The Wednesday Weekly

Dear PS 107 Families,

Happy Lunar New Year and Year of the Snake to families in our community who are celebrating! We have had a festive week that began with the unveiling of the large snake filled with our students' wishes for the New Year in our main entrance, and that continued with daily morning announcements by our students about the variety of traditions associated with the Lunar New Year across Asian cultures.Thank you to our AAPI Parent Affinity Group, especially Sowoon Song, Yumi Kobayashi, and Jocelyn Fung, for making all of this possible!

Last Saturday’s Heritage Day was also a smashing success, thanks to parent organizer Bradley Allen. It was a beautiful celebration of the diversity of our community! Diversity, equity, and inclusion will always be central to everything that we do at PS 107. These values are written into our school’s mission statement and are reflected in the daily academic and social-emotional learning that we provide to our students.

If you are looking for a safe space to discuss how we’ll ensure that PS 107 is a welcoming, compassionate, and inclusive community for all, I strongly encourage you to sign up for our upcoming workshop series sponsored by our parent Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Team with educator Kass Minor, a local D15 parent and author of Teaching Fiercely: Spreading Joy and Justice in Our Schools.

Over three 90-minute workshops, Kass will help us:

• Reflect on how our personal histories with school shape our experiences—and those of our children.

• Deepen our understanding of how to talk with kids about race, gender, class, and other important topics.

• Provide caregivers with resources and strategies to help students navigate the complex world that surrounds them

The first workshop is Tuesday, February 4th at 7 pm on Zoom, so sign up today! Future dates are March 4th and May 1st, all at 7 pm on Zoom. You should plan to join all three workshops as they build on one another. More than ever, we need a united parent and staff community, committed to ensuring that all of our community members feel safe and welcome at PS 107.

INTERNATIONAL HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY

On Monday, January 27th, PS 107 honored International Holocaust Remembrance Day. In recent years, and particularly since October 7, 2023, there has been a significant rise in anti-Semitic incidents in the United States, as well as an increase in the number of Holocaust denial posts on social media. It is therefore more important than ever that children learn the facts about the Holocaust, learn to recognize anti-Semitism, and learn that hate speech of any kind is unacceptable and can have catastrophic consequences.

According to the US Holocaust Memorial Museum, it is generally appropriate to teach the details of the Holocaust to students in grades 6 and above. However, it is never too early to teach students about the value of diversity and the danger of bias and prejudice.

You can share the following resources with your children to talk to them about International Holocaust Remembrance Day, which were also shared with all of our teachers:

• PreK-1st Grade: Tomorrow I’ll be Kind by Jessica Hische, read aloud on YouTube

• PreK-1st Grade: Acceptance is my Superpower by Alicia Ortega, read aloud on YouTube

• Grades 2-5: I am Anne Frank by Brad Meltzer, read aloud on YouTube

• Grades 2-5: The Tower of Life by Chana Stiefel, available at the Brooklyn Public Library

• Grades 4+5: Remember the Children: Daniel’s Story video from the US Holocaust Memorial Museum

Anne Frank: The Exhibition opened in NYC on Monday, on International Holocaust Remembrance Day. It is suggested for a visit for children ages 10 and up; however, families can also choose to bring their younger children if they feel they are ready for the content.

As Spanish-American philosopher George Santayana once said, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." These words are especially resonant today.

IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT IN SCHOOLS

Some parents have approached me with questions about whether non-local law enforcement agents (for instance, ICE agents) are permitted to enter our school. According to New York City Public Schools policy, “NYCPS does not permit non-local law enforcement agents, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel, to enter schools—except when absolutely required by law.” PS 107’s administration, including Ms Rinah and me, along with our Building Response Team (BRT) and School Safety Agent, Sharon Hosannah, have been trained in the protocols outlined here in the unlikely event that a non-local law enforcement agent attempts to gain access to our school. All of our staff members have also been informed of these policies. We remain committed to maintaining a safe and welcoming environment for all of our students and families.

H5N1 AND OUR CHICKENS

I would also like to reassure our community that our chicken flock is not at risk of contracting H5N1, Avian Influenza. Ms Ali, our chicken “mom,” recently contacted a local avian veterinarian who has stated that our flock is not vulnerable to the H5N1 virus as the flock is contained within our garden and is not interacting with other animals. The windmills and lights strung across the chicken run also ensure birds won’t be able to access the chickens from above.

At this point, the virus is spread through contact with infected animals and/or contact with contaminated environments, and we do not have any concerns for the safety of our flock or our (human) community. We will, of course, continue to monitor the situation closely and keep you updated.

REPORT CARDS AVAILABLE IN NYCSA TOMORROW!

As a reminder, your child’s first report card of the year will be distributed tomorrow, Friday, January 31st! It will be available digitally in your New York City Schools Account (NYCSA).

Please follow these steps to find your child’s report card:

• Go to https://www.schoolsaccount.nyc/ and sign in with your credentials.

• Choose the child whose report card you are looking for

• Click “My Student”

• Click “Grades”

• On that page, you will see an icon that says “Report Card”

• This should take you to another page where you’ll again click “Report Card,” and your child’s report card will download as a PDF.

Please be aware that the NYCSA system can be glitchy, and it sometimes takes a bit longer than we expect for your child’s report card to migrate to their account. If you don’t see their report card on the 31st, try again 24 hours later. Another common problem we have experienced is report card comments not migrating to NYCSA. If you don’t see comments, that is a glitch. All teachers have written comments that will accompany report cards. If you continue to have problems seeing your child’s complete report card by Tuesday, February 4th, please reach out to Nadia Benlarbi at nbenlarbi2@schools.nyc.gov. If you need a hard copy of your child’s report card and do not have access to a printer, please also reach out to Nadia, and she will print one out for you.

Please take a look at PS 107’s Grading Policy in advance of report cards coming out so that you can better understand how teachers determine grades for your child. If you have concerns about your child’s report card, please plan to discuss them with your child’s teacher(s) during our next Parent-Teacher Conferences on Thursday, March 6th.

FAMILY MORNING IS COMING!

Get ready for our third Family Morning of the school year, which will be next Friday, February 7th. Parents and caregivers are invited into their children’s classrooms for the first period of the day, 8:20-9:10 am. Please enter the school building with your child at their regular entry location so that we can match children to family members and ensure that unauthorized people are not entering the building. We also ask that you minimize the number of adults accompanying students to avoid overcrowding (we recommend one adult per child, but no more than two, please!) Finally, we ask that you leave younger siblings at home if at all possible. We are so glad that you’ll have the opportunity to see your children’s classrooms in action again next Friday!

Have a wonderful week, and please do not hesitate to reach out to me with any questions or concerns.

Warmly,

Ms Joanna

Always so honored when our alumni (parents and students) come to help out our current families💗

It is a true testament to what makes PS 107 so special.

Community, connection, and a second home!

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.

Topics will include: frustration tolerance, working through power struggles, confidence building, and preparing for the tween/teen years.

Workshop Dates:

• February 27, 2025
• During this workshop, we will focus on reframing and building confidence. As parents, we want our children to grow up to be confident. But what does that mean and how do we do it? We are hearing so many conflicting messages regarding praise, and reassurance. Participants will become equipped with a new framework confidence and explicit strategies to help kids build it from the inside out.

• March 27,2025
• 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.

KINDNESS CLUB BRACELET & BUTTONS SALE - FEBRUARY 6

The amazing children in the Kindness Club have been helping to make bracelets & buttons to raise money for an LA based community-based organization called Baby 2 Baby. https://baby2baby.org/

The bracelets & buttons will also help us spread messages of kindness, respect, and positive affirmations within our school community. They are also celebrating the fact that we are a No Place for Hate school.

So far, they look amazing!

On Thursday, February 6 at arrival, they will be selling these bracelets and pins that they’ve made with messages of kindness on them.

As a reminder, all of the proceeds will go to Baby2Baby, an organization that is supporting emergency relief efforts in Los Angeles, so stop by and show your support 💗

NYCPS NOROVIRUS LETTER

Norovirus is a highly contagious virus that causes gastroenteritis (Noroviruses - NYC Health). The most common symptoms are vomiting and diarrhea.

Please see the attached Family Letter.

For additional information, refer to the Staying Healthy page.

SPRING FOOD SERVICE MENU UPDATES

The DOE is committed to the health and well-being of every child, and continues to provide free, nutritious meals to all students every day. In an effort to inform families about spring school menus, please view the Menus page — please note that the menus will be updated at the beginning of each month to showcase new dining options.

Additionally, you may refer to the Menus page for updated information on how to learn more about the school food menus and use the spring survey link for students and parents to provide feedback on menu options, make suggestions for additions to the menu, and share your dining experience in school cafeterias.

https://www.schools.nyc.gov/school-life/food/menus

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS - Resources for Families

Also, please review the attached documents from the NYC Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs, it further highlights pertinent information.

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

KNOW YOUR IMMIGRATION RIGHTS

Join the offices of Councilmembers Jennifer Gutierrez, Lincoln Restler, and Shahana Hanif for a presentation by New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG) on the rights and protections for immigrants in New York City. The presentation will cover Federal and City immigration regulations, expectations with the new administration, and resources in New York City.

The presentation will be given in English, with live Spanish interpretation. Please provide your contact information if you are interested in receiving future resources or follow-ups from this conversation.

Thursday, February 6, 2025

7:00PM - 8:00PM

Zoom link: will be shared on the next page after you submit this form

Únase a las oficinas de los concejales Jennifer Gutiérrez, Lincoln Restler y Shahana Hanif para una presentación del Grupo de Asistencia Legal de Nueva York (NYLAG) sobre los derechos y las protecciones para los inmigrantes en la ciudad de Nueva York. La presentación cubrirá las regulaciones federales y municipales de inmigración, las expectativas con la nueva administración y los recursos en la ciudad de Nueva York.

La presentación se realizará en inglés, con interpretación en español en vivo. Proporcione su información de contacto si está interesado en recibir recursos futuros o seguimientos de esta conversación.

Jueves 6 de febrero de 2025
7:00 p. m. a 8:00 p. m.
Zoom link: se compartirá en la siguiente página después de enviar este formulario

INVITATION TO PARENTS OF GENDER EXPANSIVE KIDS GROUP with PS 39

Wednesday, Feb 5, 8:30

LOST & FOUND - Updated 1-28-25

Please be sure to check for your child's lost winter weather accessories! Pictures of hats are now included this week!

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

• PS 107 PTA DEI COMMITTEE - Join Us in Building a More Inclusive and Compassionate Community! - Updated 1/14/25
• SAFETY DURING AFTERSCHOOL PICKUPS - Sent 1/20/25

2025 CCEC ELECTIONS

We are pleased to announce that we have reached another important milestone in the 2025 Community and Citywide Education Council Elections – the application period to run for an Education Council seat is now open!

Interested candidates are encouraged to complete and submit their application via their NYC Schools Account between now and Sunday, February 16th. Please see the attached election timelines flyer for more information.

CHANCELLOR AVILES-RAMOS KICKS OFF 2025 CEC ELECTION PROCESS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMamd8x9nJo

Want to learn more about the CEC? Attend the meeting below! You can attend in person or via live stream.

CEC 15 BUSINESS MEETING

When: February 11th @ 6:30 pm

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

https://cecd15.org/

*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/tJwtcuCurjsqHdGJKyPaYQCVihj-1fLiGknJ

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!

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.

LET'S LEARN WORKSHOP WITH PBS KIDS

Please join Let’s Learn for an exciting virtual session on how to support your children’s learning at home. Let’s Learn is a public television series for children ages 3 to 7 that offers fun, interactive lessons by NYC Public School educators and teaching artists.

Date/time: February 3, 2025, 12-1pm

Format/platform: Online seminar, Zoom

*Register today by completing this form

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 :)

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 😊

LOWER GRADES

Please be sure to send your children to school with a full change of clothes. Accidents can happen easily when they are younger as they often get distracted and don’t check in with their bodies. Please be sure to return your child with a new set the next day if they need to be replaced.

LABEL!

Please parents, remember to label your student’s water bottles, lunch boxes, backpacks, and clothing with their full name (last names are essential!) and if there is space, please include their class number. We want to be able to return all fabulous items to their rightful owner!

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 – CANCELLED

• CHiPS Food Drive – CANCELLED

• Thursday Morning Track Run – CANCELLED

• PS 107 Gear Sale - Thursday, January 30, 8:20am and 2:35 pm

• Lion Dance Performance - Thursday, January 30, 4:30pm

• Summer Camp Auction - Monday, February 3 through Sunday, February 9

• Parent/Caregiver Workshop Series: Building a More Inclusive and Compassionate Community - Tuesday, February 4, 7pm

• STEM Day - Saturday, February 8, 12pm

• PTA General Meeting - Thursday, February 13, 6:30pm

• Live Band Karaoke - Wednesday, March 12, 7:30pm

PTA MEETING MINUTES - January

Did you miss January'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.

PARENT/CAREGIVER WORKSHOP SERIES: BUILDING A MORE INCLUSIVE AND COMPASSIONATE COMMUNITY

Please join the DEI Committee for a special workshop series, led by teacher educator Kass Minor, a local D15 parent and author of Teaching Fiercely: Spreading Joy and Justice in Our Schools. This is a unique opportunity to come together as parents, educators and caregivers to raise thoughtful, compassionate kids who embrace diversity and understanding. The dates of the workshops are Tuesday, February 4th; Tuesday, March 4th; and Thursday, May 1st at 7pm (on Zoom). We'd love people to join for all three workshops, as they build upon each other. RSVP here!

PTA GENERAL MEETING

February's PTA General Meeting will take place on Thursday, February 13th @ 6:30pm (on Zoom).

Please stay tuned for meeting agenda and link.

ANNUAL FUND

Contribute to the Annual Fund, which directly supports essential school programs and resources. Here’s how:

• 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.

GARDENING HELP NEEDED

Our chicks are growing fast! If you would like to help support our growing chicks and our growing garden, please check out Ms. A's Amazon Wishlist and consider making a donation!

Thank you!

PS 107 GEAR SALE

Everyone loves PS 107 Gear, and no one has more school pride than our staff! This Thursday, January 30th at morning drop-off and pick-up (while supplies last😊), show staff your appreciation for all that they do by giving our teachers and support staff a "High Five" through a $5 donation to the PS 107 Staff Gear Fund. All proceeds go to outfitting our amazing staff in a hat, t-shirt, or sweatshirt of their choice. High Five donations ($5) can be made using the QR Code above and through Zeffy. This will be the final opportunity of the season to stock up on PS 107 winter gear, so be sure to stop by at arrival or dismissal for your PS 107 hats, sweatshirts, hoodies, and more!

COMMUNITY HELP IN PARK SLOPE (CHiPS) FOOD DRIVE

Although this week's collection was suspended in honor of Lunar New Year, PS 107's 5th graders will be making sandwiches for CHiPS the next two Mondays (2/3 and 2/10) and we would love your help to support their efforts. If you are able to donate, the extra supplies requested are: sandwich bread, peanut butter, jelly, mayo, mustard, cheese and turkey slices (if expiration dates allow), and ziplock bags.

Thank you for your gracious consideration!

LUNAR NEW YEAR CELEBRATION DURING AFTERSCHOOL

In honor of the Lunar New Year, the AAPI Affinity Group has organized a festive performance by the Lion Dance Club of the High School of Dual Language & Asian Studies. We are thrilled to be able to share this cultural tradition with your children to celebrate the Year of Snake!
The performance will be held in the Big Yard on Thursday, Jan 30th at 4:30 PM for students who normally attend afterschool on Thursday and do not have a program at that time.

**For any families not in afterschool, please feel free to come check out the performance outside the big yard fence.

SUMMER CAMP AUCTION

The Summer Camp Auction opens on Monday, February 3rd at 9AM and will run until Sunday, February 9th at 9PM.

Almost $17,000 worth of camp gift certificates will be available to bid on with 100% of proceeds going to the PTA.

Preview the camps that have donated already on our Instagram.

STEM DAY

Please join us for STEM fun on Saturday, February 8th from 12 to 3pm at PS 107. Activities on offer will include the ever popular Star Lab, hands-on experiments with Tiny Scientist, Brooklyn Game Lab's Battle Lab, Scratch coding challenge with The Coding Space, fossil jackets, not to mention fun with The Robot Foundry, Audubon New York, Curious Jane and more!

Volunteers are needed to help the day run smoothly. Sign up on Konstella.

LIVE BAND KARAOKE

Warm up those vocals, book the babysitter, and get ready for a fun night out to benefit the PS 107 PTA. On Wednesday, March 12th, join us at Littlefield (635 Sackett St) for live band karaoke with The Occasionalists. Doors open at 6:30pm, festivities begin at 7:30pm. Food and drinks will be available for purchase. Admission is $20 in advance or $25 at the door, tickets are available here. [Half-priced tickets will be available for volunteers willing to take tickets at the door for an hour - contact Gemma or Audrey if interested.] This event is open to everyone; if you have friends or family who would love a night out and to support PS 107, please invite them along!

2024-2025 VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

SPECIAL EVENT: SPRING AUCTION

Our Spring Auction in April is the single largest fundraising event of the year. We need these contributions to make it a success:

Help plan the event - signup on Konstella to lead or join the committee. Our growing team has already booked a venue, started soliciting donations and begun planning food, beverages and decor. Join them!

Donate an auction item - can you - or someone you know - donate a vacation home stay, tickets for a show or game, a hospitality or entertainment gift, or any other service/experience/item? Complete this NEW form to tell us about your donation or get in touch to discuss how we can turn your connections into a cool auction lot!

For more information, please contact Audrey or Gemma.

NYC BLOOD EMERGENCY

The New York Blood Center has declared an emergency, saying blood supply is critically low. Reports show that there has been alarmingly low donor turnout since the holiday season, with approximately a 30% drop in donations in recent weeks. "New York State is facing a critical blood shortage, and the need for donors has never been more urgent. A blood donation helps patients undergoing surgeries, trauma care and treatments for chronic illnesses," New York State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said. "Please roll up your sleeve and help your community during this blood emergency—your donation can save lives." Donations of Types O- and B- are especially needed, with only a 1-3 day supply available. To make a donation appointment near you, click here or call 1-800-933-2566.

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

For the complete 2024-2025 school year calendar, please click here.

*Please note that Parent Teacher Conference Day on 3/6 is a non-attendance days for students. This is not reflected in the DOE calendar but was a school based decision.

For the complete 2025-2026 school year calendar, please click here.

UPCOMING EVENTS

January 31 - Report Cards

January 31 - 3-208 Bake Sale 2:35 pm

February 4 - Parent/Caregiver Workshop Series: Building a More Inclusive and Compassionate Community - 7pm (zoom)

February 6 - Kindness Club Bracelet Sale 8:20 am

February 7 - Family Morning 8:20 to 9:10 am

February 8 - STEM Day

February 12 - NYC School Survey Opens

SCHOOL HOLIDAYS

February 17 to February 21 - Mid Winter Recess (School Closed)

March 6 - Parent Teacher Conferences (School Closed for students)