NEW CLUB!

Description In this fun, safe, and fast-paced class, kids practice skills and learn the basics of the game. As with all sports clubs at PS 154, the emphasis will be on honing skills, learning rules of play, being a good team mate, and having fun.

Instructor The multi-talented Ms. Donato is back!

NEW CLUB!

Description  March Madness is here and we’ve got b-ball on the brain! We’ve added two sections for kids to work on basic skills while learning the finer points of the game. As with all sports clubs at PS 154, the emphasis will be on honing skills, learning rules of play, being a good team mate, and having fun.

Instructor  John McGouran has been playing basketball competitively since middle school and was an assistant coach with Xaverian Summer Basketball Camp for two summers.

Intro class  Photography is the art of capturing light and telling stories. It is a great
way for kids to tap into their imaginations and get creative. In this introductory class, students will learn all about the camera, the different styles of photography, shutter speed, aperture (F-stop) and ISO, the 3 essentials of photography. We will explore our beautiful Brooklyn neighborhood through the lens and apply all the cool techniques they can use to create dynamic images. Then, students will learn the post production process (editing), choose their favorite image to print, and frame it to take home. New and repeat students welcome. This studio class is 90 minutes and dismisses at 4:45pm.

Advanced Studio class In this follow up to Intro to Digital Photography, Digital Photography Studio will expand on the basic techniques and photographic ideas to create amazing images. Students will explore various themes to create narratives through visual presentation and expand on composition and perspective. New and repeat students welcome. 3rd graders who completed the Intro class in the fall may register for the Advanced section in the winter. This studio class is 90 minutes and dismisses at 4:45pm.

DSLR cameras (digital single lens reflex) are provided to the students for use during both of these classes.

Instructor  Kristen Markoplis is a professional photographer and author of the photobook "Water Towers New York City Style". She is a PS 154 alumni parent. When not taking pictures, she loves to teach art and digital photography to children.

Registration Note: We’ve added a new section! New students (or returning students who want to focus on basics) are invited to join the 3:15pm class. Returning students should register for the 4:45pm class.

Description In these small group classes (limited to 5 students), kids will develop foundational guitar skills, cultivate their musical potential, and discover the freedom of making the guitar sing. They will learn to play melodies, chords, solos, and full songs, while collaborating with peers to develop basic musical skills. The new students course is designed for beginners with little or no guitar playing experience. Kids in the returning students class will work on more advanced techniques and more challenging songs. Lessons are comprehensive and will cater to the individual needs and learning styles of each student. New and repeat students welcome.

NOTE: Students must provide their own guitar for this club. We recommend a 3/4 junior guitar with nylon strings.

Instructor Ty Chen is a multi-instrumentalist musician based in Brooklyn, New York. He has a passion for songwriting and musical arrangement, as well as anything guitar related. Ty’s expertise lies in guitar and bass, but he is also versed in drums and keyboards. He values passing on knowledge from his own guitar playing experience and embraces the oral tradition of teaching.       

Description Indian Dance fosters body awareness and creative movement while sharing Indian culture through music and movement. Children will warm up each class with a combination of breath work, yoga, and stretching. Fun dance related games and activities will impart dance techniques (footwork and full body movements), as well as elements of storytelling, the use of facial expressions, and hand gestures. Each week, the children will build on a routine with an end-of-session opportunity to perform. New and repeat students welcome!

Instructor Started in 2013, Ajna Dance Company is a NYC based woman- and minority-owned performing arts organization with the mission of sharing authentic and artistic Indian dance. Our programs offer a unique way for students to experience culture, learn dance technique and choreography and build confidence through working together. We offer dance programs to students in public, charter, and private schools, and community-based organizations. We have partnered with over 300 schools and community organizations across the tristate area. Our community partners include Lincoln Center, The Brooklyn Museum, The Brooklyn Children's Museum, Hudson River Park Trust

Description Children will learn traditional Japanese art techniques to create their own modern works of 3-dimensional art using paper, cardboard, clay, paint, and decorative materials. This session will include projects such as kitsune masks, manekineko lucky cat sculptures, sumi-e black ink caligraphy, and more! New and repeat students welcome.

Instructor Miyu Asakawa is a ceramicist, sculptor, and hair stylist from Japan.

Description “All the news that’s fit to print…” at PS 154! 3rd through 5th graders will learn the tenets of good reporting including interviewing skills and how to hone their non-fiction writing chops as they record the goings-on around the After School and beyond. New and repeat students welcome.

