Nominations for the positions are accepted thru the October 29 election date.
Current PS/IS 217 PTA President Irena Durkovic is not running for the upcoming term. Ms Durkovic reports:
I never had aspirations to be a PTA president, but was asked to do it
since nobody else wanted to. I could see how 217 was improving and knew
that the work PTA did had directly influenced that. I thought that
instead of just enjoying the benefits of someone else's work, it was my
civic duty to volunteer.
Once on a board I continued to work
alongside my fellow board members on organizing and simplifying the
structure. There were a lot of small victories along the way, but the
highlight has definitely been the PTA’s ability to support the school
and help them safely re-open this fall. The most challenging part of
being on a PTA board was facilitating effective communication between
school, families and Roosevelt Island community. I consider it a great
personal success being able to volunteer and help my community for the
past two years, and I am looking forward to seeing new parents take the
lead.
Thank you to all 217 families who purchased and sent Valentine grams! Together we raised almost $1,000 for our school!
With over 1,500 grams sent out, our dedicated teachers did their best to distribute the Grams each day, but class work comes first. We hope all grams will reach their recipients once we return from the break on Monday. Thank you for your patience!
Tuesday Parent Workshops - 7:50-8:25am
Please join us before school on Tuesday, February 23 for the following workshops:
Grade 3 - Test Preparation for ELA and Math
ELA Middle School - Engrade Pro
All K-8 students can be dropped off in the cafeteria to enjoy a fee breakfast while you attend.
Thank you in advance for partnering with us! We hope to see you there!
100th Day of School Spirit Day/Popcorn Sale - Friday, February 26
Buy popcorn at the pick up time and support your school - $1 popcorn and drinks.
Classes with most students wearing school t-shirts or school colors (gold & purple) will get FREE popcorn vouchers! While we are working on setting up online Spirit Store, please email Erin at eolavesen@gmail.com if you'd like to purchase $15 school t-shirts (limited number of adult sized t-shirts is now also available for sale!)
Winter Wonderland Family Dance - Saturday, February 6-8pm
We can't wait to see you all at our Family Dance 6-8pm this coming Saturday! Last chance to purchase tickets at a discounted price - click HERE to get yours.
217 Partners with MyLibraryNYC
MyLibraryNYC is a partnership between the NYC DOE and NYC's public library systems. The program provides participating schools with enhanced library privileges including fine-free student and educator library cards!
All 217 educators and students are eligible! Simply stop by your local library and ask the librarian to upgrade your existing library card. As 217 student, your existing fines will be waved, and till the end of this school year you will get no overdue charges on books! (standard overdue charges apply on all other materials e.g. DVDs, CDs, magazines).
SHOP TEA COLLECTION AND SUPPORT THE PTA
Our Tea Collection partner fundraiser begins February 22nd and runs through February 29th. This is a great way to support PS/IS 217 while stocking up on well-made and beautifully-designed gear for babies and kids. The more you shop, the more we raise!
Follow these steps and your purchase will benefit all the great programs funded by the PS/IS 217 PTA:
Go to TeaSchoolDays.com (not TeaCollection.com) anytime between February 22nd and February 29th.
Go shopping!
At checkout enter SDS16PSIS217in the promo code box at checkout and click “apply code.” This code will be active from 2/22/2016 until 2/29/2016 at 11:59 pm PST.
Complete the checkout process and you are done - you will receive free shipping and 15% of your order's total price will be donated to PS/IS 217!
Save The Dates for School Tours - 8:45am March 11 & 18
The PTA will be hosting informal tours for prospective families on March 11th and 18th at 8.45 am - more information on our website HERE. We're looking forward to meeting families from our community to show them around our campus and fill them in on all that's happening at 217.
Spring tour dates will be announced after Gifted and Talented Score Reports have been distributed. Please check our website for updates.
The "On Roosevelt Island We..." Campaign
The Social Cultural and Education Committee of the Roosevelt Island Residents Association is teaming up with PS/IS 217 to promote good citizenship. RIRA is counting on our students to share their ideas on what good citizenship looks like in our community. Student work will be printed in a larger format for placement on the kiosks and the red bus. Some will be scanned and displayed on the monitors in the tram cabin.
We're asking students to complete the statement "On Roosevelt Island We..." and then provide an illustration.
