In this Newsletter
A Note from Ms. Rached
Instructional focus
Attendance Update
Halloween
Send in shoeboxes, please!
Book Market - Call for (ONLY) Graphic Novels 📚
Upcoming Events
General PTA Meeting - Friday, October 27 at 8:30a school in the MMR
🏃♀️ Brooklyn PTA 5k Fun Run - Saturday, October 28
Half Day/Parent-Teacher conferences - Thursday, November 2, dismissal at 11:40am
Election Day (school closed) - Tuesday, November 7
📸 Graduation, Retake & Sibling Picture Day - Tuesday, November 14
5th Grade Update
A Note from Ms. Rached
Instructional focus
Each year, as we look at our student data and identify gaps in student outcomes, we come up with an instructional focus for the year. Having an instructional focus helps us to allocate our resources in the most impactful ways. This year, our instructional focus is around planning and implementing tier 1 and tier 2 supports in writing in order to improve academic outcomes for our students with disabilities. As a staff, we have been using “The Writing Revolution” as a mentor text as we support all of students in writing. In the coming weeks, we will be planning a parent workshop to share how you can support your students in developing writing skills at home, as well!
Attendance
Attendance is one of the most important factors in student success - we can’t teach students when they are not at school! There is a correlation between chronic absenteeism and lower academic outcomes. Chronic absenteeism is defined as being absent for more than 10% of the school year. This is a total of around 18 days, or 2 days/month for the entire school year. Absence is counted as any day students are out of school, with a few exceptions (court appearance, religious observance, death in family, hospitalization, etc).
When your child is absent, the Main Office codes the absence according to the reason they were out. If your child is sick, and you provide a doctor's note, it is coded differently from being sick without a doctor’s note, which is why it is important to send in doctor's notes.There is also code for voluntarily taking your child out of school such as for a vacation or traveling ahead of holidays.
As a school, as a district, and as a city, we are trying to improve student attendance in order to improve student outcomes. Some of the things that we are doing to keep our attendance rate high is posing a monthly “perfect attendance” board, and planning fun school spirit days. However, we need your help!
Here are few things families can do:
Limit vacations while school is in session.
If your child is sick, please take them to the doctor.
If your child does not want to come to school, please reach out to your child’s teacher so we can provide additional support.
Halloween
We value self-expression and creativity, and we know how much kids love Halloween. Costumes are permitted on 10/31 - please note the following guidelines:
No masks or hoods that cover students faces.
No inflatable costumes, high-heels, or anything that creates a safety hazard on the stairs.
No accessories - please keep your wands and swords safe at home for trick-or treating!
No gory costumes that might be frightening for our youngest students.
Students are welcome to wear Halloween costumes or dress up as a favorite storybook character.
Shoeboxes
If you have any spare shoe-boxes, please send them in - we need about 20.
Book Market - Call for (only) Graphic Novels! 📚 📢 📕
We are temporarily lifting the pause on book market donations to accept only graphic novel donations. Graphic novels are loved across all grades and we’d like to build up our graphic novel library as we get ready for November book market visits. Please bring your gently used graphic novels and drop them into the blue bins labeled “Book Market Donation Bins” on the stage in the MMR. Do not donate any other book types other than graphic novels for the time being. Feel free to send any graphic novels previously sourced from the Book Market back (if your child is ready to part with them!).
Upcoming Events
PTA General Meeting
Join us this Friday, October 27 at 8:30a at school in the MMR
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. Come join our team! Or get more info about the race.
Half Day/Parent-Teacher conferences - November 2
Dismissal for all students will be at 11:40 AM and there will not be any after school programming on this date.
Election Day - November 7
School will be closed on November 7th. Our afterschool program will not have any programming on this day, but many neighborhood afterschool programs have 1-day camps on school holidays that you can sign up for.
Mark the date: Graduation, Retake & Sibling Picture Day 📸 - Tuesday, November 14
5th Grade Update
Class Dues
Wow, 5th Grade Champions 🌟🏆!
We’re soaring high, with over 60% of families already rocking it by submitting their 5th Grade Dues – you are absolute superstars! 🚀
If you haven't had the chance to join in yet, this is the moment to make your move. Let’s keep the momentum going and reach the finish line together. Your child’s thrilling 5th-grade adventure beckons, and we’ve got graduation gear, Yearbooks, T-shirts, and loads of fun ready and waiting. Let’s make this year epic submit your child’s dues TODAY! Click [5th Grade Dues — PS 154], and let’s cross that finish line together.
Thanks for being a vital part of the 5th-grade journey! 🌟🏆. We appreciate your amazing support
Middle School Preparation
Join us in preparing your child for Middle School:
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 (helpful videos are available)
MySchools Creation Codes were sent home via back-pack. View the Middle School Website to learn how to set up your account.
