The Wednesday Weekly

Today also marked the sixth (out of eight) week with the Tiny Scientist, the residency in which our kindergarteners and first graders participate. Our students are having a blast learning about pollinators, plants, simple machines, the lifecycle of a mealworm, and much, much more! ICYMI, see exactly what our kindergarten and first grade students are learning during their eight weeks with The Tiny Scientist.

Both of these residencies are funded with your donations to the PTA! We are so grateful to be able to partner with wonderful community organizations like BAX and The Tiny Scientist. Thank you to the PTA – and to all of our families – for making activities like these possible for our students.

RECENT WATER TESTING AT PS 107

Our school’s water is regularly sampled and tested for the presence of lead. This year, this testing took place on March 11th. Elevated levels of lead were found in 3 of the 80 samples that were taken – two were from the kitchen. Both of these outlets in the kitchen have not been used at all this school year. The third was in room 301, in a “bubbler,” colloquially known as a water fountain. This water fountain is rarely used, as students routinely fill up their water bottles at our bottle filling station. All three water “outlets” were immediately taken out of service, and they will be replaced as soon as possible. (Note that the source of the lead is not the pipes, but rather the water “outlet” itself – the fountain or the faucet. For additional details on the findings from our school’s recent water testing, please see the complete report. As always, if you have any questions or concerns about this, do not hesitate to reach out to me at jcohen72@schools.nyc.gov or Parent Coordinator Nadia Benlarbi at nbenlarbi2@schools.nyc.gov.

THANK YOU!

A big thank you to our Read-a-Thon team led by Evan Appleby (who developed a platform just for this purpose!) and assisted by parents Aaron Goldfarb, Pamela Murphy, and members of the parent Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion team. There was palpable excitement in the building over the course of the read-a-thon, as students excitedly shared how much they had read and wondered which class was in the lead. The read-a-thon is such a fun way for PS 107 to raise needed funds. Thank you to everyone who participated!

I’m also so grateful to Gemma Niblett and Audrey Stipanovich, our events team, who put together such a fun Karaoke Night fundraiser with The Occasionalists at Littlefield last Wednesday evening. I was so impressed with the talent in our community, including Occasionalist band member Mike Turchiano, and Adam Cobb, who made a special appearance on the trumpet – not to mention the many parents who sang their hearts out. I was also grateful not to have to sing this year, as the sum total of my singing experience goes back 30+ years to my minor roles in my high school’s musicals.

Finally, to our staff members, Crystal Barnes (Science) and Kai Hollander-Malys (Third Grade), who represented our school so wonderfully at the District 15 Project-Based Learning Fair last Wednesday: THANK YOU! Their students' projects – on alternative energy sources for New York City and our community’s immigration stories – were awe-inspiring. It’s amazing what our students can do when given a challenge and the creative freedom to answer the world’s big questions!

Have a wonderful week!

Warmly,

Ms Joanna

PS 107 PARENT WORKSHOP SERIES WITH DR. ERICA MILLER

Dr. Erica Miller is a licensed clinical psychologist who specializes in neuropsychological assessment, positive parenting practices and evidenced-based treatments.

Her primary goal is to help parents better understand their child and to empower parents to meet their child’s needs with connection and empathy.

• March 27,2025 @ 8:45 AM
• During this conversation, we will focus on understanding our sensitive and big feeling kids. We will talk about child and parent regulation skills, the difference between feelings and behaviors, and strategies for helping everyone through these tough moments will be discussed.

2025 NYC SCHOOL SURVEY! PIZZA PARTY INCENTIVE!

The 2025 NYC School Survey administration window will close on Friday, April 4. We will continue to offer families both paper and online survey options this year.

This year, the PTA has agreed to once again sponsor a pizza party for the classes that achieve a 95% completion rate!

Key Reminders for the 2025 NYC School Survey

• When will the survey launch? The survey will launch on Monday, February 10 and continue through Friday, April 4, 2025.
• How can you take the survey? Families can take the survey online OR by completing a paper survey. Families will use a lower case "f" followed by their child's OSIS number as an access code when taking the survey online.
• Where do you take the survey online? On February 10, everyone will be able to access the survey at nycschoolsurvey.org. You only need to click on the button that says, "Take the NYC School Survey." Then you can enter your access code.

SUMMER RISING 2025

#SummerRising is BACK and open to all NYC students from K-8!

🌟Full day, in-person programs

🤸‍♂️Fun and enriching activities

🚌Local field trips

🍎Free breakfast, lunch, and snacks

Families are now able to apply for Summer Rising seats in MySchools until Friday, March 28, 2025.

