This Week @ PS 88Q
January 19, 2026
"The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others".
As we head into the week ahead, we want to share an important update and reflection with our school community.
Our original plan for our Day of Service in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a Winter Articles Drive, and we remain grateful for the generosity our families always show. However, in the wake of the devastating fire here in Ridgewood, we felt a responsibility to pause, reflect, and respond in a way that allows our students to truly learn, lead, and advocate.
In that spirit, we have shifted our plans and expanded our MLK Day of Service into two weeks of service and learning, with a focus on emergency preparedness, community care, and awareness.
This change creates meaningful opportunities for our students to:
Learn what to do in an emergency
Understand how families can prepare and stay safe
Advocate for preparedness at home and in the community
Serve others in tangible, purposeful ways
Over the next two weeks, our students will become Safety Ambassadors, building Emergency “To-Go” Bags for their own families and helping prepare bags and resources for seniors at the Peter Cardella Senior Center. This work honors Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy by showing our children that service is not just something we do for one day — it is how we care for one another every day.
We hope this extended focus helps raise awareness, build readiness, and strengthen our collective sense of responsibility to one another as a community.
Thank you, as always, for your partnership, compassion, and support. We are incredibly proud of the way our PS 88Q Eagles continue to show empathy, leadership, and heart — especially in moments when it matters most.
How Families Can Help
To support this work, we are asking that each grade contribute one item to help us build Family Emergency “To-Go” Bags:
3K – Bottled Water
Pre-K – Non-Perishable Snacks
Kindergarten – Flashlights
Grade 1 – Batteries (AA / AAA)
Grade 2 – First Aid Supplies
Grade 3 – Hand Sanitizer & Wipes
Grade 4 – Small Notebooks & Pens (for emergency contact info)
Grade 5 – Zip-Top Bags or Small Pouches
Optional (All Families):
Tissues, masks, soap, toothbrushes, or other personal care items
📅 Please send donations to your child’s classroom by January 23, 2026.
Ms. Herman and Steven Jones when he was her student
Ms. Herman and Steven Jones Now!
