Roosevelt Island Parents' Network Workshop Shares Information, Experience & Tips On Choosing A New York City Kindergarten For Your Child - Watch Video Of The Kindergarten Workshop

Roosevelt Island Parents' Network Coordinator Eva Bosbach reports:

Dear RI Parents,

Thanks to all of you who made our 6th workshop in the Parents for Parents series "Choosing a Kindergarten" possible!

Approximately 30  Roosevelt Island parents attended our Sunday October 23 workshop and 10 parents presented as speakers at the panel discussion and answered questions. The videos of the workshop are now available below.

I would like to thank all our speakers for their time and expertise in presenting about school choices available to Roosevelt Island parents:

Irena Durkovic and Chris Warsing spoke about Roosevelt Island's own PS/IS217 general education and G&T program, Michal Melamed introduced the Gifted and Talented program (G&T) as part of the NYC public school system and also informed parents about the Special Music School and the Charter schools later in the workshop.

Three parents introduced three unzoned school options for Roosevelt Island parents: Pamela Stark the Ella Baker school, Magda Orlicka-So the Tribeca Learning Center, and Jax Schott Midtown West, including information about the Individualized Education Program (IEP), which was supplemented through Nina Lublin in the audience, and through materials sent in by Sarah Birnbaum.

In addition to the G&T program at our local public school PS/IS217, two other district wide G&T programs were introduced: Aiesha Eleusizov presented about PS11 and Arshi Saeed about PS77, the Lower Lab school.

For independent schools, the thank you goes to Kristi Towey who introduced the Poly Prep Country Day school and the Garden School as well as private schools admissions in general, and to Melanie Ramjoue who presented about the United Nations International School (UNIS).

Firuza Mukhamadieva could not be present at the last minute, but she kindly offered to answer your questions via e-mail about the city-wide G&T program at the NEST+m school, the district wide G&T program at PS111, and the Hunter placement for Kindergarten and high school. Adele Ganly for the St. Stephen of Hungary school and Kippi Rai-Spraggon for the Success Academies were also not able to attend in person but kindly offered to answer your questions via e-mail. You can contact me with questions about the city-wide G&T program at PS334, the Anderson school, and also if you would like to get in touch with any of the speakers.

Thank you to all our parents speakers! :)

We would also like to thank the Roosevelt Island Jewish Congregation, Main Street Sweets & Eats and the Girls Scouts of Roosevelt Island for co-hosting the workshop.

Special thank yous go to Janine Schaefer and Girl Scout Troop 3244 & 3245 for designing our flyer this year, and to Heart Sugiyama, Megumi Shinkawa and Ryan Ashley for videotaping the event so that parents who are interested but were not able to attend can watch it online later.

Thank you all and Happy Halloween weekend!

Eva

Here are the videos of Roosevelt Island Parents' Network 2016 Choosing A Kindergarten workshop courtesy of Heart Sugiyama and Megumi Shinkawa. There are 8 videos of various lengths in the playlist. Individual videos can be seen here.



Contact the Roosevelt Island Parents' Network for more information.  

UPDATE 1;40 PM - Click here for videos and more info from 2014-2016 Roosevelt Island Parents' Network Kindergarten Workshops.

Choosing A New York City Kindergarten For Your Roosevelt Island Child Workshop Hosted By Roosevelt Island Parents' Network Sunday October 23 - Please RSVP By October 20

Roosevelt Island Parents' Network Coordinator Eva Bosbach reports:

Dear RI Parents,

Please find below an invitation

to the 6th workshop in the free "Parents for Parents" series by the RI Parents' Network, on the topic "Choosing a Kindergarten", this Sunday, October 23rd, 4-6pm. This is a panel from RI parents for and with RI parents about elementary school choices for RI families.

Please RSVP with the full names of everyone attending to eva.bosbach@gmail.com  until Thursday, October 20.

This event is hosted by the Roosevelt Island Parents' Network, the Roosevelt Island Jewish Congregation, Main Street Sweets & Eats and the Girls Scouts of Roosevelt Island. Special thank you to Janine Schaefer and Girl Scout Troop 3244 & 3245 for designing our flyer this year!

Looking forward to seeing you on Sunday, :)

Here's video  excerpt



from the 2015 Roosevelt Island Parents' Network Kindergarten workshop.

More video from the 2015 Roosevelt Island Parents' Network kindergarten panel.

If you have a child entering kindergarten next year, this is a great workshop to attend.

Contact the Roosevelt Island Parents' Network for more information.  

UPDATE 8:30 PM - Ms. Bosbach adds:

We have a lot of interest and have extended the RSVP to the 22nd to accommodate everyone.

Roosevelt Island PS/IS 217 PTA Reports On Upcoming School Tour For Prospective Parents, Gifted & Talented Forum, Parents Workshops, Cornell Tech Partnership Presentation, Amalgamated Bank Donation, Amazon Shopping, After School Programs, Christmas Tree Sale, Pizza Making & More

Image From Roosevelt Island PS/IS 217 PTA

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!

Have a great week!

Roosevelt Island Parents' Network Workshop Shares Information And Experience On Choosing A Kindergarten For Your Child

The Roosevelt Island Parents' Network (RIPN) hosted it's 3rd annual Choosing A Kindergarten Workshop on Sunday November 1.

Workshop panelists were parents who have recent experience with the process of choosing a Kindergarten for their child in NYC.  According to RIPN Coordinator Eva Bosbach:

Our panelists investigated different options, successfully placed their children in a variety of schools and programs including G&T and Charters, are active in parent advocacy and happy to share their knowledge....