Learn more: schools.nyc.gov/SummerRising

FAMILY LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE : SEARCHING FOR NEW DATES!

Please help us find new dates for the Family Leadership Institute, a powerful and meaningful workshop by completing this survey.

The workshops will help you and your family learn how to communicate better with your children, school, and community.

Come join us for action, motivation, and inspiration!

FRANCOPHONE FILM FESTIVAL

Celebrate La Francophonie in Brooklyn at the PS 58 3rd Annual Francophone film festival.

Date: SUNDAY MARCH 23, 2025

Time: 8:30AM-6:30PM

Location: PS 58 The Carroll School Auditorium, 330 Smith St., Brooklyn, NY 11231

Entrance to this festival is free, concession tickets will be sold.

This is NOT a drop off event; all children must be accompanied by an adult.

PARENTS OF GENDER EXPANSIVE KIDS AT PS39

Come create together and join us for a collaborative day of making posters, buttons, t-shirts, zines, and other materials for Trans Day of Visibility events this Sunday, March 23 from 12 to 5 pm at Interference Archive, located at 314 7th St.

This is a wonderful opportunity to connect with others, learn about important work happening in our community, and gather materials to show support and solidarity.

RAISING ANTIRACIST KIDS FREE FAMILY WORKSHOP
PS 10 is hosting a free family workshop on March 27, 6:30 pm in their auditorium auditorium.

They wanted to open the invitation to our school community.

It is a free event with free pizza and drinks served but they asking everyone to register for a head count.

Please see the image for the QR code to register for this event.

• DOE Protocols for Non-Local Law Enforcement
• Know Your Rights A Guide to Your Rights When Interacting with Law Enforcement-English
• Mayors Office of Immigrant Affairs
• Mayors Office of Immigrant Affairs - Know Your Rights

• NYCPS Guidelines on Gender

• NYCPS Guidelines to Support Transgender and Gender Expansive Students

• NYCPS LGBTQ+ Supports

• Respect for All: Preventing and Addressing Student-to-Student Discrimination, Sexual and Other Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying

NON-SPECIFIC RESOURCES

• Free and Low-Cost Internet Options

• Guidelines for Playing Outside in Cold Weather

LOST & FOUND - Updated 3-18-25

Please be advised that hats and gloves have been moved for donation.

Please check this document for some updated pictures : Did You Lose Me?

*If you see an item you now have in your possession, please just ignore the picture in the document

• DEI Committee: Women's History Month Newsletter
• Community Outreach Committee: Warm Hearts, Warm Drinks! Hot Chocolate Bar Fundraiser for PS 124 - March 21st!
• Green Committee Update - Earth Month Preview 3-11-25
• SAFETY DURING AFTERSCHOOL PICKUPS

D15 FAMILY WORKSHOP

MATH REIMAGINED: WHAT'S CHANGED AND HOW YOU CAN HELP?

Presented by: The District 15 Math Instructional Team

Date: Tuesday, April 8, 2025

Time: 10:00 am - 11:00 am

Virtual Platform: Zoom Link - https://zoom.us/j/7268853826?pwd=N0hhMDZCSzZ2NUtvNEJLSGpoYUNoZz09&omn=98513435339

*Interpretation will be available in Spanish and Mandarin.

D15 MUSICAL

Lion King Jr. Performance!

Location:

International High School at Prospect Heights

883 Classon Ave

Brooklyn, NY 11225

CEC 15 Candidate Forum Recording from Wednesday, March 12, 2025

https://vimeo.com/1065533423/1ced305195?share=copy

CEC 15 CALENDAR MEETING

This meeting will be held in person with a livestream option via zoom, please register now using the following link: https://nycdoe.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0pdO2tpz8oGNAi6R022fzeBg_tuM_cs5jR

Date: Tuesday, March 25th

Time: 6:30 PM - 9:30 PM

Location: PS/MS 676 - 27 Huntington St.

CEC 15 BUSINESS MEETING

This meeting will be held in person with a livestream option via zoom, please register now using the following link: https://nycdoe.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJUtf-2orzojG9QmUsuZ5LID3TCbL5gqDnKE

Date: Tuesday, April 8th

Time: 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM

Location: 131 Livingston St, Brooklyn, NY 11201, USA

THE SCIENCE OF READING WORKSHOPS

Join New York City Public Schools, Office of Family and Community Empowerment for a 7-week virtual workshop designed to help parents and caretakers to understand the science of reading and equip them with the knowledge and tools to support their children’s literacy at home.

Workshop Details:

📅 When: Thursday evening from 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM, February 13th – March 27th

💻 Where: Online – join from the comfort of your home!

