PTA Newsletter No. 7 - 12/17/23
Dear BNS Families
Happy Holidays! We know this is always a busy time of year: full of fun, festivities and a little bit of fatigue. The next newsletter will go out on Sunday, January 7th. Have a wonderful and safe holiday and a happy new year!
Sincerely,
Your BNS PTA
❄️Winter Recess December 25-January 1
No AfterSchool, No Workshops, No Band All Week, Fri Dec 22
Happy Holidays to our amazing AfterSchool team! And No Band All Week!
Holiday Giving and Appreciation
As a public school, BNS is funded based on a standard set by the Department of Education. However, that funding is limited, so for years the families of BNS have been coming together to raise the shortfall needed to ensure our teachers’ classrooms are stocked with everything they need, and to fund beloved programs like the Brooklyn Arts Exchange (BAX), Shore School, Earth Skills, 2nd Grade Swim and more - programs that touch our students during their years here at BNS.
The budget to achieve this for the 2023-2024 school year is $225,000. You can see a breakdown of the budget on the following page. This works out to be around $450 of spending per student.
We’re asking for every family to consider making a contribution that is comfortable for your family.
It is important to name the value of all donations: if 100 families could find $5 a month to contribute, the money raised by the end of the school year would cover our library support budget for the entire year! Every dollar really does make a difference.
If it is within your family’s means to make a contribution above the $450 spending per student, that is a great help to all as well.
No matter the figure, 100% of your donation goes directly to supporting BNS and our kids.
Make your donation by dropping off a check or cash in the main office (this saves us the processing fees!), or set up a one time or recurring donation by clicking on the Donate button at www.bns146.org/supporting-bns.
And if you have some time + talent to lend to the goal of fully funding our budget for the year, we’d LOVE for you to join a fundraising committee zoom meeting the first Monday of every month at 7:30pm. More details are on Konstella.
There’s something very special about a community coming together to ensure every child can enjoy an excellent, forward looking educational experience. We’re so grateful to be a part of this one with you!
⭐PTA Meeting This Tuesday!⭐
General PTA Meeting, Tuesday 8:20am - 930am, Health Studio (Room 126)
This Tuesday we'll have our last PTA meeting for 2023, and at our last board meeting, we realized that there are still a lot of areas where we could really use a hand. There are tons of impactful ways to contribute, even if you have a 9-5 or are far away. Our goal is 100% participation.
We have a few admin requests for parent time at BNS, specifically anyone who would be willing to provide a presence in our 3rd floor hallways during the afternoon, partners to lead reading intervention, and handy folks to help spruce up our bathrooms (this one can happen during off-hours). Our meeting will be a great place to find out more, and to meet other people who'd like to participate with you.
Our fundraising team will have an update on where we stand, and is looking for people with ideas to attend their monthly meetings. These also generally happen off-hours and via Zoom, so are a perfect way to participate if you are busy during the daytime. Come meet our team on Tuesday!
Announcing the opening of PS456
PS456 is a new Brooklyn elementary school that will have a close working relationship with BNS. Malika, one half of the leadership team at BNS, will be taking the lead as the project director. PS456 will take the same educational and socio-emotional approach to teaching and learning. Tell your friends who are looking for Kindergarten. Here are links to the flier and brochure to learn more.
Community Arts Workshop
Learn How to Crochet
Join us on Thursdays December 21st in Room 102 from 8:20-9:30am to learn how to hand crochet a scarf with local material artist and BNS parent Taryn Organ. All materials will be provided.
Can’t make it in person? A pre-recorded video will be shared so you and your family can learn at home with simple step-by-step instructions.
Absolutely NO art experience is necessary, just a desire to create and collaborate. Everyone is welcome!
About the BNS Arts Committee:
If you're interested in creating or participating in arts-related programming, please join other passionate families who want to bring more arts enrichment to the school through the PTA.
Created by celebrated crochet artist Taryn (Organ) Urushido (parent of Azusa, 1st grade), and co-led by Mahshad Vakili Hall (parent of Ruby, 2nd grade), the Arts Committee hopes to create events and opportunities for parents and families to participate in the enriching and inspiring art of handmade craft, and bring these life skills back into the home to build meaningful memories and mementos with our children.
BNS Calendars are Still Available!
Back by popular demand: 2024 BNS Calendars featuring student artwork! Makes a great gift!
These calendars are ONLY available here via Konstella for a LIMITED time. Once sales close, we will print a limited run and deliver them home to you via backpack mail before the holiday break. There will be no other sales after this sales page closes, so don't delay! Get yours today!
Last year the PTA paid for each family to receive one for free, and this year we are selling them to raise money for our school programming! You can buy 1 (or more!) for yourself and also purchase additional calendars for our classrooms - they have become a big hit with the teachers and staff! All DOE school closures are listed so no more confusion about school being open or closed! Thank you for supporting our children's education with your purchase!
Link to order for parents and staff members in the school community
Link to order for people not in the school community, e.g. grandparents and neighbors
If you have any questions or would like to volunteer to help send them home before break - please email Elena at elenatatelmt@gmail.com
Picture Day is a Wrap!
Thank you to Amelia and Stomping Ground and all the parent volunteers who got over 700 kids and teachers photographed in 2 days! All the kids looked super cute! Please consider purchasing prints of these precious memories - or photo mugs, keychains, etc - our school receives a percentage of sales!
Can you help us with Great Leaps Literacy Program?
We are looking for volunteers to help us with a reading fluency support program - we need a few patient adult volunteers to help implement the Great Leaps Literacy program for grades 2-3.