Some examples:
On Roosevelt Island we hold the door for each other.
On Roosevelt Island we say good morning to each other.
On Roosevelt Island we put trash in the trash cans.
If your child would like to participate:
Use the form which is being sent home via backpack this week, or download a copy from our website.
Include an illustration and your thoughts within the frame on the flyer.
Return your work to your teacher or to the PTA mailbox.
We're looking forward to seeing the ideas of 217 Hawks around the island reminding us all to take care of each other and our community.
Roosevelt Island PS/IS 217 PTA representative Erin Olavesen reports on this week's programs and services at Roosevelt Island's PS/IS 217.
School Tour for Prospective Families - 8:45am, Tuesday, December 8
Have friends or neighbors with pre-schoolers considering 217? Invite them to the tour!
The kindergarten application period is from December 7 to January 15. Find more information about the process and apply online on the NYC Department of Education website.
Prospective families are invited to learn more about PS/IS 217 at our upcoming tours. Join us on December 8th at 8.45am or December 14th at 6.00pm. Please RSVP to eolavesen@gmail.com.
We're looking forward to meeting you and sharing all that's happening at our school.
Tuesday Parents Workshops
Please join us on Tuesday, October 20 for one of three parent workshops:
"Science Connections: Connecting Parents to Fun Science Resources",
"Math Games",
"Models in Science."
All workshops will be held from 7:50–8:25am. Students may be sent to breakfast while you attend. Flyers have been sent home with more information prior to each workshop. Workshops are open to all 217 families.
We look forward to parenting with you during this Parent Engagement Activity!
Community Board 8 G&T Education Forum at PS/IS 217 - December 14, 6pm
Education Forum on the Gifted and Talented Program at PS 217, Monday, Dec. 14: school tour at 6:00 pm and program at 6:30 pm.
Learn about the G&T test, the G&T curriculum, school choice and options for students.
Bring your questions about the G&T test and how the curriculum differs from the regular curriculum of PS 217, and other topics.
Speakers:
Daniel Hildreth, Enrollment Director, New York City Department of Education
Mandana Beckman, Principal, PS/IS 217
G&T curriculum educators at PS/IS 217
Parents of students enrolled in the G&T program
Program sponsored by Roosevelt Island Residents Association, Roosevelt Island Committee and Youth and Education Committee of Manhattan Community Board 8, PS/IS 217 and the PTA of PS/IS 217.
For more information, please contact Jeffrey R. Escobar, Chair of the Roosevelt Island Committee of Community Board 8 and President of RIRA at jeffrey.escobar@gmail.com. Visit http://bit.ly/1Pa12oQ.
217PTA Roosevelt Island Annual Christmas Tree Sale
Shop with Amazon and Make Money for 217!
Getting ready to do some holiday shopping? Whenever you shop at the online retailer Amazon go to their website by using our link (HERE) - click on our link BEFORE you add items to you cart! It's hard to tell if you're in the right spot because Amazon does not give any signs that you've used the affiliate link. If you enter Amazon through the link before adding items to your cart and check out within 24 hours, the PTA will receive at least 4% of your total purchase. Bookmark it! Share the link with friends and family! Help 217's PTA expand our reach with more funding.
FREE Family Event: Computer Coding With Cornell Tech - December 10
Amalgamated Bank Supports 217
Amalgamated Bank made a $1000 contribution to our general fund. This isn't the first time Amalgamated has stepped up to support our school. In October, Amalgamated sponsored a booth at the Halloween Carnival and had their Roosevelt Island team along to help our kids build with Construction Kids. Thank you Amalgamated Bank, as well as, Albert Salas, Roosevelt Island Branch Manager, and his team for supporting our students!
PTA General Meeting & 217 Safety Meeting - Wednesday, December 16
Save the date for our next PTA General Membership Meeting - it will be held on Wednesday, December 16, 8:35am in the auditorium.
We need your participation! Topics of discussion will include:
Updates from 217 Administration
Updates from PTA board members on Fundraisers including the Annual Fund Donation Drive, Christmas Tree Sale, Pajama Drive
Upcoming events including Spirit Day, January Dance, and Annual Auction
Treasurer's Report - do we have enough money to keep our programs?
