PS3 Newsletter #8

This week we are shining our spotlight on the 3Fund, a PTA fall fundraising drive. Through the 3Fund, we’re able to expand learning experiences and create opportunities that inspire our students. Here’s how it helps:

• A clay program for our students

• Classroom supplies

• Four classroom paraprofessionals in our kindergarten classrooms

• Wellness in the Schools (WITS) & their amazing programming

• Kids in the Game Recess (KING) Coaches

• Community events such as Fall Fest, Disco, Art Park, Science Fair, Spring Fling

• Teacher celebrations throughout the year

• Whitney Museum Partnership

• Yearbooks for all students

• Family Workshops

These are just some examples of the many ways the 3Fund enriches our school community. If you’d like to contribute to the 3Fund, please use this link to make a donation. We are truly thankful for your continued generosity and support.

Dear PS 3 Families,

As we move deeper into the fall season, our school community continues to be filled with energy, creativity, and opportunities to come together. The next few weeks bring several beloved PS 3 traditions that celebrate both learning and community connection.

One of PS 3's most anticipated traditions is almost here: our annual Halloween Parade!

On October 30, students will arrive in costume and parade through the neighborhood while families and community members cheer them on along the route. This joyful event is always a highlight of the school year and an opportunity for our students to share their creativity, enthusiasm, and school spirit.

As always, we'll begin the festivities in true PS 3 fashion, with Magnus leading the way on his drum.

We look forward to seeing our students dressed as their favorite characters, animals, historical figures, and imaginative creations. Thank you for helping make this tradition such a special celebration for our community.

Parent-Teacher Conferences provide an important opportunity for families and teachers to connect, celebrate student growth, and discuss goals for the months ahead.

As a reminder, PS 3 will hold Parent-Teacher Conferences on Tuesday, November 3, during the city's scheduled remote instructional day.

• Tuesday, November 3: Remote instructional day for students (through 11:30 a.m.) and Parent-Teacher Conferences

• Thursday, November 5: Full day of in-person instruction at PS 3

Cristina will be sharing conference sign-up information next Wednesday. We encourage every family to take advantage of this opportunity to learn more about your child's progress and partner with us in supporting their continued success.

Whether you're attending Family Mornings, cheering at the Halloween Parade, participating in Parent-Teacher Conferences, or volunteering at school events, your partnership helps create the vibrant community that our students experience every day.

Thank you for your continued support and engagement. We look forward to celebrating these special moments with all of you in the coming weeks.

October Family Mornings

• Grade 3: October 20

• Kindergarten: October 21

• Grade 5: October 22

• Grade 1: October 23

Upcoming Emergency Preparedness Drills

• October 19, Evacuation Drill

• October 20, Evacuation Drill

• October 23, Soft Lockdown Drill

October 26-November 25
🥫 City Harvest Food Drive organized by our 5th graders

October 30
🎃 PS 3 Halloween Parade - all PS3 families are invited to join us outside along the parade route at 8:45 am

Warmly,

Hillary Casado, Principal
Susannah Plunkett, Assistant Principal
Rebecca Boyd, Assistant Principal

hillary.susannah.rebecca@ps3charrettenyc.org

• The PS3 costume parade will begin at 8:45 AM on Friday October 30th.
• The Parade will follow the route below.
• Parents & Caregivers are encouraged to watch on the sidewalk outside of the school. Try to spread out along the entire route, so children get cheers the whole way!
• And please do not join the parade, no matter how cute they are.
• If your child will not be participating in the parade, please fill out THIS FORM so we can make other arrangements.

As you plan your child's costume, we have a few school-wide guidelines to help keep this event fun and safe:

• Costumes should be appropriate and comfortable, requiring no adjustment or work.
• Students should be able to maneuver around the building, including being able to use the bathroom, walk up and down stairs, participate in Dance and Physical Education, and play at recess, while wearing their costumes.
• NO PLAY WEAPONS in school. This includes “play” swords, guns, etc.
• Character masks that cover the whole child's face are allowed in the parade only, and at each teacher's discretion. Read your teacher’s weekly email for details.
• NO SCARY MASKS ARE ALLOWED.
• Do not send in any accessory that can be misplaced or taken by someone else.
• Also, please no costumes that are frightening or overly gory; the daytime Halloween celebration is for children and should be fun for them.
• No high heels.

