Drop Everything and Read Day!

 

D.E.A.R. Friend,

I put D.E.A.R. in all capital letters on purpose to get your attention. This letter is about National Drop Everything and Read Day. D.E.A.R. stands for Drop Everything and Read—get it?

I got it ever since I was eight and we started having D.E.A.R. time at my school. D.E.A.R. is a lot of fun and because I know so much about it, librarians (Association for Library Service to Children), teachers (the National Education Association), parents (Parent Teacher Association), journalists (The Newspaper Association of America Foundation), some people who make books (HarperCollins Children’s Books), and some people who give books (First Book) have asked me—Ramona Geraldine Quimby—to be in charge of telling everyone about National Drop Everything and Read Day on April 12.

April 12 will be a busy day for me since that it also Beverly Cleary’s birthday, but I always can find time to read. I am going to remind everyone in my family that we should Drop Everything and Read on April 12. We can do it right at home or to make the day more special, maybe go to the library or a bookstore.

I hope that you, D.E.A.R. friend, will be reading too. Everybody can do it! All you need is a book, your family and 30 minutes together.

Sincerely,
Ramona Q.

“The Sound of Nature” – Poem by Zion Wade

I can look at the sky. They all have clouds. The air goes around me. I hear the wind. I listen for sounds of water music. The water sways left to right. As the wind pushes the river. The sound of the clouds is called “the sound of nature”.

This is a poem by Zion Wade. He is in Grade 2 in Ms. Shibani Banerjee’s class at the P.S. 373R site located at Petrides.

Parent-Teacher Conferences March 15th & 19th

Dial-a-Teacher for Free Help with Homework!

Dial-A-Teacher is a homework helping service. It offers parents and students free help over the telephone if they run into a problem while doing daily homework assignments. Currently, the staff of 49 highly-skilled teachers handle over 2,000 calls a week with approximately 10% of those calls coming from parents. The program offers help in 12 different languages including Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin, Korean, Russian, Hebrew, Arabic, Greek, French, German, Italian and Haitian-Creole. The Dial-A-Teacher program is open Monday through Thursday from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM. The service is free, the only cost is that of a local telephone call from anywhere within the five boroughs. The number is (212) 777-3380

Teachers offer help in all subject areas. They don’t just give answers. They re-teach the concept so that by the time the conversation is over a child or parent will fully understand and then continue the assignment on their own. We also get many calls from students who just want to check homework that they already completed. It gives students a sense of confidence that the homework that they are handing in, has already been checked by a teacher.

April is National Poetry Month!

March 2007 Workshops and Support Groups

 

Staten Island Developmental Disabilities CouncilAnnual Legislative Breakfast Date: Friday, March 9th, 2007Time: Breakfast begins 8:30 AM- Program begins 9:30 AMLocation: The Staaten Restaurant-697 Forest Avenue, Staten Island, NY Contact: Reservations and Information SIDDC office @ 718-983-5354 Cost is $25.00 Per Person Checks should be Payable to S.I.D.D.C.	Eden II & The Keyspan FoundationManaging Challenging BehaviorDate: Monday, March 12th, 2007Time: 9:00 am –3:00 pmLocation: 94 Wright Avenue, Staten Island, NY 10303 Pre-registration is requiredContact: Marissa Bennett @ 516-937-1397 X. 217Or email mbennett@eden2.org
Resources for Children with Special NeedsTopic: Transition from School to Adult LifeDate: Tuesday, March 13th, 2007Time: 10:00 am- 1:00 pmLocation: Staten Island University Hospital, Dietary Conference Room,2nd floor, 475 Seaview Avenue, Staten Island, NY 10305 Contact Gary Shulman@ 212-677-4650	The GRACE Foundation of New York (Getting Resources for Autistic Children’s Equality)Topic: Parent Support Group Date: March, 13th, 2007Time: 10:00 amLocation: 264 Watchogue Road (Above Jimmy Max- entrance in the rear)Contact: Julie Larsen 718-983-380
Parent to Parent New York, Inc.Topic: Fathers Support GroupDate: Wednesday, March 14th, 2007Time: 7:00 PM Location: Richmond Diner- 3954 Richmond Avenue Contact: Parent to Parent NY, Inc. @ 718-494-4872	Parent to Parent New York, Inc.Topic: Mothers Support GroupDate: Tuesday, March 14th, 2007Time: 10:00 am Location: Institute for Basic Research 1050 Forest Hill Rd. 10314Contact: Parent to Parent NY, Inc. @ 718-494-4872Childcare is provided with prior registration
Parent to Parent New York, Inc.Topic: Sibling Support GroupDate: Friday, March 16th, 2007Time: 6:00 pmLocation: Institute for Basic Research 1050 Forest Hill Rd. 10314Contact: Parent to Parent NY, Inc. @ 718-494-4872Registration is required and Childcare is provided with prior registration	Staten Island Developmental Disabilities CouncilTopic: WHAT’S ON YOUR CHILD’S IEP?Date:      Wednesday, March 21st , 2007Time:      9:00 am – 12 Noon Workshop **Repeated** 6:30 pm-9:00pm  Location: Institute for Basic Research (IBR), 1050 Forest Hill Road , Staten IslandContact: Early Childhood Direction Center @718-226-6670 Registration is required by March 16, 2007.
The GRACE Foundation of New York (Getting Resources for Autistic Children’s Equality)Topic: Aspergers Support Group For Parents Date: Wednesday, March 21st, 2007Time: 7:00pm-9:00pmLocation: 264 Watchogue Road (Above Jimmy Max- entrance in the rear)Contact:RSVP- Grace Office @ 718-983-3800	Parent to Parent New York, Inc.Topic: How Can Your Child be More Independent when Traveling? Date: Thursday, March 22nd, 2007Time: 10:30 am Location: Institute for Basic Research 1050 Forest Hill Rd. 10314Contact: Parent to Parent NY, Inc. @ 718-494-4872Childcare is provided with prior registration
Staten Island Federation of PTA’sDate: Monday, March 26th, 2007Time: 10:00 am – 12:00 NoonLocation: 715 Ocean Terrace (Petrides Complex)Building A Room TBA, Staten Island, NY 10301Contact: President Anna Pisano @ 718-356-3247	Parent to Parent New York, Inc.Topic: Mothers Support GroupDate: Tuesday, March 27th, 2007Time: 10:00 am Location: Institute for Basic Research 1050 Forest Hill Rd. 10314Contact: Parent to Parent NY, Inc. @ 718-494-4872Childcare is provided with prior registration