PS174 William Sidney Mount " Soaring to Excellence"

Fall is a time for changes. We notice changes in the weather

with wind blowing fallen leaves;

the trees colors changes from green, to gold, reds and browns.

Soon, we will notice the mornings and evenings start to get chilly with sweaters and sweatshirts to wear on your way to school.

Fall brings a new school year. Every year we start off fresh with new shoes, or new books, and new teachers and new friends.

Just look at this school. The halls, the displays, the care that is taken for all of the children and all of the families in our school. Look at the calendars, the websites, and newsletters that are sent home from the teachers, from Mrs. Hui, and from the administration. Each September the results of the School Quality Review and the New York School Survey are published to give us information and feedback on how we can continue to do a better job. In each of the areas - communicating information, academic expectations, and sharing ideals of respect and structures for safety – we look for ways to address all current concerns with an action plan.

Our School Leadership Team works analyzing specifically the results of surveys, student assessments data and all feedback from our District Superintendent and other visitors from the Department of Education. You will be voting on two parent members this evening. I am looking to all of you, our parent association, for suggestions – written, concrete suggestions, of how can make our school better. Just this month we updated our school grading policy to be accurate and consistent with the DOE report card. This was addressed from parent feedback.

Whenever we have events, we collect feedback forms. Just this week, we signed in over 175 family members for the Dads Bring You Child to School day and another 400 for our Curriculum – Meet the Teachers. From our feedback, we are planning a “Weekend Family Meet Up” on a weekend in November.

It is important for you to share your ideas, your recommendations, your insights with us – with your PA board members, your School Leadership Team parent members, with your child’s teacher, with Mrs. Hui our Parent coordinator, with our AP Mrs. Kobetitsch, and me, your principal.

Every year we are also challenged by meeting the needs of diverse learners. This year, there is more information to learn about

Academic expectations,

Common Core Learning Standards,

New York City and New York State Assessments – You may have seen the two new awards on display in our lobby. One from New York City Department of Education and one from the New York State Education Department. This summer I was thrilled to go to Tweed Courthouse and receive the awards for Recognition School – not only achievement, but also progress for all of our student groups at PS 174. Please know that we assess the learning of children every day, by listening to their discussions, by reading their writing, by checking their assignments, and hearing them read fluently.

By law, every school in New York City and New York State is expected to educate students with special needs in their home zone schools. We are assure our program to meet the diverse needs of all of our children, in every one of our grades from Pre K through grade 5 – supports for special education, speech and language, English as a second language, as well as social and emotional development.

Every Year there are Changes

A new sweater; new sneakers…we hear many “squeaking in the hallways.”

An apple tree grows, in our own garden on Ellwell, filled with ripening granny smiths!

A new grade, new teachers, new students.

Please remember that you may contact each of our teachers and other staff members via email on the Contacts Page of the website. And also know that a note is always the best communication to the classroom teachers since they are teaching during the day and may not check emails up to the minute. REMIND is being used for busing and CLASSTAG for classrooms. I will also be using both Apps for quick school level documents, notifications, and REMIND for bus delays.

Yes, we have new teachers – Music and a grade 2/3 special education teacher.

Listening to the parent survey from last spring, the cluster program continues with Music, STEM Science, Library, Visual Arts, and two periods for Physical Education, as well as Mrs. Friedman for GATE enrichment and special programs.

Special School Programs –

This year, we look to continue with many of our programs such as: our Math Olympiads program, for math problem solving in grades 4 and 5. For years, we were visited by the expanding Math Club from Russell Sage JHS, including many of our alumni, and the students reflect on their early math instruction. The students all spoke of their 174 math teachers, and competitive strategies learned here at PS 174. We continue to see our 174 Pi Day students all excelling in mathematics and all subjects as they prepare for High School. Now the Math TEAM has teamed up with us – expanding their community service - working with fourth and fifth graders and our teachers. Our fifth graders have been invited to the Russell Sage Math Camp each summer, and continue their interest and dedication to this subject as a bridge from elementary to junior high school. Additionally we will introduce a new online program called, “Math Madness Online Tournament.” This is supplemental for interested students, made possible as a parting “gift” to PS 174 from a generous fifth grader’s family.

