This Week @ PS 88Q
January 16, 2022
A Message From Mrs. O'Shaughnessy
Each week, new protocols are written or amended, new policies, and new updates. This is just as challenging for us as well, but please always feel free to email me or your child's teacher for any clarification.
Special Education Recovery Services
I am excited to begin the next phase of our Special Education Recovery Services this week. For more information regarding these services, please check out this link:
https://www.schools.nyc.gov/learning/special-education/family-resources
Chess In School
Thank you to the generosity of Council Member Holden, we are about to kickoff a school wide Chess program! Chess in Schools has created passwords and log in information for all of our students in Grades 2-5! Students will receive their log in information this week. Our teachers will be part of the fun as well. I have added some information in this newsletter.
In Need of Technology (NYC DOE IPAD)
If your child does not have a DOE device, and you would like to request one, please click this link to request one.
https://forms.gle/BFaSX6nDEhrrA6jw5
For any information regarding the updated Covid-19 protocols, please refer to our past newsletters or https://www.schools.nyc.gov/school-life/health-and-wellness/covid-information
Chess In Schools
Your child has the gift of chess this school year!
At no cost to you, the NYC nonprofit educational organization Chess in the Schools, is providing your child with a free Gold Membership with ChessKid.com.
Chess teaches kids to think creatively, solve problems, build vocabulary, learn from their mistakes, and enjoy playing games.
ChessKid is a fun way for students to improve their skills in their free time. ChessKid.com is the website with lessons, videos, puzzles, games, and tournaments. Your child has a username and password to login to their own account. ChessKid works well on laptops, and as an app on iPads, tablets, and cellphones. We encourage students to login and practice after they have finished their homework and on weekends and holidays.
ChessKid is a safe, kid-friendly website with privacy controls and a wholesome, friendly, bully-free environment.
For more information: https://chessintheschools.org/
What's New With Our Student Council
PS 88Q Pride and Support For Our PTA
Get your cozy fleece during this upcoming new promo. Select item numbers will be available once the promo begins on the 19th of January. Don't be left out in the cold without your cozy fleece spirit wear.
And don't forget to use the promo code: FS20 for 20% off your purchase. Each time you place an order, your order number gets entered into a weekly raffle every Sunday night for a $100.00 eGift card.
Support your PTA. Profits made go towards school activities and funding. Thank you.
#babyitscoldoutside #WeArePS88Q #supportyourpta #showyourschoolspirit #togetherwecanachievetheextraordinary
Visit our website: https://www.ps88senecaspiritwear.com
Middle School Admissions Update
The DOE will continue to pause screening (using students’ academic records in admissions) for students entering middle school in fall 2022. If middle school programs have more applicants than seats, offers will continue to be made using admissions priorities and random selection––learn more about how admissions works.
NEW! Auditions
This year, arts-based middle school programs will resume holding auditions and make offers based on these auditions. Learn more, including the required components for specific programs, on the Middle School Auditions page.
NEW! Sibling Priority
We are excited to announce that, starting with Fall 2022 admissions, the DOE will phase in a sibling priority for middle school applicants citywide. This means:
This year, students entering middle school in fall 2022 who have a sibling in sixth grade during the 2021-2022 school year have a priority to attend the same school as that sibling if they apply to it.
Next year, students entering middle school in fall 2023 who have a sibling in sixth or seventh grade during the 2022-2023 school year will have a priority to attend the same school as that sibling if they apply to it.
This priority includes any full-siblings, half-siblings, step-siblings, and/or foster siblings who live in the same household as the applicant.
Applicants will keep the same priority to attend their sixth-grade sibling’s school whether you list it first or last on their application. When submitting your child's middle school application, you will be asked if the applicant has a sibling in sixth grade at a DOE middle school. If the answer is yes, you will be prompted to provide the sibling’s name and school. This information will then be verified with the middle school.
Select programs that are admitting students through the audition or language: criteria admissions methods would not have a sibling priority, as those programs have distinct criteria for admission.
Remember to list programs on your child's application in your true order of preference. For instance, if you list your child's sibling’s school second and the applicant does not get into their first-choice school, they will still have a priority to attend their sibling’s school.
NEW! Multiples Priority
If you have more than one child the same age applying to middle school (ie., twins), you may choose to submit identical applications for both children so they receive an offer to the same program:
If you have more than one middle school applicant connected to your MySchools account and want them to attend the same program, you only need to add choices to one application. Before submitting that application, you will be asked by MySchools if you'd like to add the same application choices to the other child’s (or children’s) application(s).
If you include an audition or language: criteria program on your children's identical applications, and only one child is accepted to that program, then the children may receive separate offers.
Kindergarten Application Closes Tuesday, January 18th
From now through January 18, 2022, all NYC families with children born in 2017 can apply to kindergarten by submitting an application. We encourage all families with children of this age to apply: NYC DOE kindergarten programs welcome and serve all children, including students with disabilities, English Language Learners, and students with accessibility needs. Even families of current pre-K students need to apply to participate in kindergarten admissions.
There is no advantage to applying early: all applications received by the deadline will be treated the same, and all families who apply by January 18 will receive a kindergarten offer this spring.
Apply to kindergarten one of the following ways:
Online with MySchools.nyc –– Recommended! Create a MySchools account to explore school options, save favorite programs, apply, and later get your child's offer. Watch the following tutorials to learn:
By phone at 718-935-2009
In person at a Family Welcome Center (schools.nyc.gov/FWC)
Learn more about how to apply and how students get offers at schools.nyc.gov/Kindergarten, which features a video playlist on elementary admissions. We also welcome families to attend a virtual event about kindergarten, pre-K, and 3-K admissions this winter––find dates, times, and information on how to join at schools.nyc.gov/ESEvents
Mindfulness on Parent University
Mindfulness is emerging in public education based on 60 years of teachers, parents, and families discovering and utilizing these strategies of stress management, attentional focus, awareness, acceptance, and self-regulation to:
Stay with & realize solutions to personal and public challenges and changes
Increase one's capacity to notice and appreciate life in ways that support resilience
Support joyful learning and growth
Develop critical thinking skills
New time! Join us each Tuesday and Thursday at 8pm as we build community and harness the power of self-care and self-healing through the discovery of the conscious breath, meditation, and movement.
Click here to enroll on Parent University (or search the course catalog under the “Health & Wellness” category)
City’s First Readers presents “Storytime Around the World”
Looking for free and fun kids reading activities in Spanish, Russian, Bengali, Tibetan, French,
Hindi, Urdu and more? Enjoy these stories in a variety of languages with the City's First Readers Storytime Around the World Playlist. Start reading with your child today!
Check out the Storytime playlist and preview here!
https://www.schools.nyc.gov/learning/student-journey/college-and-career-planning
https://www.schools.nyc.gov/learning/multilingual-learners/college-career-readiness-for-english-language-learners
https://www.schools.nyc.gov/learning/student-journey/college-and-career-planning/nyc-kids-rise-save-for-college-program
PS 88Q
Email: loshaughnessy@schools.nyc.gov
Website: https://www.ps88q.com/
Location: 60-85 Catalpa Avenue, Queens, NY, USA
Phone: 718-821-8121
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/P.S.88QPTA/
Twitter: @QPs88