👉 Register here: Click to Sign Up

🎯 What to Expect:

• 45-minute sessions covering key aspects of the science of reading
• Expert guidance from Braintrust Tutors on why reading can be challenging, especially in English
• Practical strategies to boost your child’s confidence in reading using free local resources
• A chance to connect with other parents and learn together

This is a fantastic and limited opportunity to gain new skills, ask questions, and make reading more enjoyable for your child!

To confirm your spot, please register here, find more details in the attached flyer. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions.

If you have any questions please feel free to reach out to Nisaa Jackson, Njackson29@schools.nyc.gov, or Rafael Dobles, Rdobles3@schools.nyc.gov.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

CAREGIVER WORKSHOP SERIES - Hosted by: The Central Crisis Support Team

Explore new themes each month with our engaging weekly presentations. Enhance your skills to support your child's growth and connect with a community of parents and caregivers!

March: Empower Through Play

Time/Zoom information:

• Mon 5PM: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0vc-Gsrj8sH9OMo9OXbIzisuI5n5fyT3s6
• Tues 7:30pm: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYvdO6orT4sEtJ0AHga6aG3yRVGFe1Tcl29
• Thurs 11AM: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJIlcO2hpzsiGdNkKvZToV-RuTpg-0eBb4xq

*Please see the image or flyer for more information.

NYC SCHOOLS ACCOUNT - NYCSA

This is a NYC DOE parent account for students grades K - 12 that enables parents/guardians to view all of their children’s records - grades, fitnessgrams, attendance, your child’s DOE email, etc. At least one parent/guardian will need to have access to this account.

We strongly encourage all parents/guardians to have their own account. Any parent with children in grades k-5 who does not have their own NYSCA , please contact nbenlarbi2@schools.nyc.gov for instructions and your unique account creation code.

OPEROO

Please email Nadia if you would like to be added to Operoo for your child. When families apply in MySchools, only one parent is listed and that is the parent that rolls up to Operoo. If you send a request to be added to an account, it will usually be completed within a 24 hour timeframe on school days :)

EMERGENCY BLUE CARD AND DAILY DISMISSAL INFORMATION

In an effort to ensure we have the most accurate and up to date information, please be sure to check that your emergency blue cards and daily dismissal forms in Operoo are completely up to date and have the most accurate and current information. Thank you 😊

NEW POLICY ALERT: PARENT VOLUNTEERS FOR PE

Parents who are volunteering for PE classes at the Armory must sign in with Agent Sharon at PS 107 before proceeding to the Armory. This is because the Armory is considered an annex of PS 107, and we must have an accurate accounting of who has entered the school to work with students. Please remember to sign in with Agent Sharon before you head over to the Armory.

LATE ARRIVAL POLICY

Please be reminded that the school day begins at 8:20 am. All exterior gates will continue to close at 8:25 am, and we will now close our main school door at 8:30 am. Parents who drop off their children after the main door is closed must sign in their children in the main entrance. This is very important so that we mark students late rather than absent!

MAKING SCHOOL DAY DISMISSAL PICK-UP CHANGES

If there is a change to your child’s dismissal, please be sure to note the change on the Daily Dismissal form in Operoo. If it is a same day change, please email your child’s teacher and cc Nadia at nbenlarbi2@schools.nyc.gov in addition to making any changes on the Daily Dismissal form. You can also contact the main office at 718-499-2054.

MAKING AFTERSCHOOL DISMISSAL CHANGES

If you need to add a new pick up person for your child in afterschool, please make sure to update this on 6Crickets (Click Here). Afterschool and PS 107 partner in many ways, but not with our information applications. They can't access Operoo and we can't access 6Crickets.

Thank you for your assistance in ensuring your child's safety 😊

IDENTIFICATION

When entering the school building you must present your ID to the safety agent when signing in.

One helpful tip is to take a picture of your id. Often, we will have our phone with us even if we don’t have our id. This way, you always have it handy :)

• Book Club Meetings – MONTHLY: Tuesdays, 7:30am

• Math Magic Meeting – WEEKLY: Wednesdays, 7:30am

• CHiPS Food Drive – WEEKLY: Wednesdays, 8:20am

• Thursday Morning Track Run - WEEKLY: Thursdays, 7am

• PTA General Meeting - Thursday, March 20, 9am (Zoom)

• AAPI Affinity Group Coffee Meet-Up - Friday, March 21, 8:30am

• Hot Cocoa Bar (Fundraiser for PS 124) - Friday, March 21, 2:30pm

• Annual Fund Matching Gift Campaign - Monday, March 24 through Friday, March 28

• Spring Sports:

• Brooklyn FC Soccer Game - Saturday, March 29, 6pm - Tickets on sale NOW

• Brooklyn Cyclones Baseball Game - Sunday, May 4, 2pm - Tickets on sale NOW

• NY Liberty Basketball Game - Sunday, June 1, 3pm - Tickets on sale NOW

• Spring Auction Gala - Friday, April 4, 7pm - Tickets on sale NOW

• Gift Basket Contribution - NOW through Monday, March 24

• Time With Teacher Raffle - Monday, March 24 through Friday, March 28

• Online Auction - Friday, March 28 through Friday, April 4

PTA MEETING MINUTES - February

Did you miss February's PTA meeting? You can find notes here.

