I hope your conferences this week were informative. I apologize for the technical difficulties that some of you may have had, and encourage you to reach out to the teacher to check-in.
JUPITER
The Jupiter System has multiple functions and two sides. On the parent-facing side, you see the teachers’ gradebook. You see the list of assignments, assessments, and other grades that teachers enter. After much thought and a complete policy change a few years ago, we decided to give parents open access to Jupiter so they can monitor their child’s progress and verify the feedback they were getting from their children. Our Jupiter is not set up as a “report card” — it is not an ongoing calculation of your child’s grade. The final assessment of your child’s achievement will be shown on the report card.
EARLY ACADEMY There will be no Early Academy on the following days: Wednesday, November 24th; Tuesday, November 30th; Wednesday, December 1st; and Thursday, December 2nd. On Wednesday, November 24th, the teachers need to attend proctoring training to ensure that every detail of the SHSAT administration at school goes smoothly. During the week of November 30th, the teachers will be completing the DESSA Screeners and are entitled to professional time (now used by Early Academy) to do it. The teachers will address student questions during instructional time.
MAP SCORES
The fall Map Assessment data for your child will be included with the first report card. (Yes, you will get a print out of the report card this year.) The DOE is not uploading the data onto your NYC Student Account.
This gives you a look at how the students did across the school. Remember, this was the first time they took this kind of assessment and there were assorted technical and time issues. Please see the Family Guide to MAP Growth for a further explanation.
Low/Low Avg.
Avg/High Avg.
High
MS54 Mean Score
Grade Level Mean
6th Grade Math
12%/14%
16%/26%
32%
219.9
214.7
7th Grade Math
17%/4%
4%/18%
57%
231.5
220.2
8th Grade Math
13%/ 5%
4%/11%
67%
242.7
224.9
6th Grade ELA
9%/9%
9%/27%
47%
221.2
210.2
7th Grade ELA
11%/5%
7%/19%
58%
226.7
214.2
8th Grade ELA
7%/6%
7%/17%
62%
232.3
213.7
COMING PREPARED
Please remind your child when they dress for school, that the classrooms can get chilly because the windows are open for ventilation. We do not want students walking around in their coats, it creates both a security issue (preventing us from identifying who belongs and who does not) and it also inhibits students from “rolling up their sleeves and getting to work”. Booker T. hoodies are always in style here (and a new design is on its way), so send them in with a labeled sweatshirt. Layering has always been a smart strategy.
VACCINE NUMBER 2
For those of you who had your children vaccinated at the POP-UP Site here at school, we are not going to be a POP-UP for dose number two. Instead, the Ryan Health Center will be administering the 2nd dose, for those of you who would like to have it done at school. Please contact the Ryan Center to make an appointment.
Reminder — even when there is a positive case in school, vaccinated students with no symptoms do not have to quarantine.
Elana Elster
Annual Appeal
Our Annual Appeal platform is live! Thank you to all who have donated already and thank you for your patience while we migrated to a new platform! Please donate to support essential staff and supplies not covered by the DOE.
Most of our PTA funds come from our Annual Appeal. We ask that families donate $1,000 per child (if you can) but will graciously accept whatever you can give because our goal is 100% participation. Questions? Contact Assistant Treasurers Rachel and Miriam.
Virtual Turkey Trot 2021
Booker T.'s 2nd Annual Turkey Trot is in full swing and goes until November 30th! Participate from wherever you are or join in one of our gatherings (see info in Announcements below). The suggested fee to register is $20 for adults; participants under 18 are free! In order to encourage as many participants as possible, there is also a "Pay as You Wish" option. Come join the fun!
For those who ordered shirts, they were sent home via backpack on Monday and Tuesday. The PTA has set aside some Turkey Trot shirts for students who wish to participate in the Turkey Trot, but are unable to afford a shirt. Please contact Ms. Pejovich if you would like to receive a donated shirt.
We'd love to get any pictures of you Turkey Trotting so please post on our Facebook page.
Native American Heritage Month: The New York Public Library has a collection of resources to help you explore and learn more about Native American cultures, languages, and literature.
MS54'S TURKEY DRIVE & HOLIDAY CARDS Every November, the wonderful families at MS54 come together to support theWest Side Campaign Against Hunger's (WSCAH) Turkey Challenge! Kudos to families who wrote holiday cards to be delivered with fresh turkeys by the West Side Campaign Against Hunger Turkey Challenge. Your caring will make a community member in need feel appreciated.
54 HOODIES! NEW DESIGN! LIMITED RUN! SHOP
Grab one of our new, LIMITED EDITION hoodies for your MS54 student for $35 to $50, depending on style! With a new design and special colors, they're sure to make a great gift for the holidays! Pick-up will be just before the winter break in December. Questions: schoolstore@ms54pta.org.
HOLIDAY CANDLE SALE Pick up on November 23, 2021 @ 3pm SHOP
Holiday candle help is here! Buy holiday candles for yourself — or as gifts — and support MS54 at the same time! We have Hannukah, Advent, and Kwanzaa candles for $15/pack or 2 for $25. Pick-up at the school on Tuesday, November 23rd at 3pm. Questions: fundraising@ms54pta.org.
