by Alea Cerha Vist

Fourth Graders had Guggenheim once a week, every Monday. We would start Guggenheim 2nd period and end 3rd period (2 periods). We would start every class with a reflection of what we were going to do that day, for instance we would work on our utopias or we would make a painting. After reflection we would do meditation. Most of the time when we were beginning something new we would “study”, or in other words we would look at paintings or sculptures to inspire us or show us what we were supposed do ourselves and of course in our own way. We would work for one hour every morning. I loved it because it was messy and it reminded me of when I was little and I would always do messy art projects with my whole entire body. Good times, good times.

We made utopias  with a wood platform, paper, tape, artist tape, paper mache, paint, and foam boards. Mine turned out like this…

This picture was taken when I was in the Guggenheim May 4th, presenting my work and my whole grade’s work…

The entire school is invited to enjoy a FREE day of activities at the Guggenheim on Sunday, June 4th from 1 to 4pm. Explore art by Learning Through Art (LTA) students in A Year with Children, create artwork and experience a special musical performance. Click for details.

The post Fourth Graders’ Micro Utopias appeared first on PS8 PTA.

PS8 kids in grades K-4th have been busy busting a move this year with our two gifted dance teachers Ms. Garay and Ms. Cristello.  If your kids give you as much information as mine does {none} you will be impressed to learn about how much these movers and shakers have done this year.

choreographing in action

The post So Just Dance, Dance, Dance, Dance! appeared first on PS8 PTA.

Did you know there is triangular staircase in the Guggenheim? Did you know there is a center spot in the rotunda where you can whisper and hear and echo? I didn’t, not until the kiddos in Ms Kendrick’s 3rd grade class showed me. This was their third and final trip this year to the Guggenheim and I want to say the kids sauntered in from the rain because they were so comfortable and at home. As one parent marveled, the kids seem to have a real ownership about this place.  They were engaged and curious to see what was new and to find their favorite artworks from their last visit.

On the fourth floor we entered A Year With Children, the exhibition that displays artwork from children all around NYC who have participated with the Guggenheim program. The kids were excited to see the examples from their class as well as projects made by other students.

At the end of their visit, the children were invited to sit and draw in their sketchbooks from artwork hanging or from the architecture. One student said that George Lucas probably looked at the Surrealists when he made Star Wars.  Maybe so and how wonderful that these kids have had such an in-depth opportunity that could inspire them for years to come.

Dollars donated to the PTA make this program possible at PS8.

The post Chaperone Notes from the Guggenheim appeared first on PS8 PTA.

The MS8 FYI basketball team got our first win of the season in exciting fashion. The Flatbush Suns were defeated 49-47 in OT by an and-one buzzer beater by Tyshawn. That was our 3rd straight game that had to continue after the end of the 4th quarter. This was the first win for the team and MS8 FYI is now 1-3. Our team only had 5 players, which means everyone having to play the whole game. Also we only had one 8th grader, Tyshawn, and everyone stepped up in a big way to win the 4th game of the season. The players that were there were Ryan, Warner, Jojo, Lamont and Tyshawn.

The game was exciting from the tip off, neither team taking too big of a lead. In the 1st, Ryan was making some insane hook shots to give the MS8 team a boost. The game was pretty close all the way through until MS8 got an 8 point lead in the 4th by good mid-range shooting by Lamont. But then some key mistakes were made including a lane violation by Warner that made the game go into OT. By then MS8 had the feeling that this game was going to go like the previous two OT games where MS8 could not pull them out. In the game as a whole Warner, Jojo and Tyshawn all made a 3 but none of them were as clutch as Jojo’s. When MS8 was down by 4 with less than a minute to go, Jojo was able to make a pull up 3 to shrink the lead down to 1. Then after a missed shot by the Flatbush Suns, Tyshawn dribbled the ball up the court and made the and-one at the buzzer. They let Tyshawn shoot the congratulatory free throw to put the ribbon on the present as MS8 got their first win of the season.

By Warner Gephardt, Class 602
Photo Credit (pictures from the first game of the season) to Nikita Felix

The post MS8 FYI Overtime Buzzer Beater Stuns Flatbush Suns appeared first on PS8 PTA.

