The time is almost here! In two and a half weeks, your children will fill our beautiful school again! We are so excited about this upcoming school year, and all of its possibilities. Enjoy these last few weeks of summer vacation... the late nights, late mornings, sandy feet, and flip flops!

It has not only been vacation for our community, but for our staff as well. With the exception of Ms. Ivett Perez Lopez, our Parent Coordinator, and myself, all staff have been enjoying their well deserved time as well. As the leader of PS 88Q, I could not ask for a more dedicated, passionate and ever learning staff to work alongside of. Many spent their summer taking courses, planning and even working at Summer Rising.

We have some wonderful staff announcements:

• We wish some of our amazing staff a happy retirement as well. Ms. Gizzo, Ms. Garces, Mr. Alboum, and Ms. Vazquez have retired and will be enjoying life outside of the NYC Public Schools.
• Ms. Melecio has accepted a position as an Assistant Principal in District 25. We are so proud and happy for her!
• Ms Hameli, one of our amazing paraprofessionals has taken a position as a teacher in District 24. Good luck!
• Ms.Puglia has accepted a position closer to home in Long Island. We will miss her!
• We are welcoming 10 new teachers, as our school is growing!
• Ms.Soriano Ms. Rizzo and Ms. Gurba: Grade 1
• Ms. Harvey and Ms. Cevallos: Grade 2
• Ms. Buckley: Grade 3
• Ms. Vasquez and Mr. Zielson: Grade 4
• Ms Bloom: Grade 5
• Mr. Decastro: Music
• Our very own Ms. Lizbeth Heras-Torres is transitioning to our Social Worker!
• Newest PS 88Q member! Ms. Staton gave birth to a beautiful baby boy this past week!

Next weeks newsletter will be filled with A LOT of information, the most important being the arrival and dismissal procedures, as our new school yard is almost completed. I am looking forward to seeing everyone back at 88! See you at the Meet and Greet.

Many families have reached out regarding their child's classroom and teacher for September. I will be emailing families in the next week that information. Please remember, it is tentative, as there are factors that could change placement. I will explain what those factors are:

• As all staff have been gone for the summer, registration will begin next week. We are happy to welcome our new families. With the additional of new students, our goal is to keep all classes balanced. What does that mean? All classes should have an equal number to begin. If a class has 30 students, and another on the grade 18 students, we will adjust to ensure that classes are equal, and stay on the smaller class size for all.
• Students move over the summer, or discharge. When Ms. Pepe returns, she will be able to access who has discharged. If your child is not returning to PS 88Q in September, please email me (loshaughnessy@schools.nyc.gov) and I will take note.
• As we are growing, and our goal is always to remain a small class size school, and there has been times when an additional class has been added, to alleviate overcrowding. This would be due to an influx of new students registered the week of school.

How do we reorganize:

• Students who have an IEP are placed in their appropriate setting (ICT or 12:1:1)
• Students are group heterogeneously. What does that mean? Students from varying academic levels are placed in classrooms. PS 88Q does not "track" students nor create "top" classes.
• Some students were accepted into gifted and talented programs at PS 88Q, of which we have a grade 3, 4 and now a grade 5 gifted and talented program.
• We cannot honor special requests for specific teachers as all of our teachers are amazing.
• We cannot honor requests to place a child with specific children, as over the course of your child's years at PS 88Q, they will be with many other students, and making new friends. Grades do a lot of things collaboratively, as well as enjoy trips, daily lunch, and events together.

As always, any questions, email me at loshaughnessy@schools.nyc.gov

I know how hard it is to stay connected! If you are like me, you have 2 or 3 different emails (yes, I am still hanging on to my aol account as well as outlook and gmail). You probably have multiple platforms of information you check regularly, like me too! Then of course, there is the phone, and its many apps! Sometimes to much is too much! In order to start you off this year, I am going to share a few of the must haves for a parent.

• Access to your child's NYCSA (New York City Schools Account). THIS IS A MUST! This is your one place to access all of YOUR CHILD'S information. It is specific to you, as it includes information that only a parent or guardian are privy to. This includes report cards, attendance, IEP, bus route information, and all student documents. If you do not have access to this, please attend my information session in September. Only adults who are listed as legal guardians can access their students information.
• School-wide Communication: Each week, I create a newsletter which communicates information, as well as highlight the past week @ PS88Q. For those of you who know, it is a Sunday ritual for me! It is filled with links, and current information. I email it to families, as well as post it on social media, and our website. Our teachers also share it on Dojo. But if for some reason you don't see it those ways, here is the link for every newsletter! https://secure.smore.com/u/studenta6
• Class Specific Two-Way Communication: Class Dojo or Remind. Each classroom teacher has a DOE approved app (Dojo or Remind) that they use to communicate classroom specific information. Please make sure you are connected. Classroom teachers will share this app the first week.

