Parents - Please take this brief survey to indicate your opinion on how our Title I PAC Parent Engagement Funds should be spent. We will select 3 Parent Workshop topics to be held based on your interest and availability. We ask that each P.S. 120 parent completes this survey by the end of the day on Friday, January 17. Thank you!
"Know Your Rights" Learning Session
Dear Families,
Project Open Arms invites you to a "Know Your Rights" Learning Session presented by Project Rousseau. This session will provide an overview of the rights of migrant youth and families living in New York City.
📍 Location: Pan American International High School, 45-10 94th St, Flushing, NY 11373
🗓️ Date: January 16th
⏰ Time: 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Translation services will be available in... Read More
Parent Weekly Bulletin 1/13
Principal’s Memo
Dear P.S. 120 Families,
Thank you to the parents who attended today’s Parent Participation Day. I would like to remind everyone who came to please complete our survey to share your thoughts! We review your responses to help plan future parent engagement events. We will continue to vary the topics of our follow-up parent workshops, and based on survey responses, we are encouraging teachers to plan even more hands-on activities (projects, cultural celebrations, publishing parties, etc.) for parents to enjoy when you visit your child’s classroom.
Next week will be a busy one at P.S. 120! Our Lunar New Year student performers are preparing for in-school shows on Thursday, January 16. I’m also very excited for our evening Lunar New Year celebration taking place on the night of January 16. I look forward to celebrating with all of our families who have requested tickets for the event.
Sincerely,
Robert Marino
Principal
P.S. 120’s Mission
At P.S. 120, we are committed to preparing our different types of learners to compete in the ever-changing 21st Century workforce by guiding them to recognize the importance of finding the balance between doing what they love, and what the world will need them to do. The faculty at PS 120 will:
Commit to the use of data-driven instruction and decision-making to provide equity-based instruction in all classrooms.
Provide opportunities for students to take responsibility for their own learning by participating in classroom discussion and be able to predict how they can use what they are learning in their everyday lives and goals
Engage students in problem-solving and critical thinking activities
Foster leadership opportunities for students in and out of the classroom
Expose and engage students in the cultural arts
Enable digital literacy by teaching students to use information and communication technologies to find, evaluate, create, and communicate information, requiring both cognitive and technical skills
Empower students to apply their talents to the service of others
As a result, students at P.S. 120:
Lunar New Year Preparations: This week, many of our Dragons have been practicing and rehearsing for their upcoming performances during our P.S. 120 Lunar New Year Celebration. We are very excited to see our students in action!
Basketball Game: On Friday, our P.S. 120 Dragons Basketball team visited P.S. 20 for an intense basketball game! Our student athletes persevered and showed resilience and determination. Way to go Dragons!
Announcements
PTA Updates (Sent on behalf of the PTA):
January PTA & PAC Meeting: Our next meeting is scheduled for Friday, January 17, 2025, at 8:30 AM in P.S. 120’s Auditorium.
The PTA & PAC Meeting will begin following our celebration of December Student of the Month awardees (“Determination”).
Upcoming Fundraiser at Phil & Sons Pizzeria: During the week of January 27-31, Phil & Sons Pizzeria on Main Street is hosting a fundraiser for P.S. 120 families. 10% of every $10 spent will be donated directly to P.S. 120! Enjoy their menu while contributing to the PTA. Show a paper or digital copy of this flyer:
Save the Date: The Scholastic Book Fair is coming to P.S. 120 from February 3-7.
Visit our Book Fair website: https://www.scholastic.com/bf/ps120queens
View Scholastic's Book Fair catalogue: https://bookfairs.scholastic.com/content/fairs/book-flyer
Parent Preview/Parent Shopping: Monday, February 3 during February's Parent Participation Day
Stay tuned for the Book Fair class shopping schedule coming soon!
Progress Reports: Winter progress reports will be backpacked home with all Kindergarten-5th grade students on Friday, January 17. Please review your child’s ELA/Math Academic Behavior and Work Habits and contact your child’s teacher if you have any questions about how to support your child at home.
