I hope everyone had a wonderful week and is settling into our new year!

Our students have been participating in an essay contest to commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Our Social Justice Committee created this opportunity:

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Fine Arts and Essay Exhibition Sponsored by the New York State Education Department Civic Project.

Each grade was given a specific Principle.

THE SIX STEPS OF NONVIOLENT SOCIAL CHANGE

PRINCIPLE ONE: Nonviolence Is a Way of Life for Courageous People.

• It is not a method for cowards; it does resist.

• It is active nonviolent resistance to evil.

• It is aggressive spiritually, mentally, and emotionally. 2nd Graders

PRINCIPLE TWO: Nonviolence Seeks to Win Friendship and Understanding.

• The outcome of nonviolence is the creation of the Beloved Community.

• The end result of nonviolence is redemption and reconciliation 1st Graders

PRINCIPLE THREE: Nonviolence Seeks to Defeat Injustice, or Evil, Not People.

• Nonviolence recognizes that evildoers are also victims and are not evil people.

• The nonviolent resister seeks to defeat evil not persons victimized by evil.4th Graders

PRINCIPLE FOUR: Nonviolence Holds That Unearned, Voluntary Suffering for a Just Cause Can Educate and Transform People and Societies.

• Nonviolence is a willingness to accept suffering without retaliation; to accept blows without striking back.

• Nonviolence is a willingness to accept violence if necessary but never inflict it.

• Nonviolence holds that unearned suffering for a cause is redemptive and has tremendous educational and transforming possibilities. 5th Graders

PRINCIPLE FIVE: Nonviolence Chooses Love Instead of Hate.

• Nonviolence resists violence of the spirit as well as the body.

• Nonviolent love is spontaneous, unselfish, and creative. Kindergarteners

PRINCIPLE SIX: Nonviolence Believes That the Universe Is on the Side of Justice.

• The nonviolent resister has deep faith that justice will eventually win.

• Nonviolence believes that God is a God of justice. 3rd Graders

I will be sharing the work of our students. Learning how to advocate for others, learning that they are capable of changing this world, and using their voice to support others is always one of our priorities. Our students have a lot to say, because they are aware and think. As we enter into a new initiative, involving poetry, (Poetry Week), I feel the video below depicts such a powerful message and it represents a form of poetry.

Student Voice and Student Advocacy is something we have proudly integrated into all components of learning. Currently, our Student Counsel is creating student opportunity in Participatory Budgeting (https://sites.google.com/schools.nyc.gov/social-studies-and-civics/civics-for-all/participatory-budgeting). Students will be going to the polls this week to vote on their choice for how the money will be spent.

Another aspect of student voice we will be introducing in the future is Project Soapbox (https://mikvachallenge.org/our-work/programs/project-soapbox/). This past May, our students learned about advocacy, and how to use their voice to support others. I am so proud of the work our students do every day, as their learning is not just preparing them to succeed in PS 88Q, but to succeed outside of PS 88Q, and make this world a better, safer, and accepting world.

Check out K-106 and Ms. Montalbano's beautiful response to Principle Five, and the video below from Clint Smith.

On Wednesday, January 8th, our student athletes took to the court for their season opener. Not only was it the first game of the season, but it was a home game! This group of dedicated athletes, under the coaching of Mr. Tripotseris and Mr. Nolan, wake up early each week, and practice before school. This dedication and hard work paid off with a WIN! Check out the game below and some highlights!

When the weather, and the temperatures don't cooperate with outdoor recess, that just means the fun goes on inside! Our amazing team of school aides make sure that indoor recess means FUN! Ms. Laurie, Ms. Cindy, Ms. Toni, Ms. Chrissy and Ms. Samantha create a space filled with so many opportunities for our students to play, to socialize, to create, and of course, DANCE!! Thank you for all you do for our kiddos!

Ms. Corniel shared this amazing video with me this week. A friend of hers is teaching in China, and shared that good practice works everywhere! Ms. Corniel shared some of the best activities she does, and guess what? They love it too!

We are excited to host this amazing opportunity for our students! On February 5th and 12th, from 2:30pm-4:30pm, we are partnering with Girl Scouts of Greater NY. Students will engage in hands on STEM activities. This is open to grades K-5. Please return the permission slip (slip was backpacked) to your child's teacher to secure your spot.

The Safety Committee is proud to announce that we will be holding our annual Town Hall meeting on February 11th! The 104th precinct will be discussing subway surfing. This year, our 5th graders will be joining us so that we can educate them about the dangers of subway surfing.