Topics covered during the Kindergarten workshop included:

• public, charter and private schools, 
• Gifted & Talented Programs,
• prepping and testing, 
• special needs resources,
• commuting, 
• costs &
• more.

PS/IS 217 is the local Roosevelt Island elementary school. Roosevelt Island is located in the NYC Department Of Education's District 2. According to Inside Schools:

.... District 2 has some of the highest-performing and most popular schools in the city. The district covers the wealthiest neighborhoods in the city—the East Side south of 97th Street and the West Side south of 59th street (but not the Lower East Side).

Several new elementary schools have opened in recent years, easing overcrowding. Most parents are satisfied with their zoned neighborhood schools and look no further.

There are a number of schools that admit children according to the results of an entrance exam, including Hunter College Elementary School (open to children who live anywhere in Manhattan) and Lower Lab School (open only to children who live in District 2). Several neighborhood schools also have gifted programs that accept children from outside their attendance zone.

Other options: Ella Baker School is open to children citywide. Midtown West and PS 150 accept children from across District 2....

Inside Schools review of Roosevelt Island's PS/IS 217 is here.

Below is video of the RIPN Choosing A Kindergarten Workshop.

Part 1 - RIPN Coordinator Eva Bosbach introduces the panel and subject.



Part 2 - Success Academy NYC Charter School



Part 3 - Ella Baker NYC Progressive Public School.



Part 4 - NYC Gifted & Talented Programs (Application deadline to request testing is November 9)



Part 5 - Local Roosevelt Island NYC PS/IS 217 ("Mommy, I don't want to commute any more")



Part 6 - Private Schools



Part 7 -Special Needs & recommended Kindergarten Resources Information.



Ms Bosbach adds:

Thank you to all parents who participated in our annual Choosing a Kindergarten workshop. Thank you to the attendees and especially to all speakers for volunteering their time and for their willingness to share their knowledge and experience with the exciting but sometimes also overwhelming process of searching for a Kindergarten that is a good match for your child. Another thank you goes to our co-hosts: the Roosevelt Island Jewish Congregation and Main Street Sweets. Last but not least special thanks to Jen Reyes for designing our flyer again this year. Good luck to all in the process!

The 2016 NYC Department of Education Manhattan  Kindergarten Directory is here.

More info available at NYC DOE Kindergarten and Gifted & Talented web sites as well as Inside Schools.

You can contact the Roosevelt Island Parents' Network for more kindergarten info too as well as a general resource for Roosevelt Island parents.

Choosing A New York City Kindergarten For Your Roosevelt Island Child - What You Need To Know From The Roosevelt Island Parents' Network November 1 Workshop

Roosevelt Island Parents' Network (RIPN) Coordinator Eva Bosbach reports:

Dear RI Parents,

Please save the date for the 4th workshop in the "Parents for Parents" series by the RI Parents' Network: "Choosing a Kindergarten", on Sunday, November 1, 4-6pm.

This will be our annual free panel discussion with Roosevelt Island parents who have a recent experience with the process of choosing a Kindergarten for their child in NYC. Our panelists investigated different options, successfully placed their children in a variety of schools and programs including G&T and Charters, are active in parent advocacy and happy to share their knowledge. All participants are welcome to contribute to the discussion and ask questions. Our topics will cover public vs. private schools, prepping and testing, things to consider like commute and finances etc. Details to follow.

Please RSVP by Saturday October 31 via e-mail to eva.bosbach@gmail.com

The location of the event will be provided upon RSVP.

Here is a link to our panel to this topic last year, including videos with the speaker contributions and here is our panel from the year before, including notes from one participant, Q&A etc.

This event is hosted by the Roosevelt Island Parents' Network, the Roosevelt Island Jewish Congregation and Main Street Sweets. Special thank you to Jen Reyes for designing our flyer again this year.

Looking forward to seeing you there.

Roosevelt Island PS 217 School Upcoming Tours For Incoming Kindergarten And Prospective Gifted & Talented Families, Come Learn About PS 217 And Relationship With Cornell Tech - Also, Sign Up For Full Day Pre Kindergarten Program

Roosevelt Island PS 217 invites prospective incoming families to come take a tour and learn about the school. According to the 217 PTA:

217 invites families to a school tour for incoming Kindergarten families and prospective Gifted & Talented families

Next School Tours:

FRIDAY, APRIL 17TH 8:30AM
MONDAY, APRIL 20TH 8:30AM
TUESDAY, APRIL 21ST 8:30AM

RSVP to Lauraine Rademaker, Parent Coordinator at LRademaker@schools.nyc.gov

We look forward to meeting you!

Image From PS 217 PTA

Click here for more information on the PS 217 School Tours.

The 217 PTA adds:

Dear Parents & Guardians,

We are excited to offer a full-day UPK program starting in September. We understand that many families are interested in enrolling in the full-day program. Although the Department of Education currently lists one section with 18 slots for full-day UPK - I strongly encourage parents who are interested in the program to apply. We are working with the Dept of Education to explore opening additional full-day slots if there is enough demand.

Thank you,
Mandana Beckman
Principal

During March 2 Roosevelt Island Cornell Tech Community & Construction Task Force meeting, Cornell Tech Director of K-12 Education Diane Levitt provided this update on relationship with PS/IS 217.

Cornell Tech PS/IS 217 Update March 2

Here's the presentation by Ms. Levitt followed by questions from the Task Force



and more information on Roosevelt Island's PS/IS 217 Gifted & Talented Program and Kindergarten class.

NYC Pre K Application Period Begins Today - Roosevelt Island PS 217 Offering Full Day Program Says DOE Update

Are you a Roosevelt Island parent interested in a Pre-Kindergarten school program for your child? The New York City Department of Education (DOE) reports:

Pre-K Application Period Is Open!