School Meals: Parents can access menus for our school cafeteria each month. Parents can download and print monthly menu options (Select PreK-8 Breakfast / Lunch), or view the daily choices here:
Local Event: FREE Read Aloud Celebrating Lunar New Year!
DATE: Saturday, January 18, 2025
TIME: 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
LOCATION: Bowne House - 37-01 Bowne Street, Flushing, NY 11354
This is a FREE program. Bowne House educators will read stories to children and adults ages 5 and up. Attendees will also enjoy a surprise craft project and refreshments. PLEASE NOTE: All children MUST be accompanied by an adult throughout the duration of the program.
Discounted Lunar New Year Tickets - Kupferberg Center: The Kupferberg Center is hosting Lunar New Year Celebration family performances on Saturday, January 25 and Sunday, January 26 at 3:00 PM. Save 20% using the passcode “EDU20” when selecting tickets. Join the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company and celebrate the spirit of the Year of the Snake through the power and beauty of dance.
Kupferberg Center for the Arts | info@kupferbergcenter.org
65-30 Kissena Blvd, Flushing New York 11367
SEL Corner
Announcements
Happy Holidays! Happy Early Lunar New Year!
Respect For All (RFA) Student-to-Student Discrimination, Sexual and Other Harassment, Intimidation, Bullying FAQ:
Code of Conduct Letter:
Local Events for this week:
NYC Parks Events Calendar click here
Activities this week:
Mulchfest: Recycle your holiday tree at Mulchfest! We'll chip your tree and convert it into mulch for trees and gardens.
Winter Waterfowl Birding: Explore with the Urban Park Rangers and see what species you can spot!
Ice Skating: Lace up! Many of our ice skating rinks are open for the season!
Check out more highlighted events here
Summerstage Family Programs click here
Queens Public Library Events Calendar click here
NY Family Queens To Do Events Calendar click here
If you would like to recommend students for Student Success counseling groups (formerly known as At Risk Counseling), please click here. This is not a special education evaluation form.
SEL Resources
Back to School Resources
Virtual Libraries
Child Mind Institute Family Resource Search Tool, click here
Free parent workshops by Marble Health, sign up here:
Mon, Jan 13: Support Students with Academic & Test Anxiety
Tues, Jan 14: Help Kids Succeed: Executive Function Strategies
Wed, Jan 15: Improve Resilience & Foster Growth Mindsets
Wed, Jan 22: Help Kids Succeed: Executive Function Strategies
Thurs, Jan 23: Improve Resilience & Foster Growth Mindsets
Middle School Enrollment Corner
Applications are now closed.
If you still have concerns about your child’s application, please contact Mr. Woodburn or Ms. Yuqi at 718-359-3390.
MindUp/Brain Power Wellness
Healthy Diet - oils and fats
When it comes to dietary fat, what matters most is the type of fat you eat. Contrary to past dietary advice promoting low-fat diets, newer research shows that healthy fats are necessary and beneficial for health.
Rather than adopting a low-fat diet, it’s more important to focus on eating beneficial “good” fats and avoiding harmful “bad” fats. Fat is an important part of a healthy diet. Choose foods with “good” unsaturated fats, limit foods high in saturated fat, and avoid “bad” trans fat.
“Good” unsaturated fats — Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats — lower disease risk. Foods high in good fats include vegetable oils (such as olive, canola, sunflower, soy, and corn), nuts, seeds, and fish.
“Bad” fats — trans fats — increase disease risk, even when eaten in small quantities. Foods containing trans fats are primarily in processed foods made with trans fat from partially hydrogenated oil. Fortunately, trans fats have been eliminated from many of these foods.
Saturated fats, while not as harmful as trans fats, by comparison with unsaturated fats negatively impact health and are best consumed in moderation. Foods containing large amounts of saturated fat include red meat, butter, cheese, and ice cream. Some plant-based fats like coconut oil and palm oil are also rich in saturated fat. When you cut back on foods like red meat and butter, replace them with fish, beans, nuts, and healthy oils instead of refined carbohydrates.
