PTA
Newsletter - May 2002
PTA AND SCHOOL LEADERSHIP TEAM ELECTIONS – MAY 22
The PTA will meet on Wednesday, May 22 at 6 PM to elect officers and parent members of
the School Leadership Team for the 2002-03 school year. A slate of candidates has been
nominated, but several vacancies remain, and other parents can run for positions even if a
candidate has been nominated. The nominees include: Erin Feely-Nahem for president, Rose
McCarthy for 1st Vice President, Owen Johnston for 2nd Vice
President, Sandra Morabito for 3rd Vice President, Lydia Tang for Treasurer,
Sandy Newell for Recording Secretary, Vivienne Codderens for Corresponding Secretary, Mary
O’Brien Miranda for Fundraiser, and Karen Smith for Parent Outreach Liaison.
Additional fundraisers and parent outreach liaisons are needed, as well as a Grants
Officer and representatives to the Youth Center-Beacon Program and to the United Parents
Association. Anyone who is interested in being a candidate for any position should leave a
note for the PTA at the school or just come to the May 22 meeting.
The May 22 meeting will also include a workshop with a representative from the Karen
Horney Clinic. See Principal Sherry Gregory’s report on the back page.
UPCOMING MEETINGS AND EVENTS
The next meeting of the School Leadership Team will be on Wednesday, May 8th
at 6 PM followed by a PTA Executive Board meeting at 7 PM. As always, all parents
are invited to attend.
We will be resuming what once was a popular tradition at 217 on Wednesday, May 15th
with our spaghetti dinner. Library teacher Tom Chirgwin will be cooking and principal
Sherry Gregory will be serving. All are invited; the festivities begin at 6 PM.
The school band’s annual spring concert will be held on Thursday, June 6th
at 6 PM. This is always a highlight of the school year, giving our young musicians a
chance to showcase their talent. As always, there will be a small admission fee which is
used to pay for the purchase and repair of the band’s instruments.
Young Audiences will begin its work with the 4th graders in May on the
annual Gold Opera, another 217 tradition. The students will create their own opera,
and will give a public performance some time in June.
OTHER NEWS AND NOTES
At the April 17th meeting, Rose McCarthy was elected 1st Vice
President to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Mosud Mannan.
The long-awaited PTA cookbook is almost ready. Put together in a cooperative effort
with the Roosevelt Island Residents Association’s LACF, it is an 86-page book with
dozens of recipes contributed by parents and friends of 217. The book will be sold for $15
and will make a great gift for Mothers Day, birthdays, and other special occasions.
Principal Sherry Gregory announced that Hunter College will be providing additional
student teachers in September. Student teachers now work in the middle school. With
additional participants, we will now have coverage in the lower grades as well.
The French Institute/Alliance Francaise, a French school in Manhattan, will be
providing French teachers for the lower grades as a pilot program in the fall. Hopefully
this program will be successful and will be expanded in the future.
The city’s budget crisis may result in a significant reduction in funding from the
Board of Education to our school. This would mean loss of educational programs and
possibly of teacher positions. To protect our school, please write to Mayor Michael
Bloomberg and City Council Speaker Gifford Miller at City Hall, New York NY 10007 and urge
them to provide adequate funding for our school. Speaker Miller, as our own Councilman,
has been very supportive of the school over the years and has provided us with special
funds every year.
As part of the school’s inquiry-based learning curriculum being used in the lower
grades, all levels have been studying nature. Kindergarteners have studied butterflies, 1st
graders have studied frogs and woodland habitats, 2nd graders are studying
snails, and 3rd graders studied silkworms. Their projects are being exhibited
in the hallway on the 2nd floor. Please stop by and examine their work the next
time you are in the school.
Students who need homework help can call "Dial-A-Teacher" from 4:00 PM
to 7:00 PM weekdays at 212-777-3380. "Dial-A-Teacher" is made up of a group of
teachers who offer students a place to call when they get hung up doing their homework.
This program has been helping New York City students for more than 20 years, and recently
celebrated a major milestone. The teacher who began the "Dial-A-Teacher" program
received its one millionth call.
Beginning this month, we are providing space in the PTA newsletter for the principal to
offer her own comments. We hope that this will provide another opportunity for Ms. Gregory
to give parents an update on school activities:
MESSAGE FROM THE PRINCIPAL
Happy May! This month we will have many opportunities to share experiences with our
friends and neighbors on Roosevelt Island. On Wednesday, May 15 at 6 PM in the school
"dining hall", we will be breaking bread at our Spaghetti Dinner. Come and enjoy
a delicious meal prepared by Chef Tom Chirgwin. I look forward to serving you!
One week later (May 22), a speaker from the staff of the Karen Horney Clinic will host
a workshop for parents as part of our PTA general meeting, beginning at 6 PM. This will
serve as a springboard for a partnership program with our school – a series of
workshops for the 2002-2003 school year. These workshops will offer information to help us
hone our parenting skills. I invite you to come to the PTA meeting, vote for the executive
board, and learn how families can best work together for student success.
Our Family Friday monthly ritual began in September and is ongoing. This is a key way
for parents to spend time in the classroom, become a part of our literacy effort and stay
current about classroom work. Parents as reading buddies and parents as guests at
publishing parties support the richness of our daily school day.
I look forward to seeing everyone on May 15. Let’s share good times.
Sherry Gregory
