyone to get to school safely through the rivers of rain.
I know that cancelling after school affected people’s work schedules and family logistics, and it was not a decision we took lightly. We are so grateful to our families for picking up children early.
Calpulli Dance Company
A bright spot in our day on Friday was the wonderful Mexican dance assembly by Calpulli Dance Company to celebrate Hispanic Heritage. The assembly was organized by our Equity Committee, and funded through donations to the PTA. Please check out the Equity Committee page if you’re interested in learning about and being involved in Equity at PS 154.
On a sunnier note, it was so great to see everyone at the the carnival once the skies had cleared! Thank you to everyone who volunteered and helped to make it such a great event!
Label your layers!
As we head into fall, our Lost and Found is growing exponentially. Today, Ms. Russo, Tanica, and I were “Sharpie Sargeants” at drop-off because the best way to keep your kids clothing out of the Lost and Found is to label it. Did you know that you can label your children’s clothing and earn money for the PTA by ordering from Mabel’s Labels (search PS 154 Brooklyn on the fundraising page)?
Upcoming Events
PTA General Meeting - October 4
Join us on Zoom this Wednesday, 10/4 at 6:30pm for our first General Meeting of the school year!
We will meet the Board, discuss open positions, vote on our Annual Budget, and most importantly discuss how we can continue to make PS 154 an amazing school. We look forward to your presence and voice!
Kindergarten Parent Social - October 11
Come meet your fellow kindergarten parents for a kid-free evening! We are meeting in the backyard of Krupa Grocery on Wednesday, October 11th, 6:30 - 9pm. Food and drinks will be available for purchase. Looking forward to seeing you there!
Picture Day - October 11
Get ready to dress your little ones up, untangle their hair, and get ready for Picture Day. This year photos will be taken inside the school building so there’s no need to be concerned if there’s foul or cold weather. In the event that your child misses picture day or forgets to smile, a make-up day will be held on November 14th. We also need a few volunteers to help with managing the students during the photo sessions so please consider volunteering. You can find all the details about picture day here. Click here to volunteer.
BOO BASH 2023 – It’s Scary Close!
Get ready for the Boo Bash! PS154’s twisted annual Halloween tradition is back and summoning all the monsters, mayhem, and madness you’ve come to crave. Join us in the schoolyard and cafeteria on Saturday, October 21, from 2–6 pm to join in the sheer terror…mild fright…fun!
This outdoor event will include monstrous favorites like games, crafts, yummy treats, cotton candy, family photo sessions, a dance party, and more! Get your Halloween costumes or BOO BASH 2023 T-shirt (see below!) ready for a fun-filled event to remember!
Boo Bash Pre-Sale Tickets
With all the ghouls, monsters, pirates, and other ne'er-do-wells running around the schoolyard, we can’t have people carrying cash. At the Boo Bash, tickets act as cash – you’ll need them to purchase food and drinks ($2–$6 per item), glow and light-up items ($2–$6 per item), cotton candy ($4), crafts and games ($2–$3).
We recommend that kids get the all-access wristband: (includes entry to Boo Bash, dance party, all games and crafts, and a baked good) - $25
Adults should purchase an entry ticket (required for all people ages 3+ and includes entry to Boo Bash and the dance party) - $7
You’ll also need tickets to pay for food and drinks - $2
We know you love the Boo Bash. We know that you bring the whole family to support PS154. So we’ve heeded your calls for some sinisterly Willy Wonka-flavored packages:
The GOLDEN FAMILY TICKET: All Access wristbands for two (2) children, entry for two (2) adults, and your invaluable support for our school programming. - $100
The PLATINUM FAMILY TICKET: All Access wristbands for two (2) children, entry for two (2) adults, two (2) Boo Bash t-shirts, a family photo session, and your invaluable support for our school programming. - $200
NEW THIS YEAR:
Boo Bash T-shirts are now Glow in the dark! – Shirts are $25 each, but be sure to purchase your shirt early to get the sizes you want; our hobgoblin tailors are only giving us a limited-edition drop. Shirts will be distributed to children in class or you may pick up your shirt on Friday the 13th at PS154.
Boo Bash is Saturday, October 21. So, join us. It’ll be a scream!
Brooklyn PTA 5k Fun Run - October 28
Join Team 154 for the 5K Fun Run for School in Prospect Park on October 28!
The Fun Run(and walk/scoot/stroll/ride) is an annual tradition - the proceeds benefit Title 1 schools in Brooklyn. If you’d like to join our team, please click here. For more info about the race, click here.
5th Grade Update
Class Dues
Calling all 5th-grade parents! 📣 Our class dues are like the secret sauce that makes the 5th-grade experience extra special, sprinkling fun and memories everywhere. The submission deadline is approaching faster than a pizza disappearing at a sleepover! Help us create a yearbook-worthy year. Please send in your child's class dues ASAP! Together, let's make this final year at PS154 unforgettable! https://www.ps154.org/shop?category=5th+grade
Middle School Preparation
Join us in preparing your child for Middle School:
Attend the Middle School Prep Family Meeting (via Zoom) - Thursday, October 12 at 5:30PM: Stay tuned for further details!
View PS154 - 5th Grade Website: https://www.ps154.org/fifth-grade-2024 (Middle Schools applications open on October 11th)
View PS154 - Middle School Website: https://www.ps154.org/middle-school
MySchools Creation Codes: Will be available once generated by DOE sometime in October. We'll make sure to let you know when it's available.