If you live in New York City and your child was born in 2011, he or she is eligible to attend a free, high quality pre-K program in September 2015. The application period runs from Monday, March 16, 2015 to Friday, April 24, 2015.

and Mayor de Blasio tweets:

It’s a big day for our city: the application period for #prekforall is now open. Apply now: http://t.co/72AzNECe6k pic.twitter.com/JoAgE40vyH
— Bill de Blasio (@BilldeBlasio) March 16, 2015

Roosevelt Island parent Desiree Charles reported March 6:

So the 2015 Pre-K directory just came out today and PS217 isn't one of the many schools that have gone from offering half day programs to full day programs. The question is why? What happened to the $300 million in funds allocated to providing full-day pre-k to all NY City Public School children. Roosevelt Island is definitely a community that is dying for affordable/free full-day pre-k.

The full-day pre-k options are Roosevelt Island Day Nursery at $17K which actually opted out of the universal pre-k system. Or you can use Bright Horizons at about $14K a school year. Besides cost, there are the difficult logistics this presents to parents who already have a child at 217 - how do you handle pick-ups and drop-offs with one kid on the island and another kid (4 years old) off-island all at the same time?

It's pretty disappointing to say the least! Why has the DOE chosen not to move forward with Roosevelt Island? With no other affordable full-day pre-k options, Roosevelt Island should have been among the first schools to transition.

I asked Roosevelt Island PS/IS 217 Principal Mandana Beckman:

I understand that Roosevelt Island's PS 217 was not chosen for full day Pre Kindergarten class.

Is that true?

I have received inquires on that subject from Roosevelt Island parents.

Can you provide any information on the subject to the community.

Ms. Beckman replied on March 10:

PS/IS 217 supports the DOE’s expansion of full day Universal PreK. Although we will continue to have 2 half day sections for the 2015-2016 school year, we will be working throughout the year on ways to address accommodating full day PreK in our Pre K to Grade 8 school in the future.

Ms. Charles followed up on March 15:

An update to the Pre-K Directory was just released and lists PS217 as going full day! I can't tell you how excited I am!

The DOE has more information and application for Pre K program here.

Image From NYC DOE Pre K Update Page 6

Roosevelt Island Day Nursery (RIDN) Executive Director Pamela Stark explains why RIDN declined to participate in the NYC DOE Pre K program:

Roosevelt Island Day Nursery is an independent school that has offered quality early childhood education to Roosevelt Island residents for 40 years. In addition to highly qualified professional teaching staff, RIDN also offers an excellent teacher to child ratio and special activities including Music Together with Owen (of RI Music Together and MST & DA) and Creative Movement and Dance with Debra (of MST & DA).

As a not-for-profit school, RIDN continues to look for ways to help keep our quality early childhood program an option for as many families as possible. We offer financial aid to families who qualify, a sibling discount for families who have more than one child attending RIDN, and we have a partnership with Weill Cornell which provides subsidized tuition for five postdoctoral families each year. We are also open to creating further partnerships with local employers seeking to subsidize school tuition for their employees, and the school is actively engaged in various fundraising efforts to support its program, including events focused at current students, alumni, and the broader community.

Unfortunately the NYC Universal Pre-K funding that the Department of Education provides is not only insufficient to support the program we offer, it currently imposes obligations upon recipient schools that are unworkable at RIDN. As a result, RIDN’s Board of Directors (the majority of whom are current RIDN parents) has decided not to pursue UPK funding at this time. Other independent schools in Manhattan have made similar decisions.

Here's more information (including video) on Roosevelt Island PS 217 Pre Kindergarten, Kindergarten and Gifted & Talented program at this January 12 Community Board 8 meeting.

UPDATE 4:10 PM - The Roosevelt Island PS/IS 217 PTA is holding a Silent Auction Fundraiser Saturday March 21 from 2-5 PM.

More information on the PS/IS 217 PTA Silent Auction fundraiser and an online catalog for the auction available at their web site.

UPDATE 6:30 PM - PS 217 Principal Mandana Beckman reports that the Roosevelt Island full day Pre K program will have 1 class with 18 children. The previous half day program had two classes with 18 children each.

Also, the DOE page has changed from 36 seats (listed in Screenshot above) to

 Image From NYC DOE Pre K Update Page 6

 18 seats for 1 class.

Roosevelt Island Jobs Available At Duane Reade Store - Inquire Within - Substitute PS 217 Kindergarten Teacher Position Available Too

Image From How I Save Money

Are you looking for a job on Roosevelt Island? The Roosevelt Island Duane Reade store at 425 Main Street is hiring.

According to the signage at the front door and cash register

inquire within.

Also, Craigslist reports:

PS/IS 217, a NYCDOE District 2, Pre-K though Grade 8 school located on Roosevelt Island (between Manhattan and Queens) is seeking a maternity leave substitute teacher from mid-February through the end of the school year for a kindergarten class....

Click here for more info on the PS/IS 217 substitute teacher position. Be advised that the job was posted January 23.

Good luck.

NYC Department Of Education Gifted & Talented Program Presentation At Roosevelt Island PS/IS 217 - Here's What Happened At January 12 CB 8 Meeting

Image From NYC G&T Community Forum Presentation

Manhattan Community Board 8's (CB 8) Youth & Education Committee together with the Roosevelt Island Committee hosted a presentation on the NYC Department of Education (DOE) Gifted and Talented (G&T) program last Monday evening, January 12, at PS/IS 217. According to CB 8:

Presentation by Principal Beckman, PS/IS 217 Roosevelt Island and Daniel Hildreth, Office of Student Enrollment, NYC DOE:

Discussion of the Gifted and Talented Program such as what the standards for admission are and the timing of applications, programming, etc.

