Anna Efkarpides

P.S. 11 Queens, Kathryn M. Phelan School
Principal’s Newsletter
Volume 3, Issue 1 Sept-Oct 2012
Anna Efkarpides,
Eve Grabicki, Assistant
Elizabeth Pena, Assistant
Anna Lombardi, I.A. Assistant
From The Principal’s Desk
Dear PS 11 School Community: I would like to welcome you to another
productive and fun school year. Every two
months you will be receiving a newsletter
with important information about events,
curriculum and celebrations. It is very
important that you review this newsletter. Dates To
Remember
School Closed:





10/08/12 –
Columbus Day
10/26/12 –
Professional
Development for
Teachers
11/06/12 –
Election Day
Halloween Parade

10/31/12 –
9:00AM
Daylight Saving
Time

11/04/2012 –
Set your clocks
back 1 hour at 2
AM
ESL Classes for
Adults

11/15/12 –
8:30-9:30 AM
Parent-Teacher
Conferences

Please submit your email address, and
your cell phone number to me if you haven’t
yet, so that I can forward important
information to you. P.S. 11 subscribes to the following
educational websites in an effort to provide
academic enrichment and curriculum
reinforcement for our students:  www.brainpop.com (Brainpop, Brainpop Jr., Brainpop Espanol, Brainpop ESL)
11/12/12 –
Veterans Day
11/22-23/12 Thanksgiving
Tues., 11/13/12
1:00 - 2:30 PM
5:30 – 8:00 PM
We’re on the
Web!
www.ps11q.org
Principal
Principal
Principal
Principal
 www.raz‐kids.com  www.educationcity.com School Newsletter
Please visit these sites with your children. We are in the process of further
developing a website that will have all the
updates on P.S. 11 Q. Although it is not
completely done yet, you can view what is
there at www.ps11q.org. Visit the site often,
as we will be continually adding and updating
information for you! Anna Efkarpides
SAFETY PLEASE be reminded that you must show an
ID when you come to the school. If you
don’t have an ID, a supervisor must come
to the lobby to escort you to the main
office. All visitors need to sign in with
security and then come to the main office.
Parents are not allowed to walk to their
child’s classroom unless they get a pass
from the office. When you pick up your
children, you must park your cars and
walk to the exit. Please do not double
park or blow your horn because it
creates confusion and there have been
several complaints submitted by the
neighborhood. The classroom teachers
also need to see you before they can
release your child.
If you have any questions about policy or
curriculum, please feel free to email me and
I will get back to you as soon as possible.
My email address is:
[email protected].
Please submit your email address, if you
haven’t yet, so that I can forward
important information to you!
Attendance and punctuality are both very
important. Please make sure that your
child comes to school on time.
BEST BEHAVIOR – SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2012
ATS Code
Class
Teacher
Student
601
602
603
604
605
6-313
6-309
6-310
6-314
6-308
M. Perrotta
M. Argyros
H. Maguire
M. Toussaint
P. Mauclair
Tahmeed Chowdhury
Carlos Garcia
Patricia Merino
Kassandra Bueno
Sawalak Chueain
501
502
503
504
505
506
507
5-208
5-210
5-207
5-211
5-307
5-308
G-12
C. Olszewski
T. Sullivan
A. Bissonnette /M. Francioni
G. Vourvoulakas
M. Paska
S. Kladias
A. Krach
Jasmene Cruz
Christopher Dutan
Guadalupe Ortega
Audrey Arias
Tri Watanasuparp
Walter Rivera
Yairy Rojas
401
402
403
404
405
406
407
4-209
4-213
4-212
4-214
4-215
4-311
G-13
M. Persampire
I. Iocco
K. Maragoudakis
M. Skamalos/L. Giordano
A. Pagonis
M. Psyllos
S. Mavrokefalas
Aaron Ali
Majel Simmons
Stephanie M. Mendoza
Alexander Leonardi
Aneesh Nallu
Albulena Emini
Daren Bryant
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
3-214
3-110
3-215
3-M123
3-109
3-317
3-108
3-315
K. Giannitsanos
E. Ramirez
P. Schultz
M. Siegel
M. Eracleous
A. Kelly
M. Delgado/K. Dammacco
M. Zedalis
Haardi Paterl
Rania Adouim
Jacey Cho
Eduardo Ortega
Luis Lazo
Ximena Parada
Anthony Grande
Lesly Tenezaca
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
209
2-P1
2-M201
2-P4
2-M210
2-M208
M-106
2-P2
2-115
L. Milone
T. Tam
D. Gagliardi
T. Lambe
I. Mellis
D. Pisciotti
K. Tosi
C. Axelson/L. Sodomsky
Therese Lee
Lissett Lliguichuzhca
Fariha Hafiz
Lorenzo Antonio
Trong Watansasuparp
Safia Neha
Steven Ojeda
Choiti Deb
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
1-M219
1-M212
1-M1121
1-M116
1-P3
1-M110
113
1-G15
M. Chen
Y. Jerez
M. Mihelakis
