Weekly Update from the P.S./I.S. 217 (Roosevelt Island School) PTA

Tues., November 8th - NO SCHOOL, Election Day Fri., November 11th - NO SCHOOL, Veteran's Day Thurs., November 17th - Dismissal: 11:38am (half-day) Thurs., November 17th - Parent Teacher Conferences 1-3pm and 5:30 - 8pm Thurs., November 17th - Spaghetti Dinner - Middle School Fundraiser 5:30 -7:00pm Fri., November 18th - School Leadership Team Meeting, 7:30am Mon., November 21st - Dare to Care Assembly (8:40am - 1st-5th grades, 10:00am - kindergarten) Tues., November 22nd - School Picture Retakes Tues., November 22nd - PTA Executive Board Meeting, 8:40am (Library) Tues. & Wed., November 22nd and 23rd - Pie Sale Pick-Up (8:30 - 9am and 2:30 - 3pm in the PTA Room) Wed., November 23rd at 8:30am - Don Duerr workshop & Coffee Hour at the Library Thurs. & Fri., November 24th & 25th - Thanksgiving Break - NO SCHOOL Tues., November 29th - Elementary School Tour, 8:40am Tues., November 29th - PTA General Meeting, 6:00pm (Auditorium) This year 1st grade classes are holding the Scholastic “The Great Bedtime Story” Pajama Drive. The PJ Drive is one of the philanthropic classroom programs that aims to teach kids the value of giving and the gift of reading (http://www.scholastic.com/pjdrive/). Scholastic will match a book with every pair of pajamas collected, and new pajamas and new books will be distributed to children in need, infants through age 17.  "But the goal isn't just to clothe them. It's to give the children, who've faced abuse, abandonment, neglect and other hardships, the comfort of a bedtime ritual that most take for granted", - says Genevieve Piturro, an executive director of Pajama Program. - "These children live in various situations including group homes, shelters, and temporary housing facilities and are shuffled often from one place to another. Many of them have been abandoned, abused, or neglected. Most of these children have never enjoyed the simple comfort of having a mother or father tuck them in at bedtime with warm, clean pajamas and a bedtime story". This year goal is 100 pajamas! Please help us to reach our goal. DONATE AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE! What we need: Brand-new flame-retardant pajamas in all sizes from newborn to adult. Pajamas should be a complete set—a top and bottom or an appropriate nightgown. Pajamas for all seasons, but especially for the winter months. Many companies (e.g. Target, Children's Palce) are willing and able to match individual donations. Please inquire and help to bring more pajamas and book to kids. The drive continues through Tuesday, November 22nd! You can give the pajamas to Ms. Zucknovich (Class 103) or Ms. Bloom (Class K10) or put them in the collection box in the lobby. If you have any questions, please email psis217info@gmail.com FREE UFT WORKSHOP ON TOURETTE SYNDROME When: Monday, Nov. 7 Time: 4:15 pm - 6:15 pm Where: UFT headquarters, 52 Broadway. Tourette syndrome and co-occurring conditions like OCD and ADHD. For more information, call 212-701-9464 or email at fstreich@uft.org. UFT PARENT MEETING When: Wednesday, Nov. 9 Time: 9 a.m and again at 6:30 p.m. (choose what works for you!) Where: UFT headquarters, 52 Broadway. Agenda: Presentation by Helaine Doran, formerly of the Campaign for Fiscal Equity regarding the “Fair Funding Formula” Presentation by Leoni Haimson on the Campaign for Excellence (C4E) at the 9 a.m. meeting School Leadership Team reports: Follow-up from our last workshop Proposed mid-year budget cuts -What can be done to fight them? -Community and school campaigns -Reports on the Occupy Wall Street activity Assessment on parent friendly schools and parent involvement MANHATTAN PARENT CONFERENCE When: Saturday, Dec. 3 Time: 8:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. Where: UFT headquarters, 52 Broadway. The conference has four hundred registrants. If you have not registered yet, you can do so online, but don't wait long as the participant list is close to full. The registration deadline is Friday, Nov. 17. UFT needs volunteers to help with the following activities on the day of the conference: * Registration * Directing people * Time keepers for workshops * Translators To volunteer, please email fstreich@uft.org or call 212-701-9464. HAVE A GREAT WEEK! Disclaimer: All the information distributed in these messages originates from the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) Executive Board. The information, opinions, data, and statements contained herein are not necessarily those of the PS/IS217 administration and should not be interpreted, acted on or represented as such. List members are reminded of their responsibility to critically evaluate the content of the postings. ©2011 PS/IS 217 PTA | Roosevelt Island School