Here's what happened.

Part 1. Introduction by CB 8's Youth & Education Committee Co-Chairs Hattie Quarnstrom and Judith Schneider of NYC BOE's Daniel Hildreth, PS/IS 217 Principal Mandana Beckman and PS/IS 217 G&T Testing Coordinator Ursala Fokine.



Part 2. An overview of the G&T application process from beginning to end and questions from parents on subjects including:

• city wide and district admissions eligibility,
• sibling and district priority,
• testing and note taking and
• bilingual test taking (not available at PS/IS 217 unless child is already in English Second Language program at PS/IS 217)

Part 3.

• transferring from one G&T program location to another,
• kindergarten placement and
• over subscribed placement lottery.

There is no guarantee of G&T placement even if child is eligible based upon test scores.



Part 4.

• PS/IS 217 Principal Mandana Beckman discussed PS/IS 217 Gifted & Talented Program,
• size of classes,
• interaction between G&T and general education classes,
•  placement of twins and
• a discussion of District 30 Queens students placement in the Roosevelt Island G&T program.

Part 5.

• child testing preparation and procedures,
• PS/IS 217 tries to make the test as unstressful as possible,
• Pre Kindergarten program (will there be a full time program at PS/IS 217 - not decided yet), 
• improvements at PS/IS 217 and 
• involvement of PTA

Part 6. Involvement of Cornell Tech at PS/IS 217.



Here's more information on NYC G&T Program,

Presentation From NYC Board Of Education

PS/IS 217 and the PS/IS 217 PTA.

Also,  as previously reported, for more info check out the Roosevelt Island Parents' Network Choosing A Kindergarten workshop as well as the January 16 and January 27 family PS/IS 217

Kindergarten Tour.

Roosevelt Island PS/IS 217 Invites Families To Tour School For Kindergarten Friday January 16 and Tuesday January 27

The Roosevelt Island PS/IS 217 PTA reports:

217 invites families to a school tour for Kindergarten.

Friday, January 16 8:40am
or
Tuesday, January 27 at 8:40am.

RSVP to Lauraine Rademaker, Parent Coordinator at 212) 980-0295 ext. 1010.

We look forward to meeting you!

The Roosevelt Island Parents' Network held a very informative Choosing A Kindergarten Workshop for your Roosevelt Issland child last November 2. Click here for video of the full workshop.

More info of PS/IS 217 at the school's NYC Department of Education portal and PTA web page.

Choosing A New York City Kindergarten For Your Roosevelt Island Child - What You Need To Know From The Roosevelt Island Parents' Network Workshop

Roosevelt Island Parents' Network (RIPN) Coordinator Eva Bosbach reports:

About 20 parents attended the second annual RIPN "Parents for Parents" Choosing a NYC Kindergarten Workshop on November 2.

Our speakers were parents who investigated various kindergarten options and successfully placed their children in a variety of schools and programs including:

• PS/IS 217, 
• Lower Lab, 
• PS 267, 
• PS 11, 
• Ella Baker, 
• Gifted & Talented (application deadline extended to November 12)
• Charters
• and private schools.

These parents shared their experience and knowledge about their decisions, the preparation involved and the admission process.

Please find HERE a handout with different time lines of the process and other resources for parents. Emily Gohn-Barnhill, the Director of the Bright Horizons/MSKCC Children's Center at 475 Main St, prepared these materials and kindly approved their distribution to the Roosevelt Island Parents' Network member families and Roosevelt Islander Online readers.

Many thanks to Kristi Towey, Tamara Troadec, Michal Melamed, Natalie Remor, Catherine Shiels, Sarit Schwartz, Maya Bar Dagan, Kelly Turner, Mary Anne Feeney and Matthew Matasar, who donated their time to share their knowledge and experience as our panelists! A special thank you to Jen Reyes for the graphic design of our flyer.

The event was hosted by Main Street Sweets, the Roosevelt Island Jewish Congregation and the RI Parents' Network.

Here's video of the RIPN November 2 Roosevelt Island Choosing A NYC Kindergarten Workshop.

Part 1 - Introduction by Ms. Bosbach, an overview of the Kindergarten selection process, United Nations International School and Individual Education Program



Part 2 - Lower Lab Gifted & Talented Program, Testing, Charter Schools, Pre - Kindergarten programs.



Part 3 - PS 11 Gifted and Talented Program, Sibling Priority, local Roosevelt Island PS 217 and Beacon after school programs.



Part 4 - More on local Roosevelt Island PS 217 school and testing.



Part 5 - Ella Baker progressive school and private schools



Part 6 - Questions and answers.



There was another 10 minutes of Q and A which I missed.

More information available from this handout and July 28 Roosevelt Island education presentation by Cornell Tech's Director of K-12 Education Jane Levitt.

Choosing A NYC Kindergarten For Your Roosevelt Island Child Panel Discussion Sunday November 2 At Main Street Sweets, RSVP By October 30 - Also, Video Of Cornell Tech's Director Of K-12 Education Diane Levitt Speaking About Education Plans For PS/IS 217 And Other NYC Schools

Image of October 2013 Roosevelt Island Parents' Network Choosing A Kindergarten Panel Discussion

Are you a Roosevelt Island parent about to choose a kindergarten for your child? If so, this upcoming Roosevelt Island workshop is for you.