Instructor Molly Peterson graduated from Harvard University with a BA in English and Theater, Dance, & Media. When she’s not helping out at PS 154, she works as an assistant to a New Yorker staff writer. Molly truly loves the art of storytelling and couldn’t be more excited to share her passion with future writers, artists, news anchors, and muckrakers alike.

Description Learn the traditional Japanese martial art from a master teacher! Jin Sei Ryu Karate-Do means “Profound Reflections for Growth.” This ancient martial art provides physical fitness and self-defense in a fun and disciplined way. Each class focuses on strength, stamina, balance, and speed. Children build confidence, discipline, and self respect. Most importantly, students will use karate-do as a platform for personal growth and development. New and repeat students are welcome!

Instructor All Classes taught by 6th Degree Black Belt and 2012 Martial Arts Hall of Fame SEI SHIHAN (Senior Master) Mel Ramsey.

REGISTRATION NOTE: In order to give as many children as possible the opportunity to participate, children on the winter Simple Machines waitlist and students who did not take this class in the fall will be given priority registration for the spring session. If there is additional room after pre-registration then children who took the class in the fall or winter session will be welcome.

Descriptions
Simple Machines Take a trip back in time to explore a world without technology. How did life work without the simple machines we take for granted like the wheel-and-axel and the screw? In Inventor’s Lab I: Simple Machines, kids learn the history and mechanics of six simple machines (inclined plane, wedge, lever, wheel-and-axle, screw, pulley). Through tinkering and material exploration, kids learn the creative and real-life application of simple machines, opening up endless opportunities for inventive thinking and building. Past students have constructed catapults, cranes and wheeled vehicles.

Extraordinary Machines Based on knowledge of the six simple machines, students take tinkering and experimentation to the next level, combining simple machines to build more complex projects. Students are presented with challenges and then work together to design inventions that solve real-life problems. For example, they may combine pulleys, levers and cranks to construct a crane that moves heavy materials with ease.

Toy Making Kids are naturally curious and creative. Toy making taps into that intuitive imagination to help little ones give form to their ideas. Kids begin to experiment with looking at how things work by repurposing toys and pieces of toys to create new ones. Toy making also lends itself to telling stories and creating environments or context for what the kids create. Based on a theme introduced by the KoKo teaching artist, kids will use recyclables to create a “home” or imaginary land for their inventions. This class is ever-evolving and based on the ideas and interests of the student.

NEW CLUB!
Destroy + Construct This class is for every child who has ever wondered how “things” work. In this unconventional class, kids learn to use hand tools like screwdrivers and pliers to deconstruct discarded electronics such as printers, blenders, and old hair dryers. Kids carefully collect the treasures from within (screws, motors and fans to name a few) and use those materials to invent something completely new. Through this process, kids learn the basics of circuitry and are challenged to think like inventors.

Instructor Koko Open Source Gallery is a Brooklyn-based organization that brings imaginative programming to children so they can explore the intersection of tech, art, and environment.

Description In this weekly small group help session, 2nd graders will play learning games and engage in activities that focus on improving number sense and grade-appropriate math skills.

Instructor Lauren Chao has been teaching in Brooklyn, NY for over 10 years. She has taught children from pre-k to 6th grade and is a licensed special education instructor, In her spare time, she enjoys crafting and traveling with her husband. 

Description Children will join Miyu Asakawa for some literal Outsider Art! Their 2D and 3D art projects will be inspired by walks in the neighborhood and trips to the Park. Classes will take place outdoors in the school yard or in Prospect Park (weather permitting.) On bad weather days, we’ll bring the outdoors inside for nature-based projects.

Instructor Miyu Asakawa is a ceramicist, sculptor, and hair stylist from Japan.

NOTE: Registration is by grade level.

Description These weekly small group help sessions are divided by grade level. Students improve reading skills and stamina by play learning games and engaging in activities that support their language-based classwork.

Instructor Lauren Chao has been teaching in Brooklyn, NY for over 10 years. She has taught children from pre-k to 6th grade and is a licensed special education instructor, In her spare time, she enjoys crafting and traveling with her husband. 

Description Rock on & rock steady with the PS 154 Rock Band. Students will work on the rudiments of rock in a group setting. Drummers, percussionists, electric bass players, guitarists, keyboard players, and of course singers are welcome! Experience and your own instrument are a plus, but new players are welcome, too. If your child would like to join the band but does not have their own instrument, please email Barbara McGouran bmcgouranps154@gmail.com before registering. New and repeat students welcome.

Instructors Max Beirne-Shafer and Justin Fossella are both assistant instructors at PS 154 After School.

