Summer Rising @ PS 88Q

Dear Families,

On behalf of the entire Summer Rising team, I want to extend a warm and enthusiastic welcome to all 809 of our families! We are so excited to launch what promises to be a fun-filled, enriching, and memorable summer for all of our Kindergarten through Grade 5 students.

My name is Linda O'Shaughnessy, and I am proud to serve as the Principal of Summer Rising at PS 88Q. While I oversee the full program, we are fortunate to have two outstanding Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) operating side by side on our campus. Both are part of GRYC:

• PS 88Q GRYC, led by Kevin Goodish (kgoodish@thegryc.org)

• PS 81 GRYC, led by Damian Naranjo (dnaranjo@thegryc.org)

You should have received an email from me welcoming you to Summer Rising. You also should have received an email from the GRYC leader assigned to your child’s group. If not, please check your inbox or spam folder for more details.

To help ensure a safe and smooth arrival and dismissal, we’ve created color-coded name tags for every student with your child’s name and group:

• Orange tags for PS 88Q (Kevin Goodish)

• Blue tags for PS 81 (Damian Naranjo)

We have established separate arrival and dismissal locations to streamline transitions and ensure student safety:

• Students in GRYC with Damian Naranjo (PS 81 GRYC) will enter and exit through the old main entrance, located at the front of the building: 60-85 Catalpa Avenue.
  Upon arrival, students will be checked in and proceed to the auditorium to meet their counselors.

• Students in GRYC with Kevin Goodish (PS 88Q GRYC) will enter and exit through the school yard, located at the rear of the building: 68th Road, between Fresh Pond Road and 60th Lane.

While Summer Rising is packed with fun and exciting enrichment activities, it is also deeply rooted in learning and growth. We have a team of dedicated DOE teachers and paraprofessionals, trained in our summer reading and math curriculum. Students will be engaged in academic learning for approximately three hours each day.

We also have educators trained to support English Language Learners, and a dedicated interventionalist on staff to provide targeted support where needed.

All DOE instructional staff will be on site Monday through Thursday, 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM, from July 2 through August 7. From 12:00 PM to 5:30 PM, students will enjoy enrichment activities and summer fun led by our incredible GRYC counselors—who have a fantastic summer planned!

As principal, I am always accessible for any questions, concerns, or anything you may need. I truly believe that communication is the key to a successful program, and I want to hear from you. Whether you have feedback, a concern, or a celebration to share, please don’t hesitate to reach out. My email is loshaughnessy@schools.nyc.gov.

To help keep everyone informed, I will be sending a weekly newsletter with updates, highlights, and important information. This newsletter will be:

• Emailed directly to all families

• Posted to our Instagram: @ps88_q

• Shared on our website: www.ps88q.com

We are so excited for the summer ahead and grateful for the opportunity to spend it with your children. Here’s to an amazing Summer Rising 2025 at PS 88Q!

Warmly,
Linda O'Shaughnessy
Principal, PS 88Q Summer Rising Program

Door to Door Busing

Busing is provided for students who have door to door busing on their IEP. If your child receives school bus service during the school year, please check your NYCSA for the transportation information. If you are not sure, please email JPepe4@schools.nyc.gov

Shuttle Bus

Each year, shuttle buses are provided to support students getting to the Summer Rising site and back to their home school. This year, that will continue. Our four sites are PS 68, PS 81, PS 91, and PS 239. What does this mean?

One bus at each school will begin picking up students approximately at 7:30am. The driver will wait for the bus to fill, and then drive to PS 88Q for drop off. If necessary, the bus will return, and pick up additional students. Shuttles will make two runs.

What do parents need to know about shuttle buses?

Morning Arrival

Buses will drop off in the front of our building @ 60-85 Catalpa Avenue. Students will be checked off upon arrival each day, and then sent to their camp group.

Afternoon Departure

If you want your child to return to their home school via school bus, you must communicate that with us. Return trip bussing is every day (Monday-Friday). Children will not be put on the bus unless you explicitly inform us. If your child is returning on the bus, they will be collected and staged at 2:30pm each day, as the bus leaves promptly at 3:00pm daily.

When the bus returns to the home school, a guardian must be present at the stop for pickup. If there is no adult present, the student returns to PS 88Q, and can be picked up there.

All of your Summer Rising questions can be answered here: https://www.schools.nyc.gov/enrollment/summer-rising

Calendar, Waitlist, Program details

Thank you to the families who have already completed this form!

To help us prepare and support your child in the best way possible, please take a moment to fill out the form linked below. You can share any important details such as allergies, or anything else you think we should know:

👉 Click here to share important info about your child