Celebrations
New York City Public Schools Calendar 2024-2025: Please bookmark this year’s school calendar, which includes information on school events and vacations throughout the year! Scroll down to view and/or print translations in your preferred language.
Please mark your calendar with upcoming holidays and school closures:
Monday, January 20: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Wednesday, January 29: Lunar New Year
Monday, February 17-Friday, February 21: Midwinter Recess
Food Drive
Hello parents/guardians,
Just a reminder that we are continuing to hold our Food Drive this week and the last day to bring in food is Friday, 1/10/25.
Students should bring their items in a bag and will bring their items to Ms. Gao, Mr. Woodburn, or the main office.
The Most Needed Items:
*Canned Fruits
*Packaged Macaroni & Cheese
*Canned Vegetables
*Family Sized Hot or Cold Cereals
*Canned Proteins (examples tuna fish, beans)
*Canned Soups
*Packaged Juice Packs
*Packaged Milk Packs
Note: City Harvest cannot accept unlabeled or dented cans, open packaging, products that need to be refrigerated, homemade foods, or expired products.
Contact Ms. Yuqi or Mr. Woodburn if you have any questions about our school drive.
Each participating school will be entered into the Kids Can Help Competition. The school in each borough that collects and donates the most pounds of food between October 22 and January 17 will be awarded a prize! Donations for this competition must be received by January 31.
January Parent Participation
Dear P.S. 120 Families,
We are excited to continue our monthly Parent Participation Days for the 2024-2025 school year!
These monthly events allow parents the opportunity to visit your child’s classroom during a morning period of instruction, and to not only observe the lesson but to participate in the curriculum with your child.
As a new addition this year, we will also offer a follow-up workshop in the Auditorium, to help parents gain a deeper understanding of the activities they experienced in the classroom, and how they can reinforce their child’s learning at home.
On each Parent Participation day, K-5th grade parents will be invited to sign in at the main desk after students arrive (8:10 AM) and gather in the auditorium for a brief opportunity to socialize and review the morning’s schedule. K-5th grade parents will then be invited to visit their child's class for Period 1 between 8:25 AM - 9:10 AM. Parents who are not attending the workshop will exit the school building using the main entrance at 9:10 AM. PreK parents are invited to join is in PreK classrooms beginning at 9:10 AM.
For each month's scheduled Parent Participation Day, we will vary the day of the week so that parents can see their child in multiple instructional blocks/with different teachers. Your child's homeroom teacher will send a message on ParentSquare in advance, to let you know the class subject and room number for your visit on Friday, January 10.
Please be mindful that you do NOT photograph or videotape classroom instruction during your visit, as we closely monitor student privacy and media consent. If you would like to review instructional materials after your visit, please contact your child’s teacher and ask for the resource to be shared.
Please RSVP to indicate whether you can join us on Friday, January 10. We look forward to seeing you then! Please remember to bring photo identification to enter the building.
January’s Schedule/Workshop Topic
8:10-8:25 AM: K-5 Parent sign-in and welcome in the auditorium
Period 1, 8:25-9:10 AM: K-5 Parents visit classrooms (PreK parents with siblings attend older child’s classrooms)
Period 2, 9:10 AM:
PreK parents visit PreK classrooms - Family Engagement activity
3rd, 4th and 5th grade parents are invited to the Auditorium for a workshop on the New York State ELA & Math Exams, and how to help your child prepare
PreK parents
PreK parents with an older sibling should sign-in at 8:10 AM and visit the classroom(s) of their older child/children during Period 1; transition to PreK classroom at 9:10 AM
Parents with only a PreK child, sign-in at 9:00 AM and transition to PreK classroom at 9:10 AM
December Dragon Press
Check out December’s issue of Dragon Press!
Lunar New Year
We are so excited to announce the date for this year's Lunar New Year Celebration for our community, including a World Food Expo and performances: January 16th, 5:00pm doors open, 6:00pm show. Please look in your child's backpack for the Lunar New Year letter with tear off, and return it if you are interested in attending and/or contributing food. We will be sending out an interest form for parent volunteers after the holiday break.
We look forward to seeing you there!
No School Tomorrow!
