During testing; The Show Must Go on....

Last week we had assemblies for those students displaced by testing. Each testing day the kids PreK thru 2nd graders, had an assembly to attend. We brought in 2 cultural dance groups 'Spotlight Korea' and 'Native American Dancers' which the adults loved and a group called Sciencetellers who told stories using science experiments that the kids loved. There was also a Strong Man who the kids liked; the adults...not so much. Oh well, any ideas for next year will be appreciated.

My absolute favorite thing that the kids did was Zumba after testing on Friday!
Some things just happen....earlier in the week I remarked to Ms. Scott that maybe we could just put speakers in the yard, blast music and grades 3 - 5 could have a dance party to blow off steam and celebrate. Then suddenly it came to us..Zumba (Ms. Scott is a Zumba addict). A few phone calls later, Madeline Vera, proud PS 10 parent and Zumba instructor had a sound system and 2 Go-Go like co-instructors out in the yard on that sunny day and we partied. Everybody had fun. Mr.Casal recorded it. Check it out on the website.

NYC Public Advocate Bill de Blasio is our guest at Friday's (May 3) Parent Coffee. Bill was a local Councilman who lives in Park Slope and raised a family here. I have met him a few times....he actually knocked on my front door while campaigning for Councilman. That is the way it used to be done. Come hear him at Parent Coffee, this Friday May 3rd, 9:30AM in the cafeteria.

PS 10's Parent Coordinator is now blogging!

It may be considered trite, but I feel it necessary to tell you that this is my first attempt at blogging; more importantly my first attempt at creating a blog. I may have felt compelled at times to chime in to Insideschools forum page now and again, not knowing that I was participating in a blog. Well, maybe I have blogged before…I digress.

I have been at PS 10 as Parent Coordinator for 10 years, which was when the position of PC was first created. Each NYC Parent Coordinator was hired to help create and oversee all parent involvement in their schools. My observations have lead me to the conclusion that although the core; the central educational piece is the same, it is philosophy and culture that makes each school unique. I consider philosophy as what is passed down from past administrators to the present administration . Culture (in this case) is not necessarily a mix of ethnicities but lifestyle; how we live every day. These are qualities that make each school different. Philosophy and school culture are the deciding factors for most families. What do you think are the deal makers or deal breakers for families searching, and sometimes moving, to gain access to their school of choice?