January 2004
PTA
Voice Mail: 212-496-4520
PTA Executive Board
Linda Osborne,
Co-Pres. 212-924-1797
Barbara Somlo,
Co-Pres 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 212-691-6058
Mark Your Calendar!
Jan. 14 ~ PTA
meeting,
Jan. 19 ~ School
closed (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day)
Feb. 11 ~ PTA
meeting,
Feb. 16 – 20 ~ School
closed (midwinter recess)
Principal’s Message
Dear Parents,
Families, and Friends of PS 11,
Welcome back and a
very happy new year to you.
We are now busy
preparing our 4th graders for the ELA test in early February. We will be
welcoming Kerry McMillin as our upper-grade staff developer and awaiting the
birth of a child to Suzette Evans.
I would also like to
thank Deborah Donenfeld for the beautiful black-and-white portraits of our
children actively engaged in learning within the walls of our building. They
are magnificent!
We welcome and
embrace 2004 with open arms, knowing that as long as we keep working together
this year will have a tremendous impact on each and every child. See you in the
halls.
To a peaceful world,
Sincerely,
Francis Del Monaco
Principal
From Your PTA Co-President
I hope your holiday
break was filled with relaxation and good times with family and friends.
I am excited about my
new position as Co-President on the PTA Board. I look forward to working with
Linda Osborne. My love and passion for and commitment to our school grows each
year as I watch my two children bloom at PS 11.
I want to thank Allia
Matta for the job that she's done as Co-President during the first half of the
academic year. She will remain on the PTA Board as Co-Vice President along with
Deborah Traussi. I enjoy and appreciate the intelligence and thoughtfulness
that she brings to the PTA Board.
I want to invite all
of you to bring your thoughts and suggestions to the PTA Board. The way you can
best help our school is by coupling those thoughts and suggestions with
possible solutions. Along with possible solutions consider if you'd like to
head up the committee to investigate or implement these solutions. If we all
think in these terms, we will get much more accomplished for our school. After
all, the PTA Board is only 15 strong (all members juggling families, jobs, and
the PTA Board) while together we are many hundreds strong! The load is light if
we all shoulder it together!
I look forward to
seeing you at our next General PTA Meeting on Jan. 14 at
I wish you and your
family a healthy and peaceful New Year!
Barbara Somlo
Highlights of Dec. 10 PTA Meeting
*Guest speakers—2 dynamic guests gave in-depth presentations on (1)
one of the special arts programs in our children’s curriculum and (2) important
developments in funding for NYC schools:
Jonathan
Mann of the Circle in the Square
Theatre Program (see next column for a brief summary).
April
Humphrey of Alliance for Quality
Education, an advocacy group to set criteria for spending new,
court-mandated school funds. More info at 718-222-1089.
*Treasurer’s report, Anna Matos
*New swimming gear purchased by PTA.
*Holiday fair update.
*House Tour report, Deborah Donenfeld: raised approx. $3000 despite blizzard.
*Executive Board change announced: Allia Matta becoming co-vice president; Barbara Somlo becoming co-president.
Be a PS 11 Tech Partner
PS 11 is lucky to
have more than 100 computers, but
unfortunately we don't have a full-time technician to make the most of this
great technology. If you're a parent with technology skills, classroom teachers could use your help
as a Tech Partner—from rebuilding a desktop to choosing a printer. If you are
already helping out in a class or if you'd like to, please e-mail Nick
Rubinfier at [email protected].
Thanks to Kinko’s at
212-929-2679.
PS 11 Playwrights on Broadway!
Did
you know . . . On Dec. 15 and
16, Circle in the Square Theatre School presented staged readings on Broadway
of original one-act plays that Ms. White’s and Ms.Wells’s 3rd-grade students
wrote during a curriculum-integrated playwriting residency this fall.
A 2nd residency will
be provided for the 2 other 3rd-grade classes and the 4th grade this
winter/spring. Dates for their readings will be announced.
This program, unique to PS 11, is funded by PS 11, PS
11 PTA, NY State Council on the Arts, NYC Dept. of Cultural Affairs/Council
Member Christine C. Quinn, and The New
York Times Foundation.
Extra Clothing Needed for K-3
Some of our younger
PS 11 students need your help. Do you have some clothes you can donate so they
can have a change of clothes on hand if needed? Clothes should fit students in
K through 3rd grade. Pants, shorts,
underwear, sweaters, socks, boots, hats, scarves, and mittens for boys and
girls would all be useful; we have enough tops. Please bring your donations to
Room 212A. We are also looking for large plastic bins with tops in which to
organize the clothing. Thank You!
PS
Drop off your spare
change and we'll put it to work for our school! Coin jars are in each of the classrooms and in the main office. Ask
your family and friends for loose change as well. It is a simple thing we all
can do and it really adds up quickly.Questions? Call me at 212-967-1742. Thank
you. Lillian Quartuccia
VOLUNTEER!
Contact
Stephen McGill
Parent
Coordinator
Room
101C / 347-563-5095