Our Scripps Spelling Bee is another highlight of the year, with a Spelling Club advised by AP Kobetitsch. We will continue with for the Class Spelling Bees and Grade Level champions. All interested students study and prepare for classroom and then grade level, with our fourth and fifth graders going to the District 28 competitions. Over the past several years, PS 174 successfully competed in both the Queens and Citywide Spelling Bees. Thank you to the Parent Association for your support of enrolling our school in this every year.

We are planning for continuation of our Young Debaters program, with instruction for every fifth grader in the art and craft of public speaking. We know that our students are eloquent in both speaking and writing, as evidenced by the many, many students who are winning (and continue to win) essay and book contests. For the past five years, our students have won honors in the Citywide Contest – Ezra Jack Keats bookmaking – with two of our PS 174 students the winners for all schools in Queens.

For our recess time, we have been fortunate to take part in a program from Asphalt Green – with training and visits from a Coach. The coach provides training in how to play in a school yard and in an auditorium or gym. The sessions include outside days and inside days, and provide our school aides with resources and structures for organized play in large groups. The training was so successful, that we hope to implement it again in an expanded format this year. For this, we will need your support through fund raising. This program is organized so that play is more structured and safe, with students learning sportsmanship, taking turns, and rules of play.

New books – we unpacked scores of cartons of materials!

Cartons and cartons of Fundations materials Amplfied Science grades 4 and 5. Social studies for every grade, new math program Envisions 2.0 for all grades, including the online supplements and manipulatives…and a brand new Math program for grades K-5. As you know, for eight years we have used Simple Solutions grammar books for grades 1-5. This year we have again purchased the books for these grades. This grammar workbook for homework practice assures the basics in sentence structure, verb tenses, word use and writing mechanics. We are hopeful that the students will become automatic in their writing including proper punctuation, word use and verb tense. All of these materials are used to prepare our students for not just elementary, middle and high school, but for college and the 21st century!

These are all connected to the Common Core Learning Standards are being applied to all subject areas, with teachers communicating both individual and grade level goals each month. You will find these published on our website, PS174.org. Our teacher teams and data inquiry groups work to align both ELA tasks, content and materials as well as math concepts and expectations to the Common Core Learning Standards. You will see these goals, aligned to the standards, updated every month to six weeks for all subjects. Teachers also prepare quarterly Parent Newsletters to keep families informed.

One of the initiatives and themes we have for this school year is – Full STEAM ahead…..engaging project based learning in Science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics. Last year, we installed the upgrade to our school’s technology with the installation of new Smartboards in sixteen classrooms and are hopeful that additional funding becomes available for more upgrades . The STEM Lab and library received extra-large wall mounted flat screen boards as well. Our two carts of 32 student laptops have all been are being used daily, – one for the first floor and another to the second floor. Mr. Pizza worked this summer to reimage all of the other 100 laptops and computers in classrooms. This, in addition to the programmed periods in the computer lab – one period for grades K-2 and two per week for grades 3-5, assures that every student has access to latest in technology.

Also new this year:

• From the NYC Council “Participatory Budgeting” allocation from Councilmember, Karen Koslowitz, look forward to two water bottle filling stations.

• Additionally, New York City Councilmember, Karen Koslowitz has increased her allocation with the air conditioning of our auditorium and plans are drawn for upgrades to include AC in all our classrooms!

• Requests for this year include funding to support future projects such as for a new kitchen and cafeteria upgrades.

Please sign up for the Classtag app…..many of our classroom teachers are using it to share information through one way text messages. Know that we will also be using REMIND for texts to families who may be waiting at bus stops and need to learn of delays such as weather, maintenance or traffic delays.

Also, please check the school’s Twitter feed for the latest in all of our schools projects, programs, activities and events. Here we have updates on techie tools and toys. We have received a few grants for new and engaging STEM products – OSMOs for Numbers and Coding and Lego Mindstorm Robotics kits are just some examples. Our Donors Choose projects are continually funded – with art supplies, tech toys, books and events. Currently we have 4 posted projects. Many corporate sponsors support public education, as do the very generous families of our school. We know that our families support the efforts of the teachers because they contribute generously – with several projects funded already this month.

