FEBRUARY FAMILY NEWSLETTER

It is hard to believe that we have passed the half way point of the school year! Students are more settled in routines and understand our school-wide expectations. Teachers have worked hard to create meaningful learning opportunities that build on the brilliance that our students already possess. Our focus remains on cultivating a positive climate and creating the best learning environment possible, one that promotes high quality instruction and student learning, and the safety and care for our community. Everything that we do at P.S 219 is designed to help students learn in all areas and be successful well beyond their time in elementary school. Once again, that partnership between school and home is a key ingredient for student success.

We have much to celebrate this month. Classrooms will kick off this month with Literacy Week! We'll be celebrating the many different ways we celebrate the LOVE OF READING! PS 219 will also be celebrating our 100th day of school on February 9th - that's 100 days of hard work and dedication that our students have put forth! #100DaysSmarter We also have our month-long spotlight on Black History Month. While we know that Black History is American History, and though we shouldn’t be confining it to a single month, February provides us the opportunity to dig deeper into the history - the stories of injustice and the stories of triumph. We are celebrating and uplifting what cannot be erased: a legacy of resistance, resilience, innovation, fights for justice, and radical joy. With such history being attacked - the recent bomb threats at multiple HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities), the banning of books that white supremacist culture deems "controversial", the attacks on teaching Critical Race Theory in schools (where teachers and students examine the intersection of race and law in the United States and to challenge mainstream American liberal approaches to racial justice) - we know it is more needed, now more than ever. As a school, we are committed to teaching a humanizing Black History and against the tide of efforts to limit Black History education. We want our students to see themselves as complex, real, and enactable agents of change. Here’s to loving, liberating, and freedom dreaming!

We are so fortunate to work with your students every day. Thank you for allowing us to play a role in their growth and development.

I hope that you all continue to stay safe and be well.

Yours in partnership,

Mrs. Williams

-Proud Principal

It's a new year and we're still rocking our uniforms! Just a reminder we’re showing school pride through our uniforms all year long. REMINDER: NO HOODIES OR head coverings (unless there is a religious reason) are permitted at school. All other head covering must be removed.

Please find information listed below regrading what to wear, to have an amazing school year 😊

P.S 219 has a required school uniform for several very important reasons:

1. Uniforms unite our community.
2. Uniforms reduce distractions any clothing competition.
3. Uniforms help uphold our scholarly atmosphere.

All students must come to school wearing a P.S 219-Kennedy King uniform with pride! The basic uniform items without a school logo can be purchased from Ideal uniform store, cookies, young world, old navy, etc. Uniform items purchased with the school logo can be purchased on line from https://www.milkuniforms.com/p-s-219

The unform is as follows:

Uniforms (3K-5th Grade) can be purchased as follows:

• Tops: Royal Purple and/or white solid polo shirt with/without the logo is required every school day.
• Bottoms: Navy, or black, slacks, joggers, dress, skirt, etc. (Families may purchase bottoms/skirts/dresses from any store of their choice)
• Shoes: A “safe shoe” that covers all or most of the foot, adequate for walking up and down stairs all day. A sneaker is preferred. Sneakers can be any color to celebrate the students' style and flair. Crocs, other foam shoes, and UGG slip-on shoes (any type of slipper) are not permitted.
• Belts: If needed, a solid color is preferred
• Tights: any color and pattern (no lace is preferred)
• Socks: any color and pattern
• Gym Uniform: Grey or navy jogger suit. Options can be found on the uniform website with the school logo or purchased without from any store of your choosing.

If students have an accident or soil their clothes, a clean uniform will be provided for students to change into. Students in 3K, Pre-K, and Kindergarten are required to always keep a change of clothes in school.

PURCHASING INFORMATION

Website: https://www.milkuniforms.com/p-s-219

• Online Purchasing
• Families can purchase uniforms online from the website above.
• Online purchases will be shipped to the families’ homes.
• Free shipping is offered for orders of $75 or more.
• Shipping time can be expedited but 10 business days is suggested for standard delivery.
• Pricing: see image

Thank you so much and we look forward to seeing you soon. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me or the main office at 929-397-9566 ext. 2161.

• Monday, February 5th-Friday, February 9th: Literacy Week/Scholastic BookFair
• Friday, February 9th: 100th Day Of School
• Monday, February 12th-Friday, February 16th: Respect For All Week
• Wednesday, February 14th: Love/Friendship Day
• Monday, February 19th-Friday, February 23rd: NO SCHOOL
• Thursday, February 29th: Blacks In Wax Museum at P.S 219!

Our scholars have been learning about activist who wanted to stir up some "good trouble". They've started to talk about justice (injustice) and equality, and engage in discussion around injustices that they know people face today. Throughout the month of February, scholars will make posters to elevate the issues that they'd like to advocate for! Some topics that have come up are: Food For All! Clothes & Housing For All! & Safety for All! Please talk with your scholars about stirring up "good trouble" and ways that they can be little activist in their local neighborhoods.

