Family Pathfinder Week of 02/02/25

"El hombre que no lucha por la libertad, no es un hombre digno de vivir." ("The man who does not fight for freedom is not a man worthy of living.") — Juan Pablo Duarte (Founding father of the Dominican Republic)

February 2, 2025,

Good evening I.S. 254 Families,

Happy February! As we begin this new month, we are excited to celebrate Black History Month and Dominican History Month—a time to honor the incredible contributions, stories, and achievements of Black and Dominican leaders, thinkers, and changemakers. Representation matters, and we encourage our students to explore and reflect on the rich histories that have shaped our world and our own community.

This week also marks the start of a new schedule for our students. Change can sometimes bring uncertainty, but it also offers a fresh start and new opportunities for growth. Each student will receive a copy of their updated schedule, and schedules will be posted throughout the school for easy access. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact Ms. Dominguez, our Parent Coordinator.

Upcoming Events & Reminders

🎨✨ I.S. 254 Sip & Paint Event ✨🎨
We invite all families to join us for an evening of creativity and fun at our Sip & Paint event!

📅 Date: Wednesday, February 5, 2025
🕞 Time: 3:30 PM
📍 Location: I.S. 254 Library

Enjoy a guided painting session while sipping on delicious mocktails. No experience is needed—just bring your creativity and have fun!

Spaces are limited, so RSVP as soon as possible. For more information, contact Ms. Dominguez.

🗓 Parent Association Meeting – Friday, February 7th
Join us for our monthly Parent Association meeting on Friday, February 7, 2025, at 9:00 AM. This is a great opportunity to stay informed and connect with other families.

📌 Agenda Includes:

• A presentation from an Associate Human Rights Specialist
• A Brain Power workshop
• Exciting raffles
• Food Pantry: Families are welcome to take home fresh groceries—please bring a shopping cart or bags!

We hope to see you there!

Looking Ahead: A Fresh Start

The beginning of Term 2 is an opportunity for students to reset, refocus, and set new goals for success. As we guide them through this transition, we encourage families to:
✅ Discuss academic goals and progress with your child.
✅ Encourage a growth mindset—remind students that challenges are opportunities to learn and improve.
✅ Support them in staying organized with their new schedule.

Together, we will continue to build a school culture that celebrates progress, fosters resilience, and nurtures the brilliance in every student.

Thank you for your continued partnership and support. Let’s make this a great month!

With gratitude,

Javier Ocampo, Principal

• To our staff who assisted with the INDEX event: Thank you for your support in making Monday’s event a success as we kicked off Dominican History Month. Your willingness to step into the role of students while watching the documentary and then serving food to our students exemplifies the spirit of community and dedication that makes I.S. 254 so special.
  
• To the teachers who advocated for themselves regarding the new schedule: Your voices were invaluable in shaping adjustments that ensure equity, balance, and community needs were met. Your willingness to speak up, collaborate, and engage in thoughtful discussions truly embodies our school’s mission and vision. Thank you for your leadership and commitment to our students and one another.
  
• To our paraprofessionals: I shared this with you privately, and now I want to say it publicly—your voice matters. Thank you for taking the time to thoughtfully contribute ideas for professional learning topics that are meaningful to your growth. Your engagement and dedication to improving your craft continue to make a difference in our school community.
  
• To everyone involved in preparing for our Chancellor and District Community visit next week: Your hard work and attention to detail ensure that our school is ready to shine. Thank you for your commitment to representing our school with pride and excellence!
  

Mr. Brezina wants to shout out:

Ms. Rivera wants to shout out:

Events:

February

• February 10: Student awards ceremony
  
• February 10: Chancellor’s Town Hall at I.S. 254
  
• February 13: 7th Grade Friendship Dance
  
• February 17–21: Midwinter Recess – Schools closed
• February 25: School Leadership Team Meeting at 3:00 PM in the library

March

• March 13:
  • Students not in attendance
  • Half-Day In-Person Staff Professional Development: 8:25 AM - 12:00 PM
  • Remote Parent-Teacher Conferences:
    • Afternoon: 12:45 PM - 2:45 PM
    • Evening: 4:45 PM - 7:45 PM

• March 18: School Leadership Team Meeting at 3:00 PM in the library
• March 31: Eid al-Fitr – Schools closed

April

• April 14–18: Spring Recess – Schools closed
• April 22: School Leadership Team Meeting at 3:00 PM in the library

May

• May 8: Evening, In-Person Parent Conference
• May 20: School Leadership Team Meeting at 3:00 PM in the library
• May 26: Memorial Day – Schools closed

June

• June 5: Eid al-Adha / Anniversary Day – Schools closed
• June 6: Staff Clerical Day – No classes for students
• June 10: First administration of the new Regents Examinations in Life Science: Biology, and Earth and Space Sciences
• June 17: School Leadership Team Meeting at 3:00 PM in the library
• June 19: Juneteenth – Schools closed
• June 26: Last day of school for students

Parent Conferences 2024-2025

• March 13, 2025: Afternoon & Evening, Remote Conferences; Morning, In-Person Professional Development
  

• May 8, 2025: Evening, In-Person Parent Conference

Spring Semester Begins!
We’re kicking off the Spring Semester on Monday, February 3rd with updated student schedules. Students received their new schedules on Friday, and copies are posted around the school for easy access. If you have any questions, please reach out to Ms. Dominguez, our Parent Coordinator.