Wednesday October 21st - Individual Portraits for 3K - 4th Grade and Class Photos 3K-5th Grade

Thursday October 22nd - 5th Grade Individual and Group Photos

This is a friendly reminder that we require an updated Emergency Contact Form for every student at the start of each school year. Even if your contact information has not changed since last year, a new form must be submitted annually to ensure our records are completely accurate and legally up to date.

Having accurate, current information on file is vital for your child's safety, allowing us to reach you immediately in the event of an emergency.

You can access and fill out the form in Operoo by clicking here. If you are having issues accessing Operoo, please reach out to cfeith@ps3charrettenyc.org

Our 5th graders are excited to lead this year’s Daily News Food Drive benefiting City Harvest! From October 27 through November 26, we invite every PS3 community member to help make a difference for New Yorkers experiencing food insecurity.

Our goal is for each class to fill at least one collection box with donations. With millions of New Yorkers, including one in four children, facing food insecurity, your contribution will help keep local food pantries and community programs stocked with nutritious food throughout the five boroughs.

Most-Needed Items

Please consider donating any of the following:

• Canned fruit
• Canned vegetables
• Canned proteins (such as tuna or beans)
• Canned soups
• Peanut butter (plastic jars only)
• Boxed macaroni and cheese
• Family-sized hot or cold cereal
• Juice boxes or juice packs

Thank you for helping our students put compassion and community service into action. Every donation, big or small, makes a meaningful difference.

👉 Learn more about the Daily News Food Drive: https://www.cityharvest.org/daily-news-food-drive/

💛 Prefer to make a monetary donation? You can support City Harvest directly here: https://secure.cityharvest.org/site/Donation2?df_id=6700&mfc_pref=T&6700.donation=form1

Together, we can help ensure that families across New York City have access to the food they need. Thank you for your generosity!

Ellen has dedicated her career to supporting students and helping them grow both academically and socially. Before joining the PS3 community, she spent five years working with students in a specialized educational setting in Brooklyn, followed by six years in New York City Public Schools teaching in both Integrated Co-Teaching (ICT) and special class settings. We were fortunate to have Ellen join PS3 as our fifth-grade Horizon teacher, where she brings her expertise, creativity, and commitment to meeting the needs of every learner.

One of Ellen’s favorite things about PS3 is being part of two amazing teams: the fifth-grade team and the Horizon team. She values the collaboration, support, and shared dedication to students that both teams bring to our school community.

Outside of school, Ellen lives in Queens and enjoys reading true crime books, sewing, scrapbooking, and just about any type of crafting. She is also a proud parent to two much-loved cats, a fact that many of her students know well! We are grateful to have Ellen as part of the PS3 family and appreciate the passion, experience, and care she brings to our students each day.

Cooper N

Dashiell S

Roman S

Olive P

Hanabi M

Eduard C

Adam G

Seth B

Tatum D

Charles A

Elias M

Lauren H.

Maeve

Annie

Lisa

Jaime

J.B.

Catherine B.

PS3's Fall Fest is TOMORROW!

Get ready for a frightfully fun afternoon of adventures! Everyone is welcome, so bring the whole family!

Explore the legendary Haunted Glen or little-kid-friendly Spooky Village, play Monster Mini Golf and Dangling Donuts of Doom, get crafty with slime, potions, robots, and more, experiment with flapping bats and ghost cannons, concoct your own Witches’ Brew and Frankencookie, enjoy spooky treats and pizza, and shop for cold-weather clothes and costumes at the Community Closet Swap!

When: TOMORROW, October 17, 1-4 PM
Where: Gym & Cafeteria
Sensory-Friendly Session: 1-1:30 PM for kids who prefer a quieter, less crowded experience. Everyone else, please join us at 1:30 PM.