The 6th grade theme for the end of year exploration is “What is courage?” During exploration we have people who have displayed courage in their life come and talk about how they are related to the theme.

Our first speaker this year was Sidiki Conde. Sidiki’s visit to MS8 on June 7th was more than just interesting, it was inspiring, fun, and a perfect example of courage. Sidiki got polio at 14 year old and in the end it had cost him the use of his legs. 

In Guinea, being disabled means you bring bad luck, shame, and misfortune to your family. Sidiki was sent to live with his grandfather because of his disability. Sidiki knew he had to participate in a coming-of-age dance ceremony to be accepted back into his villiage. He began experimenting with new ways of walking. It took him 3 years to get get good at it. Eventually, he found a way to walk on his hands without scraping or burning his feet in the ground, and without breaking the sides of his shirts. Soon enough he was old enough and able to take part in the dance, after this he was able to rejoin his village.

Sidiki grew up with dance and music and it was his love for it that brought him to America. His goal is to help people who have been separated from their community because of something bad that happened to them reconnect with society, like he did after his polio. Now he goes around the country visiting schools and this year has been his 4th year MS8. He shows kids that even if you have a life changing disability you can still live as happy a life as you would without the disability. It is his courage that brought him to where he is now, had he not tried and tried for 3 years he would be still in his grandfather’s village.

Sidiki is determined to make his life the best it can be, and he wants others to do the same with their lives. Sidiki fought the odds with courage and rose to the top.

Ava O. (6th grader)

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Not to be confused with the dioramas many of us remember making, the PS8 Second Grade Box City project is a comprehensive study on what goes into making a community function and succeed.  It’s continued to be a favorite project of students, teachers, and families over the years.

Back on May 1st, the Social Studies project began with a Community Walking Trip where students took a tour of the neighborhood looking for inspiration for their project.  They created 2D drafts of what different communities look like – urban, suburban, and rural – which have been on display in the halls.  Over the next few weeks, each student chose which business or service they would like to create, and interviewed a Community Worker at an actual business.

In the last few weeks, construction began.  Designing, painting, gluing, and sculpting were all part of the process.  Children created residences, eateries, sports arenas, toy stores, craft stores, spas, veterinary offices, dental offices, fire houses, police precincts, jails – anything you could think of that makes an actual community tick.  The children evaluated needs versus wants.  They also created rules to maintain order in their communities.

This Tuesday was the big finale, where students got to invite their grown-ups in to visit their community.  We were given an allowance to make purchases at the businesses (or post bail for anyone caught stealing – yes, that happened!).  Cheers to the second-grade teachers who continue to make learning fun & lasting impressions on our kids every day!

The post Box City with the Second Graders appeared first on PS8 PTA.

On the evening of June 5th, the fast-growing number of MS 8 arts partnerships was on display at NYU’s Pfizer Auditorium. This school year saw the addition of an after-school wind ensemble, the Brooklyn Public Players, led by the 100-year old Brooklyn Music School, and an in-school chorus, led by the renowned Brooklyn Youth Chorus. They joined longtime MS 8 partner, Brooklyn Ballet, which leads after-school ballet and hip hop classes (free — thanks to a CASA grant from NYC Council Member Steve Levin), and our rock band led by MS 8 parent, musician and music teacher Dmitriy Goldgisser.

Planning is ongoing to continue and expand these programs next year, together with an after-school drama program led by the EPIC Players, the organization that led students in an exciting production of Alice in Wonderland earlier this month.

The post Celebr8 Our MS8 Arts Partnerships! appeared first on PS8 PTA.

In the last unit of science class, we have been working on ecology and the food chain/food web. For the final unit we dissected owl pellets! Before we dissected owl pellets, we learned about the food chain and the food web! One thing that I really liked about the food chain was that (even if this is not a good thing) that if one animal went extinct, then all of the animals in its food group would die or over populate! Take a frog for example, if a frog died then the animal who eats it (snake) would die because it would have nothing to eat. Then the hawk would die and the fungi would overpopulate because of all the dead carcasses! But take it the other way and the grasshoppers would overpopulate because the frogs aren’t eating them, and then all the grass would die because of the insane amounts of grasshoppers. And one thing I liked about the food web is that when the food chain only shows one specific relationship between the animals (prey/predator), the food web show the connections between many different species.

