Full Menu
News Stories

Brooklyn Parent Newsletter - May 19, 2016

News Stories

 

Dear parents, grandparents and education activists,

As we wind down toward the end of the school year, there is still so much going on.

Our parent special education committee has been collaborating with the DOE to plan a training session on special education for parent coordinators on June 24. It's been a wonderful collaboration so far. If you want to get involved, email bzohar@uft.org or fstreich@uft.org.

Deadlines are fast approaching for a number of summer camps and programs. Check out our summary below of the opportunities available for children this summer.

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, political campaigns, breaking news and school cancellations due to weather. We'll even send a text message that links to a copy of your newsletter you can easily read on your mobile phone.

Check out more events, news and resources below.

Sincerely,

Betty Zohar
UFT Parent-Community Liaison

Upcoming events

  • Friday, May 20: Come to a mental health awareness luncheon in Brooklyn from noon to 4 p.m. at 55 Hanson Place on the 9th floor. There will be presentations about mental health and wellness for children, teens and young adults, a performance from children, lunch, a raffle and more. To RSVP or find out more details, email willadvocatemh@yahoo.com or call 646-401-2773.
  • Friday, May 20: Come to a free viewing of Moonstruck at 8:15 p.m. at South Lawn in Dyker Beach Park, Brooklyn. This is one of many free movie showings in NYC parks throughout the city that will be offered all summer. For a full list, see the parks department website »
  • Friday, May 20: Youth between the ages of 13 and 18 are invited to teen night at the Met from 5 to 8 p.m. There will be art making, performances, gallery activities and more. This is a free event. See the event listing »
  • Saturday, May 21, Saturday, June 4 and Saturday, June 25: The Children's Museum of the Arts in Manhattan has an art class for children with autism under the age of 7 and their families from 9:30 to 10:45 a.m. This class uses tactile experiences to build creativity, independence and communication skills. To register, email mlopez@cmany.org. See the flier »
  • Wednesday, May 25: There will be a workshop about parent education advocacy for children with disabilities from 6 to 8 p.m. at 83 Maiden Lane in downtown Manhattan. For more details and to register, see the event listing »
  • Wednesday, June 1 and Wednesday, June 16: The DOE will host parent conferences in Mandarin and Spanish this June in order to improve access for families who speak little or no English. The Mandarin conference will be on June 1 from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Queens Library in Flushing. See the event listing » And the Spanish conference will be on June 16 from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Brooklyn Public Library. See the event listing »
  • Tuesday, June 7: The DOE invites parents to a citywide conference for parents of English language learners and former English language learners from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at El Museo de Barrio at 1230 5th Ave. in Manhattan. Parents will learn about bilingual programs, how to support their children academically and more. For more information and to register, see the DOE website »
  • Saturday, June 11 The Department of Education invites parents to a spring conference for families of students with disabilities from 9 a.m. to noon at 2500 Nostrand Ave. in Brooklyn. Learn about special education programs an connect with other special education families. Register online now »
  • Saturday, June 18: Brooklyn District Attorney Ken Thompson invites you to an immigration forum from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at St. Matthews Church, 1345 Lincoln Place, 4th floor, in Brooklyn. Get information and resources to protect yourself regardless of immigration status. Refreshments will be served. See the flier »

Summer programs with an application deadline tomorrow, Friday, May 20

  • Free summer writing workshop for teens: NYC youth between the ages of 15 and 20 are invited to apply for a free summer writing workshop from July 5 to Aug. 11 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Mondays through Thursdays, and get one-on-one mentoring from a professional editor, writing lessons, group activities and more. Participants will receive a MetroCard and $7 for lunch each day; and youth in foster care receive a $600 stipend. Learn more and apply »
  • Free science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) camp: The DOE is accepting applications until this Friday for its STEM "summer in the city" program for students in grades 2 through 10. The program runs from July 7 to Aug. 11, Monday through Thursday, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Breakfast, lunch and MetroCards are provided. Apply online now »
  • 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. To learn more and apply, visit the website »
  • Summer programs for students attending renewal schools: The Department of Education invites students attending the 94 schools in the mayor's School Renewal Program to attend summer programs for all grade levels. There are Summer in the City enrichment programs, STEM programs and more for students in grades 2 through 11. To learn more and apply, visit the website »

Other summer programs

  • Apply for a scholarship for arts day camp by May 23: The Children's Museum of the Arts in Manhattan is accepting applications for scholarships that will waive the fee for one week of Summer Art Colony Day Camp. These scholarships are for children with disabilities who need one-on-one assistance to attend camp. To learn more about the day camp, visit the website » or apply for a scholarship online »
  • Sports classes for kids in NYC parks this summer: The City Parks Foundation offers free sports classes in soccer, track and field, golf, tennis and more. Register online now »
  • Leadership program for immigrant high school students: The New York Immigration Coalition invites immigrant high school students to apply for its second cohort of the New American Youth Leadership Corps. The program will meet weekly this summer for leadership workshops, community service projects and more. The application deadline is June 9. Apply online now »
  • Dual-enrollment and college-readiness programs: High school students are invited to enroll in College Now summer programs. These are dual-enrollment (both college and high school credit) classes and college-readiness classes offered by CUNY. They span many disciplines and are offered in all boroughs. For more information, visit the website »
  • Free summer tutoring for rising fourth-grade students: Everyone Reading will offer free tutoring this summer to children born in 2007 and entering fourth grade next school year. This program most benefits students with dyslexia or who need support with phonics. The program will begin on June 30 and run from July 5 to 29, Mondays through Fridays, from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. at the Museum of the City of New York on 5th Ave and 103rd St. in Manhattan. The program involves an hour of one-on-one tutoring in reading skills, then two hours of hands-on museum education activities such as photography, map making and model building. To apply, contact Lavinia Mancuso at lmancuso@everyonereading.org or 917-903-2648. See the flier »

Opportunities and resources

  • Two-minute warnings make turning off the TV harder: New research shows that giving children warnings before they must turn off the TV or put down their video games in order to make it easier for them to step away from the technology may have the opposite effect. Find out more »
  • Parent Teacher Association election posters: Your school should have received an election poster in order to display the date, time and location of your Parent Teacher Association election. For more information about these elections, see the DOE website »
  • Video contest to win prizes for your school: The UFT and other sponsors invite NYC high school, middle school and elementary school students to submit a three-minute video explaining why their school is in need and the project they would undertake to make it better — if they had the money. Winners will receive grants for their schools, and submissions will be accepted until June 15. See the flier »
  • Cooling support for New Yorkers with heat-related health issues: If you have a medical condition that is aggravated by heat but lack the funds for an air conditioner, help is available. Gov. Cuomo has allocated $3 million for New Yorkers who need air conditioning to install it. Find out more »
  • Free, one-on-one college admissions help: Low-income high school students are invited to apply for Bottom Line, a free support program for college admission. For more information, see the flier »
Related Topics: Parent News
Close