Dear parents, grandparents, guardians and education activists,

We at the UFT Brooklyn parent outreach committee hope your school year is starting smoothly.

Save the date for a First Book giveaway event.

• Date: Saturday, Oct. 7
• Time: 8 a.m. to noon
• Location: 210 Chester St. in Brooklyn. Directions »

We'll be passing out 40,000 free books to Brooklyn families and educators. Parents may take 15 books home for their families. The books are available on a first-come, first-served basis, so arrive early. Bring your own bags or boxes to carry the books home. See the flier »

You must be registered with First Book to participate. To register, fill out the form, scan or photograph it, and return it to me at Download the First Book registration form »

Check out more upcoming events and resources below.

Sincerely,

Betty Zohar
UFT Parent-Community Liaison

Upcoming events

• Saturday, Sept. 16: The Teachers College Reading and Writing Project invites educators and school leaders to a Social Justice Saturday: Leading in Troubled Times event focusing on school culture in the wake of violent racism, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 525 W. 120th St. in Manhattan. Speakers and workshops will address ways to launch the school year after a painful summer, how to talk with students about charged issues and how to foster inclusive school cultures. See the flier »

• Tuesday, Sept. 19: Next week is the annual Dads Take Your Child to School Day, when schools around the country will hold events to promote fathers' involvement in their children's education. Find or host an event near you »

• Thursday, Sept. 21: The Brooklyn Public Library invites parents and caregivers to a free healthy homes workshop from 3 to 4 p.m. at Crown Heights Library at 560 New York Ave. These healthy home workshops cover lead poisoning, how to prevent and get rid of bedbugs and how to safely control pests. There will be 11 workshops offered in six Brooklyn locations between now and November. Workshops will be presented in English and Spanish. See a full schedule in English and Spanish »

• Saturday, Sept. 23: Students with disabilities and their families are invited to the Brooklyn Public Library's annual inclusive resource fair from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the plaza in front of Central Library, 10 Grand Army Plaza in Brooklyn. Enjoy a day of crafts and activities while learning about services and resources available to students with disabilities. See the flier »

• Wednesday, Sept. 27: High school students are invited to a free New York City Performing and Visual Arts College Fair from 6 to 9 p.m. at Jacob K. Javits Convention Center at 655 W. 34th St. Registration is required. For more information and to register, visit the website »

• Friday, Sept. 29: Come to a free college fair at the New York Public Library, 476 Fifth Ave. in Manhattan, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. There will be representatives from colleges and universities, plus community organizations will be there to share information and resources about applying for financial aid. See the flier »

News you can use

• Universal free lunch starts this year: Thanks to the hard work and activism of parents, students, educators and organizations like the UFT, New York City public schools will start offering free lunch to all students this school year. Read the New York Teacher article »

• How to talk to your kids about race and racism: Border Crossers, an organization that supports educators in teaching K-12 students about race and racism, has free resources for parents on the same topic. Visit the website »

• Writing internship for teens: YCTeen Magazine is accepting applications until Friday, Sept. 29, for its fall internship program. New York City high school students between the ages of 15 and 20 are eligible. Interns will write articles for the magazine. Learn more and apply »

• Brooklyn Historical Society hosts class trips: The Brooklyn Historical Society is accepting registrations for guided tours for students this school year. It's a great field trip idea to share with your child's teacher or Parent-Teacher Association. Find out more »