 Welcome to the new members of the 217 community, and welcome back to the old timers!
We once again invite you to clip and send in your Box Tops for Education. We collected $547.20 for the school last year, so 10 cents per clipping really does add up! And it is a fun way for your child to help with school fundraising - have a boxtop hunt in your kitchen! Please drop off Box Tops in the collection box inside the front entrance across from security. Put them in an envelope or baggie labeled with your child's name and class number. Please do not attach them to sheets. Each child who submits 100 or more Box Tops this school year will receive a certificate for a scoop of ice cream from Piccolo Trattoria (Nonno's)! Certificates will be delivered to the classroom teachers throughout the year as your child reaches the 100 Box Tops mark. Happy clipping!  Sign Up for MyLibraryNYC at Curriculum Night - September 13, 5:00-5:30 pm217’s librarian, Ms. O’Hagan, will be setting up a table for MyLibraryNYC library card sign-up in the cafeteria from 5-5:30 pm on Curriculum Night, September 13.
This is a great opportunity to sign up for MyLibraryNYC, and to learn more about the program. MyLibraryNYC cards are available to 217 students for the New York Public Library and Queens Publicy Library systems and offer enhanced privileges. Sign up on Curriculum Night! Looking for a way to support your child and help foster independence? Use Ms. Allen's checklist templates to help create morning and evening routines.    Curriculum Night will be held on Wednesday, September 13th - save the date! Learn more about enrichment activities at the school, as well as visit your child’s classroom and teacher and learn about the curriculum, homework, and your child’s daily routines – a great opportunity to ask your teacher any questions you have!
Curriculum night also features the first PTA Meeting of the year and a mandatory orientation for Beacon families. The schedule will be as follows: 5:00 pm - Meet the Specials Teachers 5:30 pm - Classroom Presentations (in your child’s classroom(s)) 6:45 pm - PTA Meeting (auditorium) 7:15 pm - Orientation for Beacon families (auditorium) Please stay up to date with all of 217's events here. After dropping your child off, parents are welcome to join us after drop-off in the cafeteria for a free PTA Welcome-to-School Breakfast with coffee and light refreshments.
Pre-Kindergarten: The first day of Pre-K is split into two sessions. Your Class Assignment letter included more information specific to your child. The second day is a half day with dismissal from the classrooms at 11:36am. The first full day for Pre-K students is Monday, September 11th. Kindergarten-3rd Grades: Parents of K-3 students are permitted to take their child to his/her classroom on the first few days of school. Beginning Tuesday September 12th, you must say goodbye to your child prior to them entering school. 217 wants to teach students independence and maintain a safe environment. A prolonged goodbye makes the separation and transition to the school day more difficult. Many staff members are stationed around the building to ensure students get to classrooms and assist as needed. Kindergarten: The first day of Kindergarten is a half day. You may walk your child to their class and then join the PTA in the Cafeteria for Welcome to School refreshments. On the first day, Kindergarten will be dismissed from their classroom at 11:36am. The first full day of school for Kindergarten is Friday, September 8th. Grade 4: Parents of 4th grade students are permitted to take their child to the Auditorium on the first day of school, where students will be met by their teachers and escorted to their classrooms. After the first day, students are expected to independently enter the school and make their way to their classroom. Grades 5: Parents of 5th grade students are permitted to take their child to the classroom on the first day of school. After the first day, students are expected to independently enter the school and make their way to their classroom. Class 501 reports to room 314 for Math and 504 reports to room 419 for ELA. Grades 6-8: 601 reports to Room 308 for Science with Ms. Wong 701 reports to Room 409 for Math with Ms. Sorokurs 801 reports to Room 405 for ELA with Ms. Andrade  Every registered student must have a lunch form on file, whether they eat school lunch or not. A lunch form is a federal document and all schools are required to have these forms completed. Lunch forms are filled out online at www.myschoolapps.com. You can apply from any computer, tablet, or smart phone with an internet connection. You will need your child's student ID number to correctly identify your child with our school. Please email cclarson@schools.nyc.gov if you need your child's ID number. Once the application is completed online, please submit your confirmation page to your child's teacher or submit it to Ms. Crystal in the school office. It takes 48 hours for the application to process. If you do not have access to a computer, Ms. Crystal is happy to assist with the application process. A workshop is also being set up for parents to come to the school to file the application. If you have any questions please visit Ms. Crystal in the school office. She can also be reached at 212.980.0294 EXT. 1011. 
