P.S. 242- The Young Diplomats Magnet Academy

Dear YDMA Families,

Spring is approaching and learning is in full swing here at the Young Diplomats Magnet Academy.  As you may know, this is a time of year that students make the most academic and social learning improvements.  Don't forget to make school a priority.  Very soon the weather will change with spring right around the corner.  It can be challenging to keep our children focused on learning.  What can you do to make school a top priority for your child?  Keep these ideas in mind:

•  Make sure to read with your children and ask them questions about the book.  Praise your child as they read and cherish this time together. Talk about school activities and their inquiry homework projects.  
• Make an effort to attend as many school events as you can. Our monthly Celebration of Learning sessions are a great opportunity to see the great things happening in our classrooms! For example, our students in grades K-2 have started to receive Chess instruction on Wednesdays. Our students in grades 3-5 will begin their Chess instruction around late April.
• Being in school and on time is crucial to learning, which means that your child should be here by 8:10 am. Many students arrive to school late and miss part of the ELA or Math lesson. The loss of instructional time due to excessive lateness/absences adds up and results in students falling behind. Please make sure to have your child here no later than 8:00 if they are eating breakfast in school. Let your child know that unless they are sick, they must attend school (and be on time.)  Make an effort to schedule appointment after school hours.

One of the most important skills that we can all do well to strengthen is our ability to reflect on what we have been able to accomplish in the recent months and identify those areas that are still in need of attention. Observing your children's growth over short periods of time is not an easy task as we do not see true, long-lasting gains over a couple of weeks. Instead, we all need to look at where the children began the school year or even where they were at this time last year. As you reflect, begin to think about the focal point for upcoming parent/teacher conferences. Start developing strategic questions that will address your focus along with strategies and next steps to be taken in order to collaborate with and participate in building on your child's progress.

We look forward to seeing all parents and guardians at Parent – Teacher Conferences on Thursday, March 5th. Students will be dismissed at 11:45 am on this day. The sessions are from 1:00-3:00 pm and 4:30-7:30 pm. Please make arrangements to pick up your child early. The NYC Parent Surveys will be distributed at Parent-Teacher Conferences. This survey gives the school feedback on what we are doing well and what we still need to make even better. We need to hear from you.

Finally, know that you do not have to wait for a parent-teacher conference to call if you have questions, concerns, or needs. WE are here to serve your children and families. Please contact your child's teacher, Ms. Celeste, or me if you want to set up a meeting to discuss any issues. As always, THANK YOU for being our partners.