After that, when we dissected the owl pellets. In the beginning everyone was a little freaked out because we were sticking wooden tools into regurgitated owl pellets, but then it turned out to be really cool! For example, our class (603) was the first class to find a bird skeleton inside the pellet! My group found a full vole skeleton, and another table found an intact fly and maggots inside the pellet.

I really liked our ecology unit because everything that we did was very exhilarating.

Georgia H. (6th grader)

The post Sixth Graders Dissect Owl Pellets appeared first on PS8 PTA.

This Spring the Joyce Theater  in Chelsea became an extension of the 2nd Grade class dance curriculum.  Students had the chance to watch four different ballet acts including: Ma Cong’s Lift The Fallen which includes nods to the choreographer’s own Chinese culture; Val Caniparoli’s Swipe, a mash-up of classical ballet and hip-hop dance,  Katarzyna Skarpetowska’s Polaris, inspired by the “Pillars of Creation,” the compelling photograph taken by the Hubble Space Telescope; and Pas Glazunov, created by former Richmond Ballet principal Malcolm Burn, who is now its artistic associate and ballet master.

It was a wonderful experience for the kids, and for some their first exposure to the theater.

The post PS8 2nd Graders Visit the Joyce Theater appeared first on PS8 PTA.

As a science student and hopefully future scientist  I would like to share a few things about the Marine Biology Club I participated in every Friday. It  was a great way for me to get my feet wet and introduce me to the life and work of a biologist. I feel that sometimes learning about science as a student revolves around hard core fact but in reality most of a scientist’s work is done in the field.

From learning about cancer to inspecting and measuring oysters the program was always hands on. All the lessons were different and unique, for 6 sessions we were at Saint Francis college where our time was spent in their lab looking at cheek cell samples or microscopic marine life under a microscope. We would then share what we observed and learned about the microscopic organisms. Our time was also spent learning about different discoveries the students at the university where working on, the focus was on several conditions such as concussions, cancer and different types of ringworm.

At the Brooklyn Bridge Park we learned about ways in which it is  sustainable by methods that include  reuse, recycle, reduce and restore. We did water quality testing and learned about organisms that live in the Hudson River. As our grand finale, we went  seining in the Hudson River, an old Native American technique to catch fish.  We observed the various marine life, tested the water and just had fun in our waders.

By Sonia Ehrich

The post MS8 Kids Cre8 Science with Brooklyn Bridge Park & St. Francis College appeared first on PS8 PTA.

Last week, 2nd graders harvested and ate the kale they planted back in February. The short story is that they loved the experience. . . and the kale! You can hear their opinions in their own words in the video below!

And since now you definitely want the recipe, here is Mr. Riqueros’s kale salad . . .

Dressing:
Orange juice (1/4 cup)
Pineapple Juice (1/4 cup)
Mustard (teaspoon)
Garlic powder (pinch)
Onion powder (pinch)

Salad:
Lettuce (1 bag)
Kale (1 bunch or 1 bag)
Raisins (1 cup)

THE 2ND GRADE KALE HARVEST IN PHOTOS!

First, they harvested the kale.

There was a lot of kale to harvest.

Then they brought their harvest to PS 8’s School Food Supervisor, Mr. Riqueros.

They recalled when they planted the kale in February and transplanted it in March.

Ms. Glenys prepared the kale salad according to Mr. Riqueros’ recipe.

They waited with excitement.

They lined up.

Our Garden Coach Nicole served kale salad with help of Garden Committee volunteers!

Ms. Mahmood’s class enjoyed it!

Really enjoyed it!

Seriously, seriously enjoyed it!

The post 2nd Graders Harvest and Eat Their Kale appeared first on PS8 PTA.

As part of the Social Studies curriculum, kindergartners interviewed community helpers within the school. The students discussed all of the helpful people in the school and the kids voted on who to interview. They had a great time asking questions and could have kept going well past the 20 question limit!

After the Q&A session the children set out together to draw and cut out a life-size portrait. This included details like Ms Moore’s “radeo” and Building Manager Kenny’s keys. Each student also wrote and illustrated an “All About …” book which are displayed on the bulletin board next to the life size portraits.

K-103 wanted to interview Ms. Moore because she is so helpful and the first person they see each morning.