J. Novick
J. Jyoung
S. Qylafku
A. Ramos
A. Trilivas/C. Feldman
Lasang Subba
Eleni Sanchez
Nicole Vega Ayala
Zaima Kabir
Leslie Ramirez
Pase Osmnovic
Yazmin Lomo
Jayanna Ramos
K-011
K-012
K-013
K-014
K-015
K-016
K-017
K-018
K-019
K-103
K-103
K-P8
K-101
G-11
P-3
K-P7
K-107
K-101
S. Rodriguez
M. Zapata
S. Kamber
C. Ashton
C. Popescu
E. Negrin
S. Bae
K. Maines/L. O’Leary
K. Rosenberg/C. Ashton
Ruby Bogaisky
Michael Puma
Ethan Cruz
Bryan Batubara
Dominick Tipan
Nasif Attiz
Michelle Escurra
Jennifer Escudero
Samantha Quintero-Lozano
2
orne
Working Together for School Success
P.S. 11 Q
December 20 I 2
Anna Efkarpides, Principal
My journal
Suggest that your child
keep a winter-break journal. Each day,
he can draw and write about something he did, like sledding with cousins or watching football. This will
help his writing skills stay sharp while
school is out. Encourage him to add
to his journal each year-he
can
reread old entries to enjoy favorite
winter memories.
Ready for recess
Your youngster's class probably goes
out for recess every day unless it's
raining or snowing. Make sure she
keeps gloves and a hat in her backpack so she can stay warm while she
plays. She might also wear leggings
under dresses, and layers that she can
remove if she gets too hot indoors.
Point of view
Show your child that people often see
the same things differently. Let everyone look at a magazine photo for 3-5
seconds. Then, ask each person to
share the first thing he saw, such as
the shiny new car or the sunset in the
background. Explain that people's
experiences and interests affect what
they notice or pay attention to.
Worth quoting
"One kind word can warm three winter months." Japanese proverb
Q: What do
monkeys
have that
no other
animal has?
A: Baby
monkeys.
© 2012 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated
Knowledge is everywhere
Whether you and your
youngster are folding laundry,
waiting for the bus, or going to
the bank, there is something
new for her to learn. Take advantage of everyday experiences to
build background knowledge
that she can draw on in school.
Here's how.
In the house
Help your child make discoveries while you do chores together.
When you fold laundry, have her read the
tags. Ask her what materials the clothes
are made of (cotton, polyester) and which
countries they come from (China, Vietnam). Later, she can find the countries on
a map. Or if you're cooking dinner, let her
hand you the spices. Talk about how they
smell and taste ("Chili powder is spicy.
Cinnamon is sweet").
Around the neighborhood
Everyone your youngster meets can
teach her something new. Chat with
neighbors while taking a walk or waiting
at the bus stop. If someone mentions an
interesting job (pilot, florist), encourage
your child to ask questions. Examples:
"How did you learn to fly a plane?" or
"What kinds of flowers do you sell?"
When you have guests, invite them to
talk about what life is like where they live.
Say you are in the country and they are
from a City-they might describe riding
the subway or working in a skyscraper.
Out and about
Your community is full of learning
opportunities. At a hardware store, point
out tools (wrench, drill) and talk about
what they're for. If you're at the bank
drive-thru, let your youngster put your
deposit in the canister and watch it go
through the vacuum tube. Also, try to
find new places to go. Visit a nature center, for example, and have your youngster
read the displays to see what lizards and
turtles eat .•
Helping the teacher
An extra pair of hands is a gift that teachers appreciate
any time of year. And helping out is one way to show your
child that his education is important to you. Consider
these tips:
• Let the teacher know what you enjoy doing. If you're
a scrapbooker, she might have you use your creativity to
decorate bulletin boards. If you like math, she could ask
you to help a small group with a game .
• Do you work during the day? Ask the teacher about evening activities you can
participate in. You might help organize a parent-child book club or make flyers for
the school talent show..
Home & School CONNECTION~
December 20 }2 • Page 2
Set the stage for
good behavior
might give him a healthy
snack so he won't get
hungry and cranky. You
could also assign him a
special job so he has something fun to focus on. For
instance, get a mall map
from the information desk,
and ask him to locate stores.
