Keep Your Child’s Brain Working Over the Summer

The DUMBO Einsteins program is a Pre K alternative, set in a small school environment. The ‘Einsteins’ receive direct instruction around, literacy, math, chess, art, music, theater, and yoga. See what parents are saying here.

1) Summer Handwriting Class – This is a great way to help out young students with their handwriting. Over fifteen 45 minute sessions, Traci Timmons and Rachel Rath will guide 5 and 6 year old students through practical steps and skills that enable proper handwriting. This five week course, set in a small group, is appropriate for beginning writers and those who need a little extra help with their printing.

2) Private Chess – Rachel Rath, one of the DUMBO Einstein instructors, guides students through the beginning steps of becoming a great chess player. Private chess 45 minute chess sessions are available for kids ages 4-6 at $60/session or $550 for 10. All packages must be used up by September 15th.

3) Tutoring over the summer is a great idea whether your child is behind or ahead in reading. Without the stress and fatigue of school, Traci Timmons and Liz Frank create personalized one-on-one lesson plans that help the regular school year go by so much easier. At Abundant Learning, they see students who are very advanced and somewhat behind. They have a great deal of experience with children who suffer from dyslexia and use multi-sensory techniques to help students achieve their goals. $125/session. Email to inquire about scheduling.

All classes and sessions are held at Abundant Learning, in Dumbo, Brooklyn at 68 Jay Street, room 513. Space is very limited. Email Liz@abundantlearning.org to sign up.

Abundant Learning
68 Jay Street, Suite #513
Brooklyn, NY 11201
917-727-8839

(Photo credit to Priscilla Fusco)

The results from last week’s Participatory Budget for City Council District 33 have been counted and announced on City Councilman Steve Levin’s blog. The winning projects for District 33 (Brooklyn Heights, Boerum Hill, DUMBO, Vinegar Hill, Williamsburg, Greenpoint, and North Park Slope) are:

• 1st – District-wide tree planting ($100k)
• 2nd – MS 8 Technology Funds (MS8 announcement, 105 Johnson Street, $200k)
• 3rd – East River State Park Dog Run (90 Kent Ave, $450k)
• 4th – PS 31 Technology Request (PS31, 75 Meserole Avenue, $188k)
• 5th – PS 34 Playground Renovations (131 Norman Ave, $120k)

This summer, from July 8th to August 29th, 2013, WHITE WAVE’s summer camp is set to provide children with an opportunity to experience the joy of dance and to build their creativity. Children ages 3 to 13 are welcome to join the summer camp, based in their studios at 25 Jay Street in Dumbo.

The weekly schedule runs from Monday-Thursday, starting at 9am until pick-up at 3:30pm, each day. Every day of camp, children will participate in five of the following classes/activities: Yoga, Ballet, Broadway Musical Dance, Modern Dance, Gymnastics, Hip-Hop, Drawing in the Park and/or Playing in the Park. They will also have a mid-day break for lunch (BYOL) and nap time. Children should wear well-fitted, comfortable clothing they can move in. Leotards and dance shoes not required.

WHITE WAVE’s Summer Camp schedule is split up into four, two-week sessions categorized by age.

Each 2-week camp is $650 – the drop-in rate is $25/class or $100/day.

“My son loves being in motion and moving his body constantly,” says parent Linda A. “Over time, I know he’ll discover a range of movements and learn more about his body!”

Lessons learned culminate in a final day performance and party, held at the end of summer camp. Later children are invited to perform in WHITE WAVE’s “Day for the Family,” scheduled Saturday, September 28, 2013 as part of the DUMBO Dance Festival.

For more information and registration, go to whitewavedance.com/category/classes/childrens-classes.

WHITE WAVE’s four-person teaching staff has a combined experience of over fifty years working with young adults, teens and children and providing lessons in creative movement, ballet, modern, jazz, advanced techniques for professionals, as well as yoga. Class sizes are limited so that teachers are able to work closely with each child.

White Wave Dance (whitewavedance.com)
25 Jay Street, Suite #100, Brooklyn, NY, 11201

Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Main Street Playground (aka pirate ship playground) will reopen on Saturday, April 6, 2013. Hurricane Sandy brought damaging floodwaters to the park’s surface and closed over the winter. Park officials have been replacing the surface with a more colorful and durable material. Come celebrate the re-opening on Saturday, April 6 at 11 am with light refreshments and the Dumbo Kite Flying Society. Please RSVP at malynch@bbpnyc.org.

