PTA Newsletter No. 4 - 1/30/2024
Dear BNS Families,
Happy New Year! 🎆
There has been a chill in the air these past few weeks, one that has made me even more grateful for the warmth, joy, love, and compassion I feel every time I'm in the building at BNS. Our children are learning that the world is full of wonder, goodness, and possibility—and that we all have a responsibility to make our society the best it can be.
There are so many grown-ups to thank for this. Our teachers are masters of their craft. Each one seems to truly love the work they do and the children in their care. Our administrative team is seasoned, smart, and devoted to the community. Our amazing After School team has been going above and beyond to engage kids in many fun activities. Sarah and the Band team continue to bring the magic of music to our children every week. We have had SO MUCH parent involvement this year—our last PTA Meeting was standing room only and committees are humming. Our School Leadership Team is a wonderful community and a great way to learn about what's happening academically at BNS. The group meets monthly at 3:30 pm in the Library, and all are welcome to join.
Stay warm, and thank you for everything you do to make BNS a great place for our kiddos!
Sincerely,
Your BNS PTA
🔦 SPOTLIGHT ON KINDERGARTEN 🔦
Families met this month to discuss the kindergarten curriculum. In literacy, students are working on phonemic awareness and using the program Sounds in Motion. In math, they’re playing games with numbers up to 10 and practicing 1:1 correspondence. They’re also enjoying working with their teddy bears to build social-emotional skills! Importantly, kindergarteners are learning about how to be part of a learning community and balancing their own desires with the community’s plan.
To support your child at home, our teachers recommend working on fine motor skills through drawing and playing with play-doh, inviting creative time by putting out a basket of art supplies, and playing games with dice or board games like Uno and Connect Four. Try to give kids a chance to put on their own coats, shoes, etc. to foster independence.
More to look forward to this year: meeting with our third grade reading buddies, and shore school trips resuming in the spring!
✊ IMMIGRATION CONCERNS: KNOW YOUR RIGHTS ✊
The BNS/BCS Safety Team met on Jan. 8 to review the protocols for handling a visit from a non-local government agency. We continue these discussions with our entire staff during our weekly staff meetings on Mondays to ensure everyone is prepared in case one of these agencies visits our school.
You can find resources on the NYC Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs website.
Attend a “Know Your Rights” learning session.
Call NYC’s free and safe Immigration Legal Support Hotline at 800-354-0365.
💯 OPT OUT OF STATE TESTS 💯
New year, new opt out! State tests are scheduled for the spring. If you already know you want to opt your 3rd, 4th or 5th grader out, please fill out this form. AND. Please stay tuned for more info on opt out from PAC.
🚌 HOW TO REPORT ISSUES WITH THE SCHOOL BUS SERVICE 🚌
Call the Office of Pupil Transportation (OPT) at 718-392-8855 as promptly as possible. Ask for a ticket number for your complaint. OPT should not direct you to call a bus company (they won’t answer) or school staff. Keep the ticket number and date of the complaint so that you can escalate the complaint if needed.
🫂 Better Together is this Saturday! 🫂
Join us for one of our favorite events of the year, celebrating the diversity of the BNS community. We’ll have an open mic, art, music, food, face painting, and fellowship. Jose, our BAX teaching artist who is in his 32nd year at BNS, will be helping to lead the festivities. Bring a dish to share if you’d like!
Friends and neighbors who aren’t part of the BNS community are more than welcome!
🗣️ Spread the word about BNS 🗣️
Our next open house is Thursday, Feb. 6 at 5 pm on Zoom. We welcome prospective families to hear from school leadership, learn about our engaging hands-on curriculum, and ask questions. Let your friends and neighbors know!
🎶 SUPPORT OUR BAND 🎶
Enter a raffle to win a collection of delicious Belgian chocolates and a four-person chocolate tasting with Chocolatier Geneieve Leloup. The tasting date will be scheduled in advance of the drawing and will be announced to all winners. 100% of proceeds will support the BNS band. Buy your raffle ticket or donate to the band here.
🎨 COME CRAFT WITH THE ARTS COMMITTEE 🎨
Come craft with the Arts Committee
Join the Arts Committee this Thursday, 1/30 at 9 am in the cafeteria. We are collaborating with DEI to prepare for a community art piece that will be made at Better Together. We are also creating a hand-painted banner of Guiding Principles for Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action. Everyone welcome!
📝 GRANT COMMITTEE MEETING - THURSDAY 1/30 📝
Grant Committee will be meeting Thursday 1.30 at 9am in the Cafeteria led by our Grant Committee Chairs Dawn and Alisa. A late congratulations to Sarah from our team who successfully landed us $4977 from NYCPS Office of Energy and Sustainability Project Grant in Gardens & Outdoor Learning for repairing the garden bins and cricket coop. A few grants that have been worked on are the Participatory Budget & Fund for Public School/Play structure, McCarthy Dressman grant, Pinkerton Foundation for 4th Grade Musical & School wide Max (due April/May). We still need a writer for the Humana Foundation grant for food/ swim/ sustainability/ wellness. Current in the works is also the Catskill Watershed Corporation Education Grant to cover our camping trips. Please join us for the latest updates, learn more about our works and share your thoughts!