Or let him read the list of
people you're shopping for
and make gift suggestions.
What if you could spend less time disciplining your child and more time enjoying his company? Try these suggestions
to encourage good behavior-and
to be
prepared when he does act out.
Think ahead. With a little planning,
you can make it easier for your youngster
to behave well. Before you go shopping, you
...................... ..-...
......
Let's make music!
...
A family sing-along is a fun way for
your youngster to explore music. Get
started with these ideas:
• Take turns teaching each other songs.
Your child might pick one she learned
in school, and you could select one that
you remember from childhood. Idea: Try
"Row, Row, Row Your Boat" or "Three
Blind Mice" in rounds. Let your youngster start, and after she sings the first
line, you sing from the beginning while
she continues the song. She'll need to
listen carefully to keep her place!
• Make musical instruments to accompany your songs. Your child can play
different types, like percussion (drums,
tambourine), wind (flute, harmonica),
and string (guitar, violin). For example,
a wooden spoon on an oatmeal canister
or a coffee can makes a good drum. Or
help her create a guitar by wrapping rubber bands of different widths around an
empty tissue box .•
OUR
PURPOSE
To provide busy parents with practical ideas
that promote school success, parent involvement,
and more effective parenting.
Resources for Educators,
a division of CCH Incorporated
128 N. Royal Avenue > Front Royal, VA22630
540-636-4280 • [email protected]
www.rfeonline.com
ISSN 1540-5621
© 2012 Resources for Educators. a division of CCH Incorporated
~))
.
Respond carefully. When your child does misbehave, try to
pick consequences that you can stick with. If he's throwing a
ball indoors during a family gathering, going home right away
might not be reasonable. Instead, you could take the ball away
and have him find something else to do. If you follow through,
he will be more likely to listen next time .•
...............................................
8
•
Learning how to st~~·································
-.
Q: My daughter has more tests and quizzes this year. How
can I help her use good study habits so she can do well?
A: Studying is a skill that your daughter can learn and practice. First, have her get into the habit of studying a little each
day. That way, she won't need to cram the night before a test
or quiz. An evening when she doesn't have much homework
is a good time to look over class notes or review multiplication facts, for example.
Also, encourage your child to experiment with different study methods. She might
read a science or social studies chapter out loud. She could even record herself and
play it back. Or suggest that she use different colored pens to underline or circle parts
of spelling words that trip her up treceive, chifJ). Trying different strategies will help
her find the ones that work best for her .•
Family community service
Our older son,
Ryan, does community service for high school credit. Recently,
our third-grader, Matt, asked if he could
volunteer, too.
Ryan asked his civics teacher, who recommended a project that we could all do.
We met a group at the library to make
care packages for families who lost
their homes in a hurricane. The
packages included things like
soap, toothpaste, cereal, and
soup, and our job was
to make sure every box
got one of each item.
Ryan told Matt he was
doing a great job, and
he pointed out how grateful the families
would feel when they received their
packages.
Afterward, Ryan and Matt wanted to
do another project together. We checked
a few websites, including unitedway.org
and volunteermatch.org, and found quite
a few family volunteer opportunities
in our area. Matt
is excited about
working with his
big brother, and
I'm happy that
he's learning at a
young age about
helping others .•
orne
Trabajando juntos para et exito escotar
Diciembre de 2012
P.S. 11 Q
Anna Efkarpides, Principal
Mi diario
Li~~iiII""·Sugierale a su hijo que
lleve un diario durante las vacaciones
de inviemo. Cada dia, puede dibujar y
escribir sobre algo que hizo como pasear en trineo con sus primos 0 ver un
partido de futbol. Asi mantendra agil
su escritura durante las vacaciones.
Animelo a afiadir material a su diario
todos 105 anos: podra releer entradas
antiguas y disfrutar recordando momentos agradables.
Listos para el recreo
Es probable que la clase de su hija salga
al recreo excepta si llueve 0 nieva. Aseglirese de que lleva guantes y un gorro
en la mochila para no pasar frio cuando
juegue. Tamblen podria ponerse polainas debajo del vestido y vestirse en
capas que pueda quitarse si tiene demasiado calor en el interior de 105
edificios.
Punto de vista
Ensefie a su hijo que la genre a menu do
ve las mismas cosas de distinta manera.
Diga a todos que observen una foto de
una revista de 3 a 5 segundos. A continuacion pregunte a cada persona que
diga la primera cosa que vio, como un
reluciente auto nuevo 0 la puesta de sol
al fondo de la escena. Explique que las
experiencias y las aficiones de las personas afectan 10 que yen 0 aquello a 10
que prestan atencion.
