Dear parents, grandparents and education activists,

I know many of us were shocked and saddened by the results of the presidential election last week. We have a long fight ahead of us to protect our communities and teach our children the values of tolerance and respect.

I hope this newsletter and other UFT Queens parent programs can continue to be a resource to you for your child's education and for ways you can get involved in the fight for our shared values.

Check out upcoming events and news you can use below.

Sincerely,

Delci Rodriguez
UFT Parent-Community Liaison

Upcoming events

• Friday, Nov. 18: The Queens Library invites you to a hip-hop workout class with instructor Davon Livingston at 4 p.m. at the library's South Jamaica location, 108-41 Guy R. Brewer Blvd. Learn about hip-hop dancing and how to develop a healthy lifestyle. There will also be classes on Thursday, Dec. 1 at 4 p.m. at the St. Albans location and Friday, Dec. 9 at 3:30 p.m., again in South Jamaica. Find out more »

• Tuesday, Nov. 22: The City Council's Education Committee will hold a hearing to consider four resolutions calling on the Department of Education to mandate school uniforms, recognize Diwali as an official holiday and more. The hearing will begin at 1 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall. All are invited to submit testimony in person or by emailing jatwell@council.nyc.gov. You can read the resolutions online. They are: Res. 451-2014, Res. 568-2015, Res. 845-2015 and Res. 890-2015.

• Thursday, Jan 12: Come to a UFT 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: Save the date for the UFT Queens 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 »

News you can use

• Get free health insurance help at a Queens library: The South Asian Council for Social Services provides free assistance enrolling in health insurance plans through the Affordable Care Act every week. You can get help on Thursdays between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. at the Queens Central Library, 898-11 Merrick Blvd. in Jamaica; or on Tuesdays between 2 and 5:30 p.m. at the Jackson Heights Library, 3551 81st St. To make an appointment, call 718-321-7929.

• Caregiver 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 »

• "It's Elementary" events for families starting elementary school: Starting this month, there will be informational events in every district about elementary school admissions. These "It's Elementary!" events used to be offered in each borough and are now district-specific. They'll also offer on-site application help and information about Gifted and Talented programs. Download fliers in English, Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, French, Haitian-Creole, Korean, Russian, Spanish and Urdu. Or, learn more on the elementary school admissions website »

• Download a fact sheet about school leadership teams: School leadership teams are an important tool through which parents can make their voices heard. Learn more about school leadership teams, how they should function and how you can get involved by downloading a fact sheet »

• New DOE special education website: The Department of Education has revamped its special education website. The changes should make it easier for families to find the information they need quickly. Visit the new website now »

Opportunities

• Enroll in free adult education classes: The Department of Education offers classes to adults for free in subjects including English for Speakers of Other Languages, High School Equivalency preparation, career and technical education and more. Classes are offered throughout the five boroughs during the day and evening. To find out more and enroll, visit the website »

• Free library hotspot program for families without internet: If you don't have internet access at home and your child is a student, you're eligible to "check out" internet service from your local library. The hotspot you bring home will be free and available until July 5, 2017. For more information, download the flier in Spanish and English »