Picture Day!!!

Hello Parents,

Picture day is coming up on December 12th &13th.  This is our 1st Fundraiser for the year and hope it is a big success!!!  Graduation pictures are only for the 8th graders, 5th graders will not be taking graduation pictures.  All Monies for pictures are collected in advance; the due date is Friday, December 9th. Notices will be sent out as a reminder.

December 9th: All Monies Due
December 12th &13th: K-8th grades Pictures Day

*Photos are guaranteed before Christmas
*Retakes will be scheduled at a later time
*No Personal Checks, Only Money Order or Cash (M.O to  P.S.161 PTA)
*Students are to wear their full uniforms(neck ties included)

PTA Thanksgiving Raffle & Dinner!!!

Hello Parents,

Our next general PTA meeting will take place Monday, November 21st at 6pm.  We would like for all parents to contribute a dish to help celebrate Thanksgiving & to fellowship.  We will also be raffling off turkeys & possibly gift cards.  Come out and support and recieve information concerning your child's school. 
*Parents please check your child's bag for notices from the school*

Upcoming Events!!!

Hello Parents,

• Parents Teacher Conference: Tuesday, November 15th : 1:00 - 3:00 pm & 5:30 - 8:00 pm

This is a half a day for students, please make the necessary arrangements for your children.

• Parents Common Core Workshop: Friday, November 18th at 9:00 am.  This workshop will entail the new standards that the Dept. of Ed will be implementing in our children's academics.  You don't want to miss this.
• High School Applications are due on Tuesday, November 22nd.
• SLT Meeting: Open to the public, Monday, November 28th at 4pm. 

Rally!!!! Wednesday November 9th

Hello Parents,

This is information about an upcoming rally scheduled tommorrow afternoon at 3pm in front of PS 161.  If your schedule permits Please come out and show your support, as the Department of Education (DOE) will make a decision as to the future decision on PS 161 as well as other schools suffering in our district.  Please read the following information below. Also for your convience, attached is a flyer for this scheduled event.

District 17 Parents and Community!
Join us on November 9th as parents from P.S. 161 and M.S. 587 speak out against the possible co-location or closing of their children's schools. We are calling for a REAL PLAN from the DOE; one that involves parents, our community, and addresses the individual needs of District 17's struggling schools!

Be there and help us to FIGHT BACK!
Meet at the front entrance of P.S.161!                                                                                            November 9th @ 3pm
330 Crown Street @ Nostrand Avenue

For more information:
Tiffany Jones, Education Organizer
(347) 355-5928 or tjones@nycommunities.org

Middle School Parents especially need to be out, the decision may affect the Crown School as to possibly phasing out grades 6-8. Where will our K-5 children go?  Come out and let your voice be heard!!!

Steel Pan Program

Hello Parents of Grade 3 through 6,

P.S. 161 Steel Pan Program is here again and auditions will be taking place on:
Monday, November 7th: grades 3-4 
Wednesday, November 9th: grades 5-6                                                                           
Both auditions will take place at 3 pm-4:30 pm

The Program will be held on Mondays and Fridays, with the start date to be announced.
There are strict criteria for participants of the program.  Such criteria includes:

• Levels 3 and 4 on report card
• Level 4 behavior
• Good attendance record (includes tutoring attendance)
• Recommendation from classroom teacher

If you wish to allow your child to participate, please fill out the portion below in the letter that was sent home to your child and return to Ms. Williams by Monday, Novenber 7th, 2011.

Afterschool Program: Literary Theater

Hello Parents,
P.S. 161 and the Crown School  for Law & Journalism will be offering a Literary Theater as an afterschool program.  With a fusion of theater and literacy, students of grades 4-8 will be offered basic acting and playwright training.  If your child auditions and is accepted in the afterschool program, he or she will recieve the following enriched theater/playwright education:

• Theater training: warm-ups, games, improvisation, character development and acting techniques.
• Playwright training: expressive/creative writing, and developing beginner's playwriting skills to create monologues, scenes and one act plays.

Auditions will be held from 3:00-4:30 pm on

• Monday November 7th, for 4th graders 
• Wednesday November 9th, for 5th graders
• Thursday November 10th, for 6th graders
• Monday November 14th, for 7th graders
• Wednesday November 16th, for 8th graders

Ms. Bryan is the contact person for the Literary Theater Club, a letter was sent out last week to be filled out and return no later than Monday, November 7th, 2011.