Dear parents, grandparents and education activists,

We at the UFT Brooklyn parent outreach committee hope you had a wonderful holiday season and wish you a happy new year!

Check out the upcoming events and news you can use below.

Sincerely,

Betty Zohar
UFT Parent-Community Liaison

Upcoming events

• Wednesday, Jan. 11: Central Library in Brooklyn invites parents to a free workshop about understanding your child's Individualized Education Program from 10 a.m. to noon at 10 Grand Army Plaza. Interpretation services for Spanish will be available. See the flier »

• Thursday, Jan. 19: Come to a free workshop about sensory integration for children with disabilities from 10 a.m. to noon at 160 Lawrence Ave. in Brooklyn. This is one of many workshops United Cerebral Palsy of New York City will offer in January to parents and caregivers of children with disabilities. For more information, see the flier »

• Saturday, Jan. 21: The New York Hall of Science invites children with Autism Spectrum Disorders and their families to a free sensory-friendly science workshop about wheels and vehicles from 10:30 a.m. to noon. This is the first in a series of four free workshops the museum will offer from January to February. Workshops will be held at the museum at 47-01 111th St. in Queens. Find out more »

• Monday, Feb. 13: The Prospect Park Zoo invites teachers, students and families to an educational tour of the zoo with hands-on activities and lessons. The event will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. See the event listing »

News you can use

• Come to sensory storytime at Brooklyn libraries: Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders between the ages of 3 and 5 are invited to sensory storytime at Brooklyn libraries. These activities will be held throughout the month of January and into February at three New York Public Library locations in Brooklyn. For details, see the flier »

• Get a jump-start on pre-K admissions: Pre-K admissions open on Jan. 17 and close on Feb. 24. To get started, check out the Brooklyn pre-K directory for 2017 »

• Chancellor's Parent Advisory Council highlights: Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña has started publishing highlights of Chancellor's Parent Advisory Council meetings each month in advance of the official meeting minutes. Read the highlights from the December meeting »

• Get help preventing your child's school absences: Did you know that just two absences a month make students less likely to graduate from high school? Whether your child is missing school because of bullying, frequent illness or some other issue, help is available. Visit AbsencesAddUp.org »

Opportunities

• Free parenting workshops in Brooklyn: The office of Eric Adams, the Brooklyn borough president, will offer a free series of parent workshops out of Brooklyn Borough Hall on Tuesdays starting on Jan. 10 and ending on March 28. Workshops are from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Participants receive a MetroCard, lunch and a certificate of completion. Find out more »

• Get one-on-one help navigating special education services and more: Central Library at 10 Grand Army Plaza in Brooklyn is offering free counseling to parents of children with disabilities from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Feb. 1, March 1 and April 5. Get expert advice about Individualized Education Program services, transportation, transitions between grades and more. You can call ahead to make an appointment at 212-677-4650, ext. 19, or just drop in. Assistance in Spanish is available. See the flier »

• Art and movement classes for kids with disabilities in Brooklyn and Queens: Extreme Kids and Crew offers dance, art and movement classes for kids with special needs at its Ridgewood, Queens, and Red Hook, Brooklyn, locations. Many classes are pay-what-you-can admission. Winter classes start on Jan. 7. For more information, see the website »

• Students are invited to apply for a free Summer Arts Institute program: The Summer Arts Institute is a summer program that offers intensive training in the arts. It is held at Frank Sinatra School of the Arts in Astoria, Queens. New York City public school students in grades 8 through 12 are eligible for this tuition-free program. The application deadline is Feb. 3. Find out more »

• Fellowships at the New York Public Library: The New York City library offers a range of fellowship, scholarship and training opportunities for gifted students. Fellowships include a pre-college Black Studies program and an enrichment program for teen curators, among others. Find out more »