PTA meeting will begin with 217 SAFETY MEETING presented by our School Safety Team and Assistant Principal Jenn Allen. Join us to learn about:
An overview of the General Response Protocols (GRPs)
Tips for Internet Safety/Cyber Bullying Awareness for Parents
Update on 217 safety campaigns (i.e. completing the evac bags)
After School Survey Follow Up
Thank you for taking the PTA After School Programming Survey. We appreciate the feedback, and understand just how important having more choices for after school activities at 217 is to your family. Due to limited after school PTA volunteers, the only offering next semester will be Bricks4Kidz. The PTA is continuing to evaluate and pursue programming options for Fall 2016.
Please continue to be a part of this discussion by attending our upcoming PTA meeting at 8:45am on Wednesday, December 16th.
Bricks4Kidz After School Program Season 2 Registration
We open registration for Bricks4Kidz Spring Semester 2016!
register for 12 classes - January-March - your fee would be $360, and you will have an opportunity to sign up for 11 more classes (April-June) later.
register for 23 classes - January-June - get a 10% discount for signing up till the end of the school year, pay $620 instead of $690.
Please fill out registration form available HERE and submit it along with your payment into PTA mailbox by Friday, December 18 if you would like to register for Bricks4Kidz classes in January.
217 Middle Schoolers Partake in a Pizza Making Cultural Event
Many thanks to Ciro Casella, owner of the San Matteo Pizzeria, and his special chef, Daniele Sellami, who taught 217 Middle Schoolers and their parents how to cook Italian pizza following the traditional recipe. We thank RIRA's Adib Mansour and Lynne Strong-Shinozaki for sponsoring this wonderful cultural event at our school!
We are grateful to the island Boy Scouts leader Geoff Kerr, who has been running Roosevelt Island Christmas tree sales for the past 39 years (!), and are working on continuing this tradition after he announced his retirement 2 weeks ago.
Please bear with us as 217PTA is finalizing the sales details; this will be the very first year when we are organizing this sale on our own and with a very short notice.
Thanks to the PTA Board members Corinna Kell, Taryn Merkl and Nathalie Chetrit's quick response (and tireless work over Thanksgiving break!), we are planning to have the trees available for you to purchase on the island (Motorgate Plaza) during three Saturdays leading to Christmas - December 5, 12 and 19. The sale will be held during Saturday Green Market hours (9am-3pm).
Tuesday Parent Workshops - December 1, 7:50-8:25am
Please join us on Tuesday, December 1st for one of three parent workshops:
How to Practice Your Instrument Efficiently in 10-15 Minutes a Day
Teaching Efficient Addition Strategies
How to Obtain an NYC ID Card and Access the Historical and Cultural Institutions with your Student
All workshops will be held from 7:50–8:25am. Students may be sent to breakfast while you attend. Flyers have been sent home with more information prior to each workshop. Workshops are open to all 217 families.
We look forward to parenting with you during this Parent Engagement Activity!
Middle School Pizza Making Workshop - December 1, 6pm
Middle School students of PS/IS 217 and parents make pizza with Chef Ciro Casella. FREE and all ingredients included. Learn about Italian culture and food. Tuesday, December 1 at 6:00 pm at PS/IS 217 cafeteria. Sponsored by RIRA.
Friday Popcorn Sale - December 4, Dismissal
Our last popcorn sale was a great success, save the date for next one - Friday, December 4 at dismissal!
School Tour/Education Forum on the G&T Program at 217 - December 14, 6pm
Education Forum on the Gifted and Talented Program at PS 217, Monday, Dec. 14: school tour at 6:00 pm and program at 6:30 pm.
Learn about the G&T test, the G&T curriculum, school choice and options for students.
Bring your questions about the G&T test and how the curriculum differs from the regular curriculum of PS 217, and other topics.
Speakers:
Daniel Hildreth, Enrollment Director, New York City Department of Education
Mandana Beckman, Principal, PS/IS 217
G&T curriculum educators at PS/IS 217
Parents of students enrolled in the G&T program
Program sponsored by Roosevelt Island Residents Association, Roosevelt Island Committee and Youth and Education Committee of Manhattan Community Board 8, PS/IS 217 and the PTA of PS/IS 217.
For more information, please contact Jeffrey R. Escobar, Chair of the Roosevelt Island Committee of Community Board 8 and President of RIRA at jeffrey.escobar@gmail.com. Visit http://bit.ly/1Pa12oQ.
