May 2013
Thursday, May 2, 2013 at 09:41AM Dear WMS Community,
I want to tell you about an event that happened last week; an event that was handled sensibly by all those at our school and once again shows how thoroughly professional and conscious our staff is.
Our Duane Street Administrative Coordinator, Jessica, called over to Hudson Street to report that she had been informed that there was a police action on Church Street just north of the school. Aida and I quickly walked to where the police were blocking traffic on Thomas Street and were told that there was an unclaimed package on a bus and they were investigating. As the streets were now blocked to traffic and fire and emergency vehicles were arriving, we decided to have all the children at Duane Street come over to spend the morning at Hudson Street until we heard from the police that all was safe.
The teachers calmly had all the children leave our Duane Street site. The police helped us cross West Broadway. The teachers at Hudson Street responded seamlessly by having their children leave the lower level and return to their classes so that the Duaners could use the library, the movement room, the art room and the gym. Cedric, our music teacher, brought his guitar and entertained all with cool and sweet songs. Many kudos to all of our community who helped. The children thought it was a great adventure to come to the BIG school and the teachers were their vigilant and caring selves. This leads directly to an update of our efforts to ensure safety for our school. Over the past several months we have interviewed a number of security firms and have recently signed a contract with T&M Protection Resources. T&M, with extensive experience designing security systems for schools including Trinity and Solomon Schecter, will be proceeding with a two phase plan for us: In phase one, they will do an analysis of the current security posture and make recommendations for appropriate security operations and a response program (both operational and physical) for both normal and emergency incidents. In Phase 2, they will provide a Crisis Response Plan which will include the building of a Crisis Management Team, the development of detailed protocols for dealing with both natural and man-made incidents, as well as providing staff training.
This is a new world and we accept our obligation and responsibility to live in it with awareness and sensitivity.
Ronnie
Welcome Days for 2013-14: Save the Date...
All children who are new to our school as well as our Duane Street students moving to Hudson Street are invited to come for a Welcome Day. This is a one hour session to meet your child(ren)’s teachers, new friends and visit the classroom.
Hudson Welcome Days
May 28th (Tuesday) & May 30th (Thursday) - 3.30pm – 6pm
Duane Welcome Day
June 1st (Saturday) - 9am – 3pm
Invitations with your specific time slot will be mailed on May 7th & 8th.
What’s happening in May...
May 4th (Saturday)
WMS Street Fair – 11am – 3.00pm
Duane Street (between Church & West Broadway)
May 10th (Friday)
Mug ‘n Muffin – Duane St (9.30 – 10.30)
May 13th – 17th
Room to Grow Collection – Hudson & Duane
May 16th (Thursday)
Camp Contracts Due to WMS
May 27th (Monday)
Memorial Day – School Closed
See you Saturday...
Don’t miss the Washington Market Street Fair this Saturday, May 4 from 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
We have an exciting day planned with live entertainment, arts and crafts, games and more! Avoid the lines by purchasing your All-Access WMS Family Pass now at wmsbenefit.org. Your family’s name will be held at the WMS Table check-in table, and wristbands will be issued at that time. Only enrolled Washington Market School families can use the All-Access Family Pass, which provides a family of four with access to all activities taking place at the street fair. Friends, neighbors and extended families that want to attend the event, can purchase tickets at the street fair only.
Food is not included in your All-Access Family Pass, so please bring cash to purchase snacks, treats and other delicious bites. Also, for the first-time, WMS merchandise will be available for purchase, which includes children’s T-shirts, baseball hats, totes and tattoos. You can also try your skills against our very own Tyler Schwartz who will be putting on his chess moves all day!
An exciting line-up is planned onstage and will feature performances by:
11:00 AM Mariachi Citlalli
12:00 PM Oran Etkin
12.50 PM Raffle Drawings
1:00 PM The Amazing Max
2:00 PM The Tone Academy of Music
“JUMP” ON OVER TO THE STAGE FOR SPECIAL PERFORMANCES DURING INTERMISSION
Finally, we are expecting a strong event turnout, so please consider leaving your strollers at home.
ON YOUR MARK, GET SET, BID!
The Online Auction is open!
Show your support for The Washington Market School and visit the Street Fair’s Online Auction. Bid on exciting and fabulous items within every price range and to suit any tastes. The Online Auction closes this Sunday, May 5 at 10:00 PM, so bid now as some items go fast!
News & Events
Ongoing Schools Meeting
All you ever wanted to know about ex-missions...
Thursday June 6th
7.00pm – 8.30pm @ Hudson Street
This session will give parents information about all public, public-gifted and independent ongoing school options. We will address the process for moving on, along with key dates and a discussion on the public school lottery. This is the last meeting of this kind for the school year.
WMS SUMMER CAMP
WE HAVE LIMITED SPACES STILL AVIALABLE FOR OUR SUMMER PROGRAM. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ENQUIRE ABOUT AVAILABILITY PLEASE EMAIL THEA.
June 24th – August 9th
Minimum Registration Requirement: Two consecutive weeks
Full Day Program: 9am-3pm (Open to children born by December 31, 2010)
Half Day Program: 9am-1pm (Open to children born between July 1, 2008 – July 1, 2011)
Located at our Hudson Street site, the program features: art, music, workshop, cooking, soccer, chess, yoga, field trips, picnics in the park, and plenty of adventures along the way!
Washington Market School Partners with Room to Grow
May 13th – 17th
Duane & Hudson Street Sites
Room to Grow enriches the lives of babies born into poverty throughout their critical first three years of development. The program provides parents raising babies in poverty in NYC with one-on-one parenting support and essential baby items throughout their children's critical first years of life.
Please donate your gently used baby and children’s clothes to the donation bin at each site. Please note we cannot accept equipment or toys because of space constraints.
