Welcome Back! This past week, we officially kicked off the 2023-2024 School Year. All administration reported to work this week. This was Ms. Lowe, Ms. Herman and myself. That doesn't mean that we were the only people in the building. Ms. Ivett Perez-Lopez, our amazing parent coordinator and Ms. Jackie Pepe our fabulous pupil accounting secretary, were busy supporting our existing families and future families. Mr. Kevin Goodish was busy as well, getting ready for GRYC Afterschool. And then there were our amazing teachers. Here is a little know fact, teachers do not officially begin work on the 5th, but you wouldn't know that if you were in the building. Our teachers end their summer early to come into the building and begin setting up their classroom. The halls were bustling, the carts were moving, the bulletin boards were covered, and in just a few days, this quiet building began to transform. It may be one of my favorite things about being in a school; the continuous cycle that every year brings, yet each year is different. New students, returning students, new staff, returning staff, new families, returning families, new goals, new hopes and new dreams.

This year at our Meet and Greet, I was particularly reflective. My first year at PS 88Q was 2018, and as anxious as I was to meet the community, they were just as anxious to meet the new principal. This past week, in the midst of the Meet and Greet, I found myself surrounded with some of those families who were beginning their first day at PS 88Q. This years grade 5 were the eager kindergarten students in 2018. We both walked in together. This weeks newsletter has A LOT of information. On Thursday, we will welcome all of our students, from our 2 and 3 year olds in 3k, to our senior class; our grade 5 students. We have been planning for a smooth opening, trying to think of everything. There will no doubt be tears at the gate, from our kiddos and our parents! I have been where you are, happy for your children, but also sad too. Roots and wings is what I go by. Give them strong roots to rely on, and give them wings to be independent. A tricky balance, but together, WE GOT THIS!!!

I know we have talked alot about the playground, BUT IT IS COMING! City permits and contractors are a whole different entity for sure, but a temporary fence is imminent. This fence will be constructed in the large yard (as it is Phase I), allowing for Exit 5 to remain an entrance and exit. This exit will be a narrow path though, as construction will begin. Phase I construction will consist of tearing up the concrete, the underlying dirt, installing the turf, the track, the basketball courts, the tables and the greenery. Due to this being phase I, the dismissal process has changed. THE ARRIVAL PROCESS HAS NOT. See below:

ARRIVAL PROCEDURES

School begins promptly at 8:00 AM. The gates will open at 7:30 AM. Children arriving after gates are closed will be marked late (after 8:00 a.m.). Late students must enter through the main entrance on Catalpa Avenue.

All students WILL ENTER through the egresses below.

• 7:30AM: Large School Yard entrance for K, 1, and 2 and proceed to the cafeteria
• 7:30AM: Small School Yard: Auditorium door for grades 3, 4, 5 and proceed to the auditorium
• 8:00AM: 3K and PreK: PreK door on 68th Road (in the small schoolyard) Parents escort their children in and out of the classroom.
• 8:00 a.m. – 2:20 p.m. (students in session)

DISMISSAL PROCEDURES

All students WILL DISMISS through the egresses below.

• LARGE school yard (68th Road)- Grades 4 and 5
• FRONT OF SCHOOL (Catalpa Avenue)- 2 & 3
• SMALL SCHOOL YARD: Grades K and 1
• 3K and PreK: PreK door on 68th Road

Our littlest students are about to begin their educational journey. So exciting, but also a little overwhelming. Our goal is always to instill a love of learning, and a love for school. For some, the transition can be hard. To ease our students ( and our parents) into the full day, the following schedule is implemented for Thursday September 7th and Friday September 8th.

AM and PM Sessions:

There are two separate sessions for our four 3k and PreK classes. You should have received and email from Ms. Pepe Friday regarding which session your child was attending. My apologies, as the letters are inaccurate in the times. Please see accurate times below. The class is basically split in half, so that half of the students and their families are able to enter the room, and experience the room, school and teachers together. Please see schedules below.

Thursday, September 7, 2023

3K AM Session: 8:30am-9:30am

3K PM Session: 12:30pm-1:30pm

Pre-K AM Session:8:30am-10:00am

Pre-K PM Session: 11:00am-12:30pm

Friday, September 8, 2023

3K AM: 8:30am-10:00am

3K PM: 12:30pm-2:00pm

Pre-K AM: 8:30am-10:30am

Pre-K PM: 11:00am-1:00pm

Monday, September 11, 2023

Full day for all classes: 8:00am-2:10pm

For our kindergarten parents, this is a big day for you too! Your little ones are about to begin an amazing journey. Kindergarten is an amazing place. We want your first days to be memorable. For the first two days we want to give you and your child a more specific experience. See below:

Arrival:

Thursday, September 7 and Friday, September 8: All kindergarten students will line up in the large school yard according to class. (Signs will be posted). Teachers will pick up their class and escort them into the building.

Dismissal:

Students will be dismissed in the small school yard. Students will be dismissed at 2:10 the first week. Safety is always our priority. Teachers will manage dismissal with a hand to hand dismissal.

What a wonderful turnout this past week at our Meet and Greet. This is just the beginning of many gatherings we will host throughout the year.

GRYC, our wonderful community based afterschool program provides aftercare for students in kindergarten to grade 5. We understand that our 3K and PreK families perhaps are in need of aftercare as well. A local community based organization has been working on providing aftercare for our families, @ PS 88Q. Please see below:

Dear PS 88 Families,

This fall, Supermoon Art Space (a local art center and early childhood program) is organizing an after school for 3-6 year olds, on site in our school. The program will run Mon-Fri, from 2:30-5:30pm, and incorporate artmaking and creative play designed specifically for our younger students. It is a fee-based program that costs $500/month, or eligible families can pay with ACS or HRA childcare vouchers. We are aiming to start this program in October.

In the meantime, if your family is interested in signing up, please fill out this form so that Supermoon staff can follow up with you to answer any questions and start the enrollment process.

Looking forward to a new school year!

Team Supermoon

Hi! If you're a new parent to PS88Q, welcome to our wonderful school! If you're returning, welcome back...we've missed you! We are the Parent Teacher Association (aka the PTA) of PS88Q.

So, what is the PTA, you ask?

It's a group of parents/guardians and other members of our school community who volunteer their time to plan events and find ways to strengthen our school and support our students, families, and teachers.

But we need your help!

Every parent/guardian is automatically a voting member of the PTA and it's important to attend meetings so you can learn more about your school, and have fun while you're at it! There are so many ways to get involved, which is why we created this survey.

Please fill it out...it only takes a couple of minutes! We would love to hear from you, and we need your voices!

Looking forward to meeting you and working together!

Your PTA Executive Board,

Samantha Desz (President), Camila (Secretary), and Sabita Krishnan (Treasurer)

(You'll be added to the PTA mailing list and you'll receive the monthly PTA Parent-to-Parent Newsletter and information on upcoming volunteer opportunities.)