Family Newsletter - 1.13.24 - Pivot to Remote Readiness Reminder

• Attached is the January NYCPS Family Update letter, which serves as communication from Central DOE to our school communities in advance of the CCEC Application opening on Monday, January 13. This letter and PDF translations are available for download at schools.nyc.gov/messages.
   
• Just a reminder, in the event that it becomes necessary to Pivot to Remote Instruction due to weather or any other unforeseen event, it will be necessary for your child to have a digital device to access their instruction for that day from home. All students will be following their regular schedule, with a staggered start time for each grade to ensure everyone is able to gain access to their individual google classrooms. If you have any questions or concerns or you need to borrow a device from our school, please contact Ms. DiMatteo in the main office.
   
• A very special thank you to Ms. Riccardi, as well as all who assisted her, for the successful facilitation of our i-Ready mid-year diagnostic administration. The results will be shared with families once the window closes. This week, all of our students will be taking their mid-year ThinkCERCA writing diagnostic exam during their ELA classes.
• Mr. Hutton and Ms. Zambri’s students have been working on redesigning our school logo. We discussed that our Honey Badger logo will remain in place as our sports mascot. However, our school logo should signify our school focus, motto and educational ideals. In the coming weeks, a link will be sent out to all staff and students to complete a google form, voting on a new design, which has been developed and designed by our students. More info to follow…
• For the 5th year in a row, Mr. Solino’s students entered the NYS DEP Watershed Superhero Contest. 6 students submitted artwork, so we will see if we get a winner this year.
• Please see the attached January PTA meeting agenda and the zoom link below, scheduled virtually for tomorrow evening at 5:00pm.
  D21 21K281PA is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
  Topic: IS 281 PTA Meeting
  Time: Jan 14, 2025 05:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
  Join Zoom Meeting
  https://nycdoe.zoom.us/j/91859051135?pwd=AhyWTuP3W4149dtSeKm1JyX9LNSnYc.1
  Meeting ID: 918 5905 1135
  Passcode: 228376

Academic Vocabulary Word of the Week: 

1/6/25 –  Essential, Beneficial

Spanish: Basica(o), Beneficiosa(o)

Chinese: 基本 , 有益

Russian: существенный , благотворный

Urdu: ضروری , مفید

Social Emotional Focus Week 17:

6th Grade - Commitment: Engage with real-life scenarios and practice commitment reflecting on personal goals

7th Grade - Courage:  Understand courage in difficult situations and develop strategies to face fears

8th Grade - Humbleness: Engage with real-life scenarios and practice humbleness (vignettes: ‘Helping Friends’ and ‘The Promotion’)