Dear parents, grandparents and education activists,

I hope you and your family had a happy Thanksgiving. I look forward to doing more work with you this school year.

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

Sincerely,

Joan McKeever-Thomas
UFT Parent-Community Liaison

Upcoming events

• Wednesday, Nov. 30: United Cerebral Palsy invites parents and caregivers of children with disabilities to a free workshop called "Empowered parents: Building your toolbox from 10 a.m. to noon at 281 Port Richmond Ave. in Staten Island. To register, call 718-436-7979, ext. 704 or email familyconnect@ucpnyc.org. This is the first of a series of workshops that will be offered throughout the boroughs this winter. For more information, see the flier in English and Spanish »

• Sunday, Dec. 4: Come to City of Science on Staten Island 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the South Shore YMCA, 3939 Richmond Ave. City of Science is a free, interactive science exhibition that the whole family can enjoy. For more information, see the flier in English » or in Spanish »

• Sunday, Dec. 4: Person Centered Care Services invites children with disabilities and their families to a free "Sensory Santa" event at 10 a.m. at 150 Granite Ave. on Staten Island. There will be arts and crafts, seasonal treats and a chance to meet and get your picture taken with Santa. To set an appointment to get a picture with Santa, call 718-370-1088, ext. 271. See the flier »

• Sunday, Dec. 4: The College of Staten Island invites middle and high school students with disabilities to a college tour and information session from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 2800 Victory Blvd. on Staten Island. Learn about the support services available at the College of Staten Island. To RSVP, call 718-494-4872 or email SIPTP@aol.com. See the flier »

• Tuesday, Dec. 6: Parent to Parent of New York State invites parents of children with disabilities to a training session for those interested in becoming support parents. Support parents help other parents of children with disabilities with resources, advice and emotional support. The training will run from 10 a.m. to noon at 1050 Forest Hill Road in Staten Island. To RSVP, call 718-494-3462 or email mfegeley@ptopnys.org. See the flier »

• Tuesday, Dec. 6: Adults with developmental disabilities and their friends and families are welcome to attend a free sensory-friendly screening of New York City Ballet George Balanchine's The Nutcracker at 2 p.m. at Regal Court Street Stadium, 106 Court Street in Brooklyn. Preregistration is required. RSVP online now »

• Wednesday, Dec. 14: United Cerebral Palsy invites parents and caregivers of children with disabilities to a free webinar about the importance of advocacy that will focus on advocacy work for the rights of people with disabilities in New York State. The webinar will start at noon. You can attend by phone or watch it as a video presentation. For more information, see the flier »

News you can use

• School-choice activist is Trump’s choice for U.S. education secretary: President-elect Donald Trump on Nov. 23 chose school-choice activist, philanthropist and Republican mega-donor Betsy DeVos to lead the U.S. Education Department. The choice is a sign that Trump plans to pursue his campaign pledge to enact sweeping school choice, including spending $20 billion on block grants to expand charter and private school options for low-income children — almost as much as the country now invests in schools serving poor kids and special education programs combined. Read the news story »

• If you're experiencing domestic violence, free help is available on Staten Island: Staten Island Legal Services provides free legal assistance in the areas of family law and immigration law. That means if you're at risk of domestic violence, Staten Island Legal Services can help you with orders of protection, divorce, custody and more. And if you're hesitant to reach out because of your immigration status, Staten Island Legal Services can help you obtain a visa, relief based on the Violence against Women Act and more. For more information, call 718-233-6480 or see the information sheet »

• NY Connects provides support for adults with disabilities: If you know an adult with a disability who needs help finding the right long-term or short-term care, New York Connects can help. Download the brochure in English » or in Spanish »

• Free computer classes for NYCHA residents: If you live in an NYC Housing Authority development on Staten Island such as Mariner's Harbor or Stapleton Houses, you're invited to enroll in free beginner computer classes. The classes meet every Monday and Wednesday from 10:30 a.m. to noon at Jobs Plus, 30 Bay St. on the 4th floor. To enroll, call 917-268-0631. See the flier »

• Career advancement program for young adults on Staten Island: Young adults between the ages of 16 and 24 who are not in school or working are eligible for Career Matters, a free career advancement program that includes a full scholarship to a CUNY Advance Training program, a paid internship, High School Equivalency and more. Download an information sheet »

• Free fruits and vegetables for some Staten Island residents: The Mariner's Harbor Mobile Market and the Mobile Market in Stapleton are open-air, bimonthly distributions of fruits and vegetables free of charge by City Harvest for residents who qualify and live in the area. Just bring proof of address and a matching photo I.D.
  
  The Mariner's Harbor market is open to those living in Mariner's Harbor Houses — NYCHA, Arlington Terrace Apartments and zip codes 10302, 10303, 10310 or 10314. It is located at the basketball court at 22 Roxbury St. and meets every first Wednesday and third Saturday of the month from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. For dates and details, see the flier in English and Spanish »
  
  The Mobile Market on Staten Island is open to those who participate in Stapleton Houses Senior Center programs or who live in zip codes 10301, 10304, 10305 or 10310. It is located in the tennis courts behind 75 Hill St. on the first Tuesday and third Saturday of each month from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. For dates and details, see the flier in English and Spanish »