BOOK CLUBS

Everyone is a reader – some just haven’t found their favorite book yet! If your child is looking for literary inspiration or loves to talk about a good book with friends, please consider joining us for monthly book club meetings Tuesday mornings. Meetings are underway for Grades K, 1, 3, 4, and 5. Please check Konstella for grade level messages with details about meetings. Note: Participating students in all grades must remain with a parent or guardian throughout book club meetings.

Want to be a PS 107 Literacy Legend and lead a book club for grade 2? Sign up using the link here.

MATH MAGIC

On Wednesday mornings from 7:30-8:20am, join us in the 4th floor art room for games, puzzles, worksheets, coffee, doughnuts, and Pi. (Bring your own reusable mug, if possible.) Sharpen your math skills with friends and mingle with kids and parents from other grades. All ages and proficiencies welcome. Please note: Participating kiddos are asked to remain in the art room until 8:20am and parents or guardians of students in all grades are asked to stay for the duration. We hope to see you there!

THURSDAY MORNING TRACK RUN (TMTR)

Track is back! Thursday mornings, rain or shine, students and guardians are invited to join the legendary PS 107 Track Team for a weekly morning run in Prospect Park. TMTR will meet in front of PS 107 each Thursday at 7am, where participants will warm up before heading to Bartel-Pritchard Square for a 45 minute run/trot/jog. No running experience required - we hope to see you there!

PTA GENERAL MEETING

Please join us on Thursday, March 20th from 9am-10am for our next PTA General Meeting. Meeting will be held on Zoom.

AAPI AFFINITY GROUP COFFEE MEET-UP

Please join us for the AAPI Affinity Group Friday morning coffee meetup on Friday, March 21st at 8:30 AM at Pasta Louise (1114 8th Ave at 12th St)!

Looking forward to catching up with parents and guardians of any P.S. 107 children who identify as AAPI.

If you have any questions or would like to reach out, please email group co-lead Neeta Menon at neetamenon1@gmail.com. Thank you!

ANNUAL FUND MATCHING GIFT CAMPAIGN

Contribute to the Annual Fund, which directly supports essential school programs and resources. From Monday, March 24th through Friday, March 28th all donations will be MATCHED by an anonymous team of PS 107 families until we reach 5K. Here’s how you can make your contribution:

• Donate via Konstella here

• Share this link with non-Konstella using friends and family, or

• Leave a check made out to PS 107 PTA with Ms. Nadia in the office.

• We also accept gifts of stock here - stock donations are tax-free!

  
  

YOUR GIFT MATTERS! Many thanks to our amazing school community for all of the ways you contribute.

HOT COCOA BAR (FUNDRAISER FOR PS 124)

Please join the Community Outreach Committee for a heartwarming and delicious fundraiser to support our sister school, PS 124.

On Friday, March 21st, starting at 2:30pm, Community Outreach will be hosting a hot cocoa bar on the sidewalk in front of PS 107. A cup of hot chocolate with all the fixings will be $6, but you will receive $1 off if you bring your own reusable mug!

All proceeds will go to PS 124 to assist with their printing costs for essential signage and informational materials around their school. If you are able to contribute supplies, equipment, or volunteer your time to help make this event a success, please sign up here.

For additional information, please contact juliem@ps107.org. Thank you!

COMMUNITY HELP IN PARK SLOPE (CHiPS) FOOD DRIVE

Every Wednesday at morning drop-off, rain or shine, the Community Outreach Committee will be collecting food donations for CHiPS, a soup kitchen and food pantry which helps support neighbors currently experiencing food insecurity.