What are the Big Apple Awards?

The Big Apple Awards recognize and celebrate New York City teachers who:

• Inspire students to be their best selves, dream, and advocate for their future
• Model equitable learning with high expectations for the diverse and dynamic needs of all students
• Affirm students’ identities, unique gifts, and genius
• Enrich their school communities by partnering with families, community members, and community-based organizations

By honoring these teachers, we recognize all those who go above and beyond to serve our students and families!

During the school year, 15 Big Apple Award recipients will have the opportunity to apply to participate in the Big Apple Fellowship, which includes engagement in leadership development sessions, professional learning communities, and conversations with the Chancellor.

Nominate a Teacher for the Big Apple Award

It’s a multi-step process that takes many months—and it all starts with you! Students, families, administrators, and community members can all nominate any public school teacher. We then initiate a rigorous selection process that includes multiple stakeholders across the system. To nominate a teacher, use the following link. Nominations will open in December and will close in January 21st.

I am linking a helpful link below. This link lists all job opportunities within the NYC Public Schools, such as Parent Coordinator, School Aide, Family Worker, and many other positions. I will also link it on our website. Check it out!

We are so excited to begin planning for the 2025-2026 School Year. Please note the following dates"

Kindergarten Applications Open: December 10 and Close January 24

3K and Pre-K Applications Open: January 15 and Close February 28

We are hosting a series of Open House events for our future families.

Daytime Open Houses: January 13th, 14th, and 15th : 9am Daily

Tomorrow is our monthly SLT meeting. For SLT information, click below

https://www.ps88q.com/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=2276250&type=d&pREC_ID=2248991

MARK YOUR CALENDAR!: UPCOMING PTA EVENTS IN JANUARY

Monthly General Membership Meeting

Tuesday, January 21 from 6pm-7pm

Activity for the kids during the meeting!

Graduation Picture Day for Kindergarten and 5th Grade

Monday, January 27 from 9am-2pm

Cozy Family Movie Night

Friday, January 31, from 5pm-7:30pm

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Kindergarten and 5th Grade Parents:

Sign up to help with Graduation Pictures here: bit.ly/3C2NU5m

3rd Grade Parents:

Now's your time to shine! In keeping with the initiative to have each grade's parents help with different events, 3rd grade parents gets to lead Cozy Family Movie Night!

Sign up to help plan/brainstorm and/or volunteer on the night here: bit.ly/MovieNight25

PTA ANONYMOUS FEEDBACK FORM

bit.ly/ParentNeeds202425

Please use this form to communicate any and all needs, concerns, and thoughts.

You always have a place to go for help and to have your voice heard.

We will use this feedback to lead Q and A during General Membership Meetings, will pass it along to administration and the SLT, and reference it often to keep in touch with parent thoughts.

It will remain open for the entire 2024-25 school year

bit.ly/ParentNeeds20242

Please join the CEC24 members at the upcoming CEC24 Hybrid Meeting on Tuesday, January 28th

at:

Location: Learners and Leaders

Public School 305

360 Seneca Avenue (updated address)

Ridgewood, New York 11368

Time: 6:00 - 9:30 pm

Registration Link to join the 6:00 pm Hybrid meeting:

https://nycdoe.zoom.us/meeting/register/p-tsP8ESRlKLaZxZpXLzXQ

Meeting ID: 986 2242 6280 Code #: 113485

New Year, New Newsletter

Dear Families and Colleagues,

As we ring in 2025, we are excited to begin rolling out a fresh look and feel for PS + You! I want to thank everyone who provided feedback this past fall via our redesign survey. Based on your input, this newsletter will now incorporate new and exciting components, including:

• The Chancellor’s Spotlight: This section will highlight exemplary programs and extraordinary people across our school system. I have so many ideas for these spotlights, but I also want your help in collecting them. Who are the unsung heroes at your school, the people who embody our mission but are not often recognized? What are the unique, innovative programs in your district or school community that should be more widely known? I encourage you to nominate them here! We’ll feature at least one Chancellor’s Spotlight each week.

• NYCPS News and Resources: In your survey responses, you asked for more practical information on navigating our system, from reminders about enrollment deadlines to awareness of student opportunities and resources. In our brand-new NYCPS News and Resources section, we’ll share these types of announcements and reminders, many of which can also be found on our NYCPS blog, The Morning Bell.

I hope these changes make PS + You more enjoyable and useful for the one million-plus families and staff members who receive this newsletter each week. Thank you for your engagement and for your support of our students!

In partnership,

Melissa Aviles-Ramos

Chancellor