Vale la pen a citar
"Una palabra amable puede calentar tres
meses de invierno". Proverbio japones
P: LQue tienen
monos
que no tiene
ningun otro
animal?
105
R: Bebes
monos.
© 2012 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated
EI conocimiento esta en
todas partes
Tanto si usted y su hija doblan la
ropa limpia, esperan al autobus 0 van al
banco, su hija siempre puede aprender
algo nuevo. Aproveche las experiencias
cotidianas para solidificar conocirnientos basicos que podra utilizar luego en
la escuela. He aqui como.
En casa
Ayude a su hija a que realice descubrimientos mientras hace con ella tareas domesticas. Cuando doblen la colada, digale
que lea las etiquetas de las distintas prendas. Preguntele de que materiales esta fabricada la ropa (algodon, poliester) y de
que paises proviene (China, Vietnam). Mas
tarde puede buscar los pafses en un mapa.
o si usted esta haciendo la cena, que ella
le de las hierbas y las especias. Comenten
como huelen y como saben ("El chili en
polvo es picanre. La canela es dulce").
Por el barrio
Todas las personas que conoce pueden
ensefiar algo nuevo a su hija. Hable con 105
vecinos cuando estan dando un paseo 0 esperando en la parada del autobus. Si alguien
menciona un trabajo interesante (piloto, Ilorista), anime a su hija a que haga preguntas.
Ejemplos: "LComo aprendio usted a pilotar
un avian?" 0 "LQue clase de flores vender'
Cuando tengan huespedes, animelos a que
les hablen de como es la vida donde viven.
Digamos que ustedes viven en el campo y
ellos son de una ciudad: podrian describir
como se desplazan en metro 0 como es el
trabajo en un rascacielos.
Por todas partes
Su comunidad presenta multiples ocasiones para aprender. En la ferreteria sefiale las herramlentas (Ilave inglesa, taladro) y
comenten para que se usan. Si estan en la
ventanilla de autaservicio del banco, que
su hija ponga el dinero que va a ingresar
en el bote y observe como pasa por el tubo
aspirador. Busquen sitios nuevos donde
ir. Visiten un centro de la naturaleza, par
ejemplo, y que su hija lea 105 rotulos de las
vitrinas para enterarse de que comen 105
lagartos y las tartugas."
Ayudar a los maestros
Un par de manos extra es un regalo que 105 maestros agradecen en cualquier epoca del afio, Y ayudar es una manera
de demostrar a su hijo que a usted le importa su educacion.
Considere estas ideas:
• Dfgale a la maestra que le gusta hacer a usted. Si es aficionada a hacer albumes, podria aprovechar su creatividad
para decorar 105 tablones de anuncios. Si le gustan las maternaticas, podria pedirle que eche una mana a un grupo
pequefio con un juego.
• LTrabaja durante el dia? Digale a la maestra en que actividades puede participar por
la tarde. Podria colaborar en la organizacion de un club de libros de padres e hijos 0
hacer volantes para el espectaculo de talentos.v
Home & School CONNECTION®
Diciembre de 2012 • Pagino 2
Preparar el
terreno para la
ponga de mal humar. Tambien
podria encargade de una tarea
especial para que tenga alga
enrretenido en 10 que concentrarse. Por ejemplo, pida un
plano en la oficina de informaci6n del centro comercial y
digale a su hijo que localice las
tiendas. Tambien podria leer la
lista de personas para las que
esta comprando y darle a usted
sugerencias para regalos.
buena conducta
lQue sucederfa si pudiera pasar menos
tiempo castigando a su hijo y mas tiempo
disfrutando de su compafiia? Ponga a prueba
estas sugerencias para famen tar la buena
conducta y para saber reaccionar cuando
su hijo se porte mal.
Piense en el futuro. Un poco de planificaci6n puede hacer
mas Iacil que su hijo se porte bien. Antes de salir de compras
podria darle una merienda sana para evitar que sienta hambre y se
~ ,
. 4a
lo<
.
.&
,.•
~
••••••••••••
••
••• •••••••
.:
-,Hagamos musical
~)
Responda con cuidado. Cuando su hijo se porte mal, procure elegir consecuencias que usted pueda imponer. Si esta lanzando un ba16n dentro de un edificio durante una reunion familiar,
regresar inmediatamente a casa quiza no sea razonable. En cambio podrfa quitarle la pelota y decide que se entretenga de otra
forma. Si usted impone las consecuencias es probable que la
(..
~ ~
..~~~~~~.~~~~r.e.s.t~.~::~~~~~~~•••••• .
..........................
Cantar en familia es una manera estupenda de que su hija explore la rmisica.
