Dear parents, grandparents, guardians and education activists,

If you haven't yet, be sure to register for the UFT Queens parent conference on Saturday, Nov. 18. There will be workshops, networking, exhibitors and giveaways.

• Date: Saturday, Nov. 18
• Time: 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Location: UFT Queens borough office at 97-77 Queens Blvd., 8th floor. Directions »

Register online now »

There are also mail-in registration brochures in English, Spanish and Chinese. I hope to see you there!

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

Sincerely,

Delci Rodriguez
UFT Parent-Community Liaison

Upcoming events

• Thursday, Oct. 26: Assemblywoman Alicia Hyndman invites parents to a Special Education 101: Know Your Rights workshop from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at PS 270, 23315 Merrick Blvd. Learn about the Individualized Education Program process, program and placement options, advocacy tips and more. To RSVP, call 718-723-5412. See the flier »

• Friday, Oct. 27, and Wednesday, Nov. 15: There will be two open house nights for Preparatory Academy for Writers, a 6th- through 12th-grade limited unscreened school with competitive academics and extracurriculars. The open houses will run from 6 to 7 p.m. at 143-10 Springfield Blvd. For more information, see the flier »

• Thursday, Nov. 16: ADAPT Community Network invites parents to a workshop titled Sensory Smart Strategies for Real-Life Challenges from 10 a.m. to noon at CUNY's Graduate Center, 365 Fifth Ave. in Manhattan. Learn how to help your child with an Autism Spectrum Disorder manage sensitivities to noise, touch, movement and more and avoid sensory overload. To RSVP, email familyconnect@adaptcommunitynetwork.org. See the flier in English and Spanish »

• Wednesday, Nov. 29: Save the date for the next UFT Queens parent workshop from the UFT and Hey There Beautiful, Inc. This is the second in a nine-part series to support parents in developing techniques to advocate for their children. I'll be in touch soon with a flier and registration information.

News you can use

• Donate to the UFT effort to help public schools in Puerto Rico: The UFT Disaster Relief Fund is accepting donations to support public schools and public school educators recovering from the devastating effects of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. Make a donation »

• Round 1 of high school admissions is open until Dec. 1: To apply for their top 12 choices of high school programs, middle school students should submit an application to their school counselors by Friday, Dec. 1. Learn more about high school admissions »

• Central Brooklyn Martin Luther King Commission Essay Contest: The Central Brooklyn Martin Luther King Commission invites students to submit art, essays and poetry to its annual contest for cash rewards, certificates, t-shirts and other prizes. Submissions will be accepted until Tuesday, Nov. 14. Find out more »