Arts education means more musical performances for each grade level with our new music teacher Mrs. Stephan, as well as an expansion to our Artists Residencies. This year we plan to continue with our experience with Circle of Dance for PreK-Grade 1, The Joyce Theater dance for Grades 2-4, Inside Broadway and American Ballet Theater for Grade 3, The Lincoln Center Nutcracker Project for Grade 4, and Dancing Classrooms for Grade 5.

We are thrilled to receive allocations each year, from you, our generous Parents Association for partial funding for every one of the dance programs for all of our students.

Fundraising efforts from you, have supported Arts Education over the past decade. There is a school “wish list” for support for each grade – including dancing and visuals arts for each grade. These experiences have included field trips for students to visit farms, museums and shows. They have also brought the arts experiences to our school with puppets, magic, science and history assembly programs. Support for and from the Parent Association also has brought us visual arts supplies and instruction for our students. I am most hopeful that these efforts will not only continue but expand. Presently we are looking for additional computers, student tablets, and support for our school. Our Grade 5 debaters for the past three years at CUNY Law school and aspire to do it again this Fall.

Thank you for your support; your generosity; and most of all, for sharing your most precious children with our staff every day. Know that we are here for you………myself, Mrs. Kobetitsch, Mrs. Hui, our Parent Coordinator, and every single one of the teachers and staff of PS 174.

You are lucky to have such a group of caring educators and caregivers here on Dieterle Crescent.

Know too, PA members, how great it is to have such a dedicated Executive Board. I present to you, your PA Executive Board.

Co-Presidents Lisette Accosta

Rosa Barney

Panya Rios

Co-Vice-President's Soo Nam Buckley

Yuri Finisterre

Jean Hahn-Choko

Co-Recording Secretary: Angelina Fernandez

Melissa Salles

Treasurer Karina Iturrios

Assembly Coordinators Eldon Looby and Gina Looby

Grant Writing Shweta Jain


Fall is a time for changes. We notice changes in the weather
	with wind blowing fallen leaves;
	the trees colors changes from green, to gold, reds and browns.


Soon, we will notice the mornings and evenings start to get chilly with sweaters and sweatshirts to wear on your way to school.
	Fall brings a new school year. Every year we start off fresh with new shoes, or new books, and new teachers and new friends.

Just look at this school. The halls, the displays, the care that is taken for all of the children and all of the families in our school. Look at the calendars, the websites, and newsletters that are sent home from the teachers, from Mrs. Hui, and from the administration. Each September the results of the School Quality Review and the New York School Survey are published to give us information and feedback on how we can continue to do a better job. In each of the areas - communicating information, academic expectations, and sharing ideals of respect and structures for safety – we look for ways to address all current concerns with an action plan.

Our School Leadership Team works analyzing specifically the results of surveys, student assessments data and all feedback from our District Superintendent and other visitors from the Department of Education. You will be voting on two parent members this evening. I am looking to all of you, our parent association, for suggestions – written, concrete suggestions, of how can make our school better. Just this month we updated our school grading policy to be accurate and consistent with the DOE report card. This was addressed from parent feedback.

Whenever we have events, we collect feedback forms. Just this week, we signed in over 175 family members for the Dads Bring You Child to School day and another 400 for our Curriculum – Meet the Teachers. From our feedback, we are planning a “Weekend Family Meet Up” on a weekend in November.

It is important for you to share your ideas, your recommendations, your insights with us – with your PA board members, your School Leadership Team parent members, with your child’s teacher, with Mrs. Hui our Parent coordinator, with our AP Mrs. Kobetitsch, and me, your principal.

Every year we are also challenged by meeting the needs of diverse learners. This year, there is more information to learn about
	Academic expectations,
	Common Core Learning Standards,

	New York City and New York State Assessments – You may have seen the two new awards on display in our lobby. One from New York City Department of Education and one from the New York State Education Department. This summer I was thrilled to go to Tweed Courthouse and receive the awards for Recognition School – not only achievement, but also progress for all of our student groups at PS 174. Please know that we assess the learning of children every day, by listening to their discussions, by reading their writing, by checking their assignments, and hearing them read fluently.

