Family Pathfinder Week of 10/20/24

"Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you." — Anne Lamott

"Balance is not something you find, it’s something you create." — Jana Kingsford

October 20, 2024,

Good evening I.S. 254 Pathfinders,

I hope everyone is feeling energized and ready for another fantastic week! We’re kicking off some exciting new modules this week, thanks to our partnership with the Learning Design Collaborative. These lessons are designed to boost student learning and engagement across all subjects, and we’re excited to see how they’ll help our school continue to grow as a vibrant learning community.

On a lighter note, it’s such an exciting time to be in New York with all the playoff games and incredible athletes making waves! It’s been fun following the buzz—there’s just something inspiring about seeing people put their all into their passions, much like what we do every day with our students. And speaking of last week—did anyone else feel like the supermoon had some extra magic in the air? While there may not be any scientific proof linking the moon to student behavior, I think we can all agree that last week sure had its moments! LOL!

On a more serious note, this Friday we’ll be wearing pink to support Breast Cancer Awareness. I encourage everyone to participate and show our solidarity for those affected by this disease.

As we dive into the new week, I’d like to remind everyone how important it is to maintain a healthy balance between work and personal life. Stephen Covey once said, “The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.” Finding that balance is so important—not only for us as adults but for our students as well. When we’re well-rested and managing our time effectively, we bring more focus, energy, and creativity into everything we do, which in turn helps our students thrive. Just like we need balance, our students also benefit from structure, rest, and time to grow beyond their academics.

Let’s keep this in mind as we move through the week, and continue to create spaces where both we and our students can thrive. I’m looking forward to another amazing week of learning, growing, and supporting one another!

Looking forward to another grrrrrrrreaaat week of teaching, learning, and loving at I.S. 254!

Sincerely,

Javier Ocampo, Principal

I want to shout out:

• A heartfelt thank you to the teachers who participated in the formal observation cycles last week. Your commitment to professional growth and instructional excellence is truly appreciated.
• Special thanks to the Parent Association and school staff for their active engagement in Friday’s successful Safety Town Hall. Your collaboration ensures that we maintain a safe and supportive environment for our students.
  
• Gratitude to the School Leadership Team for a productive and thoughtful meeting on Tuesday. Your insights and collaboration continue to drive meaningful progress for our school.
  

Ms. Rivera wants to shout out:

• BRT Team – Huge thanks for your diligence and preparedness during this week’s evacuation drills. Your attention to detail ensured everything ran smoothly.
  

• Culture and Climate Team – Thank you for keeping a close eye on student behavior and following up on cases, ensuring our school environment remains safe and supportive.
  
• Mr. Facey – I appreciate your proactive approach and for always keeping me informed about students’ concerns. Your attentiveness is invaluable.
  
• Ms. Montanez – A special shoutout for collaborating with Ms. Tobin to create a streamlined system for new admissions, ensuring students are properly placed from the start.
  
• Ms. Tobin – Thank you for your leadership and commitment in driving the LDC work forward. Your dedication to this work is truly appreciated.
  
• Mr. Pena – Your unwavering advocacy for your students and their needs never goes unnoticed. Thank you for always standing up for them.
  
• Ms. Beltre and Mr. Pedro – Thank you for your hard work in organizing our school curriculums and materials as they arrive and making sure teachers have the resources they need.
  
• Volleyball Coaches – Congratulations on leading the team to yet another victory!
  
• Ms. Kanhai – Thank you for organizing the testing materials and exams this week with such efficiency.
  
• Ms. Vanterpool – Your dedication to supporting our students and making thoughtful recommendations for their growth and development is truly commendable.
  
• Ms. Trinidad, Ms. Montanez, Ms. Dominguez, & Ms. Rosario – A huge THANK YOU for all that you do!
  

Mr. Brezina wants to shout out:

• Join me in congratulating Mr. Facey, who was selected by the NYPS Office of Safety and Youth Development as I.S. 254’s first School-Based Restorative Justice Coordinator. Your leadership and dedication to student well-being and conflict resolution are instrumental in building a strong school culture and fostering positive, peaceful outcomes for all students.
  
• Mr. Garcia, for leading the critical work of keeping our community safe. Your ability to build strong relationships with families, community organizations, NYPS agencies, and neighborhood members has strengthened the coalition that supports our students and allows us to focus on what matters most—teaching and learning in the classroom.
  
• Ms. Castro, for your invaluable support to the 6th-grade team. By getting to know each student and advocating for those who need it most, you have become a trusted source of guidance, communication, and care. Your dedication has made a lasting, positive impact on our students and school culture.
  
• Ms. Rampersad and Ms. Laing, for your commitment to deepening your expertise as reading teachers through intensive training. Your advocacy and support for students struggling with reading are making a meaningful difference where it’s needed most.
  
• Mr. Peña, for creating a classroom atmosphere that is both calm and reflective, while maintaining high expectations for student engagement and effort. Your students are consistently challenged to perform at their best, which speaks to your skill in fostering both rigor and purpose.
  
