SAVE THE DATE: Saturday, March 29th For PS 29 Farm Installation

The PS 29 Food & Farming Initiative will need volunteers on Saturday, March 29, to help build the school farm! Details to follow, but it looks like we will need people who are handy, who have some tools, and possibly someone with access to a dump truck. We will build four temporary garden beds under the guidance of John Ameroso, a neighbor from Cornell Cooperative Extension, so the kids can begin planting and learning this spring. Stay tuned for more information; but if you can help, please save the date!

Design Day

At a standing room-only Design Day forum this afternoon, parents, teachers and administrators had an opportunity to come together with representatives from Out2Play, a nonprofit organization that builds and refurbishes NYC public school playgrounds, to express their hopes and dreams for our upcoming schoolyard renovation. Kids also got an opportunity to have their say during their own session! The team from Out2Play was led by founder and executive director Andrea Wenner and program administrator Marnie Kaplan.

While the kids went full throttle with their ideas for ice stating rinks, carousels and swimming pools, the parent and teachers' wishlist included visions for:
An enclosed farm area;
Trees and bushes, along the schoolyard fences and integrated into the playspace design;
Sun protection and shade from trees and/or structures;
Flexible open areas for soccer, kickball, basketball and other sports;
A jungle gym to accommodate elementary school-age children, including those in upper grades;
Monkey bar and/or other jungle gym equipment that encourages upper-body exercise;
Play equipment that fosters imaginative play;
Benches;
Adequate space for the continued use of bikes and scooters after school and on weekends;
An outdoor locker to store portable outdoor play equipment;
A mural; and an
An overall design aesthetic in keeping with the surrounding neighborhood architecture.

There are still timeline issues to resolve with the School Construction Authority, which has committed to excavating and properly resurfacing the playground. The ultimate design will be dependent on budget and space. According to Ms. Wenner, Out2Play's next step is to work on integrating the wishes and views expressed today into a presentation of three viable designs. So stay tuned for more news!

This Week at 29: PAAP Workshop, Schoolyard Design Day and More!

Tuesday, January 29th, 6:00 PM- 7:30 PM
Parents As Arts Partners Workshop: The Art of Chinese Brush Painting with Kwak Kay Choey

This first 2008 Center for Arts Education/PAAP workshop is full! But if you were wait-listed, there is a silver lining! Mr. Choey is giving two FREE workshops on Sunday afternoon at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden Lunar New Year Celebration. Mr. Choey, this month's Artist-in-Residence at 29, learned Chinese brush painting from the master artist and teacher, Chen Wen-hsi. Mr. Choey has been practicing and teaching Chinese brush painting and tai chi chuan for more than 20 years. Keep an eye out for announcements for the next two FREE Parents As Arts Partners Workshops. Coming soon!

Thursday January 31st, 12:30-1:05 PM, Schoolyard Design Day with Out2Play

Please see earlier post and also note changed RSVP info for the event. All are welcome! Please email Natalie Green Giles or call 718.643.0094 and leave a message.


Thursday, January 31st: Deadline for Auction Donation Forms!!

Please get those forms into the PTA box in the main office! THANK YOU!

Thursday, January 31st Parents As Arts Partners Orientation & Celebration at NYU


On January 31st, CAE will hold an all-day welcome and celebration at New York University for the 2008 Parents As Arts Partners (PAAP) grant recipients. PS 29 Arts Committee representatives, other grantees and CAE staff will work together at morning workshops and afternoon breakout sessions on program design, building parent advocates and connecting to New York City's vast creative industry.

Friday, February 1st, 8:30-9:10 AM, Families As Learning Partners

Coffee to follow in Outer Cafeteria.

REMINDER: Don't get shut out! Buy your tickets now to upcoming PTA events!



Plus, please keep our online fundraisers in mind!

P.S. 29 DESIGN DAY on January 31st! Playground Planning!!

If you haven't already heard, we have exciting news! Plans are moving forward for our much needed schoolyard renovation!! Next Thursday, January 31st from 12:30-1:05 PM, the school community will have an opportunity to participate in a Design Day session with Out2Play, the organization that will be helping us redesign and carry out the renovation of the schoolyard. At this meeting, we will start thinking about what we want our beautiful new schoolyard to look like!

Remember, the redesigned schoolyard will also include our brand-new garden (as part of our Food and Farming Initiative!). Facilitated sessions will be conducted by Out2Play at our school on that day. We would like to invite any parents interested in participating in this very exciting planning process to attend the session from 12:30-1:05 PM. If you are interested, please RSVP as soon as possible to Nathalie Green Giles, 718.643.0094/leave a message.

You will then receive confirmation and further details about the meeting. We hope you can join us as we move towards creating an environment that truly supports our children's outdoor play needs and helps us achieve our vision for our farming program at P.S. 29!