Dear Neighborhood School Families,
You may have read Sunday’s NYTimes article, ‘Transgender’ Could Be Defined Out of Existence Under Trump Administration. Two years ago, our SLT published a letter in response to the 2016 presidential elections that spoke to our united stance and response to Donald Trump’s campaign and election. I am including an excerpt here because I want to remind you of the values we hold dear at TNS:
At TNS, we have a long history of working to serve all of the children and their families from all over the 5 boroughs of NYC. We believe all people are unique and valuable with infinite potential. We value an inclusive community and TNS will continue to stand for these values in the face of adversity. Now, more than ever, we must take a hard look at our own assumptions and prejudices, the effects of our own actions and inactions, and what we have been willing to live with. On an everyday level, this will mean, particularly for those in more privileged positions, watching out for acts of prejudice and hate (both spoken and unspoken) and intervening to protect and support people who are targeted. This involves educating ourselves and taking action against institutions and policies that threaten to remove or interfere with the rights of historically marginalized groups and the values that support democracy.
I also share because this is the first year our 5th grade Girls and Boys Project will meet together, facilitated by Chelsea, Shaniqua and Teddy. The group meets once a week for an hour to address issues in a safe space; daily activities are designed to explore identities, think creatively, resolve conflicts, discuss bullying and ever changing bodies and body image. The goal of the program is to empower students and strengthen self-esteem. At times, students will separate into groups, dependent on how they identify by gender. The children are still working on a new name for the group; I will let you know once they decide. I have also attached the SLT letter in its entirety here.
Mark your calendars:
Little Siblings Story Time (ages 0 - 4) with local librarian and parent, Thea Taube begins Wednesday at 8:30 AM.
Tuesday, both schools will participate in a DOE Garden to Cafe tasting during their lunch period. This is a great opportunity for all students to try recipes made with not only locally sourced foods but food harvested from our very own garden.
Friday is a PD half-day. Dismissal is at 11:45 AM.
Parent’s of Unique Kids Support Group meets Thursday from 5 - 6:30 PM. This is a support group for parents and caretakers to share experiences, defeats, and strategies with each other. Our K/1 teacher, Diane will facilitate.
Warmly,
Dyanthe
PS. Huge THANKS to KAREN OH for designing this wicked Flyer-Poster!