8TH GRADE TURKEY TROT MEETUP November 20, 2021 @ 1pm Central Park Reservoir; meet at theTennis Center
8th grade families: Please join us at the Central Park Reservoir to exercise and help raise money for Booker T. by participating in our annualTurkey Trot!All families are welcome and you don’t have to pay to participate. Enter at 93rd and Central Park West and meet up at the hill by the Tennis Center near the Reservoir. Ms. McNulty and Ms. Merkel’s homerooms are tied for the most RSVP’s and they will each receive a bouquet of flowers! Don't forget to wear your Turkey Trot shirts or other MS54 gear. Email8thgraderep@ms54pta.org with suggestions and any questions.
MS54 GARDEN COMMITTEE MEETUP November 20, 2021 @ 1pm RSVP Join the Booker T. Gardening Committee on Saturday November 20th at 1pm for our next gardening event! We will clean old leaves and dead branches, and plant some bulbs for the spring. Some unplanned trees need to be cut or trimmed. Enough work for everyone who wants to join — parents and children. Kids who help with planting will get a chance to watch their bulbs bloom in the spring. Please sign up.
END OF FIRST MARKING PERIOD November 23, 2021
You can expect that report cards will come out around December 8th.
PIE PICK-UP November 23, 2021 @ 3 - 6:30pm
If you ordered pies, pick-up is on Tuesday, November 23rd from 3 – 6:30pm. Your Booker T. scholar can pick-up any ordered pies. Any pies not picked up during that time will be donated.
MS54 TOUR FOR CURRENT PARENTS November 23, 2021 @ 5pm REGISTER Dr. Elster is offering an off-hours, parents-only tour for current families. ONE parent per student; registration required; first-come, first-served. Questions: co-presidents@ms54pta.org.
EQUITY TEAM MEETING November 23, 2021 @ 7pm REGISTER
We will continue our discussion and assessment of practices to build a welcoming and affirming school environment.
ASIAN AMERICAN ASSOCIATION BUBBLE TEA SOCIAL November 24, 2021 @ 3:15pm RSVP with the names of those who will be attending tozipkin@ms54.org. We'll talk about issues and upcoming events as we go for bubble tea near the school at Gong Cha (on Amsterdam) before returning to the building. Please bring money for tea and dress for the weather as this is a walking trip. For bubble tea scholarships and other questions, email Ms. Zipkin. All are welcome.
NO SCHOOL - THANKSGIVING BREAK November 25 and 26, 2021
Remember that there's no school on Thursday and Friday, November 25th and 26th in honor of Thanksgiving.
MS54 IN-PERSON TURKEY TROT WALK OR RUN November 27, 2021 @ 10am
Central Park, West 85th Street RSVP Want to do the MS54 Turkey Trot in-person with others who are still in town? Join in the fun for a relaxed walk-or-run 5K in Central Park, and yes, we'll have a timer running for you serious weekend warriors. Free hot chocolate will be served afterward. For more info: activities@ms54pta.org.
WELLNESS WALK: HOLIDAY EDITION December 5, 2021 @ 3pm
Start Point: West 106th Street entrance, Central Park West
Come join us for our most festive Wellness Walk of 2021! We're calling it "A Walk Down Memory Lane," where we'll share our best — and worst, if you prefer — holiday stories of all time. We'll walk to the Conservatory Garden on the east side of Central Park. And, at the end of the road, we'll have hot chocolate. This is a free event from the MS54 PTA and Wellness. RSVP towellness@ms54pta.org.
WELLNESS WEDNESDAY WORKSHOP Wednesday, December 8, 2021 @ 8pm REGISTER
Mark your calendars and come join us for a monthly Wellness meeting. Stay tuned for the topic!
GET YOUR FAMILY PORTRAIT + SUPPORT MS54 BOOK NOW! Our fabulous team of MS54 photographers are offering ten-minute, outdoor sessions in Central Park for one family portrait (JPG, color, edited) to be used any way you like. You’ll receive your digital print via email within five days and 100% of the proceeds go to Booker T.! Once you’ve booked your session, we’ll send you a scheduling. Questions: fundraising@ms54pta.org.
EVERYTHING-BUT-THE-TURKEY MS54 FOOD DRIVE
Thanks to the generosity of the Booker T. Community, 15 families will have everything-but-the-turkey pantry items, ranging from mashed potatoes to wild rice to gravy, for Thanksgiving!
CHARLESTON WRAP Thank you to all who checked out the Charleston Wrap online store — whether you shared the shopping link or made purchases yourself, we appreciate it! We ended up raising $365.40 and making some early shoppers happy, too!
VACCINE REFERRAL BONUS AND INCENTIVE If you register to get your first COVID-19 vaccination shot from an NYC-run site and insert a referral from "Parent Teacher Association of M.S. 54, Inc.", the city will donate $100 to the PTA! (You will also still qualify to receive the $100 vaccine incentive, which is available to anyone receiving a first shot, including the newly eligible 5-11 year olds.) This opportunity is available at any city-run site. If you forget to type in "Parent Teacher Association of M.S. 54, Inc." when you register, just add it to your information when you attend your appointment or do a walk-in. Please share with friends, too, and thank you!
Final Days to Nominate a Teacher for the FLAG Award for Teaching Excellence Nominations close December 1, 2021 Today, when teaching is more challenging than ever before, consider nominating a public school teacher for The FLAG Award for Teaching Excellence. One grand-prize winner from each of NYC’s five boroughs will receive a $25,000 cash prize and finalists will each receive $10,000. The winning teachers’ schools will each receive $10,000 and each finalist’s school will receive $2,000 for arts-based initiatives. For more information and to nominate a teacher, visit flagaward.org.
