April 2004
PS
11
The
Office: 212-929-1743
PTA Voice Mail: 212-496-4520
PTA Executive Board
Linda Osborne, Co-Pres. 212-924-1797
Barbara Somlo, CEC Applicant 212-255-4921
Allia
Matta, Co-VP 718-353-9190
Deborah Traussi, Co-VP 212-268-0292
Pam Winberry, Corresp. Sec. 212-977-9857
Didi Re, Recording Sec. 212-675-1088
Anna Matos, Treasurer 212-627-7298
Lucia Santiago, Financial Sec. 212-691-6058
Members at Large
Delia Acosta—212-243-9254 / Andrea DiFiore—212-366-4621
Kathy Ellman—646-336-8649 / Anne Finkelstein—212-242-6706
Ann O’Dell—212-268-8106 / Martha Gallo—212-736-3974
Gil Santiago, CEC Applicant—212-691-6058
Principal’s Message
Dear Parents,
Families, and Friends of PS 11,
We are about to
start a long spring break. It will be a well-deserved vacation for a staff that
gives 110% every moment they are in the building. While we understand the need
for the children to run around and enjoy all the magic of spring, we are preparing
homework packages to make sure they spend some time each day using their mental
muscles. We also have the 3rd-, 4th-, and 5th-grade tests coming up and we want
the children to come back focused and ready to pick up where we left off.
Please save Saturdays April 17 and 24. We are planning 3- or 4-hour
Math/Literacy Academies for our 3rd and 5th graders the weekend before the
reading and math tests.
Lateness is
still an issue. Please make a concerted effort to get the children to their
classrooms by
I have decided
that video games, CD players, and other valuables are not to come to school.
They will be confiscated until the last day of school. We spend entirely too
much time dealing with stolen or missing materials. Fights start and the
temptation to steal is present. Please understand the problems we face and
support our decision.
Make it a great
break and we'll see you on April 14.
Sincerely,
Francis
Del Monaco
Thanks to
Kinko’s at
212-929-2679.
Mark
Your Calendar ~ Important Dates through the End of the Year!
All-School Events
Apr. 5–13 ~
Spring Recess
Apr. 14, 15,
16 ~ Circle in the Square (see over)
Apr. 22 ~ PTA meeting,
May 5, 6, 7 ~
Plant & flower sale,
May
12 ~ PTA meeting,
May 21~ A Taste of
Standardized Testing
Apr. 20: Citywide English Language Arts, Gr 3 & 5
Apr. 27: Citywide Mathematics, Grades 3 & 5
May 4–6: State Mathematics, Grade 4
May 4–11: NYS Manipulative & Science
Evaluation Test, Grade 4
May (TBD): ECLAS-2, Grades K-3
5th Grade
June 1: Trip
to
June 11:
Senior Awards,
June 17:
Graduation Dance,
June 22:
Graduation,
Pre-K and K
graduation: June 21
And
Don't Forget...
_________________________________________________
Got Health Care?
If not, do yourself and your family a favor and
find out about 3
One-Act
Plays by Our 3rd & 4th Graders Debut on Broadway!
Parents and
friends are invited to attend staged readings of original plays by our own students,
performed by Circle in the
When:
From
Your PTA Co-Presidents
Spring has officially arrived and the PS 11
Staff and PTA are working together to pack the last 3 months of the school year
with fun events and projects. Coming soon: a spring rummage
sale, the fabulous Taste of Chelsea, Sharon Golub’s wonderful production of West Side Story, the PS 11 Staff
Appreciation Luncheon, the incoming Pre-K and K Party, Field Day, graduation
ceremonies, and more. Plus a PS 11 yearbook to
preserve all the year’s fun memories for you in the all the years to come.
Whew! We’re going to need your help with all this. If you don’t have time to
give, please donate as much as you can to the Annual Fund to help support these
events and projects.
And
speaking of memories, thank you to Allia Matta and Martha Gallo for giving all
PS 11 families a wonderful time to remember at Multicultural Night.
You know, one thing we
all try to teach our children is the importance of taking turns. Well, Schools
Chancellor Klein has asked parents to take turns serving on their school’s PTA
Board. Board positions are now 1-year terms instead of 2. This change is
designed to allow more parents to make a difference in their schools with their
own fresh ideas and viewpoints. Look for more information on the upcoming PTA
Board elections in your child’s homework folder soon. And please consider
taking your turn serving PS 11 as a member of the PTA Board.—Linda Osborne
*****
I wanted to let everyone know that Gil Santiago
and I have both applied for the new Community Education Council (CEC) position
at the Department of Education.
A prerequisite to our
application was resignation from the PTA Executive Board. I informed the
Executive Board of my resignation before I sent in my application. However, I
do not want to leave the school, the PTA Board and my former co-President in
the lurch so I will run the last 3 PTA general meetings for this year.
I urge all of you to
consider participating in the Executive Board next year. The camaraderie is
wonderful and boy, do you get to know your child's school inside and out! I
will remember my 3 years on the PTA Board with great fondness. It was a lot of
work, but very satisfying!
See you at the next
general meeting, which will be in the MORNING, Thursday, April 22,
Avoid Parental Test Anxiety!
Parental Test Anxiety, sometimes referred to as
“PTA,” is very common among parents today. The symptoms can be devastating to the
children of parents who suffer from this common disorder. Currently there is no
FDA-approved medication to treat this. The best treatment is for parents to
keep a positive attitude about testing and realize that standardized tests are
a normal part of the education process.
Discuss testing with
your child’s classroom teacher to obtain information on what skills are being
measured and the exam format. Remember that in class, teachers cover
test-taking strategies along with practicing the standard exam format. Explain
to your child that the exams are designed to test on the information they have
already learned during the year. Reassure them that there should not be any
surprises on the exam. If your child has been identified as being at risk for
not meeting grade standards, you should have already been notified. The school
administration is currently holding remedial instruction to meet the needs of
students who are at risk of not meeting grade standards.
Avoid having your
child cram the night before an exam; this causes unnecessary stress for both
you and your child. Schedule a fun and relaxing activity instead, something
your whole family will enjoy: a movie, a game, or a special dinner. Make sure
your child gets to bed at their regular time. Going to bed earlier can
backfire; your child may lie nervously awake thinking
about the exam. Start the day with enough time for your child to have a healthy
breakfast the morning of the exam and administer regularly taken medications.
Please, be on time for school (
It’s important that
you stay calm and not let your children see you sweat. Send your children off
with the confidence of knowing that you love them regardless of how they score
on the exam. Parents, you can survive
the dreaded stigma of “PTA!”
Stephen McGill, Parent
Coordinator
An
Offer You Still Can’t Refuse
Just in case you missed the flyer that went out
in homework folders . . . Here's a way to help PS 11 and have a great
time. Dine at Sal Anthony’s SPQR Restaurant anytime to April 30 and 25% of your
bill will be donated to the PS 11 PTA! Simply mention you are with PS 11. The
25% donation applies to your entire party. This offer is valid for anyone who
mentions the PS 11 Fundraiser. That includes your family, friends, neighbors,
and co-workers.
If you can, please
leave a copy of your receipt or a note in the orange PTA folder in the PTA
mailbox in the Main Office so we can track how we’re doing.
Sal Anthony’s SPQR,
NOTE: Yoga with Andy is now on Thursdays. If
interested, leave a note in Ms. Golub's or Mr. Rodriguez's mailbox.