Local School News

Suddenly, there's a bunch of local school news to report.

First, a petition by some parents against what they are calling the kindergarten waiting list crisis. You can read more about it, and sign it, over at this link: Kindergarten petition

And then there is news on DNAinfo.com that the neighborhood is slated to get two new schools by 2019: 2 New Schools Planned for Forest Hills, DOE Says

PS 101 Auction

PS 101 is having a fundraising auction this Saturday. You can also bid on local items online.

PS 1010 Spring Auction

OvoSodo Bistro Hosts A Night With Windsor

Forest Hills' Ovo Sodo Bistro will be hosting an event for The Windsor School on Thursday, March 26 from 6-9:00pm.  The school, located in Flushing, will have an art gallery set up displaying pieces of art work from its Advanced Placement (AP) Studio and Portfolio Art students.  In addition to having art on display, the School will be answering parents’ questions regarding its Summer School and will be accepting registrations.  A $50 per class discount will be given for those registering at the event.  Ovo Sodo Bistro will be providing hors d’oeuvres and beverages throughout the event.  
  

The Windsor School is a private middle and high school which opened in 1969.  The school enrolls both local and international students, in grades 7-12, during the regular school year.  What makes the school unique is it offers small class size, many Advanced Placement (AP) classes and a one-hundred percent graduation rate with students being accepted to top American colleges and universities. 

The Windsor School competes annually in the NYS Mathematics League Competition and has finished either first or second overall amongst over one hundred seventy-five participating high schools. 

What makes The Windsor School truly special is its acclaimed art department.  It offers a unique approach to the arts. Its students all receive individual attention from its talented director, Ms. Melissa Vassallo and work in a modern, professional and superbly equipped studio.  Students work in a variety of mediums and are encouraged to explore new techniques.  The Windsor School has a significant number of talented artists who participate in Required Art, Portfolio Art, AP Studio Art, Art Club and Yearbook.

Each summer, The Windsor School runs a highly successful Summer School for students in grades 7-12.  Most of its Summer School students reside in Suffolk County, Nassau County, and Queens.  Students attend the program to advance for credit, enrich in various subject areas or to improve a failing grade.  Students can take up to four classes for credit and can advance in two subject areas during our six-week program.  Credit earned from the Summer School is accepted by all public and private schools.  In addition, they offer PSAT/SAT Test Preparation classes in Critical Reading, Writing, and Math to prepare students for the SAT Test in the fall.

Middle School Students Trying to Save Math Team

The Math Team at the Russell Sage Middle School on Austin St. in Forest Hills is in need of donations.

It is a unique group of talented middle school kids with the drive, ambition and dream to compete in math competitions and improve their chances for a future in careers that involve math!

The coaches for this team donate all of their time and work with the team multiple times each week. The team has been an ongoing successful project changing the lives of many middle school kids who credit the team and the coaches for their confidence and success in a world that usually only supports athletic teams.

The math team will donate an hour for every hundred dollars donated to the NYC Food Bank. They believe in paying it forward. They need some financial support to continue competing and getting the word out that there is a place for every talent and gift.

Please click here to make a donation:  Help Russell Sage Math Team

Controversy Erupts at Local School

Some parents at P.S. 101 are up in arms about a teacher's recent reinstatement.

The Daily News covers the controversy here: Queens parents shocked as city reinstates disciplined teacher at Forest Hills elementary school

I'm told that some of the parents will be holding a demonstration in front of the school Thursday morning at 8:30.

P.S. 101Q Goes Back in Time To Celebrate Centennial

The School in the Gardens, P.S. 101Q is celebrating its momentous 100th birthday tomorrow with events that gather school children, alumni, top educators and politicians together for a once-in-a lifetime trip back to May 20,1914 – the day the school first opened its doors as a NYC Public School.

The milestone centennial celebration will begin at 8:30 am Tuesday with an outdoor assembly featuring presentations by NYC Schools Chancellor Farina, Queens Councilwoman Karen Koslowitz, and Congresswoman Meng’s office. In a nod to the times, a barbershop quartet will ring in the festivities and the day will feature an immersive, entertaining trip to May 20, 1914 for students, community members and alumni. Maypole dancing, soapbox car construction, silent films, mini-museums, and storytelling will offer a glimpse of this special school’s long history.

Ceremony host Monique Paniagua, Principal of P.S. 101Q proudly states, “Confucius once said, ‘Ifyou think in terms of a year, plant a seed; if in terms of ten years, plant trees; if in terms of 100 years, teach the people.’ As we celebrate P.S. 101Q’s centennial, we celebrate 100 years of teaching people and look forward to teaching for the next hundred years. We’ve grown generations of beautiful minds that have changed the world!”

“I want to wish a very Happy 100th Birthday to the School in the Gardens,” said Queens Borough President Melinda Katz. “The school has been consistently high-performing and has a warm, welcoming atmosphere conducive to shaping young minds and preparing our children to lead successful lives and be outstanding contributors to our society. I commend the teachers, administrators and staff members of the School in the Gardens and wish their fine institution many more years of success.”

Illustrious alumni of P.S 101Q include:
Burt Bacharach, 6-time Grammy winner and 3-time Oscar winner
Carroll O’Connor, 5-time Emmy winner
Chieli Minucci, 3-time Emmy winner and Grammy nominated jazz musician
John Cassavetes, Emmy nominated and 3-time Oscar nominated actor and director
William Ryden, Pulitzer-prize nominee for his ragtime compositions

For more information on P.S. 101Q centennial plans, including pictures of the school and students throughout history, click http://alumni.ps101q.org/

Local School in the News

From The NY Times:

Parent Complains of Bias in Sixth-Grade Lesson

It was supposed to be a special learning opportunity for the sixth graders at Public School 101 School in the Gardens in Forest Hills, Queens. A popular second-grade teacher was invited to their social studies class to give a lecture about Israel, as part of a unit on the Middle East. ...