Admission: Pay What You Wish!
The recommended $15 per person includes 5 tickets and a game card. Pay at the door with Zelle or in advance here. Additional tickets are available to purchase online and onsite!

Join the Volunteer Coven!
There’s still time to help make the magic happen! Sign up here!

Come for the treats, stay for the tricks—we’ll see you tomorrow at Fall Fest!

The Fair Book Fair Returns in November!

The PS3 Fair Book Fair, in partnership with McNally Jackson, is returning Tuesday, November 17–Friday, November 20!

Our mission: one kid, one book. Every student gets credit to choose a book to take home. We suggest a $20 donation per student (more or less is welcome!), but every child gets a book, no matter what. Donate here!

Earn Your Wings! We’re looking for volunteers, aka Book Fairies, to help sell books and keep our shelves tidy. Sign up for a shift here!

Family Shopping Hours:

• Thursday, Nov. 19 | 2:30-8 PM — During after school and our Fair Book Fair Affair
• Friday, Nov. 20 | 8:30-9:30 AM — During Coffee Catch
• 
  

Save the Date: Fair Book Fair Affair! Join us Thursday, November 19, from 6–8 PM in the auditorium for Cafe Night, featuring a talk and book signing, music, light bites, crafts, and fun with the NYPL.

Bookmark the dates and help us make this a novel experience for every reader!

Fall Fest is Creeping Up on Us!
Just a little reminder that Fall Fest is almost here! Get ready for an afternoon of autumn crafts & games, spooky snacks, the legendary Haunted Glen, and MORE. It’s shaping up to be a spook-tacular time!

Oct. 17 | 1-4 PM
Cafeteria + Gym
Pay What You Wish Entry

Sensory-Friendly Session: 1-1:30 PM
For kids who benefit from a quieter, calmer, less crowded experience. If you don’t need the sensory-friendly session, please join us at 1:30 PM to help keep this time low-crowd.

Volunteers Wanted!
Help us make Fall Fest un-boo-lievably fun - sign up for a shift here.

We can't wait to see you there, don't ghost us!

The PS3 Fair Book Fair, in partnership with McNally Jackson, is returning Tuesday, November 17–Friday, November 20!

Our mission: one kid, one book. Every student gets credit to choose a book to take home. We suggest a $20 donation per student (more or less is welcome!), but every child gets a book, no matter what. Donate here!

Earn Your Wings! We’re looking for volunteers, aka Book Fairies, to help sell books and keep our shelves tidy. Sign up for a shift here!

Family Shopping Hours:

• Thursday, Nov. 19 | 2:30-8 PM — During after school and our Fair Book Fair Affair
• Friday, Nov. 20 | 8:30-9:30 AM — During Coffee Catch
• 
  

Save the Date: Fair Book Fair Affair! Join us Thursday, November 19, from 6–8 PM in the auditorium for Cafe Night, featuring a talk and book signing, music, light bites, crafts, and fun with the NYPL.

Bookmark the dates and help us make this a novel experience for every reader!

🎃 Ready, set, TROT! Let the FUN-raising begin! 👻

Join us October 25 at Pier 46 for PS3’s Trick or Trot: Race for Recess! Run, walk or trot the one-mile course (with shorter distances for little legs) while raising money for our recess program with Kids in the Game. Stick around for snacks, games and fun with our partners, and show off your Halloween best—costumes encouraged!

📍Pier 45 | Arrive at Noon | First race at 1 PM

🕐Register today and help us give recess a BOO-st!

Arrival / Dismissal map

Attendance Form

PS3 2026-27 School Calendar

Staff Directory

DOE School Calendar

DOE Lunch Menu

PS3 Family Handbook

School Nurse Email

Love Us Back!

...By Helping Us Shine Online! 🌟
We’re proud of the vibrant, caring community we’ve built at PS3, and we’d love your help sharing that with others! If you’ve had a positive experience at our school, please consider writing a review online. Your voice helps reflect the heart of our school and supports future families in getting to know us.

Thank you for being part of what makes PS3 so special!