Dear Parents,
Please remember there is NO SCHOOL Thursday, November 28 & Friday, November 29. School is closed for Thanksgiving Recess.
We hope you enjoy your Thanksgiving holiday and long weekend. See you back at school at 8:00 AM on Monday, December 2!
November Dragon Press
Happy Thanksgiving everyone
Here is this month's issue of Dragon Press.
Parent Weekly Bulletin 11/25/24
Dear P.S. 120 Families,
It was wonderful to see so many parents at Wednesday morning's Parent Participation Day event! Parents who attended, please remember to take our brief survey to give feedback about the event. Additionally, please see the resources for today's follow-up workshop (K-2 Literacy) in the Auditorium:
Workshop Slides Workshop Packet
We will continue to offer Parent Participation Day one morning each month, with a different workshop topic to share additional parent resources to help you support your child at home.
Sincerely,
Robert Marino
Principal
P.S. 120’s Mission
At P.S. 120, we are committed to preparing our different types of learners to compete in the ever-changing 21st Century workforce by guiding them to recognize the importance of finding the balance between doing what they love, and what the world will need them to do. The faculty at PS 120 will:
Commit to the use of data-driven instruction and decision-making to provide equity-based instruction in all classrooms.
Provide opportunities for students to take responsibility for their own learning by participating in classroom discussion and be able to predict how they can use what they are learning in their everyday lives and goals
Engage students in problem-solving and critical thinking activities
Foster leadership opportunities for students in and out of the classroom
Expose and engage students in the cultural arts
Enable digital literacy by teaching students to use information and communication technologies to find, evaluate, create, and communicate information, requiring both cognitive and technical skills
Empower students to apply their talents to the service of others
As a result, students at P.S. 120:
Field Trips: Our second grade classes enjoyed visiting Bee’s Arts & Crafts Studio in Queens! Our Dragons had a wonderful time engaging in art exploration and crafting activities.
Student of the Month: Congratulations to all of our Students of the Month who were honored last Friday in an assembly. Our special Dragons were celebrated for their appreciation of Diversity! Way to go Dragons!
November Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Assemblies: This week, students in grades 2 and 5 attended assemblies around the themes of Diversity, Stereotypes, Bias.
Announcements
Virtual i-Ready Parent Workshops - November 26th: If you were not able to join us in person last week for the i-Ready parent workshops, please consider joining us virtually as experts from i-Ready share about how the i-Ready program works, and how you can support your child to use it at home. No registration required - Just click the links below to join at your preferred time on Tuesday, 11/26!
Tuesday, November 26, 2024
5:30-6:15 - English/Chinese - Virtual Meeting Link - Click to Join
6:15-7:00 - English/Spanish - Virtual Meeting Link - Click to Join
Chancellor’s 5 Borough Listening Tour: This fall, Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos will be embarking upon a Five-Borough Listening Tour to open dialogue with school communities across New York City. Parents are invited to share their perspectives on key educational issues affecting our city's public school families and students, such as special education, curriculum development, and mental health resources, culminating in a Q&A session with Chancellor Aviles-Ramos and NYCPS leaders. Please complete this form to register to attend and request language interpretation if needed—you may register up until the day of the event!
Queens event: December 3, 2024 from 6:00–8:00 PM
Queens location: Academy of American Studies High School
40-11 28 Street, Queens, NY 11101
SEL Corner
Announcements
Respect For All (RFA) Student-to-Student Discrimination, Sexual and Other Harassment, Intimidation, Bullying FAQ:
Code of Conduct Letter:
Local Events for this week:
NY Family Queens To Do Events Calendar click here
If you would like to recommend students for Student Success counseling groups (formerly known as At Risk Counseling), please click here. This is not a special education evaluation form.
SEL Resources
Middle School Enrollment Corner
The deadline to apply to high school is less than a month away. Please make sure you are registered on MySchools and have a couple schools in mind!
If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Yuqi or Mr. Woodburn at 718-359-3390.
MindUp/Brain Power Wellness
Managing Screen Time
Why - Academics?