Attendance Matters!

Scholars that are in school every day have higher academic data, grow as readers and master mathematical concepts and strategies. We need you to partner with us in ensuring that scholars have the greatest opportunity to maximize instructional minutes by being in school and in class, learning. Our school-wide attendance goal is 95%-100% daily and we have a school-wide attendance average of 89% in January. From December-January our attendance declined and we need to get it back up! You can help us continue maintaining a strong scholar attendance by continuing to make sure that your scholar(s) arrive on time, every day and communicating with your scholars classroom teacher or the main office for excused absences. Thank you for supporting our increased efforts for timeliness, so we can maximize learning time. On The Road To 90%! Our Friendship Day party also has attendance as a parameter for being invited!

i-Ready Personalized Instruction Guidance for Families

As a school community, we've grown so much as evidenced by the data from our middle of year assessments. Please click on the link below to support your scholar using i-Ready. At home you can access guidance for using i-Ready including login and technical support. Learn how you can support your student with i-Ready.

curriculumassociates.com

It’s a whole new reality of learning and living for our children. The reality is that we live in a world where tech is ever-present and there is an increase for the need to spend time teaching our children how to navigate online responsibly. With the rise of safety concerns, cyberbullying, easy access from strangers on online platforms, we are asking families to partner with us as new technology and new apps are being created daily, and online communication is becoming an increasingly common. It is crucial to help our children achieve and understand digital literacy and be consistent and vigilant in monitoring usage to prevent cyberbullying prevention, ensure online safety, digital responsibility, and digital health and wellness.

RAISING DIGITAL CITIZENS

1. Remain positively engaged

2. Support their good choices

3. Know the protection features on your devices and on websites

4. Review privacy settings

5. Teach critical thinking

6. Teach them to respect private information about themselves and others

7. Teach your children how to interact safely

8. Empower your children to handle issues around bullying, hurtful comments and unwanted contact & sharing

1. Emphasize that they have the power to end conversations and log off the Internet at any time, and to not let shyness or embarrassment prevent them from talking to a parent or family member if they get into an iffy or risky situation

9. Support positive and safe engagement

Information from: National Cybersecurity Alliance

IN THE KNOW - Apps our students are using:

• Tik Tok

• Instagram

• Snapchat

• Facebook

• Twitter

• Text free App (Call/text)

• Roblox

• Omegle

• Discord

• Gaming sites where there are live chats

HOW TO SET UP PARENTAL CONTROLS & OVERSIGHT

• Parental controls - "How To"

• Parental controls on iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch / Youtube video tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDwOeoc6LAw

• Parental controls on Android / Youtube video tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7b-0gbQWOmc

• Apps that set up online controls

• Bark

• Kaspersky Safe Kids

• Our Pact (Kids can be involved)

• Family Orbit- track messages

• Google family link- set a timer (automatically shuts off)

• Set up check ins regarding social media, device usage

• Regular conversations about being a digital citizen and safe online

• Writing up an actual contract with time limits/expectations/rules and consequences if those rules are broken

We are available to support should you need anything!

If you choose to send your student to school with a cell phone, it must remain in their backpack at all times. If you need to relay a message to your student during the day, please call the school directly. You can reach the main office by calling the following: 929-397-9566.

Students should ensure that any personal belongings they bring with them to school do not pose any type of distraction or physical or emotional risk to themselves or others. Students are not permitted to bring toys, cards, games, and electronics not specifically authorized by the teacher. If these materials are brought to school and used during instructional periods, they will be confiscated and returned only to the parent/guardian. Finally, please note that the school does not take responsibility for any personal belongings of value brought to school.

https://www.schools.nyc.gov/school-life/food/menus/school-lunch-meals?value=s8#menuDiv

We want to make sure that you are fully connected to us. Please make sure our main office has the correct email and most updated phone numbers for you. We want to make sure that you receive all the texts and memos throughout the month. For some of you, it may be that your email settings block our messages and for others, it may be that we do not have accurate information. If your phone number changes, please alert your child's classroom teacher, send an email to, or call myself, Mr. Gordon or the main office.

Scholars in Grades Kindergarten thru 5th grade, whose families identied that they needed assistance with technology, have been provided with a replacement or school loaner laptops. To date, all scholars in K-5 have a working school laptop and a pair of brand new headphones to use both at home and in school. Students will need laptops at home for i-Ready lessons, Edulastic lessons and any other at-home projects and tasks. Students will need laptops in school for classroom assignments and for upcoming school assessments. Going forward, scholars are responsible for transporting laptops back and forth to school one they are assigned. Please be advised: there will be one piece of technology sent per student based on what families have identified. Please work with your student to ensure that laptops and headphones remain in good functioning shape as we have reached our maximum number of technology purchases. If you need support, please reach out to Mrs. Williams and Mr. GoldSmith