The Roosevelt Island Parents' Network, together with the Roosevelt Island Jewish Congregation and Main Street Sweets, will host their second free Choosing A Kindergarten Workshop 4 PM on Sunday November 2 at Main Street Sweets (559 Main Street). If you are interested in attending, please RSVP by October 30 via e-mail to michalmelamed@yahoo.com

Here's a report from the Roosevelt Island Parents' Network October 2013 Choosing A Kindergarten Panel discussion.

Also, some more Roosevelt Island education information. Last July 28, Cornell Tech's new Director of K-12 Education Jane Levitt spoke to the Roosevelt Island Cornell Community and Construction Task Force about plans for Cornell working with Roosevelt Island's PS/IS 217 and other NYC schools. Here's what Ms. Levitt had to say.





Remember to RSVP for the November 2 Choosing A Kindergarten Workshop.

Important Information For Roosevelt Island Parents About NYC Free, Full Day Pre Kindergarten From NYC Council Member Ben Kallos And Mayor DeBlasio - Application Deadline Tomorrow

Are you a Roosevelt Island parent interested in enrolling your child in free, full day pre-kindergarten for next year?

Image Of NYC 2014 Pre-K From NYCGov

If yes, Roosevelt Island's NYC Council Member Ben Kallos has some important information for you. According to Mr. Kallos

The deadline to put in an application for your child to receive free, full-day pre-k is this Wednesday, April 23, 2014. You can apply in person at a Borough Enrollment Office at 333 7th Ave or APPLY ONLINE.

Admission is NOT first come first serve -- all applications are treated the same, so be sure to submit on or before Wednesday's deadline. To find out which options are available, please see the 2014-2015 pre-k guide. To see options that have been added with the recent increase in funding for city pre-k, please see this pre-k expansion guide. Additional information about pre-k seats through community organizations will become available in June.

This DNAInfo guide, "Last Minute Tips on Finding a Public Pre-K Seat," provides some useful tips for your application.

The additional public, full-day pre-k options are the result of hard work and campaigning in Albany by your city officials. I was proud to be in front on this issue, advocacy which was featured in the New York Times. I am still working to ensure you will have more nearby options for next year and all the years afterwards.

Finding a good pre-k option for your child is one of the most important decisions you can make, but the process can be confusing. Should you have any last-minute questions on your application, do not hesitate to contact me at 212-860-1950 or bkallos@benkallos.com.

Mayor Bill DeBlasio's urged families to apply for Pre Kindergarten seats at a press conference yesterday. According to Mayor DeBlasio:

... Now, let’s go over this again. Right now in New York City about 20,000 kids get full-day pre-K. About 40,000 kids get half-day. A number of kids get nothing at all whose families applied. Our plan takes us to over 50,000 full-day, high-quality seats by this September. And then we get to the grand total of over 70,000 the following year. All because of the actions that took place in Albany, allowing us immediately to more than double the number of kids who get full-day pre-K....

Here's the full Press Conference



and transcript.

UPDATE 4/23 - Roosevelt Island PS/IS 217 Principal Mandana Beckmans adds:

We currently have two half day Pre-K programs: an AM and PM program. At this time my understanding is that it will remain the same for next year. If there are any changes I will let you know.

Choosing a Kindergarten For Your Child: Two Workshops Hosted By The Roosevelt Island Parents’ Network About Options for Roosevelt Island Families

Reported last October:

Are you a Roosevelt Island parent about to choose a kindergarten for your child? If so, two upcoming question and answer sessions hosted by the Roosevelt Island Parents' Network and Main Street Sweets are for you....

Roosevelt Island Parents' Network Coordinator Eva Bosbach provides the following recap of the Choosing A Kindergarten panel discussion. Ms Bosbach reports:

Together with Main Street Sweets, the Roosevelt Island Parents’ Network hosted two free panel discussions about choosing a Kindergarten as part of the “Parents for Parents” workshop series.  About 50 RI parents attended the workshops on Nov. 5 at Main Street Sweets and Nov. 10 in the Rivercross lounge. The seven panelists were RI parents who investigated different options, successfully placed their children in a variety of schools and programs including G&T and IEP, serve on PTA boards, are active in parent advocacy and were happy to share their knowledge with other RI parents. I moderated both events which were co-hosted by Coach Scot from the Main Street Sweets. The handout with online resources and deadlines was kindly provided by Emily Gohn-Barnill, Director of the Bright Horizons/MSKCC Children’s Center/475 Main Street, RI. Jen Reyes designed the event flyer.

Image of Roosevelt Island Parents' Network Choosing A Kindergarten Panel Discussion

Workshop topics included: Public vs. Private schools, Multilingual children, Application process and deadlines, Prepping and testing, Gifted and Talented program, Individualized Education Program, Things to consider (commute, finances) and Further resources (tours, fairs, websites).

The following information consists of selected personal notes from the Nov. 10 workshop taken by one of the participants. The notes have been edited by the panel speakers.

The workshop started at 4pm.

Eva Bosbach asked about the audience’s interest: A few were interested in private schools, most were interested in G/T, perhaps half were interested in PS 217 information.

Introduction of the speakers by EB and their up-front statements:

Michal Melamed: Michal has one child at G/T who used to be at Midtown West before. One child is in 3rd grade in STEM at PS 85 in Queens (one of five citywide g/t schools), another child at Harlem Hebrew, a charter school in Harlem dual language in Hebrew. Lots of choices for kindergarten citywide! Midtown West, Ella Baker, and Tribeca Learning Center are the three non-zoned district-wide schools in district 2. For G/T, take test and if have a great score, there are two crazy weeks to tour schools and rank them. Charter schools: not many in district 2 – a daughter goes to one in district 3 in Harlem. Success Charter schools have two in our district, Union Square and Hell's Kitchen. Parochial schools are usually less expensive than private schools. Hunter and Special Music School, a music-focused school are selective public schools. Son was in Midtown West. At Midtown West, Ella Baker, and Tribeca, students fill out an application and then get in via a lottery. Her older child was not fully challenged at Midtown West and the commute was hard, then got an offer from a G/T school in November, moved to the G/T school, and all went smoothly. Younger child got a district G/T eligible score but not a citywide G/T eligible score and she enrolled in a charter school.

