Park Avenue Post
Community Newsletter
Here are some of our events to celebrate Hispanic heritage month:
- September 26 (during recess time) Salsa on the playground hosted by Jete Dance Studio. As part of our Hispanic Heritage Celebration, two dance instructors from Jete Dance Studio in Port Chester will be coming to Park Ave on Friday, September 26 to teach our students Salsa, Merengue and other Latin dances DURING RECESS on the back playground.
- September 26 (8:35-9:20am) - Ballet Folclórico Pajaro Campana Connecticut (with students, Ethel and Melanie Grance) will be doing a folklore dance presentation in the gymnasium.
- October 3 (8-8:30am) - we will have the PCHS mariachi band at morning entry to serenade our students.
There have been some questions regarding our plan for handling birthday parties and food at school. At Park Avenue, we will continue to follow the district guidelines regarding food in school.
Please know that we do have students with serious allergies to foods including dairy, eggs, nuts and other items. We ask that all parents are sensitive to high risk items and let their children know that they should not share food items with other children at school.
Class birthdays happen often and can place a spotlight on those that have and those that do not, so we want to be sensitive to how we handle birthdays at Park.
For birthdays, Park Avenue will not allow food items for celebrations. Please do not send cupcakes, donuts, candy or other items on your child's birthday.
However, we will welcome parents to come in as a mystery reader, to run a craft, or to send in a small gifts such as pencils, puzzles, or other non-food items for ALL students in the class. Please simply be in touch with your child's teacher to make arrangements. In this way, parents can play a special role for their child's birthday.
For Class Celebrations that occur for holidays or at special points during the year, we will allow foods that "model the HEALTHY use of food in celebrations" and are "pre-packaged and contain an ingredient list". These arrangements must be made with the class parents and the teacher in advance of the celebration. When we are including food as part of the classroom celebrations, parents will be made aware so that they can ensure that their children are kept safe.
In this newsletter, we focus on the greatness among our staff here at Park Avenue! Mrs. Heather Temple is our art teacher extraordinaire. Here is her story:
Heather studied printmaking and illustration at the University of Hartford, where she earned her BFA. Seven years later, she went on to complete her master’s degree in Art Education at CCNY in New York City. Art has always been a natural part of Heather’s life—her grandmother was a painter and a kindergarten teacher for 35 years, her father is both a photographer and a Special Education Teacher of 36 years, and she has cousins who work in CGI for Marvel and in costume design for Disney. Creativity has always run in Heather’s family. After five years working for a Faux Finishing Company and participating in the craft fair circuit, Heather realized that teaching was the right path for her. With so many educators in her family, it felt like the perfect way to combine her love of art with her passion for helping others learn and grow.
Over the years, Heather has found many outlets for her art, from creating tiny paintings to experimenting with new methods for producing artist prints—her true passion. She values printmaking for its unique blend of creativity and process. Unlike painting, printmaking allows multiple copies to be created from one design, making her artwork more shareable and accessible. Heather appreciates the balance in printmaking between control and surprise: while she can carefully plan, the final result always holds an element of the unexpected, which is what excites her most about the process.
Through the Tamarack Tower Foundation grant, Heather’s passion for sharing meaningful messages with children through art has come to life in the form of seven murals at Park Avenue School (PAS). Each mural is designed with positive, uplifting themes that resonate with students, using bright colors and eye-catching imagery to make the school feel more welcoming and cheerful. These murals go beyond decoration; they help build a positive school culture by offering daily reminders of important life lessons to both students and staff.
Please join me in recognizing our incredible Park Avenue parents who are leading our Parent/Teacher Organization (PTO) this year again:
Laura Ianello & Samantha Goyburu, Co-Presidents
Kelly Castro, Vice President
Tracy Tamucci, Treasurer
Noemi Sagastizado, Secretary
Your partnership as parents is what makes the PTO a success. Please consider joining and supporting their efforts.
There are a lot of great things coming up! Please mark your calendars:
- Here are some upcoming highlights:
- Friday, 9/26 - Hispanic Heritage Folk Dancing in Gym and Salsa on the Playground
- Monday, 9/29 - Picture Day
- Thursday, 10/2 - Yom Kippur (NO SCHOOL)
- Friday, 10/3 - PCHS Mariachi Band at Morning Entry
- Wednesday, 10/8 - PTO Walk to School Day
- Saturday, 10/11 - Trunk or Treat
- Sunday, 10/12 - Columbus Day Parade (11:00am start)
- Monday, 10/13 - Columbus Day (NO SCHOOL)
- Friday, 10/24 - Halloween Dance & Haunted House
- Tuesday, 10/28 - Astronomy Night
The Port Chester School District's mission is to develop responsible and self-sufficient citizens who value cultural diversity, are creative and adaptable, and have the skills to think critically, communicate effectively, and continue growing individually.
The district's vision is "SUCCESS FOR EVERY STUDENT".
- Email: cdreves@portchesterschools.org
- Website: https://www.portchesterschools.org/pas/home
- Location: Park Avenue, Port Chester, NY 10573
- Phone: 914-934-7895
- Twitter: @craigdreves