Dear Parents,

This letter is coming to you for our 2013-2014 Membership Drive. We want to thank those parents & guardians that gave their support last year. We were able to raise $3940.00. Unfortunately, it was not nearly enough to subsidize the cost of the wish list of our school with the programs and educational items they wanted put in place. As you know we were able to accomplish a lot, however it mostly came from outside resources and fundraisers.

As we canvassed for money for programs for our school to our community and district leaders the constant question asked was, “where are the efforts of the parents?” In the book of excellence, there is no replacement for effort.

“Together we soar as we strive for excellence.”

Excellence in leadership, administration, academics, teachers, students and us... the parents. Let our efforts this year rise above our excuses.

We are asking for $25-silver star member, $50- gold star member or $100.00- P.I.E Group Member per family to support our school and fill the financial gap. We accomplished many tasks last year but we worked hard...not smarter. All of us do not have the time to sell the fundraisers to family, friends and co-workers every month. Based on the numbers many of us do not even bother. If we contribute $100.00 per family and get 90% participation then we don’t have to.

Music & Art programs along with Media/Technology are crucial to the academic success of our students. The state cut the funding again–period. As parents we have the power to not let the budget affect the programs we want for our children's enrichment. Last year the goal was to get the seed money to implement an after school program. We started our E.A.T.S Program LLC for after school even with the minimal amount of dues reflected above.

When we provide the resources/solutions for the challenges, then we can meet the need.         

My personal challenge to you is for us to be a public school, that is  privately held by the board of parents. I’m the chairman are you in?

 

 Onward & Upward, 

The PTA Executive Board

Nicole Hammond

President & Membership Drive Chairperson  
Success does not come easily. Are you willing to pay the price?

We Hit the Ground Running this Year!

 Dear Parents/Guardians,

 Welcome back! To all new parents who have joined us we welcome you to your first year at The Gordon Parks School. I hope you are all settling in to the new 2013-2014 school year. A month has gone by and we hit the ground running this year.

·          Charleston Wrap Fundraiser kicked off 9/13

·          Dads Take Your Child To School Day  9/17

·          EATS Program after school was implemented 9/23

·          Know Your School Nights 9/24-9/26

·          1st PTA Meeting was held 10/3

·          Our 2nd Annual Welcome Back Applebee’s Breakfast 10/5

·          The JDR Walk @ Flushing Meadow Park 10/6

·          The Town Hall Save Our School @I.S.59 10/9

*     Pink Day- Breast Cancer Awareness 10/18

*     Character Day and Dance K-3rd Grade 10/25

 

I applaud the Gordon Parks School Community and look forward to your continued support as we move on in the school year. The next event that is coming up that is crucial for our school’s success is our Membership Drive.

I want to thank the parents that gave their support last year and formed our P.I.E Group (Partner in Education), we were able to raise $3,940.

I encourage every family to participate on any membership level.  All of us are not able to sell the fundraiser catalogs or the cookie dough but we need to do our part in supporting our school that we chose for our child.

 

We are a public school where our children are chosen on a lottery system. We made the choice to apply to this school. We wanted the best in our neighborhood and district. We wanted better academic and enrichment opportunities for our children.

“We are a public school that is privately held by the board of parents.”

That is you and I.  As parents we have the power to not let city budgets dictate the  programs and funding for our child’s success. Music, Art & Technology are crucial programs to the academic success of our students.

                                      “Together we soar as we strive for excellence”

Excellence in leadership, administration, academics, teachers, students and us, the parents. Our efforts this year shall rise above our excuses.   I hope to count you in.

Onward & Upward,

 Nicole Hammond

PTA President & Membership Drive Chairperson

P.S. This letter is posted on our blog site, I encourage the conversation, log on, comment and follow at www.270qpta.org

Annual Character Day Dance for K-3rd Grade

Storybook characters come to life as our students become their favorite character.


Get down Asst. Principal Ambrosio as Red Riding Hood!

From Fairy Tales to Ballerinas from Marvel Comics to Monster High...
It was character day for all at P.S./I.S.270Q



6th Grade Teacher Ms. Poley as Tigger with Mr. Crocker






2nd Grade Teacher Mrs. Lewis & 2nd VP Terrance Credle. Her daughter Maya bashful cheerleader, Nia as strawberry shortcake, Janeigh & Ericka as Prima Ballerinas

Applebee's Photo Gallery

Our 2nd Annual Applebee's Fundraiser was a GPS Family Success!!!

Kaitlin & Mom McKenzie

Our Lovely Young Family

  

Mrs. Paul 1st Grade Teacher with her Girls.

Makayla Shields 5th Grade- Our Photographer for the day.

The Pierre Family
 

Past PTA President Kelli Coke and Husband Dennis came out to Support.



Ashley F. & Kalina R. will host the Applebee's Mother's Day Breakfast

Makayla B. & Kalina's Mom

Chelsea A. with Mom & Classmates

Principal Harper Congratulating our school community for making event successful.

Mr. Shannon 4th Grade Teacher & Lady Shannon

Mr. Owens and GPS Graduate Ryan

Mr. Williams 5th Grade Teacher & GRANDMA!!!

                                                                                       Generations of FUN!



Food, Fun & Family was what it was all about.

2nd VP Terrance Credle our floor Manager for the day w/ GM Dan

Loving the children

Parent Simone & Family always supporting

Asst. Principal Ms. Allen & Mrs. Hammond

Parents Mrs. Rice & Mrs. Rahim always helping

The Parents who Volunteered and helped the PTA  Make this a Huge Success!!