Olga Shchuchinov: VP of PS217 PTA. You should look beyond the data to find good schools. Do not focus only on rankings. Many schools are similar in the sense that they follow statewide curriculum and offer a safe space. Think of your financial resources and your specific commute. Make three groupings of tiers for schools you like rather than focusing just on your top tier. Keep in perspective that kindergarten placement is not the hugest impact on someone's life.

Shirley Payne: One child in ps217, one at charter, one in public school. Youngest child has IEP for physical therapy and probably has a similar experience to parents with kids who have an autism diagnosis. For the child, Shirley focused on the level of support for physical therapy and IEP along with which school had the best nurse for therapeutic purposes. Online reviews are all negative for schools generally but the true views of parents are usually not as bad as the online reviews. Took tours, checked what resources were available, checked how much reading done per day. Chose PS217 for that child. See if the setting is right for your child, if your child would be happy, if the commute is ok, and see if the school looks like it has a family atmosphere that is tight-knit. Elementary school choice has a bigger impact on one's life than kindergarten.

Matthew Matasar: Two kids in G/T at Lower Lab. For G/T there are five "citywide" schools and many "district" programs in district two. For citywide G/T schools, you can apply if score at 97th percentile but most schools end up only accepting kids with a 99th percentile score. Different citywide schools go up to different grade levels (many have middle or both middle and high schools). District-wide schools require a qualifying score of 90, but most fill with kids with a 99th percentile score. Take tours because many schools give different impressions such as how NEST-M seems great to some parents but seems too strict/cold to other parents. Trust your instincts on the tours. G/T scoring takes into account how old the child was on the day of the test (down to how many years plus quarter-years the child is old). Some buy a $30 KTSS packet on G/T sample questions. More intensive test prep programs can be hundreds or even thousands of dollars.

Lauren Blankstein: Son in kindergarten, daughter in 4th grade at the Ella Baker School, a pre-k to 8th grade progressive public school on the Upper East Side. Lauren spoke about the progressive approach to education. Information about this and Ella Baker's admissions process can be found at  http://www.ellabakerschool.net"  Lauren also recommended watching the video 180 Days Well Spent.

Kristi Towey: Kids at The Garden School and Poly Prep Country Day School. Two kids in private school – one of which initially went to PS217 for pre-K through 1st grade. Private schools love Roosevelt Island children because they bring uniqueness to the school geographically. Look at how your child interacts with other children and adults. Think about whether a small or large environment would be better. Consider what is important to you as the parent. We chose private school for our children because one needed more attention in his schoolwork from the teacher and the other needs more nurturing and emotional support.  Both are provided better in a small than in a larger classroom.  Private schools also commonly offer extra curriculum enriching courses and a wide variety of after school activities.

Nancy Ibrahim: Works in UNIS admissions. Some private schools have a great parent-student ratio. Many have application deadlines around mid-November. For busing, for $2,000 per year students can pay to ride on a private UNIS school bus but there also is the no-cost public school busing option (but it requires leaving earlier in the morning and has less flexbility).

Q/A, started at 4:55pm:

1. Q: Is it true that ERB is no longer being required in future years for Independent School Admissions Association of Greater New York schools and most schools are dropping it?
A: Yes, the ISAAGNY is looking for an alternative to the ERB. Please check with each school on their requirements.

2. Q: What happens at private school play date tryouts?
A: You should call and ask a specific school what to expect and then you can tell the child what will happen. At UNIS, they assess in groups of 5 playing together and also through a one-on-one meeting with a teacher. They are assessing numerous factors, probably including how well the kid separates from the parent, the kid’s social skills, and if the kid already took schooling then how much the kid has learned/how well behaved the kid is.

3. Q: How/when did one parent on the panel find out ADD diagnosis?
A: Different parents answered that one family found out at 11 years old and another family found out at 4 years old.

4. Q: How is the typical teacher to student ratio?
A: K at ps217 is 24 per teacher for general K and 17 or 18 per teacher for G/T. At one point there was around 31 for one teacher but then the school hired a second teacher and now there are around 16 per teacher. NYC maximum for Kindergarten is 25 per class. Allowance in Sept. and Oct. tends to go over the limit in order to see how many kids join or transfer out of the school. Only exception to the class limit is Midtown west, where it seems nobody complaints about having 28 children per class. In older years, some G/Ts have more students per teacher but it works fine because they might do work in groups of four with the teacher stopping by each group.

5. Q: For those parents with one child in G/T and one not in G/T, do you see any difference?
A: In G/T you notice a difference in the other students because they had to be able to sit and focus on that G/T test to qualify (although it is still possible for a kid in G/T to be misbehaved despite, if the kid frequently chooses not to exercise the ability to focus quietly). Another impact is that many G/T schools have committed parents willing to donate more money so that there are more resources.
A: Another parent says she sees a difference trending more as the children get older and thinks it might be due to the commitment level of the parents, not necessarily that there is better instruction.

6. Q: If not G/T qualified at first, what are the odds of getting back on the advanced track after doing non-G/T studies?
A: At UNIS, they look at many factors so they are not completely shutting out a child who had a specific pathway for K and first grade when applying for sixth grade, for example.
A: One parent says that for some schools, there are almost no slots open for the higher grades because so many students in the lower grades continue studying at the school and take up the slots.

