This Week @ PS 88Q
October 16th, 2022
A Message From Mrs. O'Shaughnessy
Good Morning on this beautiful Fall morning! I hope everyone had a wonderful week. This past week was a busy one, and a great one! Our scholars are rocking and rolling here at PS 88Q, with a month of school behind them. Those first day/week jitters have subsided, they have made new friends, connected to their new teacher and are ready to SOAR!
I loved hearing all of the children's stories about their name. I gave all the classes an assignment, from K-5, the story of their name. Some scholars completed at home, while others in school. I am loving reading them! A name is so important. Our amazing school aide, Ms. Toni knows this. She has handwritten every single scholars name on a fall leaf, and placed them throughout the building. The students are SO EXCITED to look for their name, find it and show their friends. Thank you Ms. Toni for connecting our Book of the Month "Alma and How She Got Her Name" to PS 88Q. (I added some of the leaves below)
A hot topic this week has been homework, so I wanted to take some time to discuss our philosophy on homework. Some families have reached out to me looking for more homework, while others less. I am a mother of two, and I know the frustration with homework, believe me! Between basketball practice, dinner, and night time routines, some nights are tough. The purpose of homework is to bridge the home school connection. Homework is only ever a review of work done in school. The rule of thumb is 10 minutes per grade (culminating with more HW as students get older). Why homework you may ask? In a nutshell, it is to build self regulation as well as let families know the expectations of the grade. I will tell you that in my eyes, when my daughter was in second grade, she was where she should be, but when she brought home her work that was mirrored from the classwork, I was wrong. She was struggling. I sent the teacher a note that she was having trouble, and that started a tough, but a pivotal conversation. She confirmed that she was not where she should be. Together, we worked to give her what she needed that year. It was literally a path changing year. What my daughter learned that year, and what has helped her become successful, is that she takes the time needed to fully understand. When Colleen went to high school, she was asked to invite the teacher who made the most impact on her, and she chose her second grade teacher. Her why? She knew she was struggling, she worked to help her, and she felt successful every day. My daughter now teaches second grade at her former elementary school. For those looking for more, IReady is a perfect solution. It is specific to every student, and builds as they learn. For those with specific situations, always speak to your child's teachers. They are always willing to find a way to make sure every student feels successful!
HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEK, AND REACH OUT TO ME ANYTIME (LOSHAUGHNESSY@SCHOOLS.NYC.GOV)
Unpacking The Preschool IEP
This past week, our PreK Team hosted a parent workshop for families discussing the PreK IEP. It was a great opportunity for families to learn more about the process and ask questions. Ms. Lyons, Ms. Palmeri, Ms. Staton, Ms. Giannikos and Ms. Trapanotto will be hosting more workshops monthly. Stay tuned. Below is the information they shared
The Caring Closet Was A Success
Thank you to Monica Rodriguez, our PTA President, our SLT and our PAC for making the first Caring Closet a success. On Saturday, the donations poured in, and so did the families. You do not have to donate to benefit, as many of our families (thanks to Ms. Bawer who encouraged families walking on Fresh Pond Road) to come! Costumes, coats, shoes, school supplies and more were available. Look for the next one! Community helping community, that's what it is all about!