Great Leaps is a comprehensive intervention program for reading that is designed and proven to generate significant and lasting gains for readers. Great Leaps reading takes less than ten minutes a day per child, and at least 3 times per week for substantive improvement.
Contact Heather Vatury (heather@bns146.org) for more information and to sign up for training.
Do you have a couple of hours a week to help our students build their reading skills?
* In the past volunteers enjoyed seeing how this easy intervention supported our developing readers.
Give the Gift of BNS Merch!
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The Merch shop is now live on the BNS website. Shop for holiday bundles, new hoodies, water bottles, and totes. Delivery is made to your child’s classroom or arrange for pickup.
Order by Wednesday for classroom delivery.
Can you help us with Great Leaps Literacy Program?
We are looking for volunteers to help us with a reading fluency support program - we need a few patient adult volunteers to help implement the Great Leaps Literacy program for grades 2-3.
Great Leaps is a comprehensive intervention program for reading that is designed and proven to generate significant and lasting gains for readers. Great Leaps reading takes less than ten minutes a day per child, and at least 3 times per week for substantive improvement.
Contact Heather Vatury (heather@bns146.org) for more information and to sign up for training.
Do you have a couple of hours a week to help our students build their reading skills?
* In the past volunteers enjoyed seeing how this easy intervention supported our developing readers.
Help BNS Write Grants!
Our expert grant writer, Ani Weinstein, is leaving BNS in June when her youngest graduates. If you are interested in helping out in this important way or need more information contact shelley@bns146.org or barbara@bns146.org
Volunteer for our next Movie Night!
Our first movie night of the year was a great success. We had around 150 very happy kids and their families, who got to meet each other and see our lovely auditorium and cafeteria :) We ate 30 pizzas and seemingly infinite popcorn kernels! There were even very special Elemental face paint designs! Everyone paid what they wished and we raised around $2000 to help pay for special educational programs at BNS like dance and bikes!
But it was a lot of work! We couldn't have done it without our volunteers, big and small :) Please consider volunteering for our next movie night on Friday, January 26. You can sign up here to volunteer!
Please get your tickets EARLY so we can make the proper plans to accommodate you - and pop enough popcorn!!
readers.
Box Tops for Education
Scan your grocery & shopping receipts to earn money for BNS!
BoxTops for Education donates to BNS when you buy eligible products, which includes Annie's products, Airborne, Cheerios, Háagen-Dazs, Lysol, and Yoplait. Grandparents, aunts & uncles, friends, etc. are also welcome to scan their receipts for BNS!
To participate:
- Download the app
- Search for Brooklyn New School (It's under the name "Public School 146 Brooklyn New Sc")
- Scan your physical receipts or upload digital ones within 2 weeks of purchase
Contact Amy Osekowsky Davis (aosekowsky@) if you have any questions.
LOOKING AHEAD
December 19: BNS General PTA Meeting (room 126, 8:20am)
BNS Open Library (room 410, 2:30-3:30pm)
December 22: No AfterSchool, No Workshops
December 25 - January 1: Winter Recess, No School
January 3: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Meeting (zoom, 7:30pm)
January 8: Monthly Fundraising Meeting (zoom, 7:30pm)
BNS/BCS Parent Action Committee (PAC) Meeting (zoom, 8p
Please see the full December BNS Calendar here.
BNS PTA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, 2023–2024
CHRISTIAN LEUE, Co-President, dad to Max (1st grade)
ELENA TATE, Co-President, mom to Hans (2nd grade)
KRYSTINA ATHAS, Co-Treasurer, mom to Alexander & Liam (5th & 3nd grade)
HANNAH LANE, Recording Secretary, mom to Leo (pre-K)
MERVE KAYAN, Social Media Co-Chair, mom to Leyla (2nd grade)
HANNAH NUDELL, Communications Chair, mom to Eliza & Gideon (5th grade & 1st Grade)
AMY OSENKOWSKY DAVIS, Communications Co-Chair & Fundraising Co-Chair, mom to Emily (Pre-K)
SARA KRAVIG GABLE, Fundraising Co-Chair, mom to Captain (2nd grade)
NIKA WHITEHEAD-CLARKE, Fundraising Co-Chair, mom to Nicquel (2nd grade)
ABBY COOVER, Newsletter Chair, mom to Valen, Varro & Vesper (toddler, 5th grade & BNS Grad)
LAURA WOOD, Class Parent Coordinator, mom to Phoebe & Sally (5th grade & 2nd grade)
NILI OHAYON, Farm Stand Coordinator, mom to Livia (2nd grade)
CORISSA TRANI, Web Master, mom to Logan (Kindergarten)
PATTY LIN, Web Master, mom to Deren (Kindergarten)
CLARA PLANEL, Web Master, mom to Olivia (Kindergarten)
NICK THUESEN, Web Master, father to Charlie (Kindergarten)
TRACEY TOOLE, Merchandise Co-Chair, mom to Harper (5th Grade)
TARYN ORGAN, Community Engagement Artist, mom to Azusa
CATHERINE HELLEUX, Sustainability Initiatives Co-Coordinator, mom to Bretton
LISA WALSH, Sustainability Initiatives Co-Coordinator, mom to Max
DIANDRA VERWAYNE, Member-at-Large, mom to Ethan (2nd Grade)
MAHSHAD VAKILI HALL, Member-at-Large, mom to Ruby (1st Grade)
ANDREA GRANDE-CAPONE, Face Painting Chairperson
EMILY DEL VALLE, Co-Chair, Events Committee
Contact the 2022–2023 BNS PTA at pta2022@bns146.org
