Dear parents, grandparents and education activists,

I hope you and your families are enjoying a warm and peaceful holiday season.

I hope you can come to the upcoming UFT Queens parent workshops on Jan. 12 and 17. Both will be held in the evening at the UFT Queens borough office. See the upcoming events section below for details.

Come to an advocacy day and rally in Albany on Tuesday, Jan. 10 to demand the $3.9 billion still owed to public schools statewide under the Campaign for Fiscal Equity decision. This is an event sponsored by the Alliance for Quality Education. Transportation and lunch will be provided. For more information and to register, contact Maria Bautista at maria@aqeny.org. See the flier »

We'd also like you to send a letter to Gov. Cuomo telling him to fully fund public schools. You can send your letter by email to Maria Bautista at maria@aqeny.org or Zakiyah Ansari at zakiyah@aqeny.org. The Alliance for Quality Education will deliver the letters to Gov. Cuomo in person. Download a letter template in English » or in Spanish »

Check out more events and news you can use below.

Sincerely,

Delci Rodriguez
UFT Queens Parent-Community Liaison

Upcoming events

• Thursday, Jan 12: Come to a UFT parent workshop about building your children's confidence from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the UFT Queens borough office, 97-77 Queens Blvd. As always, refreshments will be served and child care will be provided. To RSVP, email khernandez2@uft.org with your name, phone number, address and how many children you are bringing. See the flier »

• Tuesday, Jan. 17: Come to a UFT parent workshop about understanding your child's Individualized Education Program from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the UFT Queens borough office, 97-77 Queens Blvd. As always, we'll serve refreshments and provide child care. To RSVP, email khernandez2@uft.org with your name, phone number, address and how many children you are bringing. 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 from 10:30 a.m. to noon about wheels and vehicles. This is the first of a series of four free workshops the museum will offer between January and February. Workshops are held at the museum at 47-01 111th St. in Queens. Find out more »

News you can use

• Apply for a UFT Albert Shanker Scholarship award: Every year, the UFT awards nearly $1 million in undergraduate and graduate scholarships to academically excellent and financially eligible students from New York City schools. The application deadline is Jan. 31. Find out more and download the application materials on the UFT website »

• PS 13 in Queens has a new parent library: PS 13 in Elmhurst, Queens has created a library for the school’s parents. For more information about the new library and tips on how you can build a similar parent library in your child's school, contact the PS 13 parent association at parentassociationPS13Q@gmail.com.

• Support program for caregivers of the elderly: If you are caring for an elderly relative who has Alzheimer's disease, another form of dementia or any other chronic illness, or if you know someone who is a caregiver, help is available. Sunnyside Community Services and Care NYC can help you apply for Medicaid benefits, connect you with other caregivers, assist with long-term planning and more. To get help, call 718-906-0669 or visit the website »