April 8, 2022 / 9am ET (Virtual Meeting)
There were 32 participants. Kenny welcomed all. While we waited for the community to join, we talked about available summer camps in the neighborhood.
A Word from Administration:
Principal Scarlato shared the following:
- NY State Math test for grades 3 through 5 will he held on Tuesday, April 26 and Wednesday April 27. That is the day after we get back from Spring break;
- Every class from now until the end of the year will be taking at least one walking trip in the neighborhood. That could be to the library, Transmitter Park, Oyster Project, Franklin Street Garden;
- Vacation Homework is optional. However, keep in mind that third through fifth graders will have the NY test right after they come back from break;
- We had an authors’ visit the school this week and the children are really enjoying such visits. They are very engaged;
- We booked Adventure Bound, which is a game show for the kids. We will hold the show sometime in May;
- Graduations for K will be June 21. PreK will be June 22 and Fifth Grade will be June 23. We will send information regarding this;
- Summer Rising is an instructional program in the morning and summer camp in the afternoon. Children from our school will be hosted at PS 110;
- K offers are out.
Assistant Principal Gallo shared the some Covid updates. Children will be going home to Spring Break with 2 Covid tests. The Department of Health is asking parents to test kids on the 23rd, and then a second test on the 24th. Health screen should be completed every morning. Also, our children are back at sitting together in tables in the cafeteria.
Guest Speakers:
Amina Sadiq – alum of PS31, she graduated class of 2011, went to IS 318 for Middle School which has the same discipline and structure as PS 31. She then moved to Long Island, where she went to High School. In college, she also had the same structure and discipline she learned at PS 31 and did the accelerated program. Her advice to elementary school kids is to not take failure too harshly, to keep doing it until you get it. Her advice to parents is to encourage their kids, be their backbone. Finally, she said that the volume of work at PS 31 helped her gain stamina with academics and time management.
Teacher Ms. Tesoriero – she has been a teacher at PS31 for 23 years, and was a 3rd grade teacher for 17. Now she teaches science in the greenhouse classroom and hydroponics lab. She is giving lettuce to students and will hold a farm stand next week. She also has a donation jar and is growing carrots, asparagus, cucumbers and bell peppers. She runs the Green Team and is part of the Green Wellness Committee. Finally, she was born and raised in Brooklyn.
Miss Kara’s Korner
We have about 40% participation in the School Survey. Please take the time to complete it. Class 1-209 is the first class to get 100% participation and they were rewarded with a pizza party. We also have a D14 Summer Camp Directory, which I have included in our weekly newsletter. We had the dentist in school this week, providing free dental care for kids from grades K through 5. Finally, we are getting donations to update the library.
Title 1 Representative Update:
Magda shared that, with Title 1 funding, we were able to bring a full week of after school program with Rockness. Families came together to write social emotional songs.
In response to a question from a parent, Ms. Gallo shared how the school incorporates Social Emotional learning (SEL) into its curriculum and how we use different components for several SEL programs.
PTA Updates
- PTA Board Election are coming in June – we will send a flyer explaining the election process after Spring Break;
- The PTA Treasurer shared income and expenses year to date
- We need help with the Spring Fest, please volunteer
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