September 26 News
A Note from Ms. Rached
This week, classroom teachers will begin administering our academic screeners to all of our students. Academic screeners are brief assessments that are administered at regular intervals (beginning, middle, end) of the school year and are used by school staff to help identify student who are or are not at risk for specific learning difficulties and to measure and track growth throughout the year. We are administering Acadience screeners in grades K-2, and MAP Growth in grades 3-5, for both reading and math. The MAP Growth screener in grades 3-5 will be administered on Chromebooks, and the Acadience screener in grades K-2 will be administered as a combination of student-interviews and paper/pencil assessments, depending on the grade and subject. We will share the results with families once we have completed the administration. If you have any questions about the screeners, please reach out to your child’s teacher. Please note: families cannot opt-out of the academic screeners.
Please see below for family information about the screeners.
Arrival and Dismissal Notes
We will be placing cones around the schoolyard gate to help with foot traffic congestion in that space at arrival time.
Please note that our dismissal time is 2:20 on Mondays, and 2:40 for the rest of the week.
We kindly ask that you leave your dogs at home for school pick-up. Sometimes dogs behave in unpredictable ways around other dogs, strollers, bikes, scooters, groups of children, etc, and this can be startling for some students. We want everyone to feel safe!
Please try to keep leave an aisle clear on the sidewalk between where teachers are dismissing and where you are standing and waiting.
Thank you for helping us keep our students safe at transition times!
Period Products in Girls’ Restroom
This year, the city has installed sanitary pad dispensers in elementary school restrooms so that children who need them can access them. We installed ours in the second floor girls’ restroom, which is used by students in grades 1-5.
PTA General Meeting on September 29th
Our first general PTA meeting of the year will be this Friday, September 29th, 8:30-9:30am in the schoolyard! We will have a vote on the budget and are filling some PTA board positions!
We need you! Yes, you! Please take a moment to consider running for a role in the PTA. Without all the organization and planning by our board members and committees, these events and other valuable school programs would not be possible. Please add your voice and talents to our amazing team!
We'd love to answer your questions and help you figure out which role is best for you.
The following executive board positions are available:
Chair of Community Events
Chair of Events-Food Coordination
Members at Large (4 positions held for new/incoming parents).
More information on each role and what it requires can be found in our PTA of PS154 bylaws. These roles do not need to be a huge time commitment; many of us in parent leadership are full-time working parents, parents of multiple kids, or both! No experience is necessary—and we encourage diverse candidates. If you have questions, please feel free to reach out at pta_info@ps154.org
Back-To-School Fall Carnival is this Saturday, September 30th (Rain date)!
Our Back to School Carnival is our first PTA sponsored event of the year on Saturday, September 30th from 12-4pm. Our carnival will take place in the schoolyard.
Carnival Highlights: Bounce houses & obstacle course, Carnival games, Dunk tank, Face painting, Food, music, and fun for all!
Get your tickets in advance to save time and help us plan for our event. Tickets are required for all children 2 years old and older. Adults party for free. If you'd like to buy additional food, face painting or throws at the dunk tank, they can be purchased at the ticket booth on site.
Want to be a part of the carnival? Parent volunteers power PTA events like the Carnival. Please sign up for a shift to help make sure this event is a wonderful day for all (and edit your sign up if you aren’t available for the new date)!
Kindergarten Parent Social Event on October 11th!
Come meet your fellow kindergarten parents for a kid-free evening! We are meeting in the backyard of Krupa Grocery on Wednesday, October 11th from 6:30 to 9pm. Food and drinks will be available for purchase. Looking forward to seeing you there!
Save the Date - Picture Day IS on October 11th!
Get ready to dress your little ones up, untangle their hair, and get ready for Picture Day. This year photos will be taken inside the school building so there’s no need to be concerned if there’s foul or cold weather. In the event that your child misses picture day or forgets to smile, a make-up day will be held on November 14th. We also need a few volunteers to help with managing the students during the photo sessions so please consider volunteering. You can find all the details about picture day here. Click here to volunteer.
Annual Boo Bash - It’s Scary Close!
Save the date - Book Bash is October 21, 2-6PM!
Save the date for one of our favorite events - the Boo Bash! It’s on Saturday, October 21st, from 2-6pm. More information on t-shirt pre-orders, ticket sales, and volunteer sign-ups will be sent soon!
Last Call for Book Market Class Librarians!
We are still looking for Book Market Class Librarians for K-102 (Ms. Giamboi), 1-202 (Ms. Capua), 2-206 (Ms. Varriale), and 5-301 (Ms. Ussery).
We would like each class to have a Book Market Class Librarian responsible for the following things:
Attend the Book Market Committee orientation, to be hold in person on Oct 3rd, at 8:30am, in the MMR
Attend 45 min monthly-ish Book Market Committee meetings (virtual, evenings likely) to discuss, update, troubleshoot, plan
Attend and support the class's monthly designated Book Market Friday visit, or ensure another class parents attends/supports. This will include helping kids select books and ensuring shelves are clean and organized before and after the class visit
Be the class rep should the teacher have questions/concerns or want to do a special activity related to their visit
Work with the Committee as needed to support book donations and market clean-up/organization throughout the year
If you are interested in being your class's Book Market Librarian (commitment up approx. 3 hours/month), please add your name to our sign up list here. Please sign up by Friday, Sept 29.
Join Team 154 for the 5K Fun Run for School in Prospect Park on October 28!
The Fun Run (and walk/scoot/stroll/ride) is an annual tradition - the proceeds benefit Title 1 schools in Brooklyn. If you’d like to join our team, please click here. For more info about the race, click here.