Join an SLT meeting
All parents are welcome to attend our School Leadership Team (SLT) meetings on the third Tuesday of every month from 3:30pm-5 pm in the library. The SLT brings families, teachers and administrators together to collaborate in shaping our children’s education. Come learn what school leadership is focusing on and contribute your own ideas.
“BNS is such a unique school, but we have to do the work to ensure that it can continue pursuing the inquiry-based learning that we love. The SLT is a great way to be a part of that process. Although my time as a voting member is over, I still love attending.” Abby Cook-Mack, BNS parent
GET INVOLVED @ BNS!
Volunteer Opportunities
Join a PBA Panel: Performance Based Assessment panels are opportunities for students to reflect on their learning with a panel of adults. We need volunteers for the fifth grade panels February 10-13. The only requirement is curiosity about what our students are studying! Sign up here.
BNS Merch: If you're interested in helping to run the merch table at any school event, contact bnsmerch146@gmail.com
Spring Fling: This is a critical fundraiser for BNS, and we need lots of help to make it a success! Reach out to fundraising@bns146.org to get involved.
Food Sponsor: We’re looking for a food sponsor to help provide delicious eats for the event.
General Sponsors: Local businesses are invited to become sponsors for the Spring Fling. In exchange for your support, we offer promotional opportunities.
Silent Auction Donations: We’re looking for exciting items to feature in our silent auction—events, experiences, travel, and local business donations are all welcome!
Event Volunteers: We need volunteers to assist with day-of logistics. Any time you can offer is greatly appreciated!
BNS Author Day: We are excited to host Jacqueline Woodson on March 4 at 5:30 pm. Volunteer to help with this event.
Bake Sale at the Fourth Grade Musical: We are hosting a cafe with coffee, tea, and savory items before and after the musical on Feb. 12 and 13. We need folks to help make/buy food and run the sales. Please sign up here (note separate signups for the two dates).
Corporate matching: Check with your workplace to see if your company matches donations. Questions? Reach out to Krystina at bnsptatreasurer@gmail.com. Check them ways to give to BNS here.
📸 PHOTO SALES 📸
Did you know Picture Day is a fundraiser for BNS?
BNS will receive 15% of sales, but here's the catch: we need to generate school picture orders for at least 50% of the students by February 28th to make it happen. Right now we are at 17%!
So don’t delay, place an order today. All the info you need to order is at iloveschoolpictures.com/BNS.
📅 UPCOMING EVENTS & MEETINGS 📅
Thursday,1/30: Arts Committee/DEI Committee meeting - making art for Better Together and Black Lives Matter at School Week (8:20 am, cafeteria)
Thursday,1/30: Grant writing committee meeting (9 am, cafeteria)
Friday, 1/31: Families as Learning Partners meeting on literacy development (8:20 am, room 124)
Friday, 1/31: Food committee meeting (10 am, Zoom)
Friday, 1/31: Last day to order See’s Candies for Valentine’s Day!
Saturday, 2/1: Better Together celebration at BNS (11-1:30)
Monday, 2/3: Friends of BNS Fundraising meeting (8 pm, Zoom)
Tuesday, 2/4: Open library (2:30-3:30)
Wednesday, 2/5: Annual BNS/BCS building safety meeting for families (9-9:30, Zoom)
Wednesday, 2/5: BNS Farmstand (2-4:30)
Thursday, 2/6: Open house for prospective families (5 pm, Zoom)
Thursday, 2/6: Arts Committee
Friday, 2/7: PTA meeting (8:20 am, room 124)
Tuesday, 2/11: Open library (2:30-3:30)
Wednesday, 2/12: DEI meeting (7:30, Zoom)
Wednesday, 2/12: Fourth grade musical part 1 (5 pm, cafeteria)
Thursday, 2/13: Arts Committee
Thursday, 2/13: Fourth grade musical part 2 (5 pm, cafeteria)
Friday, 2/14: Fourth grade musical party (8:10 am, cafeteria)
Monday 2/17 – Friday 2/21: SCHOOL CLOSED for Midwinter Recess ❅ ❆ ❉
Tuesday 2/25 School Leadership Team Meeting in the Library (2:30-5:00pm)
Thursday, 2/27: Arts Committee
🔗 HELPFUL LINKS 🔗
Get four free COVID tests sent to you by mail
Fourth graders: Get a free pass to our national parks for a year!
See what’s on the menu at the cafeteria this week (note BNS serves the “high school hot lunch” menu). Remember, FREE breakfast and lunch are available for all students!
