Thursday, March 10, 2011

Half Day and Parent Teacher Conference Reminder

REMINDER

On March 15th, there will be a half day of school due to Parent-Teacher Conferences. All students will be dismissed at 11:30 AM.

All conferences will take place between 1:00-3:00 PM and 5:30-8:00 PM on Tuesday, March 15th. If you have to re-schedule with your child's teacher, please send him/her a note as soon as possible.

Thank you.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Third Annual Arts Benefit

Family and Friends are invited to the Third Annual Arts Benefit at the Holliswood School on Thursday, March 24, 2011, at 6:00 PM, in the auditorium

Admission is $3.00*

Student Goals

Dear Parents/Guardians:

As we approach Parent-Teacher Conferences next week, I would like to notify you of one of the school’s ongoing instructional initiatives, which is to identify specific student SMART goals. S.M.A.R.T. represents specific, measurable, achievable, results-based and time-bound. Each teacher is a member of a grade-level, cross-grade level or department team throughout the school.

Throughout the school, teacher teams have been distributing your child’s learning goals to you in different subjects. I encourage you to ask your child’s teacher(s) to explain the goal(s) with you during Parent-Teacher conferences, so you can learn firsthand what skills are required to achieve those goals. The teachers can also offer specific strategies that you can practice with your child at home in order to sharpen his/her skills.

Since the beginning of the school year, teachers have assessed your child in all core subjects. After analyzing assessment results, teachers group students by skill, according to strengths and areas in need of improvement in each subject area. Based on these groupings, teachers formulate small group goals or individual student goals, and design lesson plans to meet each student’s needs.

As you know, Parent-Teacher Conferences occur only twice per year, but throughout the year, forging an ongoing relationship with your child’s teacher(s) is integral to maximizing your child’s success in school. We all have to work together to ensure student progress.

I look forward to seeing you next week.

RESPECT FOR ALL (RFA)WEEK SUMMARY

RESPECT FOR ALL (RFA)WEEK SUMMARY

March 3, 2011

Dear Parents/Guardians:

During Respect for All Week, February 14-18, we had the opportunity to highlight and build upon ongoing diversity programs and curriculum-based instruction. We also had opportunities to embark upon new initiatives that promote respect for diversity and engage students in meaningful lessons and/or other activities that focus on preventing bias-based harassment, intimidation and/or bullying.

We are pleased to report that the activities we held at the school, re-capped below, were successful.

• 2/14 - 100th Day of School Activities (in every classroom) in connection with RFA
• 2/15 @ 6 PM – Middle School Mix It Up Dance
• 2/15 & 2/16 – Respect for All Assembly during recess periods with Social Worker Neil Goldstein
• 2/17 @ 6 PM – Talent Show, signifying the unique talents of our students
• 2/18 @ 8:15 AM – Respect for All Parent Workshop with Parent Coordinator Corley and SAPIS Worker Pamela Paisley
• All Week – Classroom Lessons Regarding Diversity and Respect

During the “Mix It Up Dance,” some students came dressed in an ethnic costume. During Student Advisory sessions in middle school, discussions began with an Ethnic Sharing Circle where students shared what they liked most about their ethnicity, what they liked least, and about a time where they might have felt left out or discriminated against. They also talked about a time where they might have made an assumption about someone which turned out to be wrong.

In addition, our Peer Mediation Program, sponsored by the NYC Commission on Human Rights, culminated during their Swearing In Ceremony on February 17th, at which Council Member Weprin spoke about the importance of Respect for All. The attached article from the Queens Times discusses his visit in detail.

As we have continuously emphasized to our students and staff, Respect for All is a team effort. We all have to work together to promote a culture of respect and model good citizenship for our children.

About Parent Coordinator Phyllis Corley

My name is Phyllis Louise Lattimer-Corley. I am married and have one son.

I was the educational director of a day care center in Nassau County for sixteen years prior to the birth of my son. I planned to be a stay-at- home mom for five years until my son went to kindergarten. Well, that didn’t happen! I got involved in his elementary school, PS 178, first as a class parent, then in the library, and later became PTA president for three years.

When my son moved on to middle school at MS 74, I again took on the role of PTA president for two years. Gee, I guess I wasn’t really staying at home. My son, James is now a freshman at Binghamton University. I am fortunate to be writing this blog, as I enter my sixth year as parent coordinator of my son’s wonderful alma mater.

Welcome to our school family. I am looking forward to an exciting school year. There are so many fantastic activities that have been planned for both you and your child. I encourage all parents to be partners in your child’s school.
Ø Attend Parent Teacher Conferences
Ø Go to PTA Meetings
Ø Participate in Parent Workshops
Ø Volunteer to help at school events.

I am here to assist you in any way that I can. Please feel free to contact me with any concerns or just stop by for a cup of coffee.

Phyllis Corley,
Parent Coordinator

Corley's Corner

Corley's Corner
Parents and Staff turn out for Corley's Ladies' Night at Strike Long Island (November 2008)

Mrs. Corley gets ready to read at the Barnes and Noble Fundraiser Event

Parents and Staff participate in Corley's Cupcake Creations Parent Workshop


Our Student Council Gives Back!

Our Student Council Gives Back!
2009 Student Council President Chrysalis Terrado and her cabinet pose in front of dozens of toys donated by Holliswood families for our annual toy drive (December 2008)

Upcoming School Closings and Half Days


To view the official NYC Dept. of Education 2013-2014 School Calendar, visit


http://schools.nyc.gov/NR/rdonlyres/D45BBFC5-BB4E-4C6B-ACE7-F7E15D8AA1BE/0/20132014SchoolYearCalendar.pdf

It is also anticipated that we will add half days for professional development for our faculty during the 2013-2014 school year (subject to UFT and PTA approval). An announcement will be made.



In the event of an emergency closing or delayed opening due to weather, please call 311 or watch your local news channels. When NYC public schools are closed, our school will be closed.















Monthly Events

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