Empiecen a hacerlo can estas ideas:
• Tumense enseriandose una cancion. Su
hija puede elegir una que se aprendi6 en la
escuela y usted podria optar por una que
recuerde de su infancia. Idea: Prueben can
"Rema, rema en tu bote" a "Ires ratones
ciegos" en canon. Su hija empieza y cuando termina la primera frase, usted canta
desde el comienzo mientras ella continua
la cancion. iNecesitara escuchar can atencion para no perderse!
8
:
•
Aprender a estudiar
. .....
..... ....
.....
P: Mi hija tiene mas pruebas y mas exdmenes este ano. ~C6mo
puedo ayudarla a desarrollar buenos hcibitos de estudio para
que vaya bien en la escuela?
R: Estudiar es una destreza que su hija puede aprender y
practicar. Antes de nada, acosnimbrela a estudiar un poco
cada dta. Asi no tendra que aprenderse todo de un golpe la
noche antes de un examen a una prueba. Una tarde can pocos
deberes es perfecta para repasar apuntes de clase a para revisar las tablas de multiplicar, par ejemplo.
Anime tambien a su hija a que experimente con distintos metodos de estudio. Podrfa
leer un capitulo de ciencias 0 de ciencias sociales en voz alta. Incluso podria grabarse y
reproducirlo. Sugierale tambien que use boligrafos de distintos colores para subrayar a
rodear can un cfrculo partes de palabras en ingles cuya ortograffa la confunde (receive,
chYj). Probar distintas estrategias le permitira encontrar las que le vayan mejor a ella .•
..........•...............................................................................
• Hagan instrumentos musicales para
acornpafiar sus canciones. Su hija puede
tocar distintos tipos como percusi6n (tambores, pandereta), viento (flauta, arrnonica)
y cuerda (guitarra, violin). Par ejemplo,
golpear can una cuchara de palo un recipiente de avena 0 una lata de cafe puede
proporcionar un estupendo tambor. AyUdela a hacer una guitarra colocando gomas
elasticas de distinto grosor sabre una caja
de pafiuelos de papel vacia .•
NUESTRA
FINALIDAD
Proporcionar a los padres ideas practicas que
promuevan el exito escolar, la participacion de los
padres y un rnejor cnrendimienro entre padres e hijos.
Resources for Educators,
una filial de CCH Incorporated
128 N. Royal Avenue > Front Royal, VA22630
540-636-4280 • rfecustomer@wolterskluwercom
www.rfeonline.com
ISSN 1540-563X
© 2012 Resources for Educators. a division of CCH Incorporated
DE
PADRE
A PADRE
Servicio comunitario en familia
Nuestro hijo
mayor, Ryan, hace
servicio comunitario en el instituto para
ganar creditos. Hace poco Matt, nuesrro
hijo del tercer grado, pregunto si el tambien podia hacer voluntariado.
Ryan le pregunt6 a su maestro de educacion civica el cualle aconsejo un proyecto en el que podiamos participar todos.
Nos reunimos can un grupo en la biblioteca para hacer paquetes para
familias que habian perdido sus
hogares en un huracan, Los
paquetes ternan casas como
jab6n, pasta de dientes, cereales y sopa y nosotros
nos encargamos de que
cada caja tuviera cada
una de esas cosas. Ryan le dijo a Matt que
10 estaba hacienda muy bien y le mencion6 10 agradecidas que estarian las familias
cuando recibieran los paquetes.
Algo mas tarde Ryan y Matt querian
hacer otro proyecto juntos. Miramos en
unos cuantos sitios web, incluyendo united
way.org y volunteermatch.org y encontramos
bastantes opartunidades
para hacer voluntariado
en familia. A Matt le
entusiasma trabajar
can su hermano
mayor y yo estoy
encantada de que
aprenda des de pequefio a ayudar a
105 dernas .•
Class 205 is ready for Second Grade! Class 306 is excited about Third Grade! Solids,Liquids&Gases
MoreStudents’Work!
Thestudentsinclass306arelearningaboutsolids,liquidsandgases.
NYCDOT’sTheAppleCorps
P.S.11studentsreceivedaspecialtreatwhenaperformingartsgroupwiththeDepartmentof
Transportation’s“TheAppleCorps”cameandpresentedamusicalplayaboutstreetcrossing,
bicycleandseatbeltsafety.
Bets
Betsy
Kotsogiannis
&
Susan Pastore
ScrabbleTournament
StudentsinComputerClassM204participatedinaScrabbleTournamentwitheachotherandtheGrand
Prizewinnerstookhomesomegreatprizes.
Studentsdressedup
for“AlohaDay”
beforetheendofthe
lastschoolyear.