7. Q: It seems funny to have lots of transfers around Sept. and October with students getting into G/T or switching public schools.
A: It does not happen much at private schools but it does happen in public schools. Probably not such a big deal if a school has only 3 or 4 new kids. But with 8 new kids (as once pretty much happened at ps217), it can be disruptive -- but various parents point out that having that many new kids is very rare so people should not worry about that too much.

8. Q: Other zoned schools seem to have better fundraising from PTA than ps217.
A: But at ps217, recently parents really came together to rescue an arts program, the school already has a music teacher and enough support that musical instruments are provided at no cost to students and the music program has been there for 20 years. The offer of no-cost musical instruments has some common sense limits, though – the PTA is not giving out pianos of course. PS217 has yoga and movement in class. It has gardening. It has some after school programs, too, that require families to pay to participate. Odds are that art and music classes will stay for a while.

9. Q: How is applying for public school pre-K?
A: Fill out a questionnaire and then it is pure lottery.

10. Q: Do you have any tips on figuring out whether a school is good at supporting specific special needs of kids?
A: The process actually begins in pre-school if your child has attended. If your child requires speech physical , and or occupational therapy they may need evaluations to determine the correct placement for them. Also children who have been diagnosed with Autism or ADHD or ADD may need certain classroom accommodations that your local school may not be able to offer. Your child may be eligible for services granted through a individual education plan. This plan helps address the needs of the student and gives then supports while in the classroom . If your child carries any of these diagnosis but you are unsure the school based team once in a school can evaluate your child if you address concerns. To answer your question more specifically: Look at the number of students serviced with special needs. For example, if they offer group therapy for ADHD, check how many are in their group. A school might say it can only take 8 minimum per group but at the kindergarten level a kid might really need a group of six or less people. Look for more details about what kind of equipment they have such as whether physical therapy is done by having a kid walk up a staircase. Schools with great therapeutic staff usually have staff that stays (so you can ask about the years of service of the staff).

11. Q: If born in fall and start public school but not old enough to meet the cutoff to apply for private school and the following year the child applies and gets accepted to private school, will every private school force every child in that situation to redo the kindergarten level?
A: One child repeated fifth grade when the child switched over. When older, school will check testing results to assess whether to move forward or repeat the level. For UNIS, at the kindergarten level the child in that situation will also be forced to take a year in kindergarten at UNIS but it is not really repetitive for the child because UNIS has a very different teaching method and will give more attention than the child probably had before.
A: At the kindergarten level, private schools are usually not flexible with admission age.  There are some private schools that follow the same age guidelines as public school.  At the higher grades, if you are coming from public to private, they will be more flexible.  They will assess your child's test scores, etc. and make a decision with the parents. My niece missed the cutoff for kindergarten by one day at Sacred Heart and they were not flexible at all with the date.  My son at Poly Prep was not even considered for the higher grade level even though he already completed fifth grade. As far as repeating kindergarten or any other grade level in private school, every school has a unique curriculum and your child will not be bored.  The adjustment to the new school curriculum and environment will keep them engaged.  Also, the smaller classroom will allow a teacher to give more one on one attention and challenge one student where needed while teaching others at another level.

12. Q: What happens if a child starts at private school and then shifts to public school and the child is born in the fall?
A: The public school often exercises flexibility by checking the kid’s skill level rather than purely applying a formula that would force the kid into a grade level based purely on the kid’s age.
A: If you are in private school first and then go to public school, the public schools will put your child in the next grade level after what they just completed in private school even if they are aged for the next grade.  Your child will not be forced ahead a grade level.

The workshop ended at 5:40pm.

You can find a handout with different kindergarten deadlines and resources here.

Choosing A New York City Kindergarten For Your Roosevelt Island Child Panel Discussion On November 5 and 10 - Get Answers From Parents With Recent Experience

Are you a Roosevelt Island parent about to choose a kindergarten for your child? If so, two upcoming question and answer sessions hosted by the Roosevelt Island Parents' Network and Main Street Sweets are for you.

Just RSVP by October 28 to the email adress listed at the bottom of the flyer.

Here's an excerpt from Getting In ... Kindergarten, a documentary aired in 2007 on The Learning Channel describing the NYC Kindergarten admission process.



Also, info from prior posts on the Roosevelt Island PS/IS 217 Gifted and Talented program including a plea from a Roosevelt Island parent to establish the program and a tweet from Inside Schools:

I added a video to a @YouTube playlist http://t.co/AFuLCEQEWp P.S./I.S. 217 Roosevelt Island
— Insideschools (@Insideschools) October 17, 2013

More information available from PS/Is 217 portal and the school's PTA web site.

New York 2010 Public School Year Almost Over - Roosevelt Island's PS/IS 217 Kindergarten Class Doesn't Want Year To End

You Tube Video of PS/IS 217 Kindergarten Class Performing Kindergarten Song from RIGANDT

We're near the end of June and that means the school year is almost over but the kids in Roosevelt Island's PS/IS 217 Kindergarten class don't want it to end.

For more information on PS/IS 217, check out the

• PTA,
• Roosevelt Island School Gifted & Talented Class Blog
• DOE's PS/IS 217 web page and
• previous Roosevelt Islander posts
  

Riverwalk Developers Principal For A Day At Roosevelt Island's PS/IS 217 - Fall 2010 Kindergarten Admission Info Due March 12

You Tube Video of What Teachers Make

Are you considering sending your child to PS/IS 217 kindergarten next year? If so, be aware that there is a:

NEW KINDERGARTEN ADMISSION PROCESS

Families that are interested in kindergarten admission for PS/IS 217M for the Fall of 2010 must submit intake information to the school. This process will take place from February 8 through March 12 from 9:00 AM until 11:00 AM in the Main Office.

