PTA Newsletter No. 10 - 2/4/2024
Dear BNS Families,
We are cruising into February with a busy two weeks until Mid-Winter Recess! Please keep reading to see how you and your family can become involved.
Sincerely,
Your BNS PTA
January PTA Meeting Recap! 🌟
General PTA Meeting, Tuesday January 16 7:30pm - 8:30pm, zoom
Our last meeting was over zoom (yay for not having to venture out in the cold). We got excited about upcoming events and talked state of the school.
In short, we could really use help, both with our fundraising efforts (we are at 43% of our yearly goal), and with participation. Please keep an eye out for fun parent events as well where you will be joyously roped into our community.
And if you can't make any events or are strapped for time in general, please at least take some time to fill out this form. It's the best way to let us know if you have a skill, space, or resource you'd be willing to share with our community!
Our next meeting will be February 13 at 7:30pm on zoom. Please join us!
EVERYBODY LOVES BNS
Happy Valentine’s Day BNS Families!
As we kickoff February, we want to celebrate how and why EVERYBODY LOVES BNS!
This week you’ll see an envelope in backpack mail (designed by our kids, thanks to Shalisha & the Afterschool crew):
- Use the envelope to donate
- Write one one thing you LOVE about BNS
- Send it back to your child’s teacher via backpack mail by March 1st.
Your contribution supports the very essence of BNS, our unique space where our children learn and grow.
You can donate online here.
Lost and Found
The Soup Group Formation
This winter at BNS we are starting a soup group!!
Our goal is to help the fundraising efforts of our school while offering delicious and nutritious soups and stews to our kids, staff and parents!
It’s always a good time for soup! small or big, multiple pots cooked by many or just one pot because you have veggies that need to be cooked before they die :) look
Vegetarian/ meat/ beans/ lentils everything works!!
Join our soup group and get an email call to cook soup when we have a school event, workshop, “sip soup & wine get togethers”, or even just a solo after school soup sale because you feel like it!
A soup group member can either volunteer to cook & sell, or cook or sell :)
say you can cook but can not make it to school the next day to sell your soup - someone from the group will! We will join the effort and make it happen!!
Our school is in search for new ways of fundraising, if you love soup and want to be a part of the group - email onili at
The Farm stand team. Food and green committee.
Ps: Stay put for our Soup Group formation Party.
Pre-K Admissions
Consider PS 456
PS 456, our sister school, will now have once class of pre-K. Come to an open house to learn more about the building of this new school. Visit the PS 456 website for open house registration information.
The Pre-K Application will Be Open January 10-March 1
Apply to pre-K through Myschools.
BNS recognizes two priorities which can be indicated on your application:
- Siblings
- Low income families
Questions? Email amysumner@bns146.org.
Community Arts Workshop
Arts Committee needs you!
If you crochet or knit, we are making a patchwork sign that will be hung on the Rapelye gate for February!
We also need volunteers to help cut out patterns for Makerfest. Everyone welcome!
Meetings now *every Thursday in the Cafeteria 8:20-9:30am! Table by the windows.
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.
Mindfulness Mornings: Tune-in Tuesdays
Morning Mindfulness is back at BNS! Drop off, and then drop into a free mindfulness practice on Tuesday mornings for parents, caregivers, and BNS staff featuring guided meditation, a sound bath and more. Led by BNS parents Melissa Wu, Dawn Eshelman and Dmitri Borysevicz.
Tune-In Tuesdays
8:20am-8:50am
in Dance studio (under the gym)
*Come late, leave early – whatever you need. All levels of experience are welcome!
Bouquets for BNS - Valentine’s Day bouquets that benefit BNS, made by a BNS parent
BNS is really excited to be partnering with Fell Flowers to offer BNS families a special Valentine’s Day arrangement this year. 20% of the proceeds will be donated to BNS. Fell Flowers is owned by a BNS mom Laura Morrison.
