Linda Mazza, Principal
Lisa Pagano, Assistant Principal
February 05, 2015
Volume 6, Issue 18
PRINCIPAL’S NEWS
SCHOOL CLOSINGS
CASA GRANT AFTERSCHOOL
 February 16-20 - Midwinter
Recess
 April 3-10 - Spring Recess
KINDERGARTEN AND
PRESCHOOL APPLICATION
PERIOD
The Kindergarten application
period opens on January 7, 2015,
and closes on February 7, 2015.
All applications must be
submitted online or at a
Borough Enrollment office. All
current pre-k students must
submit an application for
kindergarten. You should receive
an Elementary School Directory
from your pre-k teacher. If you
need assistance, please see
Sergio Borrero, Parent
Coordinator.
You can also visit
www.nyc.gov/schools/kindergarten
or
www.nyc.gov/schools/EnrollmentOffices
The preschool application period
opens on March 16 and closes on
April 24, 2015. The same
procedures will apply as those for
kindergarten. Please read the
blurb above.
We are delighted to announce the start of our after-school arts program through
Brooklyn Arts Council. The program has come to us through the generosity of a CASA
grant provided through Councilman Menchaca’s office. This program runs on
Thursdays from 2:45- 4:15. The first date for this program is Thursday February 5th and
will continue on Thursdays into June. This program is only available to 2nd and 3rd
graders. Offer letters have been sent home. If you did not respond, your spot will be
given to the next person on our waiting list.
TITLE III AFTERSCHOOL
Our Title III afterschool is happening on Thursdays from 2:45 to 4:15. This program will
continue until April 2nd. This program is available to all English Language Learners who
are or have been serviced by our ESL teachers.
ATTENTION PARENTS!
During your child's Title III Program on Thursday afternoons, there will be Adult English
workshops provided by Ms. Wood from 2:45-4:00 in the Library. All parents are
welcome and you do not need to sign-up--just come to class! We will work on computer
skills, practice English conversation, and have presentations to teach you how to help
your children with literacy, math, and homework.
TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND PROGRAM
PS 295 and New Voices will be partnering with the Trust for Public Land. The Trust for
Public Land (TPL) is a non-profit organization that helps transform existing sites into
parks, playgrounds, and trails. We have been given the preliminary approval to begin
the participatory design program for our blacktop. How that works is that groups of
students from both schools (fourth & sixth graders) will be involved in a 10-week
program where the students will reflect on community needs and through expert
guidance create potential designs for the blacktop. From design stage to project
completion, we are looking at an 18 -24 month process. This program will run on
Mondays from February 2nd through April 13th. The curriculum is extremely focused and
quick moving so that the students can be finished with their designs by mid-April.
THE DRAMA STUDIO COMES TO INSTAGRAM
If you’ve been enjoying Ms. Shen’s ps295visualarts account on Instagram, you’re going
to love ps295drama! Now that the school play has completed its blockbuster run, Ms.
Cat is turning her attention to social media to share our kids’ creativity with parents all
year long. As with the ps295visualarts account, ps295drama is private; Ms. Cat will
personally approve each follow request, and the photos will not be accessible to anyone
she hasn’t approved. Just search for ps295drama on Instagram, click the “+Follow”
button, and you’ll soon have a front-row seat to the best shows in town!
Website: www.ps295.org
Yahoo Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PS295PTA/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PS295
Linda Mazza, Principal
Lisa Pagano, Assistant Principal
February 05, 2015
Volume 6, Issue 18
PTA NEWS & INFORMATION
CONFESSIONS OF A PTA MEETING NON-ATTENDER
IMPORTANT DATES
 February 9th- LiceXchange 2nd
visit
 February 9th – 13th - Spirit Week
o
o
o
o
o
2/9-Moustache Monday
2/10-Twin Tuesday
2/11-Crazy Hat Wednesday
2/12-PS 295 Gear Day
2/13-Pajama Day
 February 11th- Bagel Bits
 February 12th- Fitnessgram @
Armory (Gr. 4 & 5)
 February 13th-5th Grade
Graduation Planning Meeting
8:30AM
 February 16th-20th-Mid-Winter
Recess
 February 24th-Last Armory Day
(Grades 3 -5)
FOLLOW
PS295VISUALARTS ON
INSTAGRAM
Ms. Shen-Ribeiro has set up an
Instagram account to share her
classes’ creations with family
members! The account is under
the name ps295visualarts. Check
it out today!
50% OFF ICE SKATING AT
PROSPECT PARK
We have eight vouchers (50% off)
for the Prospect Park ice skating
rink (www.lakesidebrooklyn.com).
Please contact Sergio Borrero.
Website: www.ps295.org
I’ll admit it—I wasn’t always the first person in the door for PTA meetings. I went to a
grand total of one meeting during my first two years at PS 295, and before that I hadn’t
made it to a single one during two years at PS 39. Life is busy enough without having to
go back to school on a Tuesday night or stay late after drop-off. But since I started doing
it more often (at first, mainly to be a supportive husband for my PTA-nerd wife), I’ve
noticed two things.
First, I’ve noticed how many people do come to these meetings. This week, at a
rescheduled meeting on a frigid, icy, and generally awful day, about two dozen stayed to
discuss everything from how our curriculum helps students learn to think and read
critically, to how we could make it easier for teachers to park their cars near the school
in bad weather. You see a lot of the same people month to month, but you also see a lot
of people who rotate through now and then, and that’s great too. Near the beginning and
end of the year, we might get twice as many or more. The level of parent engagement in
this school is really remarkable—a lot of schools have to work pretty hard to get their
parents involved, but people show up at PS 295 interested and active, and it really
makes this community special. It all ends up in the classroom, of course, where parents
play an active role in bringing new enrichment opportunities into the school and provide
the funding to go above and beyond what the DoE pays for. Our kids are fortunate to be
spending their days in a place like this.