The City Council has allocated $1 million to District 33, and City Council Member Stephen Levin has solicited proposals from the community about how this money should be spent. Decisions will be made via voting by members of the community. One of the proposals is to allocate $200,000 to MS 8 (the new middle school extension of local school PS8) to fund the purchase of desperately needed laptops, laptop carts, and smartboards. The school opened this past fall with very little funding, and nothing allocated towards technology.

Please spread the word about this participatory budgeting process and MS 8′s proposal. You can vote on April 5 (this Friday) at PS 8 from 7:45am to 9:45am, or at MS 8 from 8am to 10am. If you are unable to vote on April 5, then you can vote at a variety of locations between April 1 and April 7.

Every resident (16+) living in District 33 can vote for up to five projects.

For more information, go to pbnyc.org/content/district-33-voting-dates-locations-2013.

Download flyer (1.1 MB pdf file)

The Kirkman Chess Club will be hosting its first Chess Scholastic on March 24th. Registration will happen at 68 Jay St . in room #513 until 9:30am. Tournament play will begin at 10AM in #508.

Contact Organizer: Jason Ciano (Ajciano@gmail.com or 347-266-6852.

There are 3 sections:
* Kindergarten-12th Open
* Kindergarten-8th Open
* Novice (U1000)

Enrollment Fee: $30 prepaid, $35 day of
Registration deadline: 5pm March 20, 2013

To register mail a check or money order to:
Jason Ciano
68 Jay Street, #513,
Brooklyn, NY 11201
Please include player name, section, USCF ID#, Rating, School & Grade.

All players must be members of the USCF. May purchase or renew membership at tournament. Official March Ratings used for tournament.
Rounds 2-4 start soon after conclusion of the previous rounds. Equipment provided, players’ bring their own clock.

$5 discount if 4 or more players registration is sent in the same envelope.
Prizes: 1st – 3rd place trophies in each section.
Two Class prizes: Top U1600 for K-12, Top U1400 for K-8, Top U800 & U600/Unr for Novice section.
Team Trophies: Top 2 teams in each section. Minimum 2 players qualify as team. Top four scores on team counted. USCF Rated. One half-point bye available, must request before round 2.

1) Mil’s Trills
March 8, 4:00-5:00 PM, $20 child with adult(s), siblings $5

Mil’s Trills is an interactive series of live performances for grown-ups with babies and toddlers aged 0-5. Led by Amelia Robinson who plays original, quirky and whimsical songs on her electric ukulele and hosts a rotating cast of musical guests. More info

2) Baby Wearing 101 with Metro Minis NYC
Saturday, March 16, 1:00-3:00pm, FREE

Carriers will be available for purchase. Taught by one of Metro Minis’ trained and certified babywearing educators, Babywearing 101 is the perfect opportunity to learn safe and proper carrying of babies from newborn to toddler.

This class covers the very basics on the five different styles of baby carriers. It is designed to be an introduction to baby slings. Babywearing 101 is ideal for those who have never worn a baby and have little or no experience with carriers. We will discuss the different styles and by exploring your family’s unique needs to help you discover the right carrier for you. More info

3) Rolie Polie Guacamole
DUMBO: March 16th, 4:00-4:45
TriBeCa: March 17th and March 30th, 4:00-4:45
$20 child with adult(s), siblings $5

Rolie Polie Guacamole is a rocking “kindie” band from Brooklyn, NY that has steadily grown a devoted following of children and adults over the last few years, touring across the east coast and mid-west, with top picks by Boston.com, Time Out Kids NY, and Time Out Kids Chicago, their high energy, interactive shows are a mix of funk, rock and folk music mashed into original tunes about natural living, eating healthy and staying active. The band’s latest album, Houses of the Moly, won a Parent’s Choice Award and a NAPPA Honor’s Award! More info

RSVP required, space is limited. Email: alisha@egg-baby.com

The Playroom at EGG (on DumboNYC)
72 Jay Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201

The semi-annual Underground “Stuff-a-Sack” Winter Clearance Sale at the Underground Thrift Store at Plymouth Church on Sunday March 3, 2013. Store hours will be 12:30pm-4:00pm. Come early for the best deals. Prior Stuff-a-Sack sales have attracted a big crowd and a spot on the local news.