General Manager Dan & Mrs. Hammond

1st PTA Meeting 2013-2014 School Year.

P.S./I.S. 270Q PTA MINUTES

Date | time 10/3/2013 7:07 PM | Meeting called to order by President Nicole Hammond

In Attendance

70 Parents were present (refer to sign in sheet)

Approval of Minutes

1^st PTA meeting for 2013/2014 school year and there were no minutes to be approved

Board

Nicole Hammond – President

JoAnn Bute – 1^st Vice President

Terrance Credle – 2^nd Vice President

Frank Griffith – Treasurer

Sheila Owens – Financial Secretary

Florence Duggins – Recording Secretary

Michele May – Corresponding Secretary

Financial Report June – September 2012 – 2013 School Year

JoAnn Bute

·         Report was given to parents. Motion was made by Cecile Hilton to accept the financial report and seconded by Maria Tramell.

Principal’s Report

Presented by Assistant Principal Mrs. Ambrosio

·         CEP (Comprehensive Education Plan) Goals

·         CEP goals posted on every floor by elevators for parents to see

·         Parents can log onto the DOE website to see CEP goals for any school

·         Instructional Focus for grades K-8

·         Evidence in argument. Students will be asked to show evidence as to how they arrived to their answer

·         Students must use substantial evidence in argument

·         Common Core aligned

·         Mitigation proposal for middle school grades. This would be a twelve (12) week program dealing with mock trials

·         Ms. Ambrosio announced that 270Q supports the PTA EATS program

·         Starting Monday. October 7^th there will be a teacher for the 1^st grade class that haven’t had a teacher at the start of the school year. Wanted to make sure that the school didn’t just find a teacher, but the right teacher for our school and that’s going to work to our standards

·         Test scores on Arisparentlink.org

·         Test scores dropped by 30% city wide

·         270Q did better than the average school

·         Ms. Tidridge is the new math teacher for middle school

·         First day of school we hit the ground running and started our curriculum and started on day one Fontes and Pinnel reading curriculum and we’re moving forward

·         Teaching from Ready Gen/Go Math which is aligned with Common Core

President’s Report

Nicole Hammond

·         Prayer was rendered by Stacie Grant

·         Pledge of Allegiance recited by all

 New Business

     ·         E.A.T.S LLC – Initiated by the PTA to address parent need to after school    within our school

·         E.A.T.S is an enrichment program and the kids get help with homework as well as extracurricular activities such as chess, drama, dance, etc.

·          Request for upper grade enrollment (Grades 5-8)

·         Explained why the program ends at 6pm and it would be too expensive to have the building open until 7:00pm unless we have enough parents to sign up and there’s a need for it 

·         On know your school night a sheet was circulated for parents who were interested and would sign up their child if the program was extended to 6:30pm

·         Would like to start a parent committee to go out into the community and spread the news about what’s going on within 270Q as well as report back to the school/parents

·         President Hammond announced that she is the 2^nd VP of the CEC for District 29 & is the liaison for this school and five (5) other district 29 schools

·         President Hammond announced that she is a parent advocate and that the CEC meets every 3^rd Thursday of the month at different schools and any parent is welcome to attend

·         Discussed Ms. Eva Moskowitz (Success Charter School) co-locating within our schools and eventually shutting down our schools and fully operating her school. It’s easy for her to do this because it doesn’t cost anything for her to reside in our public school buildings.

·         President Hammond asked for parent support and that we show up in support of IS 59 who is the school in question and that we stand in support and protest this co-location on Thursday, October 9, 2013 at 6pm

·         Announced that she would like to form committees for fundraising, legislative, hospitality, media/tech, and grant writing

·         Ms. Hammond put forth the motion that parent Lattoy Mcdowell to lead the legislative committee and be the liaison and put together a team of parents and report back to parents/community/PTA/school.

 Motion was seconded by Parents Jill Rahim and Florence Duggins and Ms. McDowell accepted.

·         Ms. Hammond mentioned that last year one of the parent complaints was that they received notices too late and that one of the purposes for forming these committees is so the parents would be informed early  and be involved.

·         Ms. Hammond took a vote that if parents put their name/email/contact info down on our PTA sign in sheet that it gives us permission to contact them and everyone unanimously agreed.

·         PTA President Hammond pointed out our new fundraiser (Charleston Wrap) and explained why we decided to kick off our fundraiser with something new as parents were complaining about Miss Chocolate candy. Charleston Wrap offered quality items.

·         Breakfast at Applebee’s is upcoming and parent volunteers are still needed and  Andrea Woodley (Parent) volunteered to help at Applebee’s.

·         Ms. Hammond announced that Applebee’s tickets are not allowed to be sold at the door

·         President Hammond announced that going forward in future PTA meetings that she would like to have a speakers list and have a parent speak at these meetings instead of her speaking for the entire meeting

·         Next meeting 11/7/13 at 7pm

·         Michael Duncan of Jamaica Breeze sponsored tonight’s dinner. Will try to get a sponsor at every PTA meeting

 

Announcements/Speakers

Raymond Smith (Healthfirst)

·         Discussed and gave important information concerning Obamacare

       (Affordable Care Act)

·         Tried to shut it down 43 times and was unsuccessful

·         Open enrollment 10/1/13

 

Next Meeting

11/7/2013 12:00 AM, CAFETERIA

Motion to adjourn was made at 9:00 p.m. and was passed unanimously.