PSMS 278

Dear PS/MS 278 Families,

While at a distance, you and our students’ health and well-being continue to be at the forefront of our minds this week:

— To our graduating students, our staff are continuing to think about you and plans are in the works to honor and celebrate you during this important milestone. Ms. Sanchez, Mr. Irizarry, and I look forward to joining the 8th grad classes next week. We understand the loss you are feeling and planning for you is one of our highest priorities!

— To our parents, parenting is never easy but we’re all facing new challenges ourselves. If your children are acting out, it’s entirely normal! Their feelings of stress, anxiety, and loss are just as real as ours, though may manifest itself in very different ways (e.g. refusing to eat anything but macaroni and cheese or fighting with siblings). Child Mind Institute is offering parenting workshops tailored to COVID 19 through Facebook live. The topics range from self-care, to supporting with remote learning, to behavior management. They have recorded webinars as well as workshops every day at 10am and then 4:30pm: www.facebook.com/ChildMindInstitute/live/.

–To any families needing support connecting to any social services, please continue to reach out to us! Attached is an excellent resource for accessing support for a wide range of topics including affordable housing, domestic violence, food banks, health care, immigration services, and utilities.

— Starting Monday, we’ll kick off our 278 Spirit Week with “Morale Monday.” Show us how you are supporting and shouting out our first responders, healthcare, and other service workers! To participate and get directions, join our “#We Love 278 Self-Care” Google Classrooms.” Here is a reminder of the Google classroom links:

•Students in Grades K-2: hh3lano
•Students in Grades 3-5: kpqcdw6
•Students in Grades 6-8: cff375a

Additionally, I wanted to provide you with an overview of how our remote learning has evolved and next steps we are taking to be responsive to feedback from students, staff, and families. Our vision for teaching and learning via remote learning aligns with an asynchronous teaching model, meaning teachers post recorded lessons and assignments that students complete at different times. This structure flexibly allows all of our students to access teaching & learning at a time that meets their family’s needs. Thus far, our work has been focused creating a Google Classroom for each class/teacher, improving the organization of the classrooms for easier access to learning materials, and expanding our staff’s electronic “toolkit” to provide recorded instruction to support student’s ability to complete aligned tasks. The next critical phase to this work is to ensure all classes also have “live” teaching and learning experiences as a supplement to the asynchronous model. These live experiences include teacher office hours and opportunities for targeted small group or individual instruction, as needed.

In closing, you must know that we really miss you. We miss seeing the “spark”, when the lightbulb clicks on and one of our kids understands something they’ve been struggling with. We miss the laughter in our hallways and the messy fun that is recess. And we miss being able to share a quick hug, high-five, or smile of encouragement. We continue to look for ways to replicate these experiences during the school closure and are grateful for your continued partnership!

Be well,

Bryanna Velazquez

Please complete by Friday, March 20, 2020

Remote Learning Device Request

To help students stay connected during emergencies, the DOE is lending internet-enabled iPads to support remote learning for students.
The DOE will use the contact information you provide to get in touch with you to discuss when and where you can pick up a device.
Please, complete the survey (link below) by TODAY FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 2020.

coronavirus.schools.nyc/RemoteLearningDevices

or call 718 – 935 -5100 and choose option 5.

Remote learning through the end of the school year

Free Meals and Instruction Update

Dear PS/MS 278 Families,

As you are aware, the mayor’s announced key changes for how our school will be operating during the time of the coronavirus pandemic. While specific policies and guidelines will be evolving from the Chancellor’s Office in the coming days, I wish to communicate several things of large importance to our PS/MS 278 community.

First, grab and go will be available from 7:30 AM – 1:30 PM at our main entrance for any student who needs breakfast and lunch.

Secondly, school buildings are now projected to remain closed through the end of the school years. Updates related to this timeline will be communicated from the mayor and will be available on the DOE website.

In addition, the DOE, as a system, is moving towards a new remote learning model for all school days missed during this time. For one week (Tuesday, March 17 – Thursday, March 19), teachers and support staff will be engaging in professional development and prepare to provide this instruction remotely to students.

Finally, the DOE will also be supporting us to ensure students who need it, will be able to have access to technology necessary or remote learning. More guidelines to families and schools from the central office will be sent this week.

In the meantime, the DOE has already begun posting ​learning resources for students in grades Pre-K through 12; they are currently available online at schools.nyc.gov/learnathome. These are supplementary learning resources to help you encourage student learning while they are at home this week and for any past absences. More information about remote learning, meals, and other core services will be made available for families at schools.nyc.gov.

Please know that we will remain in contact with you as we receive updates through this process. Tomorrow, I will also be releasing contact information for key staff members where you can direct your individual questions. We are grateful for all of your support as we navigate these unprecedented transitions.

Take care,

Bryanna Velazquez

After serving as our interim Principal this Fall, Bryanna Velazquez has been selected to be the appointed principal of PSMS278. We are excited to officially welcome her as part of our 278 community.

Thank you parents, students and alums who helped unloading and spreading mulch on Saturday morning, November 23. Beautiful, healthy and fresh mulch was dropped off by the New York Restoration Project and we set down a healthy bed of compost and wood chips for our trees out front and out back of the school. Many hands made light work! 

We are back to school and it is terrific to see our children so excited to see their teachers and friends and continue with their love of learning at 278. Did you know that as a parent, guardian or teacher at 278, you are automatically a member of our PTA?

The PTA of PSMS 278 is dedicated to ensuring the education of the whole child so all our children can reach their full potential. Keep an eye out for our Be Thankful Fall Membership drive.

This year, we have committed to spending more than $60,000 in support of our children’s academic, arts, and athletic activities. We will also be hosting a variety of community building events. Our suggested donation for the year is only $10 per student. But of course, every dollar is important, so please consider giving a monthly recurring donation of $10 per month!

PSMS 278 is known for its incredibly active and involved PTA and parent community and we look to each incoming parent body to replace (and exceed) the generosity of our outgoing parents.

Ways to Give:

• Send cash or check (payable to the PTA of PSMS278) in an envelope marked “PTA Giving” to school with your student.
• Go to the DONATE page and click the “Paylite” or “Zelle” for electronic giving options which allow you to make a one-time contribution or schedule a recurring donation ($10/month)

Did you know that the more active parents are in their children’s schools and education, the better their kids do in school?

The PTA of PSMS278 Inc. is a 501c3 organization (EIN #27-2675233) so your gift is tax deductible! If your company matches gifts, please email psms278treasurer@gmail.com to talk about those options!

https://www.situationproject.org/experiences

“Situation Project is on a mission to stimulate and expand the imaginations of students in local communities by increasing their access to arts & culture experiences.” 278 is partnering with this incredible organization so that our middle school students can experience Broadway shows for free!

“Situation Project raises awareness about the many benefits of an arts-rich education for the leaders of tomorrow and increases their access to cultural experiences. They work with New York City public schools, leading arts & culture institutions, and corporate partners to provide immersive and educational programming. Their partners have included Disney Theatricals, Cirque Du Soleil, Google, and more. We also provide organizations with information on how to increase awareness for the arts in their communities.”

Join the fun and volunteer!

JUNE 8th 11am – 5pm

10th Annual Spring Fair!

Click here to volunteer