K-114 interviewed Ms. Eileen, Parent Coordinator and learned that she wears a “woch” and likes “spending time with kindergarteners.”

Mr. Kenny, Building Manager interviewed by K-110  “makes sure everything in the building is working, like heat and lights and makes sure the building is safe.”

K-116 wanted to know why Ms. Glenys , Head Cook refers to them as “my babies.”

K-113 interviewed Assistant Principal, Ms. Peterson and found out that, “she used to have a classroom, but now has an office.”

The post Meet PS8’s Community Helpers appeared first on PS8 PTA.

Fifth Grade’s last ELA/Social Studies unit was Project Citizen, which asked kids to consider solutions to problems they were most concerned about. One group expressed concerned about the Syrian Refugee Crisis and spent the unit learning about it, as well as considering ways they could help.

The group decided that they wanted to have a bake sale in order to make donations of water to Syria via a group they learned about during their research called Hand to Hand for Syria. Even weeks after the unit was over, their commitment led to a bake sale that exceeded their goal of $200! They were able to raise $320! Way to go Vincent, Lina, Sophia, Zoe, and Sawyer!

The post 5th Graders Support Syrian Refugees appeared first on PS8 PTA.

The 5th grade classes planted a few types of lettuce, basil, and radish in the planter boxes in the schoolyard just before our classes planted vegetables in the classroom for our science unit. I was one of the students from 5-302 who helped harvest the vegetables and I loved it. It reminded me of my family’s farm in Yemen. They grow lettuce, tomatoes, and fruit and I always loved picking them. We delivered them to the cafeteria where our school chef made a huge salad for all of the 5th grade students to share. Some students from class 5-314 and 5-320 also helped by serving the salad, which was very fresh and not moldy, like the vegetables we grew in class!

By Mohamed Elnesafi, Class 5-302

The post 5th Grade Farmers Harvest and Serve Salad appeared first on PS8 PTA.

In early June, a group of MS 8 eighth graders organized an activism conference for the seventh grade. We connected important issues going on in the world with things happening here at school. The conference began with two group activities, both intended to encourage inclusiveness. During the Human Poll, 7th graders answered questions about race, gender, religion, and more by moving to different places around the classroom based on their opinions. During the Boat Activity, students were given fourteen cards with descriptions of different types of people, such as a pregnant woman, an illegal immigrant, someone who is HIV+, and more.  Only ten people could fit on a boat after being stranded on an island, and students were asked to find a solution based solely on these brief descriptions.

Next, each seventh grade class was assigned to a different workshop, one on ability, one on gender, and one on race and class. In each workshop, we had guest speakers including representatives from Eye to Eye, an organization that helps students with learning disabilities, activities such as role playing situations involving homophobia, art projects, and games to promote empathy. The conference ended with a discussion of what these issues mean to them, how the experience changed their way of thinking, and how their actions will change as a result.

Overall, this was an amazing experience for both grades. The seventh graders were able to reflect on sensitive issues that are extremely relevant, both in our school and the world. The eighth graders had to think about the best way to educate others and inspire inclusiveness, a skill that will help us create change throughout our whole lives. I hope this event continues for many years to come!

By Sophie Mode, Class 803

The post 8th Graders Organize Activism Conference appeared first on PS8 PTA.

​We have a teacher consensus on a basic design, a sketch of a plan, and a preliminary plant list by Brooklyn Bridge Park horticulturist Rebecca McMackin!  The work has begun to convert the grassy area by Poplar Street into an outdoor classroom space and garden with native plantings.

Thanks to Doug Biviano for lending his truck and strength to the project of loading, transporting, and unloading 100+ bags of soil and compost on the last day of school. Garden Committee and other, much appreciated! volunteers covered our yard with newspaper and then with the new soil to kill the existing grass and prepare the area for new planting in the late summer/early fall.

We appreci8 Ansley Samson for her leadership, commitment and enthusiasm on her efforts with our Garden, Wellness and Sustainability Committee (in addition to everything else she does!). From the planters in the school yard, to the window boxes garnishing our school’s entrance, to our expanding composting program; she has worked diligently to strengthen our lower school’s science and nutrition curriculum while creating fun and educational enrichment activities for our students. We can’t wait to see what more this new front yard will have to offer our community!

