Principal's Weekly letter 11/15/24
Principal's Weekly letter 11/15/24
Dear Families,
Thank you to all the families who attended our Virtual Parent Teacher Conferences. If you were not able to meet with your child(ren) teacher, you may reach out to your child(ren) teacher via email and or leaving a message with our main office staff who will pass the message along to the teacher.
We are always looking to improve here at IS230, and your feedback is very valuable. We would like to hear from parents about our most recent parent teacher conference on Nov 14th. Please complete the survey, so we can better improve the virtual conference experience. Thank you for your feedback.
https://forms.gle/8Aa97rhu45kh65Js5
On Monday, November 18th from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. we are hosting a Math Night. The purpose of the event is to create a night of fun, numbers and walk away with new skills. In addition students will receive community service and a chance to win a graphing calculator.
Our next PTA meeting will be held on Wednesday, November 20th at 5:30 p.m. followed by a workshop on Self Care presented by our School Based Early Support Services (SBES) team. To increase Parent and Student turnout at our PTA meetings, parents who bring their IS230 child to the meeting and stay until the end of the meeting their child will receive 2 hours of community service. Community service is a graduation requirement here at IS230. To learn more about our community service requirement click on the link below:
On November 21 the Office of Food and Nutrition will be holding a taste testing of a new dish in the Main Building during our lunch periods. Students will have the opportunity to try Koshari Stew also known as Egyptian Chickpeas. Students will be able to provide feedback on the dish to see if it becomes an item that is served in school cafeterias across the New York City Public School system.
Our heritage is what we have inherited from the past to value and enjoy in the present, and to preserve and pass on to future generations. During the month of November, I.S. 230 is bringing awareness and celebration to our school community members' diverse cultural heritages. Our Heritage Awareness Celebration will be held on November 21st and 22nd. Students are invited to share their favorite part of their cultures, take photos with a flag that they feel connected to in the photo booth, and add a pin to the world map showcasing our diverse community. Families can join the celebration by contributing a recipe to the I.S. 230 Recipe Book, which will be sold to fundraise for student needs/activities. By sharing our cultures, we create space to embrace and be embraced by others and build a stronger community.
Please click on the link below if you would like to submit a recipe for the I.S. 230 Recipe Book.
https://forms.gle/G2xRnCM9jvW1vwCQ9
Our annual food drive is up and running until November 22nd. Students can earn up to 1 hour of community service credit for three items donated. Items may be dropped off in the main offices of the Annex or Main Building from 7:30 to 7:50 a.m.
Reminder 8th grade families, the High School Application process opened up on October 1st. The deadline to submit your child’s high school application is December 4, 2024. The high school application process is an exciting and daunting time. The High School application process is completed online via your NYC My school's Account by our 8th grade student’s parents/guardians. It is very important that you take the time to navigate the website and application process. We will be here to support you during this process via Parent workshops and setting up individual appointments with your 8th grade Guidance Counselor Mr. Gellard, but ultimately it is the responsibility of the families to complete the application process.
I am excited to announce a new partnership with NYC Teenspace, an innovative online therapy platform tailored to provide accessible and confidential mental health support for NYC teenagers aged 13-17. This program is funded by the NYC Health Department, powered by Talkspace. NYC Teenspace offers a safe space for teens to connect with licensed therapists through convenient digital channels such as messaging, video sessions, and live chats. The platform aims to empower adolescents, providing them with a platform to discuss their concerns, navigate challenges, and strengthen their mental wellness. To learn more about the program please read the parent we sent home on November 6, 2024, our website and or www.talkspace.com/nyc.
A PTA donation letter was sent home with the students. We are currently asking for your help in donating time and/or money. There is no monetary amount and parents are free to donate whatever they are able to do so. You can bring your donations to the main office located in the main/annex building and place them in the PTA donation box or you can make a deposit.
You can donate in 2 ways:
- Hand deliver a donation to the main office of both buildings, with the envelope addressed to the PTA.
- Or you can mail in a donation to the school @ IS 230Q, Attn: PTA, 73-10 34th Ave, Jackson Heights, NY 11372
If submitting a check donation, please make it payable to: Magnet School for Civics in the Community. Thank you for your time, dedication, and investment to I.S. 230Q.
Emergency Preparedness
We held one lock down this week. We will continue to hold lock down drills. We are planning on holding more fire drills in the Spring.
Restorative Practices / CRSE Corner
I am excited to announce a new project that we hope that all of our families will participate in. In preparation for our November CRSE celebration we are creating an I.S. 230 Recipe Book with students and families. The purpose of the recipe book is to celebrate our diversity here at IS230 and what a better way than through food. We hope to sell the recipe book to our school community and hopefully donate any profits to a cause within our Jackson Heights community (TBD). To submit a recipe please see the links below:
https://forms.gle/G2xRnCM9jvW1vwCQ9
One of our newest and biggest initiatives this year is rolling out Homeroom. Homeroom will take place from 8:00 to 8:20 a.m. every morning. Homeroom is mandatory and part of your child’s school day. The purpose of Homeroom is to provide a space for our staff and students to take attendance, conduct announcements and most importantly an opportunity to connect with their peers in a meaningful way before starting the day. We are utilizing the MorningSide Cultural Affirming Wheel as our framework. To learn more about Restorative Practices and Morningside, please visit the link below.
https://www.morningsidecenter.org/
Important Upcoming Dates
November 18, 2024- Math Night at 5:30-7:00 p.m (Main Cafeteria)
November 19, 2024- Climate Action Day “Waste”
November 20, 2024- P.T.A Meeting at 5:30 p.m; followed by a Self-Care Workshop
November 20, 2024- Family Virtual Workshop Series #3 at 6:00 p.m
November 21, 2024- Heritage Awareness Celebration (Main)
November 22, 2024- Heritage Awareness Celebration (Annex)
November 22, 2024- Last Day of our Thanksgiving Food Drive
We look forward to improving communication and relationships here at IS230.
Please visit our website www.is230.org to get more information and sign up for E-Chalk Notification.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Mr. Ajith Satyanarayana
