COMING UP
May 2-4 - Math State Tests for Grades 3-5
May 5 - Family Friday
May 5 - Jump-A-Thon
May 8-12 Teacher/Staff Appreciation Week
May 13 - PTA Fun Run
May 20 - Spring Fling, 3-7pm (info below)
50/50 MEGA-RAFFLE - 1 WEEK TO GO!
We’ll draw the winner NEXT WEEK at Family Friday (which is also Cinco de Mayo!), and the pot is now at $11K! Our goal is $30K, so please consider supporting our programming and taking a chance at 50% of the pot for yourself! $100 per ticket & only 300 will be sold community-wide. Get details and purchase here.
FORGOT TO BUY FIELD DAY T-SHIRTS?
Did you forget to order a t-shirt for your child? No worries--we ordered enough for the whole school. However, we are still taking money! If you are able to pay for your child's t-shirt, please feel free to "order" it online or turn in the form to your child's teacher. Every child will get a t-shirt regardless of payment, but we are eager to recoup whatever costs we can.
THE 2017 SPRING FLING IS NEARING!
Save the date: Sat, May 20, 3-7pm
It will be a thrilling afternoon in the schoolyard for the annual spring PTA fundraiser. This year’s theme is “scientific wonder,” which means along with inflatable rides, live music, festive food, games, crafts, and more, there will be a main stage science show with experiments by Tiny Scientist. Volunteers will be needed, so keep an eye out for sign-up information in next week’s news.
SAVE THE DATE: BROOKLYN CYCLONES GAME FOR PS 154 FAMILIES & FRIENDS
Monday, June 26
The PS 154 and the Brooklyn Cyclones are inviting families to put the FUN back in fundraising for the annual, end-of-school year minor league baseball game at MCU Park in Coney Island!
5:30pm: Doors open
6:15pm: Pre-game School Spirit Parade
7:00pm: Game starts!
Details via email & backpacks after the school assembly on May 11. For now, save the date!
SEE COMMITTEE UPDATE
The Social Emotional Experience (SEE) Committee has been working diligently to bring more social emotional learning to the parents, the classrooms, and the community. After an in-depth exploration of social emotional learning programs, the PTA and School Leadership Team (SLT) voted to use PTA funds to send our teachers to a 4-day Responsive Classroom training. Studies have revealed significant increases in student achievement, teacher job satisfaction, and positive classroom interactions when teachers implement this approach consistently, in a supportive environment.
The training is available-but not mandatory-to any teacher who chooses to participate. Several have already expressed interest and we’re holding an information session next week to spread the word.
On April 7, we hosted a parent seminar based on the book "How To Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk." More than 50 attended and we raised almost $800 for more classes in this arena. A big thank you to Jane Bliss Birk and Amy Tanaka for putting this program together!
We are so lucky our community is so dedicated to nurturing teachers, parents, and students!
DIVERSITY COMMITTEE UPDATE
Diversity Committee Book Club:
Parent Amy Brill will lead the first meeting of the Diversity Committee Book Club at 7pm on June 14th at Founders Workspace on Prospect Avenue between 10th and 11th Aves. The Book Club is open to the entire 154 community, and will be an informal discussion of the book and our response to it. The DCBC will be discussing "The Underground Railroad" by Colson Whitehead, winner of both the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award. From the latter's judges' citation: "A suspenseful tale of escape and pursuit, it combines elements of fantasy and the counter-factual with an unflinching, painfully truthful depiction of American slavery. Whitehead revisits the grotesque barbarities of our nation’s history in the interest of our common stake in freedom and dignity. He has given us an electrifying narrative of the past, profoundly resonant with the present."
You can buy a copy at a 10% discount from Terrace Books on PPW - tell them it's for the PS 154 Book Club.
RSVP TO amybrill@gmail.com IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND.
TRAFFIC CALMING UPDATE
NEW SCHOOL ZONE SPEED LIMIT ON 11TH AVE IN FRONT OF PS 154.
More good news! On Thursday, the DOT installed the signage for our school zone (Speed limit 20 MPH). Yay!
WE WILL BE MAKING A FEW MORE REQUESTS (AS PER OUR CROSSING GUARDS):
- We will ask the DOT to add a sign to the West side of 11th Ave because the sign the added on Thursday is behind a tree that will be blooming soon.
- We will also ask the DOT to extend this school zone beyond the block directly in front of the school. For more information contact Anne at annelanier@gmail.com.