Please bring the following documents:

• Proof of residency (copy of the lease, letter from the Management and utility bill)
• Proof of Birth (Birth Certificate or passport)
• Name of any other child in the school.

Information on whom to contact here.

Image of Roosevelt Island PS/IS 217 From Geocities

I recently learned that David Kramer and Kimberly Sherman Stamier of Riverwalk's Hudson/Related development team participated in PENCIL's Principal For A Day Program at Roosevelt Island's PS/IS 217. According to PENCIL:

PENCIL's Annual Principal For A Day® event serves as the official kick-off for our Partnership Program. Held each year in October, Principal For A Day® mobilizes partners to launch their collaborations on a citywide basis. Hundreds of New York business leaders visit their partner schools in all five boroughs to start or continue their collaborations. These visits provide business Partners with valuable exposure to their school’s culture and unique strengths and challenges.

I asked Ms. Stamier to report on her experience as a Principal For The Day at PS/IS 217 and she kindly agreed to do so. From Ms. Stamier:

I have had the pleasure of spending hundreds of hours on Roosevelt Island and when I was offered the opportunity to collaborate with PS/IS 217, I jumped at the chance.

As part of the Related/Hudson co-development team behind Riverwalk, the six buildings located just north of the tram on Roosevelt Island, I have been working with RIOC and on these developments for over a decade. Throughout my tenure on the island the entire team has become immersed in the neighborhood, and as we have added residents to the island, the families that inhabit our residences have too. As a new mother myself, I had always been interested in the island’s home school located on Main Street. I had reviewed the school statistics through the DOE and other websites, however, a website does not give any sense of the school. The school environment was a key factor that I wanted to learn more about.

When David Kramer of Hudson Companies, who had partaken in the PENCIL partnership in the past, suggested that he and I collaborate to work with PS/IS, my first question was, what is PENCIL? I visited their website for all of the details, www.pencil.org. Per their website, “PENCIL builds and supports customized relationships between business leaders and principals to inspire innovation and transform public schools. By bringing together the best ideas, resources and talent across sectors, we develop strong leaders, build school capacity, enhance student learning, and inspire greater community and corporate support, to create real change in our City's schools”. What the PENCIL partnership between Related / Hudson and PS/IS 217 meant for us was that we were formally introduced to the school with the goal of making a difference in any way that we could.

On the morning of October 15th, David and I initially met with Principal Mandana Beckman and Assistant Principal Jennifer Bartolino and received a full tour of the school. We were amazed by the terrific facilities. Apart from the beautiful and open view of Manhattan over the East River, we were impressed by the size of the school, the large acoustically attenuated auditorium that seats over 100 people, the dedicated gym facility (as opposed to a shared gym / lunch room), the Mac room, the music room with a large variety of instruments, and the large courtyard playground. The school is home to kindergarten through eighth grade, and recently embarked on a gifted and talented program. The methods of communication were high tech in many of the classrooms, with overhead computers and programs that are projected onto screens instead of
chalkboards.

We also got a feel for the school by looking at the bulletin boards in the entry hall that leads to the principal’s office. Though the content is continually changing, I particularly enjoyed the postings from my last two visits of “Pajama Day” and the letters to President Obama after he won the election. The students represent over seventy countries and the main hall is home to flags from each one.

At our meeting with Mandana and Jenn, we assessed the school’s needs and specifically where and how David and I could help. We came up with three goals:

(1) Create a school logo and brochure, replete with photographs and information;

(2) Produce a Career Day series for sixth and seventh graders to learn about different career paths and steps to take in order to achieve career goals. This exercise is particularly applicable to this age group as they will soon decide if/ which specialized schools they would like to apply to; and

(3) Increase outreach on the school to the Roosevelt Island population. You’d be surprised how many families do not know about the great things happening at PS/IS 217.

So how are we achieving these goals? Shortly after our meeting with Mandana and Jenn, David saw a friend in the graphic design world, who generously offered to create the school’s logo. Thank you Pat Thompson. At a recent meeting with Mandana and Jenn we were joined by 3 PTA members, who thought they could source photographers for our brochure. Once that’s done we’ll all work on the copy, and this summer we’ll have a brochure in hand.

We have also made progress on Career Day. David and I are working on list of industries that we think would be interesting to the students, and careers that they might not know about at a young age. Communications, aviation, culinary arts, fashion and marketing are a few of the presentations that we are planning. We will have two guests from each field speak with the students, and are currently sourcing speakers.

As for the school outreach, we’ve planned a meet and greet for Mandana and Jenn for the residents of Riverwalk. We have quite a bit of families at Riverwalk, many of whom are growing. We are looking forward to the introduction.

PENCIL brought us all together with the goal of creating goals – and we are headed down that path. PENCIL has excellent resources to facilitate all of our needs. There are monthly seminars hosted by PENCIL on a range of topic from attaining corporate sponsorships to a lecture by Meryl Tisch, the Chancellor of the New York State Board of Regents. The PENCIL team is always eager and ready to help with anything they can, and they are a real pleasure to work with.

David and I look forward to spending more time with the faculty, staff and students at PS/IS 217 and to working with the team to achieve our goals.

PS/IS 217 Computer Room From rigandt

PS/IS 217 Cafeteria From rigandt

Additional information about Roosevelt Island's PS/Is 217 is available from the PTA, the excellent Roosevelt Island School G & T Blog and NYC Department of Education Portal.