Here are some other ways to stay connected:

• Check our website https://www.ps88q.com/ for any questions you have. I have updated it over the summer. It includes all staff emails, curriculum details, student clubs and extra curricular activities, calendars, videos, podcasts, etc. It is a great hub for you to perhaps answer some of your questions, or to inform you of some questions you may have. This website is for all families, prospective families, and the community.
• NEW this year is the Parent University. This is something I created that houses information that families need, AND to post opportunities for parent learning. During the year, we will host many in person, and virtual workshops and learning opportunities for families. https://sites.google.com/schools.nyc.gov/ps88parentuniversity/home
• Attend my monthly Coffee with Mrs. O'Shaughnessy and Coffee with Ms. Ivett, our Parent Coordinator.
• And most important, attend our PTA meetings. During the monthly meeting, you can find out ways to support PS 88Q, join sub committees, and meet other families.

PS 88Q is planning a MASSIVE EVENT!!! Our first annual Homecoming Weekend! This event will take place in the fall, and it will be filled with many events for our current and former students. We are honoring our Class of 2020, as they were our graduates who did not get to finish their years at PS 88Q in person (due to the pandemic). We want to connect to all former PS 88Q students, and plan for them to return! If you are a former PS 88Q student, please click below to share your email and information so that we can include everyone! Also, click the link below to listen to Mr. Canales' latest podcast, completed just last week, with former PS 88Q student Moriel, who is getting ready to attend New York University. She gives a special shout out to Ms. Cindy!

We are so excited to welcome our youngest students, our 3K and Pre-K! We are extremely proud of our program, and ready to welcome our 2, 3 and four year olds! Here is some information for our 3K and Pre-K families:

• The first day of school is September 5, 2024. It is a full day. 8:15am-2:20pm for the first two days, then 8:00am to 2:20pm beginning September 9th.
• Students are ALWAYS escorted into the classroom with their adults, and are dismissed to their adults in the classroom.
• For the first two days, we encourage parents to remain with the student for about 30 minutes, to ease the transition.
• Students will be napping the first day, so please send in a crib sheet and a favorite blanket.

3K and Pre-K families, you will be receiving an email from me in the next week with your child's classroom number and teacher. All teachers return on September 3rd and 4th for room set up and professional learning. Each teacher/teacher team will reach out to you to share first day information as well.

I will be hosting a 3K and Pre-K family meeting on the first day (September 5) following student arrival. Students will arrive at between 8:15am and 8:30 am on September 5th and should plan to spend the first half hour in the classroom. I will meet families at 9:00am in the cafeteria.

It is almost here! Your child's first day of Kindergarten. It is a milestone, and so exciting. For some, you are continuing at PS 88Q and for others, you are joining our community. Either way, our robust kindergarten is ready!

I have communicated previously about the many opportunities our school offers in kindergarten. They are:

• ICT Stem: This was a choice on the kindergarten application that you completed last school year. This was a grant that District 24 received to diversify our schools. Title I schools host an ICT Stem class, where students who live outside of the PS 88Q zone, but within District 24, to have an equal opportunity to join our school. Families received offers to this class in May. 15 general education students are offered seats. This class has a waitlist, and if a seat becomes available, we will work through the waitlist. For more information, click here https://csd24.com/grants/
• Kindergarten NEST: This is an ICT class as well, that we are very honored to host. With only 83 schools in NYC hosting this program, we consider this a wonderful opportunity for our families. This is a micro-ICT, which means it has a maximum of 12 students (8 general education students, and for students with ASD). Last year was our first year, and our amazing team, Ms. Becker and Ms. Agostino created a wonderful classroom culture of learning. To learn more about this program, click here https://steinhardt.nyu.edu/metrocenter/nest
• Dual Language Kindergarten: We are extremely excited about our newest kindergarten opportunity, the Dual Language Spanish Classroom. The advantage of this setting (which will continue to grade 5) is:
• Develops bilingualism and bi-literacy based on high proficiency levels in English and a partner language.
• Achieve academically across grade level content in both languages.
• Attain cross-cultural competencies within a linguistically and culturally diverse community.
• This class consists of
• ELLs who speak the same home language
• English proficient students who are learning the partner language (can be native Speakers of English)

Each school year, all of our families complete the Family Income Survey. You may wonder why it is so important. When all of our families complete the form, this helps us qualify for Title I funding. Title I funding is a huge asset to our school. For example, this school year, Title I funding is approximately $450,000. This funding helps all students, through staffing, extra-curricular programs, and supplies. Please complete the form online to ensure that our funding remains.

https://www.myschoolapps.com/