	By law, every school in New York City and New York State is expected to educate students with special needs in their home zone schools. We are assure our program to meet the diverse needs of all of our children, in every one of our grades from Pre K through grade 5 – supports for special education, speech and language, English as a second language, as well as social and emotional development.

Every Year there are Changes
	A new sweater; new sneakers…we hear many “squeaking in the hallways.”

	An apple tree grows, in our own garden on Ellwell, filled with ripening granny smiths!

	A new grade, new teachers, new students.

	Please remember that you may contact each of our teachers and other staff members via email on the Contacts Page of the website. And also know that a note is always the best communication to the classroom teachers since they are teaching during the day and may not check emails up to the minute. REMIND is being used for busing and CLASSTAG for classrooms. I will also be using both Apps for quick school level documents, notifications, and REMIND for bus delays.



Yes, we have new teachers – Music and a grade 2/3 special education teacher.

	Listening to the parent survey from last spring, the cluster program continues with Music, STEM Science, Library, Visual Arts, and two periods for Physical Education, as well as Mrs. Friedman for GATE enrichment and special programs.

	Special School Programs –

	This year, we look to continue with many of our programs such as: our Math Olympiads program, for math problem solving in grades 4 and 5. For years, we were visited by the expanding Math Club from Russell Sage JHS, including many of our alumni, and the students reflect on their early math instruction. The students all spoke of their 174 math teachers, and competitive strategies learned here at PS 174. We continue to see our 174 Pi Day students all excelling in mathematics and all subjects as they prepare for High School. Now the Math TEAM has teamed up with us – expanding their community service - working with fourth and fifth graders and our teachers. Our fifth graders have been invited to the Russell Sage Math Camp each summer, and continue their interest and dedication to this subject as a bridge from elementary to junior high school. Additionally we will introduce a new online program called, “Math Madness Online Tournament.” This is supplemental for interested students, made possible as a parting “gift” to PS 174 from a generous fifth grader’s family.

	Our Scripps Spelling Bee is another highlight of the year, with a Spelling Club advised by AP Kobetitsch. We will continue with for the Class Spelling Bees and Grade Level champions. All interested students study and prepare for classroom and then grade level, with our fourth and fifth graders going to the District 28 competitions. Over the past several years, PS 174 successfully competed in both the Queens and Citywide Spelling Bees. Thank you to the Parent Association for your support of enrolling our school in this every year.



	We are planning for continuation of our Young Debaters program, with instruction for every fifth grader in the art and craft of public speaking. We know that our students are eloquent in both speaking and writing, as evidenced by the many, many students who are winning (and continue to win) essay and book contests. For the past five years, our students have won honors in the Citywide Contest – Ezra Jack Keats bookmaking – with two of our PS 174 students the winners for all schools in Queens.

	For our recess time, we have been fortunate to take part in a program from Asphalt Green – with training and visits from a Coach. The coach provides training in how to play in a school yard and in an auditorium or gym. The sessions include outside days and inside days, and provide our school aides with resources and structures for organized play in large groups. The training was so successful, that we hope to implement it again in an expanded format this year. For this, we will need your support through fund raising. This program is organized so that play is more structured and safe, with students learning sportsmanship, taking turns, and rules of play.

New books – we unpacked scores of cartons of materials!

	Cartons and cartons of Fundations materials Amplfied Science grades 4 and 5. Social studies for every grade, new math program Envisions 2.0 for all grades, including the online supplements and manipulatives…and a brand new Math program for grades K-5. As you know, for eight years we have used Simple Solutions grammar books for grades 1-5. This year we have again purchased the books for these grades. This grammar workbook for homework practice assures the basics in sentence structure, verb tenses, word use and writing mechanics. We are hopeful that the students will become automatic in their writing including proper punctuation, word use and verb tense. All of these materials are used to prepare our students for not just elementary, middle and high school, but for college and the 21st century!