NEW CLUB!

Description Run4Fun promotes positive youth development and mental health through running and socio-emotional learning. Our socio-emotional curriculum couples life skills while developing an active and healthy life-style through running. These classes focus on running and play in a non-competitive, accepting environment, with socio-emotional themes built into the curriculum to promote overall well-being. Children will build positive social relationships through team-building, develop self-esteem, communication skills, and resilience. Run4Fun sessions are designed for each age group and include dynamic warm ups, age-appropriate distance runs, running games, nutritional activities, tag games, relays, destination runs, and a cool down.

NOTE: Classes will take place outdoors weather permitting and in the cafeteria during inclement weather.

Instructor  Nicoletta Nerangis created Run4Fun with the inspiration of her son, Panagiotis. Nicoletta has completed 12 marathons, including the Boston and NYC Marathons, and finds joy in sharing her love of running with kids, teens, and families.

Description In this basic sewing and design class, each student will design and create a mini-me doll! Using fabric, hand sewing needles, cotton, buttons, zippers, scissors, yarn, pattern paper, and sewing machines kids will learn how to make a pattern, hand sew, and use the machine. They will combine these skills to create a a denim tote bag! New and repeat students welcome!

Instructor  Deishanell Quiros is an imaginative teaching artist with The Children's Institute of Fashion Arts. For the past three years, Deishanell has specialized in teaching design within fashion and mixed media for elementary age children.

Description Calling all "waggish, onion-eyed hedge pigs!" and also, ACTORS!!! Let's dive into the delightful, delirious world of performing Shakespeare! Young actors will focus on the language and stories of Shakespeare by rehearsing and performing either a shortened play or scenes from the Bard, as the class decides. Exploration and play will focus on developing a young actor's body, voice and movement, teaching stage directions, blocking, and character development. We will coin our own words and phrases, explore rhyming couplets and iambic pentameter, and play with all the silliness and drama of Shakespeare's rich characters. ***Please note, students will be assigned roles and be asked to memorize their lines for this production; parents may be asked to assist with this outside of class.

Instructor Ms. Eaton is the MMI teacher at PS154. Prior to teaching (and motherhood), she worked as a professional actress on The Great White Way and around the country in numerous plays, most of which were written by the Bard. She loves the playground that is language and is excited to put on a show at PS 154. 

Description Music is brain food so let’s make some noise with congas, bells, glockenspiel, hand drums, shakers, and sound effects. Students will discover their own sense of rhythm and musicality while developing the skills to work on a musical project as a group from beginning to end. This percussion party atmosphere is a great way to get young kids ready for our instrumental band program. New and repeat students welcome.

Instructor Dan Vonnegut is a multi-instrumentalist and life-long drummer, professional musician, and children's music educator. He offers private music lessons on guitar, piano, and drums and runs City Sound Music Together when he is not at the PS 154 after school.

Registration Note Thanks to a generous grant written by Ms. Rached, Story Pirates will offer 5 free clubs to PS 154 families! There are 15 seats in each grade section. Please add your child to the pre-registration lottery (open from Monday, March 13th through Wednesday, March 15th) via your JackRabbit account. We will randomly select children from the lottery lists and announce enrollments on Friday, March 17.

Description Students will create their own fantasy world, and fill it with imaginary creatures, monsters, magic, heroes, villains, and of course...daring quests to save the world! Expect your kids to stretch their imaginations to the limit, as they think up the weirdest, funniest, most mind-bending fantasy tales that have ever been conceived.

Instructor  The Story Pirates are a nationally respected arts and creative writing organization founded in 2003 to celebrate the words and ideas of young people, to promote literacy as a vital part of early childhood education, and to preserve the spark of youthful creativity often lost in the transition to adulthood. Based in New York and Los Angeles, the company has grown to reach hundreds of thousands of children in over 300 schools across the country.

NOTE: This club will end on June 14th and only run 8 weeks.

Description Yoga and Poetry with Ms. Deb contains all the main ingredients of yoga — breath awareness, mind-body fitness, and a chance to experience the "self-within". This class will offer children an opportunity to create imaginative poems based on postures drawn from the natural world that they'll learn through active play. Every class will include time to rest and sing. This class will take place at PS 154 and is limited to 1st & 2nd grade students. New and repeat students welcome!

Instructor Deborah Clapp is a PS 154 After School instructor and a published poet. She is also certified through Kundalini Yoga Radiant Child program and has taught yoga through the after school programs at The Greenwich School and at Harlem Children's Zone.