FOR YOUR CALENDARS

Monday, Nov. 12
Winter Athletics Meeting: 8:30 am and
5:30 pm

Tuesday, Nov. 13
Grade 2 Trip to Canstruction
Grade 2 Poetry Celebration: 8:15 am
Class 1A Dance Curriculum Share: 8:15 am
New Parents Orientation Meeting: 8:30 am
Annual Chess Night: 6 pm

Wednesday, Nov. 14
Classes 4C and 4D Trip to Black Rock
Class 1C Dance Curriculum Share: 8:15 am

Thursday, Nov. 15
Classes 4A and 4B Trip to Black Rock
Casa Latina Meeting: 8:30 am
Financial Aid Workshop: 6 pm

Friday, Nov. 16
PA "World Showcase" Culture Night:
5:45 pm

Saturday, Nov. 17
TEDxYouth@TheSchool, 10:30 am

New on the Tube and Gallery
The Tube:
Mock Presidential Debate
Presidential Jingles
The Gallery:
Mock Presidential Debate
Grade 8 Personal Essay Workshop
Grade 3 Inwood Hill Park

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Powerful Parenting Coffee on Learning Differences
It was a full Library for the first Powerful Parenting Coffee of the year, this past Wednesday, Nov. 7. Three parents and three specialists at The School generously shared experiences of raising children who are overcoming physiological and neurological challenges, and discussed the resources available at The School to help.

A panelist whose daughter has mild cerebral palsy described her experiences moving to New York and learning to navigate the landscape of service providers. “We were really pleased that this school has its own therapists, so our daughter misses the minimum of classroom time. She loves the attention from her physical therapist, and to her classmates it’s no big deal.”

Another panelist’s daughter had to overcome multiple challenges after being born months premature. “We’ve had so many wonderful therapists--little angels--along the way, and now, in second grade, people don't realize she had a rough start.”

Another panelist described the harrowing experience of handing over her 8-month-old son for major surgery, and how her career was, in effect, suspended for several years while she made sure he got all the attention and services that could help. “Hearing your kid being described with labels is scary. But I learned that the label was a ticket to throw a ton of attention at my son. Now he’s just a regular middle schooler--he only communicates by grunting!” All panelists emphasized the demands and importance of being your child’s prime advocate amidst an often bewildering matrix of services, providers, and insurance.

Learning Specialist Ibijoke Akinola, Social Emotional Learning Intern Gazi Begum, and TSC Social Worker Christina Kim also spoke on the panel. They described The School’s Child Study Team, the group of teachers and staff who plan and respond to individual differences-- including challenges--observed in students, supporting the school’s whole-child mission. “Students really look forward to being in Friendship Group, the small discussion groups we run to discuss how to approach conflict resolution and other social and emotional skills,” noted Gazi.  

Christina highlighted the school’s role in connecting parents to additional resources within the community. She explained that each classroom teacher/advisor is closely connected to the Child Study Team, and is the best first contact for concerned parents. She also introduced the Parents Association's Neurodiversity Group, a parent-led group that meets once a month to share experiences and strategies for supporting children with learning differences and neurological issues.

For more discussion, all are welcome to attend the next meeting of the PA Neurodiversity Group, which will be on Thursday, Dec. 13, at 8:30 am in the Library conference room (4th floor).

- Dan Ellis, Co-Chair, PA Neurodiversity Group


Hetrick Martin Clothing Drive
We in Grade 8 have started a warm clothing drive for an organization called the Hetrick Martin Institute that helps LGBTQ teens. We planned it before the hurricane, and now the youth need it even more. Our next collection date is the Kaleidoscope Culture Night on Friday, Nov. 16.

All the coats collected here at The School will be donated to the institute. So if you have an extra coat that is gently used in adult sizes (S-XXL), it would be fantastic if you could bring it to school to donate for Culture Night, or keep your eye out for other collection dates. Thank you!

- Ms. Reimer’s Advisory Group, on behalf of Grade 8


Club Corner: Model United Nations
Clubs at The School are designed to give students enrichment and leadership opportunities. A new club will be featured every month in the Lion’s Share.

Model UN is currently in its second year at TSC, and the club has been making great progress. One of the main goals is to raise awareness of global issues among members. Students in Model UN develop understanding of different points of view by representing a wide-ranging group of countries from around the world. Students take on the role of UN delegates from these countries, and debate important current topics, such as nuclear proliferation, the world water crisis, democratic governance, and global warming. Delegates are responsible for forming resolutions to these issues by negotiating and forming alliances with other nations.

This school year, Model UN plans to participate in the UNA-USA Model UN Conference on April 11-13, 2013. During this conference, middle school students from all over the world assemble at UN World Headquarters in New York to debate on a much larger scale.

Model UN at TSC is facilitated by Grade 8 Math Teacher Matthew Guastavino and Asha Matin.


Up on the Roof
The new climbing wall, which opened a few weeks ago, and the new play structure - which opened today! - have been big hits with students!

(Photo/Elana Goodridge)