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Brooklyn Parent Newsletter - December 2019

News Stories

Dear parents, grandparents, guardians and education activists,

The Brooklyn parent and community outreach committee invites you to an education activist workshop series in January! This free, three-session training will address topics like organizing vs. advocacy, communicating through phone calls, using fliers and social media, identifying and organizing the school community and more.

  • Dates: Saturdays, Jan. 11, 18 and 25
  • Times: Breakfast from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m., training sessions from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
  • Location: UFT Brooklyn borough office at 335 Adams St., 24th floor. Directions »

Register now »

We'll be in touch after the holiday break with a flier to share. We look forward to working with you next semester. Happy holidays!

Check out more upcoming events and news below.

Sincerely,

Betty Zohar
UFT Parent-Community Liaison
bzohar@uft.org


Upcoming events

  • Friday, Dec. 20: Come to the Lady Moody Triangle holiday tree lighting from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. and enjoy sweets, music and a visit from Santa. See the event listing »
  • Tuesday, Jan. 14: There will be a civic engagement workshop for families with young children from 3:30 to 5 p.m. at the Park Slope Branch of the Brooklyn Public Library, 431 6th Ave. To RSVP, email citizensquirrelNYC@gmail.com. You can see the flier »

Our UFT Brooklyn parent conference

A group of people smiles and holds up paintings of flowers.

Attendees at our UFT Brooklyn parent conference on Nov. 16 show off their creations from a "paint and sip" workshop.

We want to reiterate how grateful we are to the hundreds of parents and activists who came to our 10th annual Brooklyn parent conference and made the day such a success! See more photos from the conference »


News you can use

  • Free admission at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden:All visitors can enjoy the Brooklyn Botanical Garden for free Tuesdays through Fridays from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. until the end of February. Find out more »
  • Family screen time resource: Common Sense Media and the Brooklyn Public Library have created a resource for families to learn about screen time guidelines and set their own limits for screen time at home. Check it out »
  • Tell the DOE not to share your contact information: The UFT worked with parent activists to win parents the right to protect their children's privacy. Now, if you don't want charter schools to have your mailing address, name, child's name and child's grade level, you can withhold this information. In December, schools will send home a paper opt-out form that you can fill out and return to your child's school. You also can opt out by completing an online form. You'll need your child's student ID number. If you don't have your child's student ID number, you can call your child's school to get it. Fill out the online opt-out form »
  • Apply for scholarship money from the UFT: The UFT invites students to apply for the Armando Blasse Scholarship, spearheaded by the UFT African Heritage Committee. High school students are eligible to earn a $1,000 college scholarship. Elementary and middle school students can win funding for their schools. Applications must include a letter of recommendation, an essay and, for high school students, a report card. The deadline is Friday, Jan. 10. Download the application »
  • Summer law internship for high school students: The Thurgood Marshall Summer Law Internship Program is accepting applications from public high school students until Friday, Jan. 3, for its paid summer law internships. Learn more and apply »

Census 2020

The national 2020 Census starts in March, and there's a lot at stake for New Yorkers. Using data derived from the Census, the federal government distributes billions of dollars in education and school food programs. What's more, if New York doesn't get better at getting its residents counted, we could lose as many as two seats in Congress, giving other states a stronger say in national policy and a stronger voice in the dispersal of federal funds. To learn more about why the Census matters, read and share a UFT Census fact sheet »

Here are more ways you can get involved in the fight to make New York count!

  • Volunteer to get the word out: Help get out the word about the 2020 Census by volunteering as a Census ambassador in your neighborhood. Find out more »
  • Apply for a job: The U.S. Census Bureau is looking for employees to assist with the 2020 Census count, including Census takers making $25 per hour. These are temporary jobs with flexible hours. Learn more and apply »
Related Topics: Parent News