• Ms. Dominguez, for your vital work in strengthening connections with our families. The relationships you help build are essential to the growth and resilience of our community, making us stronger together.
  
• Ms. Trinidad, for your constant support of students and adults, always stepping in to help whenever and wherever it’s needed. Your presence and contributions are deeply appreciated.
  
• Ms. Rivera, for your leadership, mentorship, and daily impact on our school community. Your professionalism and dedication are felt by all, and your influence continues to shape the success of our school in meaningful ways. Thank you for your consistent support.

Events:

• October 21-30, 2024: LDC Module Implementation
  

• October 22-24: All In Learning Common Interim Assessments
  
• 🚨📅 November 1: Diwali, schools closed
• November 5:
• Election Day, students do not attend school
• Staff - Remote Professional Learning Day
• November 6-8, 2024: Common Interim Assessments (NEW DATE): Common Interim Assessments (NEW DATE)
  
• 🚨📅 November 11: Veterans Day, schools closed
  
• November 14:
• Students not in attendance.
• Half-Day IN-PERSON Staff Professional Development.
• Afternoon & Evening, Remote Conferences
• 🚨📅 November 28-29: Thanksgiving Recess, schools closed
• November 30, 2024: Specialized High School Admissions Test
• 🚨📅 December 24–January 1: Winter Recess, schools closed
  
• March 13, 2025:
• Students not in attendance.
  
• Half-Day IN-PERSON Staff Professional Development.
  
• Afternoon & Evening, Remote Conferences
  
• May 8, 2025: Evening, In-Person Parent Conference

Parent Conferences 2024-2025

• November 14, 2024: Afternoon & Evening, Remote Conferences; Morning, In-Person Professional Development
  

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

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

Marking Period Dates 2024-2025

• November 18, 2024: Marking Period 1 ends

• January 30, 2025: Marking Period 2 ends

• April 14, 2025: Marking Period 3 ends

• June 26, 2025: Marking Period 4 ends

6th Grade News:

• No updates for this week.
  

7th Grade News:

• No updates for this week.
  

8th Grade News:

• Here’s a recap of what our 8th Grade students have been up to this week:
  
• Our 8th graders completed a Biology Benchmark assessment, which gave us valuable information on where they stand with their current knowledge. This type of assessment is also a great way to help students build the stamina they’ll need for longer exams, like the Regents. Moving forward, they can expect similar assessments in Algebra to provide teachers with insight into areas where students are excelling and where they may need extra support.
  
• In preparation for our upcoming curriculum changes, teachers across all subjects have been putting in countless hours of planning to make sure these transitions are smooth and beneficial for the students. Parents, this is a great time to check in with your child about what they’re learning and how they feel they’re doing in each class.
  
• Exciting news: An 8th Grade Dance has been scheduled for December in our I.S. 254 gym! This will be a fun opportunity for students to celebrate, but attendance will be based on both academic performance and good citizenship. We’re looking forward to a fantastic event!
  

ELA:

• No updates for this week.
  

Math:

• 6th Grade: Last week, students worked on inequalities and comparing numbers on a number line. This week, we’re focusing on identifying points on a number line.
• 7th Grade: Last week, we explored scale drawings. This week, students will work on finding the part of a number when given the whole and percent.
• 8th Grade: Last week, we tackled linear functions, working with point-slope form, graphing, and solving word problems. This week, we’ll continue developing these skills.

Science:

• No updates for this week.
  

Social Studies:

• No updates for this week.
  

ENL Team News:
Here’s what our English Language Learners (ELLs) are working on this week:

• 6th Grade TBE: Students in 601 are using sentence starters to incorporate new vocabulary into their writing.
• 7th Grade TBE: Students in 701 are working on projects where they create step-by-step instructions for a task of their choice (e.g., how to get from home to school).
• 8th Grade TBE: Students are focused on restating ideas and using synonyms to improve their writing skills.

ENL Strategies Targeted This Week:

• Teachers and parents, here are some of the strategies our ENL team is using to support students' English language acquisition:
  
• Using visual representations of words to help students learn and retain vocabulary
• Chunking information into smaller sections for better understanding
• Pre-teaching vocabulary to enhance reading comprehension
• Providing checklists and essay outlines to guide writing
• Using sentence frames and home language support to build confidence
• Incorporating visuals and graphic organizers to support learning

🎉🎂Staff Birthdays🎂🎉

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

Tapping our brains is a really healthy thing to do, and it doesn’t require any special tools or equipment. Fingertips, a skull, and a smile - that’s it!

This exercise offers a simple way to both refresh your brain and release tension in the forehead, the temples, the eyes, the mouth, the jawline… while also shifting you into the more relaxed alpha brain wave state. Think of it as an easy way to give yourself a luxurious head & facial massage for free - without even having to leave the house!

Remember to keep breathing out fully through the mouth (holding one’s breath is a form of tension) and gently smiling (no tension-filled wide grins)!