The post The Front Yard Design appeared first on PS8 PTA.

We hope everyone is having a great Summer and while there’s still plenty of it left, we’d like to pass along this reminder of the MS 8 Summer Reading Assignments.

The links below will take you to each grade’s assignment as well as to a list on Amazon where you can buy the books for the 6th and 8th grade assignments, and support the PTA with your purchase (remember to use the link on the PTA Web site homepage every time you shop at Amazon to help support our school!).

See you in September!

6th Grade Summer Reading Assignment
6th Grade Amazon Book List

7th Grade Summer Reading Assignment

8th Grade Summer Reading Assignment
8th Grade Amazon Book List

The post MS 8 Summer Reading Assignment 2017 appeared first on PS8 PTA.

Here is some important back-to-school information:

PS 8/MS 8 Info-to-Go

Review our lower school and middle school drop-off/pick up times, procedures and important contact info HERE (two-page document, including both lower and middle school info). Please note that middle school now starts at 8:20am and ends at 2:40pm. The lower school still starts at 8:20am.

First Day of School

The first day of school is on Thursday, September 7th.
This is a full day for 1st-8th grades, and a half day for Kindergarten. Half day includes lunch so please remember to send a packed lunch if your child does not purchase school lunch. Early dismissal is at 11:30am.

PTA Calendar

Mark your calendars! PTA meeting days are announced for the new school year. The first meeting of the year is on Thursday, September 28th at 6pm in the auditorium. For more dates, see our online calendar.

School Supplies

If you purchased school supplies through the PTA:
Lower school students’ orders will be delivered to their classrooms before the first day of school. Most supplies will be stored in the classroom as they are shared and used as needed. Middle school students’ supply kits will be distributed during the second week of school.

If you did not purchase school supplies through the PTA:
Students should bring their supplies during the first week of school. Click to view the lower school supply lists and middle school supply lists.

And don’t forget: Our school receives 4-8% of every purchase you make at Amazon when you use this link: http://ps8.me/amazon (bookmark it to use every time!), or just click on the Amazon button on the righthand column of this webpage.

Events for New Lower and Middle School Families

Please join us at our upcoming welcome events. Check out the Welcome Committee’s lower school and middle school  event invites for full details.

Stay Upd8ed

• Visit our Website
  http://ps8brooklyn.org
  The PS 8 website contains information about our school, our staff, the PTA, the curriculum, and our schedule, among other things. This is the primary place where we share information about upcoming events and news.
• Bookmark the School Calendar
  All dates and times for upcoming lower and middle school events are on our online calendar. Bookmark and check often!
• Follow us on Facebook
  You will find news, photographs, videos and more on PS 8 PTA’s Facebook page!
• Check for Backpack Notices
  Notices from the principal, teachers and the PTA come home occasionally in student backpacks. Be sure to ask your child!

We have lots of exciting things planned this year, but we can’t do them without YOU!  Please fill out the online Particip8 Form and tell us how you’d like to help out. Feel free to contact our PTA Volunteer Coordinator, Jennifer Rendeiro at volunteer@ps8brooklyn.org with any questions you may have.

We’re excited to see everyone back at school on Thursday — remember the school day at both the lower and middle schools begins at 8:20am!

The post Welcome to the 2017-2018 School Year! appeared first on PS8 PTA.

We will hold 4 Open Houses this year. All will be held at 9:00 AM in our school auditorium. This is designed for parents or guardians of prospective K-5 students.

October 25, 2017   Please Register Here

December 6, 2017 Please Register Here

January 10, 2018  Please Register Here

February 28, 2018 Please Register Here

The post Lower School Open Houses for Prospective Parents appeared first on PS8 PTA.

We are offering open houses for 5th grade families. Open houses will start at 9:00 AM. Enter at 105 Johnson Street , which is the side entrance to the George Westinghouse Campus building. Please register so we know how many people to expect.

• October 12, 2017 Registration Full
• October 16, 2017 Registration Full
• October 24, 2017 Registration Full
• October 26, 2017 Please register here
• October 31, 2017 Please register here
• November 2, 2017 Please register here
• November 6, 2017 Please register here
• November 9, 2017 Please register here
• November 14, 2017 Please register here
• November 20, 2017 Please register here

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