217PTA Christmas Tree Sale - December 5, 12, 19
We are grateful to the island Boy Scouts leader Geoff Kerr, who has been running Roosevelt Island Christmas tree sales for the past 39 years (!), and are working on continuing this tradition after he announced his retirement 2 weeks ago.
Please bear with us as 217PTA is finalizing the sales details; this will be the very first year when we are organizing this sale on our own and with a very short notice.
Thanks to the PTA Board members Corinna Kell, Taryn Merkl and Nathalie Chetrit's quick response (and tireless work over Thanksgiving break!), we are planning to have the trees available for you to purchase on the island (Motorgate Plaza) during three Saturdays leading to Christmas - December 5, 12 and 19. The sale will be held during Saturday Green Market hours (9am-3pm).
Nominate Your Teacher for The Big Apple Award!
The Big Apple Awards celebrates and recognizes teachers who inspire students, model great teaching, and enrich their school community.
NOMINATION DEADLINE: Monday, January 18, 2016
Who can I nominate?
Nominees should be current, full-time teachers at New York City district schools, charter schools, or teaching full-day Universal Pre-Kindergarten at a NYC Early Education Center (NYCEEC).
Who can submit a nomination?
Anyone can submit a nomination for a current teacher — students, families, teachers, administrators, community members.
I'm ready to nominate! What information will I need to submit?
Your name and a valid email address;
Basic information about your nominee (including their name and school);
A statement on why your nominee should be considered for the Awards.
Why nominate a teacher?
Recipients will receive a classroom grant for their students and schools. While continuing to teach at their school, recipients will spend the 2016-17 school year representing teachers citywide as members of the Chancellor's Advisory Group.
Please note that you may nominate more than one teacher for this award.
Cornell Tech/217 StartUp Event - Thursday, December 10, 6:30-8pm
217PTA Helps Roosevelt Island Garden Club Start Organics Recycling Program
This past Saturday, November 28th NYC Compost Project hosted by Big Reuse started an Organics Recycling program at the Saturday Farmer's Market under the helix, with the mission of "Rebuilding Our Soil, Neighborhood By Neighborhood".
Instead of sending organics to landfills via AVAC, Island residents will be able to drop off kitchen scraps at an organics collection station at the Saturday Farmer's Market. The scraps will go to a local composting site under the Queensborough Bridge on Vernon Blvd. The compost created will also be used locally for street trees, parks, and urban gardens.
Island leadership, avid RI composters, the PTA of PS 217, the RI Girl Scout troops and the RI Garden Club are all excited to help welcome this program to Roosevelt Island. If you would like to help out as a volunteer, please contact Big Reuse or email rigardenclub@gmail.com.
An Update from Mr. Solow!
Many 217 students miss our veteran Music Teacher Mr. Solow,
who has retired this year. We have contacted him, and are excited to share his update with you!
Retirement is great. Staying busy by learning Chinese and teaching private students and keeping the house clean. And walking to stay in shape. Principal Beckman is inviting me to work one day a week with the music teacher and hopefully get everyone in shape to make wonderful concerts that I know they all can do.
I really miss everyone and will see all of you soon.
Thanks to contributions to the PTA General Fund, PS/IS 217 3rd Graders were able to spend 10 weeks with Main Street Theatre and Dance Alliance learning West African Dance. The culmination of those weeks was a performance in our auditorium
representative Erin Olavesen asks you to consider helping students at PS/IS 217 when you are shopping online. According to Ms. Olavesen:
In case you're starting your holiday shopping, I wanted to remind everyone to try to use the PS/IS 217 Amazon link when shopping. The number of Amazon packages I see the UPS man unloading on Main Street is huge, and if a small percentage of all of those Amazon sales went to 217, imagine what we could do for our neighborhood school!
Whenever you shop at the online retailer Amazon (for books,clothes, instant video purchases, anything!), go to their website by using the school's link HERE - click on our link BEFORE you add items to you cart! It's hard to tell if you're in the right spot because Amazon does not give any signs that you've used the affiliate link, but if you enter Amazon through the link before adding items to your cart and check out within 24 hours, the PTA will receive a percentage of your total purchase. Bookmark it! Share the link with friends and family! Spread the word and share the link with your neighbors by emailing it to your building list serve! Help 217 earn more money to support enrichments and support teachers!
