A Message From Mrs. O'Shaughnessy
Happy Fathers Day to all of our dads, stepdads, grandfathers, uncles, and godfathers! I hope you enjoy your day. As we enter the final 6 days of school (seriously, how fast did this year go), there is no shortage of events! The end seems to be a sprint for sure. But as we are preparing for the end of this school year, we are planning for the next school year. I received some AMAZING NEWS on Friday evening.
WE WILL BE OPENING OUR FIRST DUAL LANGUAGE PROGRAM IN SEPTEMBER! We are proud to open our first kindergarten dual language Spanish program. A few months ago, I wrote a proposal for this fabulous opportunity for our school community, and received notification late Friday that we were approved to begin this September. Families, stay tuned for more information.
As many of our families have noticed, our school proudly shares the colors of the rainbow outside our entrances. We are proud to support our LGBTQ community, in our school community, and outside of our community. This month I shared on Instagram an image that said "Be careful who you hate, it could be someone you love." I wanted to share with you something personal about my family and a conversation I had with our former Superintendent, Ms. Chan.
Superintendent Chan received her doctorate in 2021. Her thesis, "A Study of Principals' Perceptions on Professional Development Reflecting Culturally Responsive Practices in Support of LGBTQ Youth". During the pandemic, in 2021, we met to discuss what we were doing as a school to support the LGBTQ community at PS 88Q. We discussed DOE content, and mindsets. I shared that we held our Love is Love Day, and what positive feedback we received. She was very honest with me, sharing stories of students, in our district, who were struggling with this, and engaged in suicidal ideation, or even suicidal attempt, after talking to their families about their identity. The feeling of hopelessness, and even worse, being ostracized, can cause some of our students to resort to desperate measures.
During this time, specifically at the time of this meeting, my daughter was in school in Florida, quarantined in a remote part of campus, and positive for Covid. She was depressed and sick, and I couldn't help her. In true Dr. Chan fashion, she told me to go there, but with all of the restrictions, I couldn't even see her. But this was just part of the problem. My daughter, who was in her second year at school, on a basketball scholarship, was seemingly living her dream, but she was struggling with her mental health. I confided in Dr. Chan that I indeed did ask my daughter if she was struggling with her identity. She shared with me that she wasn't, but rather struggling with the separation and life on her own. Regardless, I assured her that she is loved, always. During her stay in Florida, two students took their life. No parent ever wants that for their child.
I proudly have family members and friends who knew they were supported and surrounded by love, from an early age. They knew this by how adults spoke, and treated others. But you may ask what elementary schools are "teaching". We are creating a culture where students understand the Respect For All mission.
It is the policy of the New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE) to maintain a safe and supportive school environment for all students free from harassment, intimidation, and/or bullying and free from discrimination on account of actual or perceived race, color, creed, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship/immigration status, religion, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, disability, or weight.
Students do not use derogatory statements, say hurtful things, judge other families and their family structure. Our school, and our Social Justice Committee create amazing, authentic opportunities for our students to not only learn, but prepare them for life after PS 88Q.
Any questions, or concerns, as always, email me at loshaughnessy@schools.nyc.gov
Have a great week!
Have a wonderful week!
Love is Love @ PS 88Q: June 24th
PS 88Q is proud to celebrate Pride Month in many ways. Our goal, as always, is to create a culture of acceptance and understanding. The city provides schools with many resources to utilize in regard to Pride Month. As a school, including our Social Justice Committee, we discuss how PS 88Q will celebrate and recognize our LGBTQ school community. Love is Love day is on June 24th. Each grade will wear a specific color. We will take a picture of our students, representing the rainbow.
3K-PreK will wear yellow
Kindergarten will wear blue
1st grade will wear purple
2nd grade will wear red
3rd grade will wear orange
4th grade will wear green
5th grade will wear their Senior blue shirt.
Below see ALL of the DOE materials, which are published for all families. Also, here is the policy, as per the DOE
https://www.schools.nyc.gov/learning/subjects/social-studies/pride-month
June is Pride Month! Join us in honoring LGBTQ+ pioneers who fought for equality through art, culture, civic action, community service, and more.