Middle school children who watched more television, movies and video games did worse in school than those who watched less.
Third graders with a bedroom TV scored seven to nine points lower on standardized tests than those without a bedroom TV.
Screen Time and Sleep
Television viewing among infants and children is associated with irregular sleep schedules.
Teens watching more than three hours of TV per day are more likely to have sleep problems in early adulthood.
Celebrations
New York City Public Schools Calendar 2024-2025: Please bookmark this year’s school calendar, which includes information on school events and vacations throughout the year! Scroll down to view and/or print translations in your preferred language.
Please mark your calendar with upcoming holidays:
Thursday, November 28 & Friday, November 29 - Schools closed, Thanksgiving Recess
Reminder: P.S. 120 November PTA & PAC Meeting - Friday, November 15 at 8:30 AM
Dear Parents/Guardians,
Please join our November PTA (Parent-Teacher Association) Meeting on Friday, November 15 at 8:30 AM followed by our Title I PAC meeting which will be held in person at P.S. 120's Auditorium.
PTA meetings are an excellent opportunity for parents/guardians and school staff to exchange their thoughts, opinions and suggestions regarding school initiatives, improvement and future events for P.S. 120 students. ALL parents/guardians are welcome to attend, to get to know one another and communicate ideas in a warm and welcoming setting.
Please RSVP on parentsquare at your earliest convenience to confirm your attendance.
November Parent Participation
Dear P.S. 120 Families,
We are excited to continue our monthly Parent Participation Days for the 2024-2025 school year!
These monthly events allow parents the opportunity to visit your child’s classroom during a morning period of instruction, and to not only observe the lesson but to participate in the curriculum with your child.
As a new addition this year, we will also offer a follow-up workshop in the Auditorium, to help parents gain a deeper understanding of the activities they experienced in the classroom, and how they can reinforce their child’s learning at home.
On each Parent Participation day, parents will be invited to sign in at the main desk after students arrive (8:10 AM) and gather in the auditorium for a brief opportunity to socialize and review the morning’s schedule. Parents will then be invited to visit their child's class for Period 1* between 8:25 AM - 9:10 AM. Parents who are not attending the workshop will exit the school building using the main entrance at 9:10 AM.
For each month's scheduled Parent Participation Day, we will vary the day of the week so that parents can see their child in multiple instructional blocks/with different teachers. Your child's homeroom teacher will send a message on ParentSquare in advance, to let you know the class subject and room number for your visit on November 20.
Please RSVP to indicate whether you can join us on November 20. We look forward to seeing you then! Please remember to bring photo identification to enter the building.
November’s Schedule/Workshop Topic
8:10-8:25 AM: Parent sign-in and welcome in the auditorium
Period 1, 8:25-9:10 AM: K-5 Parents visit classrooms (*PreK parents with siblings attend older child’s/children's classrooms)
Period 2, 9:10 AM:
PreK parents visit PreK classrooms
Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grade parents are invited to the Auditorium for a workshop on K-2 Literacy
PreK parents
PreK parents with an older sibling should sign-in at 8:10 AM and visit the classroom(s) of their older child/children during Period 1; transition to PreK classroom at 9:10 AM
Parents with only a PreK child, sign-in at 9:00 AM and transition to PreK classroom at 9:10 AM
Parent Workshop: i-READY
Parent Workshop: i-Ready
Join us for a parent workshop to learn about i-Ready, how the program works, and how your can support your child to use it at home.
Thursday, November 21, 2024
8:15-9:15 AM - English/Spanish
9:30 - 10:30 AM - English/Chinese
1:00 - 2:00 PM - English
Please bring your child's computer or iPad with you to this workshop.
Dragon Press
HOT OFF THE PRESS! Check out September and October’s Issue of Dragon’s Press
PTA & Student of the Month Meetings
Below you will find the dates for the 2024-2025 PTA and Student of the Month meetings. Meetings will be held at 8:30am in the auditorium.
Friday, October 25
Friday, November 15
Friday, December 6
Friday, January 17
Friday, February 7
Friday, March 21
Friday, April 4
Friday, May 2
Friday, June 20