Thank you to everyone for your continued interest in 217 and your efforts to make our school even better for our kids.
Half Day - 11:38am Dismissal for Parent Teacher Conferences - Tuesday, November 17
Parent teacher conferences - Tuesday, November 17, 1-3pm and 4:30-7:30pm.
Pre-K - sign up sheet is located in front of the classroom door
Grades K-3 - online sign up
Grades 4-8 - online sign up.
Cluster Teachers and Related Service providers will be present and you can visit their rooms directly.
PTA Meeting - Wednesday, November 18 - 8:35am
PTA General Meeting - November 18th at 8:35am in the PTA room, following Executive Board meeting at 8am.
If you have a child at 217, you ARE the PTA! Please join us and be informed about all the amazing things going on at our school. Hear from Principal Beckman, learn about our upcoming events, volunteer opportunities and more.
All are welcome and encouraged to attend!
Open School Week Monday-Friday, November 16-20
Open School Week provides you with the opportunity to observe your child’s learning experience in action. It also allows us to reinforce our family-school partnership and commitment to each child’s success. 217 invites you to visit our classrooms on these dates:
Do not use cell phones or other electronic devices including cameras.
Do not bring food or drinks into the classroom.
Enter the classroom as if it’s a fishbowl, a space for you to see and enjoy but that you are outside of. This will enable classroom instruction and learning to proceed as usual.
Thank you in advance for honoring our request that you refrain from engaging in conversation with your child, other students or your child’s teacher. A simple wave or smile will allow your child to know that you are present. Smiles are always welcomed!
An Update on 217 Safety
School Safety Officers are expected to sign-in visitors, provide visitors with a sticker and call the office/location that a visitor is headed to so that we may ensure that a 217 staff member is present to receive each visitor.
Parents/Families: Please be sure to bring ID with you and present yourself to the School Safety Officers' Desk.
Join Ms. Valerie's Breakfast Club - Daily 7:40-8:25am
The School Breakfast Program offers kids a nutritious breakfast at school so they can start their day off right.
Ms. Valerie invites all 217 students to come to school cafeteria for FREE breakfast daily 7:40-8:25am and partake in fun games and activities, including raffles
TWO DAYS left in the Fall Direct Appeal! - DONATE by 11/15
Don't miss your chance to help your child's class win a class prize! Please donate to the PTA's Fall Direct Appeal by November 15, 2015. The PTA's general fund helps every student.
With three days left in our fall direct appeal drive, we have raised over $48,000 since the start of school, and we also have an additional $7,700 pledged thanks to our recurring contributors!
BUT we still have a ways to go. Please JOIN IN to help us reach our fundraising goal of $150,000 for 2015-2016!
For the 2015-2016 school year, the PTA is currently projected to spend at least $105,900 on supplies and enrichment programs, such as art, architecture, dance, yoga & movement, and gardening, as well as professional development for our teachers, support for the music program, science classes and the library. For more information about what the PTA funds, CLICK HERE.
Please do your part to keep these wonderful programs at our school by donating today.
The suggested family donation is $600, but please give whatever amount is right for your family. Or sign up for an automatic monthly contribution - $50 per month is $600, or sign up for a monthly donation that is right for your budget (for example, $42.50/month = $500/year and $25/month = $300/year; $10/month = $120).
To donate online now, CLICK HERE. You can also place your cash donation or a check payable to "P.S./I.S. 217" in a marked envelope and deposit it into the PTA mailbox, on the first floor of the school.
Representatives of PS/IS 217 described some of their programs during this October 13 presentation to the Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) Pubic Purpose Funds (PPF) Committee seeking funds for a math and science program.
Roosevelt Island is a mixed income, racially diverse waterfront community situated in the East River of New York City between Manhattan and Queens and is jurisdictionally part of Manhattan. The Roosevelt Island Tramway, which connects Roosevelt Island to the rest of Manhattan, has become the iconic symbol of Roosevelt Island to its residents.
The Purpose of this Blog is to provide accurate and timely information about Roosevelt Island as well as a forum for residents to express opinions and engage in a dialogue to improve our community.
Nominations for the positions are accepted thru the October 29 election date.
Current PS/IS 217 PTA President Irena Durkovic is not running for the upcoming term. Ms Durkovic reports:
