Dear parents, grandparents and education activists,

We hope your family has a wonderful spring break at the end of the month.

Remember to sign up for UFT text messaging by texting the word "parent" to the number 30644 and answering the questions that follow. We'll alert you about school cancellations due to weather, political campaigns and breaking news. And, we'll even send a text message that links to a copy of your newsletter you can easily read on your mobile phone.

Enjoy the events, resources and news below.

Sincerely,

Betty Zohar
UFT Parent-Community Liaison

Upcoming events

• Saturday, April 16: If you are the parent representative on a School Leadership Team or District Leadership Team, you are invited to the DOE's comprehensive educational planning conference from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Prospect Heights High School Campus, 883 Classon Ave. in Brooklyn. Workshops will revolve around crafting your committee's comprehensive educational plan. RSVP online now »

• Tuesday, April 19: The City Council education and mental health committees will hold a joint hearing on addressing the needs of students with dyslexia and related language-based learning disabilities at 1 p.m. in the City Hall Committee Room at City Hall Park in downtown Manhattan. Members of the public are welcome to testify. For more details, see the event listing on the CIty Council website »

• Wednesday, April 20: Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams invites you to a workshop about home ownership and affordable renting from 6 to 8 p.m. at Brooklyn Borough Hall, 209 Joralemon St. To RSVP, call 718-802-3717, email programs@brooklynbp@nyc.gov or RSVP online »

• Wednesday, April 20: There will be a Panel for Educational Policy meeting about allocating revenue among community school districts and other budget issues from 6 to 8 p.m. at MS 131, 100 Hester St. in Manhattan. The panel will consider adding new weights to its budget formulas for English language learners. You can submit comments to this meeting by emailing budget@schools.nyc.gov. For more details, see the event listing »

• Saturday, April 23: High school students are invited to a Black College Expo from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., with an after show from 3 to 5 p.m, at 94-20 Guy R. Brewer Blvd. in Jamaica, Queens. Learn about college admissions, scholarship opportunities and more. Tickets are $8. For more details and to register, see the website »

• Thursday, April 23: Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams invites Brooklyn residents to get free dental screenings and oral health education between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. at Brooklyn Borough Hall, 209 Joralemon St. To register, call 718-802-4488 or RSVP online »

• Wednesday, April 27: High school students are invited to the financially savvy youth expo, sponsored by Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams, from 10 a.m. to noon at Brooklyn Borough Hall, 209 Joralemon St. Learn about college planning, credit cards and budgeting. There will also be raffles and giveaways. RSVP online now »

• Wednesday, April 27: There will be a financial education empowerment day for adults from 5 to 9 p.m. at Brooklyn Borough Hall, 209 Joralemon St., sponsored by Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams. Come enjoy a financial education expo and workshops. To RSVP, call 718-802-3717, email programs@brooklynbp.nyc.gov or RSVP online »

• Saturday, April 30: Come to a free Brooklyn college expo from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at St. John's Recreation Center, 1251 Prospect Place between Schenectady and Troy Aves. Learn about scholarships and admissions for CUNY, SUNY and more colleges and universities. See the flier »

• Tuesday, May 17: Come to a Borough of Manhattan Community College open house to learn about all the college's educational programs, including allied health, emergency management, media arts and more. This free orientation will run from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at 25 Broadway on the 8th floor. A light breakfast will be served. Register online now »

• Monday, May 2; Monday, May 23 and Wednesday, May 25: Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams and Operation HOPE invite Brooklyn residents to join a free three-week course about financial literacy and improving your credit score. The course will meet on three dates in May from 6 to 8 p.m. To register, contact Rachel Hood at 646-491-0668 or rachel.hood@operationhope.org. See the flier »

News and Resources

• Principals must get approval for K–3 suspensions: A footnote in the Department of Education's discipline code requires principals to seek authorization from the Office of Safety and Youth Development before suspending students in kindergarten through third grade. You can read the entire discipline code on the DOE website »

• Guidance on Parent Association/Parent-Teacher Association (PA/PTA) elections: The Department of Education recently held a training for PA/PTA Presidents' Council members about spring PA/PTA elections. The materials from this presentation are available for you to see. Download a flier of myths and facts, a copy of the PowerPoint presentation about PA/PTA elections, and an overview of PA/PTA elections.

• You can track lead testing in your child's school: The Department of Education is checking the water in all schools built before 1986 for lead content. You can track the lead testing in your child's school on the DOE website »

• Updates on the Zika virus: The New York Health Department has issued updates on the work it is doing to prevent the spread of the Zika virus, which has affected some countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. Find out more »

• Grants for physical activity in elementary schools: Do you have an idea for a program in your child's school that could help spark and sustain physical activity before, during or after the school day? GO! Grants of $1,000 and $5,000 are available to elementary schools seeking funds for equipment, facilities, professional development and other programs that increase kids' physical activity. The application deadline is June 1. Find out more »

Free summer camps and programs

• Free academic summer programs and after-school programs: Inside Schools has gathered a list of free summer and after-school programs with an academic focus, sorted by subject. See the list of free programs at InsideSchools.org »

• Free sleep-away camp: The Fresh Air Fund sends low-income New York City children to sleep-away camps and to stay with host families in upstate New York free of charge. It is accepting applications for this summer now, and applications are available in English, Spanish, Bengali, Chinese, French and Korean. To learn more and apply, visit the website »

• STEM enrichment programs for all grade levels: The Department of Education offers summer enrichment programs in science, technology, engineering and math for all grades levels. Applications are open until April 19. Visit the website »

• Summer youth police academy: New York City children who are between the ages of 10 and 16 and attending school are welcome to apply for the New York Police Department's summer youth academy. This 6-week program, running from July 5 to Aug. 12, offers educational sessions about law, behavioral science, drug prevention and gang resistance. Students will also enjoy field trips and outdoor volunteer opportunities. There are locations in all boroughs. Lunch and transportation are included. Applications are being accepted until May 20. To learn more and apply, visit the website »

• Free summer science program for high school girls: New York University is accepting applications for GenCyber CS4CS, a free, three-week, full-day summer program for high school women. The program will focus on cyber security and computer science. Applications are due by April 27. For more information and to apply, visit the website »