NOTE: Pre-registration will be offered to winter waitlist students. New and returning students are welcome to register for spots available during general registration.

Description In this new electrifying STEM class, children dive headfirst into the world of circuit design and electricity, creating everything from their very own radio and magnetic switch to fused motors, sirens, music players, portable fans, and more. Kodely’s hands-on approach will spark children’s curiosity as they explore the fascinating world of hardware by building their very own contraptions.

Instructor PS 154 is thrilled to welcome Kodely to our program. Started by a mother-daughter duo with over 25+ years of experience in the tech industry, Kodely was founded with the goal of teaching students the skills they need to succeed in the 21st century. The goal at Kodely is to provide students with not only career and academic skills, but soft skills that are needed for the modern workplace. Kodely strives to develop agile students that will be able to succeed through adversity.

NEW CLUB!

Description The story is the thing in this creative writing class. Students will learn craft elements such as plot, story arc, character development, setting, dialogue, and description as they work on original fiction stories.

Instructor Samantha Toy Ozeas is a Brooklyn-based director, playwright and recent graduate from the John Wells Directing Program at Carnegie Mellon School of Drama.

NOTE: Spring Sports clubs will take place outdoors, weather permitting, so please dress your child in warm layers. During inclement weather, classes will move indoors.

Descriptions

Sportopia for K - 1 or 1 - 2 Sportopia classes provide an excellent exploratory introduction to age appropriate games and sports. These clubs will provide students in Kindergarten, first, and second grade time to learn new skills and build friendships while cultivating the concepts of fair play. Demario will introduce a variety of sports and conditioning exercises for children to build on throughout the year.

WNBA & NBA Basketball Demario’s basketball classes continue this spring with more skill development and scrimmage opportunities. Currently enrolled 2nd graders are welcome to re-enroll for the spring session.

Wiffle Ball Bring in spring with this classic outdoor game! Children will learn the basics of baseball (rules of the game and skill development) with a lighter bat and slower ball, giving them a chance to hone hand-eye coordination as they progress.

Instructor Demario Jones is the physical education instructor for the PS 154 After School. He brings with him 8 years of experience as a professional basketball player in the United States and Asia, a bachelors degree in Communications, as well as experience running sports camps for 8 to 15 year olds in Park Slope. Demario has a strong commitment to sharing his love of sports with children. When he is not doing that work, he continues his personal quest to become a better version of himself so he can be a greater help to the people of the universe. 

NEW CLUB!

Description Calling all Swifties, Livies, and members of the BeyHive! Children will find their inner voice as fearless, fierce, and fabulous humans by looking to the music, art, and activism of their favorite pop icons. Whether it’s dancing and singing to their favorite tunes, creating arts and crafts inspired by the divas, or discussing the work ethic, compassion, and causes their favorite stars support, each class will be a fun-filled study in group dynamics, social/emotional learning, and finding a strong center from which to roar!

Instructor  Noelle Barragato is a Kindergarten teacher at PS 154. She has been a Swiftie since attending her first Taylor Swift concert when she was 12!

NEW CLUB!

Description Gardening Club is designed to expand your child’s curiosity about nature and sustainability. This club offers exciting hands-on experiences in gardening and environmental stewardship. Students will have the chance to roll up their sleeves and actively participate in planting, harvesting, weeding and maintaining our vibrant school garden and outside tree beds.  Through these activities your child will gain more knowledge of sustainable food systems, plant care, composting, ecology and more! Toward the end of the session, the group will learn to cook simple, nutritious dishes from their harvest and other seasonal fruits and veggies.

Instructors Katie Lobel (she/her) is a recent graduate of Colorado College with an Environmental Studies major and an Urban Planning minor. Katie has worked for serval environmental organizations and non-profits (such as GrowNYC, Brooklyn Bridge Park, Gowanus Canal Conservancy, and many more) doing field work in all 5 boroughs. She is passionate about urban sustainability, composting, gardening, and environmental education in general.

Sara Hepburn has taught children’s enrichment classes in art, food education and cooking to students all over New York City. She learned about gardening at the Warren St. Marks Community Garden, Gowanus Canal Conservancy and Snug Harbor, where she completed the master composter program. Sara enjoys learning about growing food and the natural world, and wants to share that enthusiasm with her students.

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 This club is for all the Harry Potter fans of PS 154. Students will listen to Harry Potter books and do Harry Potter crafts, and play Harry Potter games. Children will have group discussions about the characters and the plots of the stories. If you have read all the books, or want to, this club is for you!

Instructor Ms. Donato has been running Harry Potter Club since she joined PS 154 as the gym instructor in September 2018.

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.

Descriptions

Camp Koko It’s summertime year-round in this workshop, specifically designed for kids in grades Kindergarten and 1st grade! In Camp KoKo, kids engage in hands-on material exploration and building activities. Using recycled and found objects as inspiration, our Teaching Artists bring in project themes that work with kids imagination and allow them to to build based on their own creative interpretations.

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.

Wearable Machines In this workshop kids will get creative, cutting apart repurposed clothes and fabrics and combining them with recyclables to design wearable inventions. A variety of construction methods will be used in this creative reuse workshop including gluing, taping, and sewing. Koko teaching artists will introduce a “theme of the day” and the kids will use recycled materials and textiles to build inventions that they can wear based on their creative interpretation of the theme.

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.

NOTE: Pre-registration will be offered to winter waitlist students. New and returning students are welcome to register for spots available during general registration.