Find volunteers by the school’s main entrance where they will be collecting:

o Sandwiches, (please label w/ contents)

o Bread Packages

o Lunch Meat Packages

o Eggs

o Tortillas

o Individually Portioned Prepared Meals, (please label w/ contents)

o Microwavable meals

o Jars of Peanut Butter and/or Jelly

o Cereal/Instant Oatmeal

o Shelf Stable Milk and Juice

o Fruit Cups

o Fresh Fruit

o Individually Wrapped Snacks

o Ziplock and Grocery Bags, and

o Plastic cutlery

SPRING SPORTS

BROOKLYN FC

Wear your school gear to "Rep Your School Night" and help cheer on the borough's brand new professional women's soccer team as they take on the Tampa Bay Sun on Saturday, March 29th at 6pm. Over 50 tickets to this game have been purchased by PS 107 families and, as a result, 22 kids from PS 107 will be able to accompany the players as they walk out onto the pitch! Anyone who buys tickets by Friday, March 21st will be invited to participate in our lottery to determine which kids can take part.

Each ticket is $20 (endline) or $35 (sideline) plus processing fee, with $5 from each ticket going to the PTA. Get your tickets online now.

If you would like to attend but need financial assistance, please contact Nadia, Parent Coordinator, at NBenlarbi2@schools.nyc.gov.

BROOKLYN CYCLONES

Watch the Cyclones play the Wilmington Blue Rocks on Sunday, May 4th at 2pm. If we buy 250 tickets one person from our group can throw out the first pitch and another announce for an inning (to be decided by lottery). Tickets are $20 with $7 from each ticket going to the PTA. Purchase here. Contact Rebecca with questions.

NY LIBERTY

Don't miss NY Liberty's game against the Connecticut Sun on Sunday, June 1st at 3pm. The first 60 people to buy tickets and sign up will get to watch the players warm up from courtside. Tickets are $50 or $55, with $10 from each ticket going to the PTA. Purchase here. Contact Rebecca with questions.

*Tickets for all games are on sale NOW, see Konstella for additional details.

SPRING AUCTION GALA - LAST TICKETS AVAILABLE

The jewel in the crown of PS 107's social calendar, the Spring Auction Gala, will be held on Friday, April 4th, 7:00pm - 12:00am at the Prospect Park Picnic House. Tickets are selling fast! Get yours now on the Auction website. Tickets are $150/person including food and open bar. If regular tickets have run out, a small number of discounted tickets are available at $100 each for volunteers working checkout (10:00-11:15pm or 11:00pm-12:00am). Please email auction@ps107.org if you're interested.

And it's not too late to donate! If you have an item you'd like to donate, a skill, or a connection you would like to share, please complete our donation form or email auction@ps107.org.

Spring Auction Special Events:

• Auction Gala Gift Baskets - contribute by Monday, March 24

  There's still time to contribute to your grade's Gift Basket - to be auctioned at the Gala on April 4th. See emails from your class parent for details of what and how to contribute. The grade level auction baskets are HUGE hits at the Spring Auction Gala and we need your help collecting items! The gift baskets are a great way to show some class pride and be a part of this capital event.

• Time with Teacher raffle March 24-28

  Look out for the Time With Teacher raffle entry form going home in your child’s backpack this week!

  What is the Time With Teacher raffle, you say? A chance for your child to win a special experience with PS 107 teachers, administration, and staff! Enter the raffle from March 24th through March 28th by filling out the form and writing how many “tickets” you are purchasing. You can buy as many “tickets” as you like for every experience your child hopes to win. See the form and Konstella announcements for further instructions. An online form will also be available. Questions? Email Margaux (mhvose@gmail.com) or Sarah (sarah.l.liebel@gmail.com)

• Online Auction March 28 - April 4

  The opening act to the Gala - the event that you can take part in from your living room, office, bus or beyond - starts on Friday, March 28th. Bid on some fantastic items from local businesses, including many PS 107 parent-owned businesses. From restaurant and coffee shop gift cards, to pro sports games and concert tickets, and everything in between. Be ready to bid by registering now on the auction website.

SUPPORTING THE PTA = SUPPORTING PS 107

Thank you to everyone in our school community for all of the ways you show up!

2024-2025 NYCPS CALENDAR

Please click here for the complete 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 school year calendars.

UPCOMING IMPORTANT EVENTS

February 10 to April 4 - School Surveys Completion Period

March 4 to March 28 - Summer Rising Enrollment Period

March 27 - Parent Workshop w/Dr. Erica Miller 8:45 am (in person)

April 2 - Kindergarten Offers are released

April 4 & 5 - D15 Musical - The Lion King Jr Performance

April 8 - D15 Family Workshop - MATH REIMAGINED: WHAT'S CHANGED AND HOW YOU CAN HELP? 10 am to 11 am

April 9 - Middle School Offers are released (after school hours)

SCHOOL HOLIDAYS

March 31 - Eid Al-Fitr (School Closed)

April 14 to April 18 - Spring Recess (School Closed)