Feb. 14, 2024
Virtual
23 Attendees

KATHERINE BETO
Welcome

Thank you so much for joining us at the February Pta. Meeting happy Valentine’s Day. thank you to Rosa and the administration for being here and to the counseling team and I also just wanna quickly thank teachers and staff for their valiant efforts yesterday, during our brief return to remote schooling. I hope that it went well for everyone, or as well as can be.

PRINCIPAL ROSA AMATO
School Updates

Echo the thank you to our teachers and parents for yesterday. A couple of months ago we sent out a survey to families asking if any devices were needed in your homes. We only received about 6 or 7 responses that were in need. After yesterday if you are in need of a device, please reach out to your teachers and let them know that, and the message will then come to us.

We have been asked to open another site. Sounds a little daunting, but I know you know, once we’re up and running it will be wonderful. So this site will be at 63 12 Thirteenth Avenue in District 20 so now the Children’s School will be in District 15,13 and 20. That school is slotted to be a 6:1:1 and 8:1:1 program. And it is scheduled to open in September of 2024. We are beginning the planning. So if you have questions about that, certainly let us know. And if you know of folks that want to be teachers or paras and are ready for interviews let us know that as well.

As Bridget Nash sent out in an email the Carroll Street bathrooms in our cafeteria will be redone, and so we are in the works now. There are no bathrooms in the cafeteria as of about a week ago. And we’re hoping that within the next week and a half to 2 weeks we will come back to brand new bathrooms.

We’re still waiting to move forward on the playground. I know that tomorrow soil samples will be taken in the playground area. So it seems to be in the works. But we do not have a start date yet. So fingers crossed this summer. You know, we will start a new playground construction.

And then, of course, there’s construction happening at Adelphi street, and we wanna make certain that you all know that when there is construction in the building, folks are not in the building when children are in the building, so any construction and work happening is happening after 4 o’clock, and at Carroll Street after 6 o’clock, which is when the after school program ends. So Adelphi Street will be under construction for the next 2 years. It is receiving a full rephase of windows. Brickwork, roofing just lots going on in that building, and I know sometimes that can be chaotic at drop off and pick up.

Summer school for our district 75, 12-month kiddos has been posted, and it will be July 5 to Aug 13. More to come on that.

We are collecting food,non perishable items for our kindness week challenge. We haven’t received too many things on the last couple of days. But you know, with the snow and school closing was tough. So if you can send something in, we are doing that collection and really does go to families in need while schools are closed

So this Friday, fourth and fifth grade studio celebrations will be bright and I think the first period of the day. 9 am in the gym. kids will showcase what they have done during studio time, and then new studios will begin, and this second round of studios will include third grade. So third graders will also be participating in Friday afternoon studios are fun. There’s Legos and ballroom dancing and ballet, and just all sorts of wonderful things that the kids can do on a Friday afternoon.

RACHEL SEIDMAN
COSTA KOKKINOS
School Counseling Team

Rachel Seidman, social worker on the school based support team at children school, and there on Mondays and Tuesdays and at other schools on the other days

the Pride Club that is going on for the fifth graders. This is a club that started last year. That will be continuing this year. It was requested by students to have a club of this sort.

The Pride Club

What this club is:

• A safe, supportive, and affirming space for students to discuss feelings associated with personal identity, whether romantic orientation or gender identity, in an age-appropriate way.
• Aimed at kids who are LGBTQIA, their allies, and children of LGBTQIA parents.
• This club aims to support students in navigating intrapersonal and interpersonal issues around LGBTQ identity:
• Some students have reported bullying and name-calling around LGBTQ identity.
• Some students have reported they do not feel they have a safe space to process their intrapersonal and interpersonal experiences around identity.
• Student-led and staff-facilitated, empowering students to create their own space of support, advocacy, and socialization

What this club is not:

• A “gay club” or a “club only for LGBTQ students,” rather, it is a space where LGBTQ students and non-LGBTQ students who are allies can join together and find community with each other.
• We do not preach to students that their families’ personal belief systems are “wrong”
• We do not “groom” students with gender ideologies
• This is not “gay education”
• There will be no discussion of sex or sexual activity
• This club is not an effort to “sway” students to be LGBTQ+

YVETTE AGAS-BAUTZ
Parent updates

Mid-Winter Break is February 19 to 23 School is closed
Reminders of dismissal changes during the day. Must pick up children by 1:30 pm
Friday, March 1st – Parents as Partners (Specialists)
Friday, March 1st PreK Application Deadline
Thursday, March 21 – World Down Syndrome Day/Crazy Socks Day
Field Day T-Shirt Design Contest – submit drawings by Friday, March 15. Make sure to include your child’s name on the back.
If you have questions, you can email Yvette at YAgasBautz@schools.nyc.gov

RAQUEL CUNHA
Interim Financial Report

Initial Balance
$ 245,688.76
PTA Income
$ 123,149.32
After School Income
$ 334,383.46
PTA Expenses
($ 75,169.85)
After School Expenses
($ 293,566.38)
Final Balance
$ 334,485.31

SARAH GRAHAM
Readathon

Started 2/1 and runs entire month of February
As of this afternoon: 205 Students registered
1 class at 100 % participation
10 1,000 minute badges; 326 badges total
More than 40,000 minutes logged
More than $6,600 pledged
Reading logs in English and Spanish are available for downloading (PDF) on inclusions and Konstella.
If you need help with internet access to log, let the teachers or readathon@ps372pta.org know.
Prizes based on participation: Classroom Pizza and Community Bookstore Gift Certificates for readers

KATHERINE BETO
5th Grade Musical

Students will see performance during school day
Evening performances April 17 and 18th
Adults must bring ID
Doors open at 6:30pm
Show starts at 7:00pm
Runtime 30 min
Tickets $10 – https://square.link/u/SqxVc4iC

MARISSA DEVITO-SEIGEL
Movie Night

March 15
Movie TBD but kids will vote again
Also hoping to do one in June, potentially June 14, but need to check on permits, etc.

KATHERINE BETO
Thank yous.

Thank you to Brad Eichmann and Sarah Graham for their help running Readathon and providing support for families and teachers.
Thank you to Michelle Dobson and Scotte Hardin for all their hard work leading up to the amazing Valentine’s Day Dance
The next PTA Meeting is scheduled for March 20th, 2024 @ 6:45pm