January 14, 2022 / 9am ET (Virtual Meeting)
There were 52 participants.
Kenny welcomed all.
A Word from Administration:
Hot topic – weather the mayor and chancellor will allow remote option. We don’t know yet, it seems they are talking to the UFT. We don’t have additional info.
Student Council – going strong. Student in the News team are walking around and gathering info from staff. They are having a good time.
After school and Saturday Academy – we will start these probably in the end of January. Smaller class sizes. If you have any questions, please send them in. It is a more relaxed atmosphere and children like them.
Guests:
Ren Killick – described himself as an avid reader. His advice to younger students is to be themselves, have fun, enjoy the sweet years of elementary school, and take all of the after school the school offers, do your best. He wants to be in business and a nature photography. He would like to attend MS 318.
Mr. Reynolds – gym teacher, he grew up in Queens and just moved to NJ. He likes to exercise and loves watching sports and traveling. Kids are having a unit on basketball now. His classes start with a warm up, then kids do a self-assessment in order for kids to assess they feelings and emotions, then line up and use hand sanitizer to finish the class. Mr. Reynolds’ general advice for kids is to be yourself, don’t try to be someone that you are not. He shared that he connected with Ren over Harry Potter books and that Ren inspired him to read more. NY Yankees is his favorite sports team.
A Word from Administration regarding COVID – info is ever changing.
New rules for PreK – the school is able to give test kits to symptomatic PreK kids. Depending on the results, that PreK class will have to move to remote learning. We are not giving the kits to the entire class – only to symptomatic children. The rules allow for PreK students to test out on Day 5 and come back on Day 8. Test out option is there, but the school won’t provide the test.
Ms. Gallo reminded the community that the rules do not come from the school, but from the situation room.
Covid report card – the community can access it via the link (https://schoolcovidreportcard.health.ny.gov/#/home) where you can see the school’s Covid cases. The Situation Room is not sending out the letters anymore, we need to check the covid report card.
The threshold number to trigger the opening of an investigation by the Situation Room to determine whether there is school-wide spread is 5 students inside a PreK classroom and 10 in K to 5 classrooms.
When there is a positive in the class, the teacher we will tell the class. Once we know there is a positive, the kids will get the test kits that same day. The latest is the next day.
DOE has not mandated that KN95 be used by school Staff or students.
Testing still happening in the school. It’s always a PCR test of 20% of consented students + 20% of staff. Results are taking a little longer.
Principal Scarlato thanked the parents for being so forthcoming. The school appreciates everyone’s patience. These rules are new to all of us and are constantly changing.
PTA Updates
The PTA is working on its Interim Financial Report, due on Jan 1st and still looking for volunteers for the Budget Committee. Thank you, Heather Milburn, for stepping up!
We are also working on updating the PTA Bylaws in order to reflect recent changes in Regulation A660.
We are still looking for volunteers to organize and work on the schools Spring Auction, which substitutes the Spring Gala.
Picture Retake Day is rescheduled for Tuesday Feb 8 given the low attendance due to Covid. For those who took pictures, there will be composites for a class pictures.
Valentine’s Day shop – there will be chocolates, necklaces, etc. more info will come
Jersey and Jewel Spirit Day and envelope fundraiser next Friday, January 21.
Class 4-309 (Ms. North) is the Scavenger hunt winner!!! We will hold the pizza party to the winners soon, once attendance is little higher.
Winter shop – we made close to $11k. Thank you to all who sponsored many children with the Little Shopper.
We will host a presentation with a Middle School consultant on Jan 25 from 7pm – 8pm to go over the process for middle school applications.
Middle School tours to 4 to 5 grade parents are coming up! Stay tuned!
Chess club – we are working on it. It will get started by the end of this month. We are figuring out all the logistics.
We are having yearbook for 5th graders – Ms. Korantis is working on it.
Coat Drive is still ongoing. We are not accepting coats anymore, but feel free to “shop” for a coat in the hanger located at the school entrance.
PTA Book Club – we will be discussing Circe on January 27, at 7pm.
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