Dear Families,

Happy Friday! As a reminder there is no school from Monday, February 20 through Friday, February 24 due to mid-winter break. School will reopen on Monday, February 27.

Our students have been busy exploring the city over the past two weeks! Our first and second grade students toured Chinatown yesterday as part of their NYC neighborhood studies. Our fourth grade students visited the African Burial Ground, and our fifth grade students traveled to New Victory Theater in Times Square for a performance of Hip Hop Cinderella.

Students in third, fourth, and fifth grades received information yesterday about free after school test preparation for the upcoming state tests that we will be offering beginning right after break. Please return this form right away if you would like your child to participate.

Thank you for your continued support in welcoming our new families! Our CWS family has grown by 35 students in the past few weeks and watching our students welcome these new friends into their classrooms has been heartwarming. This is what we are about! We were able to have a soft opening of our CWS community clothing pantry today for our newest families with items donated and funded by our community. I have attached a few pictures of what a huge impact you all have made! Wow! After break I will be sharing times when the pantry will be open to our entire community. Because of the success of today’s pantry soft opening for our newest families, we are already in need of some additional items that must be purchased new, such as underwear, socks, and toiletries. If you are able to donate to our Go Fund Me and help us we appreciate your support and we will be able to buy these items in bulk.

Please note the following important dates in March:

• Thursday, March 9 – Noon 12 pm pickup for all students for family conferences

• Friday, March 31 – Noon 12 pm pickup for all students for teacher development (this half-day was previously scheduled for March 21 but has been changed to the 31st)

The New York International Children’s Film Festival is happening from March 3 through 12. If purchasing tickets, please select PS361 The Children’s Workshop School from the “Select my school” menu so that the CWS PTA will receive a portion of the proceeds.

I wish you a wonderful and restorative mid-winter break, and will see you back on Monday, February 27.

Warmly,
Maria