The Valentine's bouquet contains a fragrant garden rose, pink snapdragons, peachy lisianthus, leucadendron, butterfly ranunculus, velvety kangaroo paw, tweedia, a mochi carnation and some unique greens. It comes wrapped in pink tissue and brown paper with a satin ribbon.
Pick up is at BNS on 02/13 from 2:30-4:30pm.
Order here by Sunday, February 11th.
BNS Merch!
New Merch just in time for arctic temps ❄️
Fleece lined hats!
And finally we have new oversized canvas totes in black and lime green.
Delivery is made to your child’s classroom or arrange for pickup.
Be sure to check out the website for special deals!
We also need a Merch Co-Coordinator. Please email Elena Tate if interested!
Valentine's Day Bake Sale Wednesday, February 14! ❤️❤️❤️
Come to the bake sale next Wednesday, February 14, 2:30-4:30pm hosted by our Second Grade Families at BNS on the corner of Rapelye and Henry. Please sign up here to bake and here to volunteer on the day of (no affiliation with Second Grade required ;-)).
Email justinfield@gmail.com if you have any questions.
5th Grade Yearbook
We had a great kick off mtg with volunteers who led the charge . Yearbook efforts still
looking for a few good 5th grade parents to pitch in ….
Contact: michelleoadams@gmail.com
Brooklyn Street Safety Coalition Meeting
We at Brooklyn New School are so lucky to have wonderful school crossing guards - but budgets have been cut and not all schools/neighborhoods have them! Join the next meeting of the Brooklyn Street Safety Coalition to plan the next direct action to demand full funding for school crossing guards. All are welcome! This coalition came about as a result of the death of Kamari Hughes on his way to school earlier this year, and we are working to make sure this never happens again to any of our children:
https://meet.google.com/rdn-qtkf-spn?hs=224
This is the link for a meeting Feb 7, 4-5pm.
Covid Hotline
If you test positive for Covid-19, NYC has a Covid Hotline, (212) 268-4319, simply call and you will be connected with telehealth, and they can call in a paxlovid prescription. You just need a positive test and to not be on any medications that conflict. They are slow off-hours, but can have you in and done in about 5 minutes during the day.
Save the Date for Makerfest 3/16!
Makerfest is coming soon!
Saturday March 16th, 1-4pm with a Quiet(er) Hour from 12-1pm!
Please sign up here if you would like to volunteer - we need people to lead an activity, do face-painting and more! ALL WELCOME!!!
Please contact PTA Co-President Elena with any questions or suggestions: elenatatelmt@gmail.com
Start saving your magazines and pasta sauce jars - we will be collecting them soon!
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
Bookmark the 2023–2024 DOE school calendar here. BNS events and important dates are also on the Konstella calendar.
February 5: First Day of Spring Afterschool Workshops
February 6: Mindfulness on Tuesdays (dance studio, 8:20am)
BNS Open Library (library, room 401, 2:30-3:30pm)
February 7: Half Hour Mindfulness Retreat for Families (dance studio, 8:10am)
PTA Executive Committee Meeting (zoom, 7:30pm)
February 8: Arts Committee (cafeteria, 8:20-9:30am)
February 12: Fundraising Committee Meeting (TBD, 8:20-9:30am)
BNS/BCS Parent Action Committee (PAC) Meeting (zoom, 8:00pm)
February 13: PTA General Meeting (zoom, 7:30pm)
Mindfulness on Tuesdays (dance studio, 8:20am)
BNS Open Library (library, room 401, 2:30-3:30pm)
February 14: Valentine’s Day Bake Sale (Henry and Rapeleye, 2:30-4:30pm)
February 19-23: Midwinter Recess - School Closed
Please see the full February BNS Calendar here.
*Please note that the paper calendars that were distributed were updated and will be re-distributed.
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)
MELISSA WU, Social Media Co-Chair, parent to Aion (1st 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