Celebrating Student Success! 🎉

🏆 Marking Period 2 Awards Ceremony
We are proud to recognize our students' hard work and achievements at our Marking Period 2 Awards Ceremony on Monday, February 10th in the gym.

📅 Date: Monday, February 10, 2025
📍 Location: Gym
🕒 Ceremony Times:

• 6th Grade – 3rd Period
• 7th Grade – 4th Period
• 8th Grade – 5th Period

Students will transition to lunch in the cafeteria after their ceremony. We are excited to celebrate their accomplishments together!

7th Grade Friendship Dance 💃🕺

Let’s spread kindness and fun! The 7th Grade Friendship Dance will take place on Thursday, February 13th.

📅 Date: Thursday, February 13, 2025
📜 Permission Slips: Students will receive permission slips this week. Please return them as soon as possible!

Brain Power is Back! 🧠

We are excited to welcome Brain Power back to I.S. 254 for engaging workshops with students and families.

📅 February 7th: Brain Power will host a parent workshop in the morning.
📅 February 14th: Brain Power will visit classrooms, lead student activities, and work with our Brain Power student leaders.

Stay tuned for more details! If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Tobin.

Department & Classroom Updates

6th Grade

• ELA: Analyzing how an author’s word choice impacts mood and tone while reading Refugee.
• Math: Moving from distributive property to combining like terms.
• Science: Exploring thermal energy and how it affects temperature change.
• Social Studies: Learning about early colonial development in New Netherland and New Amsterdam.

7th Grade

• ELA: Reading and discussing The House on Mango Street while developing writing skills.
• Math: Translating and evaluating equations.
• Science: Understanding cellular respiration and how the body produces energy.
• Social Studies: Engaging in participatory budgeting, helping students learn about decision-making in their communities.

8th Grade

• ELA: Continuing Night by Elie Wiesel, making real-world connections to the Holocaust and themes of resilience.
• Math: Transitioning from polynomial operations to factoring polynomials.
• Science: Exploring genetics and how traits are passed down through generations.
• Important Reminder:
  • 8th graders have less than 140 days until their June Regents Exams in Algebra, Biology, and Spanish.
  • Attendance is crucial—every day counts!
  • Students should stay on top of assignments to ensure they are on track for graduation and end-of-year celebrations.

ENL Department Updates 🌎

Our English Language Learners (ELLs) are working on exciting lessons this week!

• 6th Grade: Learning to describe family members in English and Spanish, strengthening speaking and writing skills.
• 7th Grade: Finalizing personal narratives using past tense verbs, adjectives, and transition words.
• 8th Grade: Exploring “Street Art”—analyzing different forms of public art while learning new vocabulary.

💡 ENL Strategies to Support Learning at Home:

• 6th Grade: Encourage read-alouds and underline important information when reading.
• 7th Grade: Use sentence starters to help with writing and conversation skills.
• 8th Grade: Support students with home language connections, graphic organizers, and explicit vocabulary instruction.

Looking Ahead

📅 February 7: Brain Power Parent Workshop
📅 February 10: Marking Period 2 Awards Ceremony
📅 February 13: 7th Grade Friendship Dance
📅 February 14: Brain Power Classroom Visit

BPW Weekly Self-Care

and Q&A Sessions

Weekly on Wednesdays

@6:00 - 6:30pm EDT

Zoom Link HERE

Meeting ID: 885 4014 4085 Passcode: 274960

National Girls & Women in Sports Day

(annually on February 7)

National Girls & Women in Sports Day (NGWSD) began in 1987. The day united premiere organizations & elite women athletes, to bring national attention to the promise of girls & women in sports. It began as a remembrance of Olympic volleyball player, Flo Hyman, to honor her athletic achievements & dedication to promoting equality for women’s sports. NGWSD has since evolved into a celebration of the accomplishments of girls and women in sports; the positive influence of sports participation; & the continuing struggle for equality for women & girls in sports.

EXERCISE CHALLENGE

Whether one is engaged in the world of sports or in the realm of scientific research, some activities are performed alone, while others need a partner or even a whole team. But whether it’s an individual, partner, or team event, these principles will always apply:

1. Give your personal best effort

2. Support your teammates or partners and always demonstrate impeccable fairness and integrity.

3. Remember to have fun!

To see the Partner Side Stretch activity video, CLICK HERE