Weekly Newsletter Dec 4

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IMPORTANT DATES

Saturday December 5 - Winter Holiday Hangout, 4:00 PM - 7:30 PM Please scroll down for information

Monday December 7 - In Person Learning is Back!

Tuesday December 8 -  Virtual SLT Meeting, 4:15pm (contact: SLT_Info@ps154.org)

Wednesday December 9 - Virtual PTA Exec Meeting, 6:30pm

Wednesday December 16 - PTA Virtual Meeting, 6:30pm

December 24 - January 1 - Winter Break - No School

As you know, we are dealing with many changes in the school. We have students transitioning from remote to hybrid and we are also moving from a 3 cohort schedule to a 2 cohort schedule.

Cohort A comes to school on Mondays and Wednesdays, with alternating Fridays.

Cohort B comes to school on Tuesday and Thursdays, with alternating Fridays.

Next Friday, December 11, Cohort A will be in attendance.

Look out for another email from Mr. Foreman later this afternoon with a reminder of in person policies and procedures.

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


RECENT COMMUNICATIONS

LATEST MESSAGES FROM THE CHANCELLOR

Schools.nyc.gov/freemeals
All families can continue to go to any school building (9am-12pm 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.

Big Apple Awards for Teachers & Staff

Students, families, educators, school staff, and community members can nominate teachers and counselors by visiting the Big Apple Awards website, today through January 10, 2021. Nominees must be current, full-time public school teachers or college counselors in a district school, charter school or early childhood education center in New York City who demonstrate exceptional success in the classroom. 

Messages for Families


SCHOOL-WIDE REMINDERS

  • COVID-19 random testing for in person staff and students will happen weekly. Please click here for the consent form: Student Covid-19 Testing Consent 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 streams.

  • 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

  • Complete the Emergency Blue Card here:  Emergency Blue Card. Please email the completed form to dwattenbarger@ps154.org


PTA UPDATES

PTA GENERAL MEETINGS & SLT MEETINGS

Tuesday December 8 - SLT Meeting - 4:15 PM

Thursday December 16 - General PTA 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 SLT’s webpage https://www.ps154.org/school-leadership-team-slt

Minutes from PTA General Meetings are posted on PTA’s webpage https://www.ps154.org/your-pta


AFTER SCHOOL

Thankfully the temporary school closure was short term. After School programming will resume on Monday December 7, with the re-opening of PS 154. All registrations prior to school closure are still valid for December. However, if you would like to make any changes, please inform Barbara McGouran at bmcgouran@ps154.org.


PTA EVENTS

WINTER HOLIDAY HANGOUT

SATURDAY DECEMBER 5, 4.00 PM - 7.30 PM

Thank you to everyone who has generously supported the PS 154 PTA by purchasing Winter Holiday Hangout Virtual Experiences. We expect it to be a fun, unique and memorable series of events! We would like to remind you about next steps:

KIT PICK UP

DUE TO THE RAIN, WE ARE SHIFTING PICK UP TO 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM in front of PS 154.

If you need pick up from 5:00PM-7:00 PM, you can do so at:

577 Prospect Ave, 1D, (just three doors from the Walgreens between 10th and 11th avenues). Feel free to ring the bell for 1D or call or text 917-855-8455.

ZOOM EXPERIENCES

You will be emailed the zoom details for the experiences that you have purchased. Please note that you do NOT need to use your DOE account to access these Zoom classes.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5

4:00-4:40 PM: Adult Cocktail Class 

4:45-5:15 PM: Kids Winter Craft Lesson 

5:30-6:45 PM: Dinner from Eat OffBeat

6:45-7:10 PM: Winter Dessert Class

Please note that for the free Goodnight Zoom, you will need to use your DOE account to access the account.

7:15 PM: A free goodnight Zoom with a reading and connection for our whole community!

Zoom Details: https://nycdoe.zoom.us/j/3587937740?pwd=bHZLbnRzNHEvSzlUZTI0L3JhdnZiZz09

Meeting ID: 358 793 7740
Passcode: 008889


SEL VIRTUAL WORKSHOP

PROACTIVE PARENTING DURING DISTANCE LEARNING WORKSHOP

Tuesday December 8, 7:30 PM, via Zoom

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Have you been pulling your hair out during distance learning? This virtual workshop will provide helpful strategies for motivation and engagement, goal setting, establishing routines, determining incentives and much more so that you can lower stress, increase productivity and restore peace into your home.

As an English Educator, Teacher Leader, Content Specialist & Instructional Coach for over 20 years, Donna McLaughlin believes that all children are unique and must have a stimulating educational environment where they can grow physically, mentally, emotionally, and socially. She is the founder and CEO of Open-mindED Consulting - a coaching and consulting company whose vision is to make education equitable, engaging and accessible for all children.

Zoom details to follow.


PS 154 HOLIDAY SHOP SALE

PICK UP YOUR FESTIVE TREATS

As the holidays are fast approaching, please take the opportunity to check out our fun festive items at our shop. All items are discounted so it’s your change to pick up a bargain and support the school! https://www.ps154.org/shop.


COMMUNITY CORNER

Thanks to PS 321 for sharing their social emotional programming with the community.

THE UPSIDE OF SCREEN TIME: USING TECH TO ENHANCE YOUR CHILD'S SOCIAL WORLD

Thursday, December 10, 6:30 to 8 pm via Zoom

$10 to $25 suggested donation

(All proceeds for this event go toward supporting SEL programming at PS 321 that is open to the public)

REGISTER HERE

Screens have exploded into our kids’ social worlds during this pandemic. While it's common to default to this is bad, this is not childhood, this will rot their brains, speech-language pathologist and mindfulness teacher Susan Brennan makes a compelling case for how technology (with guidelines and structure) can actually enhance and expand kids’ social worlds and bring competence and excitement to their interactions, both remotely and in person.

Susan will discuss what is new about kids communicating with one another, what actually works for different kids, how they can find their strengths in communication and work on their challenges without the pressure of social demands all day long. If we explore and embrace what technology has to offer our kids, they will have a chance to utilize this experience in what is certain to be a changed social world.

Susan Brennan is a speech-language pathologist and mindfulness teacher with a focus in social engagement and cognition.