	These are all connected to the Common Core Learning Standards are being applied to all subject areas, with teachers communicating both individual and grade level goals each month. You will find these published on our website, PS174.org. Our teacher teams and data inquiry groups work to align both ELA tasks, content and materials as well as math concepts and expectations to the Common Core Learning Standards. You will see these goals, aligned to the standards, updated every month to six weeks for all subjects. Teachers also prepare quarterly Parent Newsletters to keep families informed.



	One of the initiatives and themes we have for this school year is – Full STEAM ahead…..engaging project based learning in Science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics. Last year, we installed the upgrade to our school’s technology with the installation of new Smartboards in sixteen classrooms and are hopeful that additional funding becomes available for more upgrades . The STEM Lab and library received extra-large wall mounted flat screen boards as well. Our two carts of 32 student laptops have all been are being used daily, – one for the first floor and another to the second floor. Mr. Pizza worked this summer to reimage all of the other 100 laptops and computers in classrooms. This, in addition to the programmed periods in the computer lab – one period for grades K-2 and two per week for grades 3-5, assures that every student has access to latest in technology.

Also new this year:

	• From the NYC Council “Participatory Budgeting” allocation from Councilmember, Karen Koslowitz, look forward to two water bottle filling stations.

	• Additionally, New York City Councilmember, Karen Koslowitz has increased her allocation with the air conditioning of our auditorium and plans are drawn for upgrades to include AC in all our classrooms!

	• Requests for this year include funding to support future projects such as for a new kitchen and cafeteria upgrades.



	Please sign up for the Classtag app…..many of our classroom teachers are using it to share information through one way text messages. Know that we will also be using REMIND for texts to families who may be waiting at bus stops and need to learn of delays such as weather, maintenance or traffic delays.

	Also, please check the school’s Twitter feed for the latest in all of our schools projects, programs, activities and events. Here we have updates on techie tools and toys. We have received a few grants for new and engaging STEM products – OSMOs for Numbers and Coding and Lego Mindstorm Robotics kits are just some examples. Our Donors Choose projects are continually funded – with art supplies, tech toys, books and events. Currently we have 4 posted projects. Many corporate sponsors support public education, as do the very generous families of our school. We know that our families support the efforts of the teachers because they contribute generously – with several projects funded already this month.

	Arts education means more musical performances for each grade level with our new music teacher Mrs. Stephan, as well as an expansion to our Artists Residencies. This year we plan to continue with our experience with Circle of Dance for PreK-Grade 1, The Joyce Theater dance for Grades 2-4, Inside Broadway and American Ballet Theater for Grade 3, The Lincoln Center Nutcracker Project for Grade 4, and Dancing Classrooms for Grade 5.

	We are thrilled to receive allocations each year, from you, our generous Parents Association for partial funding for every one of the dance programs for all of our students.

	Fundraising efforts from you, have supported Arts Education over the past decade. There is a school “wish list” for support for each grade – including dancing and visuals arts for each grade. These experiences have included field trips for students to visit farms, museums and shows. They have also brought the arts experiences to our school with puppets, magic, science and history assembly programs. Support for and from the Parent Association also has brought us visual arts supplies and instruction for our students. I am most hopeful that these efforts will not only continue but expand. Presently we are looking for additional computers, student tablets, and support for our school. Our Grade 5 debaters for the past three years at CUNY Law school and aspire to do it again this Fall.


	Thank you for your support; your generosity; and most of all, for sharing your most precious children with our staff every day. Know that we are here for you………myself, Mrs. Kobetitsch, Mrs. Hui, our Parent Coordinator, and every single one of the teachers and staff of PS 174.

	You are lucky to have such a group of caring educators and caregivers here on Dieterle Crescent.

	Know too, PA members, how great it is to have such a dedicated Executive Board. I present to you, your PA Executive Board.


	Co-Presidents	Lisette Accosta
		Rosa Barney
		Panya Rios

	Co-Vice-President's	Soo Nam Buckley
		Yuri Finisterre
		Jean Hahn-Choko

	Co-Recording Secretary:	Angelina Fernandez
		Melissa Salles

	Treasurer	Karina Iturrios
	Assembly Coordinators	Eldon Looby and Gina Looby
	Grant Writing	Shweta Jain