Second, although I’d once teased Amy about her PTA nerdliness, I’ve come to
realize that it really is pretty interesting. Not just the critical thinking and parking—there’s
so much happening at this school, from PTA events and programs to new initiatives like
mindfulness training for all students, on-site registration for IDNYC cards, and the
transformation of the blacktop by the Trust for Public Land. Linda is exceptionally open
as a principal, and gives long and thoughtful answers to questions—we take it for
granted, but parents at larger or colder schools can’t count on that kind of access.
Maybe more than anything, it’s where parents come together for an hour or so a month
to share the experience of having kids in the school—the challenges they’re facing, how
the school is addressing them, how we’re working to inspire them further.
The point of all this is just to say—thanks for being a great parent community, and
for showing up in any kind of weather.
WELLNESS WARRIORS NEEDED!
The PS 295 wellness program needs new energy! We have lots of programs and
partnerships in the school, including Wellness in the Schools, Garden-to-Café,
composting, recycling, the Farmers Market, the school gardens—it’s a longtime area of
strength. What we don’t have is a solid core team of parents to coordinate these
activities, help set priorities, and rally volunteers. Can you help nourish all things green
at PS 295? Our Wellness in the Schools partner Ellen Emerson will be here for a
meeting Thursday, Feb. 12 after drop-off. If you can make it—and even if you can’t—
please let us know you’re interested! Email Dan a [email protected] or find me in the
courtyard.
Yahoo Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PS295PTA/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PS295
Linda Mazza, Principal
Lisa Pagano, Assistant Principal
February 05, 2015
Volume 6, Issue 18
BROOKLYN BOOGIE BRUNCH TICKETS ARE NOW ON SALE
We’re rapidly approaching another sellout for our second Brooklyn Boogie Brunch! Tickets are on sale now at the
Littlefield website here: http://www.littlefieldnyc.com/event/775315 You can find more information about the event here:
http://www.ps295.org/pta/brooklyn-boogie-brunch-2015 We’ll also have paper tickets for sale in the courtyard next
week. Great bands, craft projects, tasty food—last year’s was a ton of fun, and this one will be too. WE NEED
VOLUNTEERS! People to drive stuff over to Littlefield that morning, set up, help with food and the raffle, clean up—
there’s something for everyone! If you’d like to volunteer, email Maria at [email protected] or ask Sergio to
introduce you. (Note that volunteers will still need to buy tickets—it’s a fundraiser, after all).
THE LIBRARY NEEDS LOVE
The PS 295 school library was created by parents (including our own Susan Weseen!) and parents help keep it alive.
The Library Committee is a very easy, low-impact way to get involved but it’s also quite rewarding. The group meets
once a month or so, but even if you can’t make it to a single meeting you can drop by as your schedule allows to help
re-shelve books. It’s a great way to see the kids in their natural habitat, and the Dewey Decimal System can be oddly
soothing after a while. Other jobs include repairing damaged books, helping to cull the collection of outdated books,
arranging author visits, and stuff like that. You’ll come to love the library as much as the kids do! Give it a try—email
Katharine James at [email protected] or send a note with your child to Susan Weseen in the library.
ANOTHER CUPCAKE FRIDAY SUCCESS
Even on a windy, chilly day, we raised $367, just $10 less than our best ever! A lot of people brought cupcakes, so we
had just enough. Please keep it going! At this rate, we might make enough on cupcakes to cover the entire classroom
supplies budget we provide for every teacher in the school. Now that would be sweet.
TOUCH-A-TRUCK IS GEARING UP
Get it? Gearing up like a truck? Anyway, May 2 will be here before we know it! We’ve turned in our petition to the
Community Board to close 18th St., and we have many fascinating and touch-worthy trucks lined up with more to
come. If you know of a truck that kids might like to explore, whether your own or a friend or relative’s, let us know!
We’re also open to sponsorships; in the past we’ve had businesses like Fairway, Checklist Home Services, and Target
put their names on the event. As our biggest fundraiser—we raise more money on this day than at every other event
combined—Touch-a-Truck is an essential resource for the school, paying the entire salary of a part-time teacher each
of the last few years. If you can help with trucks or sponsors, please email Debra Doogan at
[email protected]. We’ll be calling for volunteers soon, and we’ll need a lot of them—please plan to
spend Saturday, May 2 at the school! It’s a great day for the PS 295 community. You won’t want to miss it.
OUR BUDDING ARTISTS ON INSTAGRAM
If you’re on Instagram, make sure to follow ps295visualarts! Our kids are doing some great things in the art studio with
Ms. Shen, and she shares it with us in living color online.
CBE KIDS AFTERSCHOOL SESSIONS STILL AVAILABLE
We’re nearing the end of the first week of the winter/fall session, but it’s not too late to sign up for afterschool activities.
They keep your kids busy until 6 pm, and they even get a bunch of homework done—pretty handy! If you’re interested,
you’ll find information and registration under the AFTERSCHOOL tab on at www.ps295.org, and Sergio can provide
paper versions and general help.
Website: www.ps295.org
Yahoo Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PS295PTA/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PS295