In this Newsletter
Upcoming Events
Black History Month Planning Meeting - Wed, Jan 8, 6:30 pm Zoom
Read-A-Thon - Mon, Jan 13 - Sun, Feb 2
Read-A-Thon kickoff event - Tue, Jan 14, 6-7 pm, MMR
Schoolwide Lice Check - Thu, Jan 9
No School, MLK Day - Mon, Jan 20
Twin Day - Wed, Jan 22
A Note from Principal Fitzgerald
Read-A-Thon 2025 starts on MONDAY!
Black History Month Planning Meeting - Wed, Jan 8, 6:30 pm Zoom
Calling All Hosts for Our School's First-Ever Stoop Crawl Fundraiser!
Spring Auction
A Note from Principal Fitzgerald
Dear P.S. 154 Families,
Happy New Year! I hope you all had a restful break full of time with loved ones. We are excited to be back in the school building and ready for a new year of learning.
We are excited to announce that we collected over 1500 pairs of socks through our Knock Knock Give a Sock drive and as promised Mr. Buckley wore the Racoon Suit on our first day back! See below.
Our next round of Family Mornings will take place in February. Mark your calendar and one caregiver per student please join us for an activity in the classroom. Grade-specific dates can be found in the chart below and on the ParentSquare calendar.
On a quick personal note, I want to let the community know that I am pregnant and am expecting this summer. My husband and I are excited for this new chapter in our lives!
Read-A-Thon 2025 starts on MONDAY!
It’s going to be a great 2025, and what better way to start the year than with our annual Read-A-Thon, starting Monday, January 13th!
Students will work with their teachers and grown-ups to set reading goals, track progress, and celebrate their accomplishments. This year, it’s about TIME spent reading not # of books. So pledges will be against # of minutes of reading fun.
We will again use the website RallyUp to help each student fundraise and log minutes. Later this week, we will send a message via Parent Square to answer login-related FAQs.
We have some great events planned to make the Read-A-Thon extra special, starting with a Read-In on Tuesday, January 14th, at 6 p.m. in the MMR. More details to come!
This year’s Read-A-Thon will include class prizes (hot chocolate party, anyone???) for participation, as well as grade-level lotteries for goal meet-ers, and a special prize for the top-earning class. We also have an exciting new incentive this year... SLIME! If the school community meets the reading goal, Principal Kathryn Fitzgerald will be slimed this spring. And if we meet our fundraising goal, the PTA President will also be slimed.
We can’t wait to kick off our biggest fundraiser of the year! Keep an eye out for more details on how to participate.
Black History Month Planning Meeting - Wed, Jan 8, 6:30 pm Zoom
Join members of the Equity Team at our first Black History Month planning session of the year to be a vital part of our upcoming celebrations. We will be meeting on Wed, Jan 8th at 6:30 on Zoom.
If you are unable to come to this meeting but are interested in contributing, please email mbuckley@ps154.org.
Calling All Hosts for Our School's First-Ever Stoop Crawl Fundraiser!
We're excited to announce a unique new fundraiser that promises to bring fun and community spirit right to our neighborhood: a Stoop Crawl! This event is all about connecting local families, having a great time, and raising funds to support our school—and we need your help to make it happen!
How It Works:
Families will have the opportunity to volunteer their stoops, patios, backyards, living rooms, or even open a tab at a nearby bar to host 20 guests for a drink and snack (adults only). Each stop can be as simple or fancy as you like, from Natty Light + Cornuts to Dom Pérignon + Caviar— creativity is encouraged! Our parent community will then purchase tickets, allowing them to enjoy 3 “stoop” stops throughout the event.
We Need Volunteers!
To make this fundraiser a success, we're looking for at least 15 families willing to host. Being a host means you’ll help create a welcoming and memorable stop for guests to enjoy a sip, snack, and socialize. We are targeting the evening of May 2.
How Exactly Will This Work??
We expect that each host will host for 2-3 time slots of approximately 45 minutes each, with a cap of 20 attendees at a time. Ideally, we will cluster hosts in the school district so that folks can walk easily between stops, but we are open to discussing having a cluster of hosts elsewhere! We ask you to email and express interest by Friday, Jan 17, so we can work out the details!
What’s In It for You:
The reward of knowing you’re helping raise funds for the students at PS 154
The chance to showcase your unique hosting style
An opportunity to connect with other school families
Interested in Hosting?
Please reach out to us with any questions and let us know if you'd like to host by Friday, January 17. We'll follow up with all the details and ensure you’re set up for a fun and easy hosting experience.
Thank you for helping us make the Stoop Crawl a great success. Let’s bring our community together and support our school in a new and exciting way!
Stoop Crawl Chairs,
Stephanie Schiada (stefanieschiada@gmail.com)
Cheryl Gladstone (cgladstone@gmail.com)
Spring Auction — Volunteers and Donations Needed!
We are starting to plan the Spring Auction, one of our biggest fundraisers of the year! Can you help?
We need volunteers! No matter how much or how little time you have, there’s a role for you. We need people to:
Contact prior business/parent donors
Identify and/or reach out to potential new business donors by email or by walking around and speaking with (friendly!) neighborhood businesses.
Help with communications
We need donations! Are you willing to donate an item or experience for a silent auction? Examples include a gift card to a local business, tickets to a game or show, or a stay in your vacation home — just to name a few. Ask a friend, too! Or please pass on a name or idea using the form above and we can get in touch.
Please fill out this short form to let us know you’re willing to volunteer or donate. You can also email Auctions & Sponsorships Chair Judd Gartenberg (judd.gartenberg@gmail.com).