This Saturday is the Spring NYC Reads Debate at MS 210 in Queens! Our students have been preparing hard to debate the resolution: civil disobedience should be the primary method to advocate for social change. Students should meet at school at 7:00AM and we will take busses to MS 210. More information and a permission slip are available on Operoo.

We are also looking for parents/family members to volunteer to judge at the tournament! All volunteer judges can travel with our team to the school, will be trained at the tournament, and will receive a catered breakfast and lunch. Please fill out the form at ms50.org/judge if you are interested.

In this Issue:

• Champions Dinner Next Week
• MS 50 Theatre Presents: Matilda Jr.
• Spring Dance Photos
• Classroom Spotlight: ELA State Exam
• Senior Information
• PTA Updates
  
• District 14 & NYCPS Updates
  
• Upcoming Events
  
• Free Virtual Tutoring
• Free Internet Hotspot

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Our annual Champions Dinner is next week Thursday, May 8th! The Champions Dinner is from 6-8PM and is a chance to celebrate all the accomplishments of our community this school year and begin to look towards the year ahead. We will also have PTA elections during the dinner. From 3-5:45PM there will be a community resource fair in the yard with representatives from more than 19 local organizations. Please register at ms50.org/champions. There is additional information in the file attached below.

The MS 50 Theatre department is excited to present Matilda Jr. on Friday, May 9th at 4:30PM and Saturday, May 10th at 1:00PM! Matilda tells the story of an extraordinary girl whose curiosity and love of reading astounds her peers, even as it is rejected by her family and the tyrannical school leader, Ms. Trunchbull. With the support of her peers and caring teacher, Ms. Honey, she helps us see the importance of sticking up for what is right, even when people tell us we're wrong.

Bring out the whole family to this free show! No tickets are required.

We had a blast at the Spring Dance last Wednesday! This was a great chance for our students to celebrate their hard work and relax before the ELA and Math state exams. Check out some highlights on our website or click the button below for the full album on Google Drive.

The New York State ELA test for grades 6–8 will take place this week on Tuesday, April 29th, and Wednesday, April 30th. Our students have been working hard all year to strengthen their reading and writing skills, and this test is a chance for them to show what they’ve learned.

The ELA test includes a variety of reading passages—both fiction and nonfiction—followed by multiple-choice, short-response, and extended-response questions. Students are asked to demonstrate their ability to comprehend texts, analyze themes, identify evidence, and make inferences. In the writing sections, they must organize ideas clearly and support their thinking with evidence from the text. The test helps teachers and schools understand student progress and identify areas where additional support may be needed.

While it’s just one measure of learning, the ELA test plays an important role in shaping instruction to help all students become strong, thoughtful readers and writers. Please help your child do their best by making sure they get a good night’s sleep, eat a healthy breakfast, and arrive on time each day.

Each year, our 8th Grade students are invited to submit speeches to be given at their graduation ceremony! Two students are selected to present their speeches. For more information about how to submit a speech or if you would like to view the rubric used to assess the speeches, please reach out to your child's ELA teacher.

Senior dues are collected to cover the costs of Prom, the Senior Trip, and Graduation.

• Prom (June 4th) - $80
• Senior Trip (June 13th) - $80
• Graduation (June 25th) - $50 (Includes Cap & Gown, Yearbook, and Class Shirt)

Payments are due by June 2nd. See the attachment for more information.

The May PTA meeting will take place as part of the Champions Dinner on May 8! We will also be voting for next year's executive board at the dinner. Interested in running for a position on the 2025-26 PTA Executive Board? Email Edda, our Parent Coordinator for more information.

Interested in volunteering at an upcoming event? We have slots open and would love for you to help sell snacks and popcorn! Please sign up online. We are also collecting donation of items and experiences for an auction at the Champions Dinner in May! You can complete the same form to let us know if there is something you would like to donate.

May is going to be a busy month at MS 50 with performances of the musical, Matilda Jr., the Spring Band Concert, the D14 Elementary Debate Tournament and more! This is a great fundraising opportunity for the PTA and we would love to re-stock our snack table in advance of these events. You can purchase items on the Amazon wish list linked below and they will be sent directly to school! These donations will also be used to support the spring dance with snack options!

Softball

• Monday, April 28: vs. MS 126 at 4:00PM - Roberto Clemente Park
• Friday, May 2: vs. MS 582 at 4:00PM - Roberto Clemente Park
• Monday, May 5: vs. IS 318 at 4:00PM - Roberto Clemente Park

Baseball

• Monday, May 5: vs. MS 126 at 4:00PM - Parade Ground Field 3
• Friday, May 9: vs. Park Slope Collegiate at 4:00PM - Prospect Park Baseball Field 3
  

Soccer

• Monday, May 5: vs.MS 582 at 5:00PM - Bushwick Inlet Park

Volleyball

• Thursday, May 1: Home vs. PS 84 at 4:00PM
• Friday, May 9: Home vs. IS 318 at 4:00PM

State ELA and Math Exams start this week! The ELA exam will take place this week on Tuesday, April 29 and Wednesday, April 30. The Math exam will take place on Wednesday, May 7 and Thursday, May 8.

ELTs are cancelled on the following days:

• Wednesday, April 30 (ELA State Exam)
• Wednesday, May 7 & Thursday, May 8 (Math State Exam)

Add the MS 50 Calendar directly to your device! Simply click here to add to your Google Calendar or click here to add it to your Apple device.

We have partnered "PRACTICE" to offer free, on-demand, virtual tutoring and homework assistance for MS 50 students! Tutoring is available in English, Spanish, or Mandarin, Monday to Friday, 4-8pm, starting NOW! You can book a session at the link below up to 24 hours in advance. Booking a session is simple; click on this video link to see how to sign up. Once you've submitted the form, you will receive an email confirmation with the Google meeting link for the session. Please note: student DOE emails are not compatible for session scheduling.

All MS 50 students are eligible for a FREE internet hotspot through T-Mobile's Project 10Million. This provides 100GB of yearly data for 5 years in addition to low-cost laptops and tablets for your student. When you apply online, use "NYC Chancellor's Office" for the school district and "Jhs 50 John D Wells" for school name.