​The success of all PS/IS 217 PTA events relies on VOLUNTEER POWER! ​ We need people who can help our Event committees fulfill all the tasks that are critical to ensuring an event runs smoothly. All participation is on an opt-in basis, please let us know if you would be willing to assist in any way - no matter how small! Here are some examples of things that you can help with: Prior to an Event:
At an Event:
SIGN UP HERE!The Child Center of New York is ready to start registration for the 2017-2018 Beacon Program at 217! Please read the letter below from The Child Center of New York for important information about the registration process. Registration forms may be submitted:
There will also be paper copies of the registration form available in the 217 office beginning August 29th. Please note:
MEDICAL FORMS a. A DOH Medical Form is required for all Beacon applicants (the form is attached in this email). b. Parents who did not submit the DOH medical form with their child's DYCD Universal Participant Intake application should submit one as soon as possible. The form has to be stamped with the medical provider's license number. c. Completed medical forms may be emailed to: reshmabaig@childcenterny.org and christinamangra@childcenterny.org Please include "BEACON MEDICAL FORM" in the subject line. BEACON PARTICIPANT AGE REQUIREMENT a. Participants may apply the year they turn 5. b. Accordingly, for this school year (2017--2018), the child must turn five between January 2017--December 2017 in order to participate in the Beacon Program. c. We are not permitted to accept children who do not turn 5 within the required range as per the regulations of The Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) (our program authorizer).
The new playground mural is finished. The design and painting was completed over the past few weeks by our amazing Art teacher, Ms. Follansbee, with the assistance of several terrific volunteers. Ms. Follansbee details some of the beautiful design features below and why she chose them to grace our mural: The '2' design reflects the interior hallway of our beautiful school with the international flags on display. The first time I entered our building, I was so impressed with this view and the building's unique, sun-filled design. Each time I walk down the hall, I love looking up at the flags and reflecting on the diverse parts of the globe represented by our students. I felt this bright, visually impactful scene represented some of the most unique qualities of our school - its extraordinary architecture and our wonderfully diverse students. The '1' design reflects our school mascot- the mighty hawk! I depicted the hawk soaring proudly and spreading its wings to represent the mighty potential and ability existing in each of our students. The '7' design reflects an iconic image of Roosevelt Island - the tram! The tram is truly a symbol of Roosevelt Island, and is another unique aspect of our community. I often see students collaging, drawing, or painting the tram in their own individual styles, and I wanted to offer my own version of the tram in action. This version of the tram includes some members of our school community: myself, Ms. Beckman, Ms. Lauraine, Ms. Val (from the cafeteria), along with volunteers Nathalie Chetrit (and her children Sadie and Enzo) and Theresa Zast who helped paint the mural!. See if you can spot them if you look closely! The far left includes a simplified receding Manhattan skyline, and the far right includes a simplified Roosevelt Island skyline. In many ways Roosevelt Island feels like a peaceful, green oasis in contrast to the concrete jungle of Manhattan, and the painting is meant to highlight this juxtaposition. We love it, and we know the PS/IS 217 students will too! A huge thank you to Ms. Follansbee and those who helped make this happen!  StuckOnYou orders typically take 3-14 days to arrive - order your clothing and lunchbox/drink bottle labels now!
Visit: www.stuckonyou.us/fundraising/PSIS217, OR www.stuckonyou.us to shop online and enter the code PSIS217 at checkout. Every purchase earns 20% commission for our school!
 With summer around the corner, the 217 PTA is already planning the calendar for another exciting and fun year at 217!
BUT WE NEED YOUR HELP! With kids getting older and some of our event chairs and program chairs moving on to other things, several of our beloved events NEED more event planners. Please contact the PTA at psis217info@gmail.com to get involved in your favorite event. We are also looking for help in planning: Fall Festival Winter Wonderland Dance Silent Auction International Dinner Please email today to get involved! All parents are PTA members and your child's experience at 217 depends on all of us!! 217 and the PTA hosted a dance for our Middle School students and 5th Graders this past Thursday. Thank you to Ms. Beckman, the 217 Administration, teachers, staff, parents and PTA volunteers who made this event possible.
Many students got dressed up - and all of the attendees had a great time hitting the dance floor and taking fun (and some silly!) pictures in the photo booth! Thank you also to the MS & 5th Grade parents for purchasing tickets for your child to enjoy the dance! Everyone had a great time. Thank you to the administration, teachers and staff who made Field Day 2017 possible, and to our many PTA and parent volunteers!
The events were a wonderful celebration of 217’s school spirit, sportsmanship and the students’ year of hard work. Special thanks to our PTA President, Erin Olavesen (who has been planning field day for months!), and to Tracey DeBenedictis and Nathalie Chetrit.  Book of the Month continues at 217! For this month, we are reading The Invisible Boy by Trudy Ludwig.
The Invisible Boy is about a young boy Brian who feels invisible. Nobody seems to notice or include him in games or invite him to parties. When Justin, the new boy, arrives at school, Brian is the first to make him feel welcome while the other kids are unkind. Brian and Justin encourage each other and soon discover that small acts of kindness can help others feel good and help you feel better about yourself. Please continue the conversation at home! |
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