Description

Lego Machine Magic In this LEGO workshop,students will delve into the exciting world of engineering and mechanics. They'll discover the secrets of axles, cams, cranks, and much more, unlocking essential skills that spark their creativity and problem-solving abilities.Through hands-on design thinking projects, they'll build machines that showcase their newfound knowledge. In each class children will share their latest creations and explain the engineering principles they've discovered.

Lego Design Thinkers In this imaginative LEGO journey, children will engage in the art of design thinking, crafting adorable robots, bringing friendly farm animals to life, and designing fantastic buildings. As they dive into brainstorming their own LEGO creations, they'll develop critical design thinking skills. The grand finale? They proudly showcase their work to their fellow explorers, fostering a sense of teamwork and camaraderie.

Instructor PS 154 is thrilled to welcome Kodely to our program. Started by a mother-daughter duo with over 25+ years of experience in the tech industry, Kodely was founded with the goal of teaching students the skills they need to succeed in the 21st century. The goal at Kodely is to provide students with not only career and academic skills, but soft skills that are needed for the modern workplace. Kodely strives to develop agile students that will be able to succeed through adversity.

NOTE: Registration is by grade level. These classes are for children struggling with grade-level math curriculum.

Description 1st and 2nd graders who need a little boost in math are invited to join PS 154 1st grade teacher Mandy Ancona for weekly small group help sessions. Students improve number sense and math skills by playing learning games and engaging in activities that support their math classwork.

Instructor Mandy Ancona is a first grade teacher at PS 154.

Description Join Ms. Donato for some R&R on Wednesday when she transforms a classroom into the Kids Color Street Nail Spa Salon. Children will learn how to apply the nail polish strips to each other, and give hand massages with essential oils. There will be many colors and styles of nails to choose from each week. The strips are easy to apply and come off with regular nail polish remover. All kids in the club must come to the club with their nails free of nail polish so we can start fresh. New and repeat students welcome!

Instructor In addition to being the PS 154 gym teacher, Ms. Donato loves a good mani/pedi!

Description In this 3D art class, children will learn the Japanese art of paper folding to create their own origami projects. They will also use a variety of materials (such as paper, cardboard, and clay) to create original sculptures and design projects.

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

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.

New and returning students welcome!

Description Calling all party people! In this fun club, Ms. Ussery will teach kids the finer points of party planning, game playing, and hosting. Students will start with the behind-the-scenes work of picking a theme, making a budget, creating a plan, and designing invitations. They will then explore life skills such working as a team to make and execute a plan, how to decorate a space, and options for preparing food and party favors. Next, they’ll be introduced to the social skills, etiquette, and classic party games to host a successful event. Best of all, their hard work will culminate in hosting a real party for friends and family!

Instructor PS 154’s own Ms. Ussery will lead this club.

Description Children are invited to join Ms. Ussery for PPAC! Every Thursday, this group will head out into the wilds of Prospect Park where they’ll hike the trails, explore the woods, run through the meadows, and roll down the hills as they spot wildlife and identify plants. This is a great way for children to explore how we co-exist and commune with nature right here in the middle of New York City! On rainy days, kids will wear raincoats and bring umbrellas for a look at how the woods change with the weather. On inclement weather days, the club will meet indoor for fun, nature-based activities.

Instructor PS 154’s own Ms. Ussery will lead this club.

NOTE: Registration is by grade level. These classes are for children struggling with grade-level reading curriculum.

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 Laurie has spent almost thirty years teaching young children in private and public schools in Manhattan and Brooklyn, developing curriculum for young children and mentoring and supervising teachers. She maintains a private practice tutoring children with an emphasis on young learners. Her experience ranges from a Coordinator in the Pre-K for All Program for the NYC Department of Education to the Director of Education at a private school to staff developer at Bank Street College of Education.

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.

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. If your student wants to participate in the second session but is in 3rd-5th grade please send me an email at afterschool@ps154.org.

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.

NOTE: Pre-registration will be offered to winter waitlist students. New and returning students are welcome to register for spots available during general registration.

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 an original project to take home. New and repeat students welcome!

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

Description Every PS 154 sports class combines fun, focus, and fairness! In the beginning class, Coach William will teach basic skills and rules of play. The older kids will scrimmage more and learn finer points of the game. In each class, age-appropriate practice on fairness, respect, and graciousness are integrated into play, helping children learn important self-regulation strategies to prepare them for challenges on and off the field.

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

Instructor William Ussery has played soccer in Brooklyn since he was a child. His GJOA travel team won the city cup twice and traveled to Norway to compete in the Norway Cup International tournament in 2018/2019. As a teen, he played for the Brooklyn Prospect Charter High School varsity team which won the league championship. He currently plays for his college team and recreationally with friends in the 6v6 Brooklyn Bridge Park soccer league.

Registration Note Thanks to a generous grant written by Ms. Rached, Story Pirates will offer 4 free clubs to PS 154 families! There are 15 seats in each grade section on a first-come, first-served basis. Kindergarten, 4th & 5th graders will have the opportunity to participate in this free program during our spring session.

Description
For Students in K - Heroic Heros
Kids will put their imaginations into overdrive as they think up the weirdest, most creative, most helpful heroes who have ever been invented, and have those heroes solve gigantic problems in their communities. Comics will be drawn! Stories will be written! Cool catch phrases will be invented! Innocent citizens will be rescued! A heroic time will be had by all!

For Students in 4th and 5th - Spy Training
Students become time travelers, masters of disguise and code breakers in this exhilarating workshop series that stealthily builds theater, writing and art skills. Kids will create characters, design mysteries, write stories together, and very stealthily look for important clues. By the time it’s over, kids will be certified spies, with the stories to prove it.

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.