Dear parents, grandparents and education activists,

The UFT has launched a new text messaging system to deliver important information quickly. Please sign up for UFT text messaging by texting "parent" to 30644 and answering the questions that follow.

Each month, you’ll receive a text message from me with a link to the new Staten Island parent newsletter that you can easily read on your mobile phone. We'll also send occasional texts to alert you about school cancellations due to weather, our campaigns and breaking news.

Have a great winter break. Enjoy the upcoming events, resources and news items below.

Sincerely,

Joan McKeever-Thomas
UFT Parent-Community Liaison

Upcoming events

• Wednesday, Jan. 6: Come to a workshop for families of children with disabilities about the transition to kindergarten at 9:30 a.m. at the Staten Island Jewish Community Center. For more details and to register, contact the Early Childhood Direction Center of the Staten Island University Hospital by calling 1-718-266-6374 or emailing SIUH_ECDC@nshs.edu.

• Saturday, Jan. 9: The American Museum of Natural History holds monthly tours designed for families affected by autism spectrum disorders. These Discovery Squad tours cost $15 for adults and $10 for children, run from 9 to 10 a.m. and are open to children between the ages of 5 and 14 who are accompanied by an adult. In addition to Jan. 9, there will be tours on Feb. 6, March 5, May 7 and June 11. To register for a tour, call 1-212-769-5200. For more information, see the flier »

• Saturday, Jan. 30: Come to a free UFT men in education symposium featuring workshops on mentoring, fatherhood and more. This event will run from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at UFT headquarters, 52 Broadway. Breakfast and lunch will be served. RSVP online now »

News you can use

• President Obama signs law to overhaul No Child Left Behind: Thanks to the work of parents, education activists and teachers' unions, the president signed into law the Every Student Succeeds Act on Dec. 10 to roll back high-stakes testing and shift power back to the states. Read the story on the UFT website »

• Kindergarten admissions for 2016-17 are open: Applications for kindergarten programs for the next school year are open until Jan. 15, 2016. You can apply online or in person at a Family Welcome Center. To get started, visit the DOE kindergarten admissions website »

• Get support for kindergarten admissions: Picking the right kindergarten and navigating the admission process can be tricky. SchoolBook has a resource to remind you about key dates, highlight materials and help you search for schools. Sign up for SchoolBook's guide to kindergarten admissions »

• Free parenting and anger-management classes in Staten Island: The Jewish Community Center of Staten Island will offer free parenting and anger-management classes on Wednesday evenings from 6 to 8 p.m. from Feb. 3 to May 4 at the Gerard Carter Center, 230 Broad St. Refreshments will be served, and MetroCards will be provided. To register, call 1-347-682-4870. For more details, see the flier »

• Middle and high school students can lead fitness initiative on Staten Island: The Beacon at PS 18 invites middle and high school students to join the Mayor's Youth Leadership Council for Staten Island. Ten to 12 Staten Island youth will participate in leadership training for seven Saturdays from January through June, plan a fitness initiative for elementary school children in West Brighton and will be eligible to apply for one of five $500 grants for their own youth leadership groups. For more information and to apply, contact Guillermo Gran at gbgrau@unitedactivities.org or 1-718-448-4834, extension 7.

• How to protect your kids from the flu: As the weather gets colder, check out this article about how to protect your children from the flu »

• Breakfast in the classroom: The DOE is gradually expanding the number of elementary schools that offer a program called Breakfast in the Classroom, which provides a free, nutritious breakfast for every student in the classroom under teacher supervision. This initiative will make a positive step toward giving all children a healthy start to the school day. Three hundred public schools now offer the program; the DOE's goal is to offer it in all buildings that house only elementary schools.