From the organizers:

Shoppers can purchase as many $25 Underground Thrift Store Totes (a $5 value) as they like and can then stuff them with our inventory of winter clothing for women, men and children. The more sacks you stuff, the more you save! Or, you can buy individual items at 50% off original prices. Help us make way for Spring merchandise.
The Underground Thrift Store features a curated collection of upscale and designer clothing and accessories for women, men and children and beautiful collectibles for the home, in the loft space in historic Plymouth Church.

And, you will be stuffing for a cause since the Underground Thrift donates 25% of its net proceeds to organizations that fight human trafficking and modern-day slavery.

All sales are final and accessories and housewares are not included.

The Underground Thrift Store, Upstairs at Plymouth Church, is located at 65 Hicks Street, Brooklyn NY 11201 (between Orange and Cranberry Streets in Brooklyn Heights).

Last week, DNAinfo published an article about the improvements in the local schools, PS8 and PS307. Per the article, PS307 has seen one of the biggest improvements in reading and math scores in Brooklyn last year:

At P.S. 307, Principal Roberta Davenport has transformed her school over the past eight years. According to Insideschools, since Davenport took over the school in 2004, P.S. 307 has increasingly become a place that makes students and teachers proud.

Davenport upgraded the art room, reached out to the DUMBO arts community to create opportunities for her students and decorated formerly dim school hallways with students’ work. She also cracked down on bad behavior with more suspensions.

“She changed the tone of the school,” Assistant Principal Bill Diederich told Insideschools.

More notably, Davenport improved her students’ math and reading scores. According to the Daily News, P.S. 307 saw one of the biggest improvements in reading and math scores in Brooklyn last year.

The school has come a long way, but the principal knows that their work is far from done. They have sent the below open house and forum schedule to provide the community with updates to their school program:

Daniel Hale Williams School (PS 307) is a community school committed to academic & personal excellence for ALL Students is holding open house sessions on the following dates.

OPEN HOUSE SCHEDULE

• Thursday, Feb. 21, 8:30-10:00am
• Tuesday, Mar. 5, 8:30-10:00am
• Thursday, Mar. 14, 8:30-10:00am

INFORMATIONAL FORUMS

• Tuesday, Feb. 26, 6:00-7:00pm
• Tuesday, Mar. 5, 6:00-7:00pm

Common Core Aligned Academic Curriculum

• Pre K – 5th grade
• Classic Children’s Literature
• Technology Based Instruction
• Mandarin –Speaking, Reading, Writing
• Social Emotional Learning
• Violin & Keyboarding Program
• Visual Arts
• BRAND NEW Computer Lab
• School Based Health Center
• Dental Clinic
• ASD Horizon-Autism Spectrum Disorder Program
• Brooklyn Ballet
• Award Winning Cheerleaders
• Basketball & Track
• Cookshop
• Parent Workshops

Afterschool Programs

• Horizons at Brooklyn Friends School
• YMCA
• Kids Orbit

PS 307 (ps307.com and schools.nyc.gov)
209 York Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201 (at Hudson Avenue in Vinegar Hill)
For more information, call 718-834-4748

Previously:
{PS 307 Open House in Vinegar Hill (May 3, 2012)}
{Jam On DUMBO Bringing Musicians to P.S. 307, 24may2012}
{PS 307 Open House 2010}
{Youth-run Farm Stand at Farragut, 16oct2009}
{Dumbo Mural by Tattfoo and PS307 Children on Front Street, 29feb2008}
{PS 307 Spring Arts Festival, Sat, 5/19/2007}

From our friends at The Playroom at EGG:

How to Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk with Shelly Macdonald, beginning next Thursday, 1/31/2013 at The Playroom, 72 Jay Street BKLYN NY

Thursdays 9:30 – 11:00 am, parent workshop
Note: This is a 6-week class, running from January 31 through March 14 (no class 2/21), 2013

Don’t miss this celebrated workshop series created by best-selling authors Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish and led by Shelly Macdonald. Learn skills that make life with children easier and more satisfying: discipline without hurting or alienating; cope with your child’s negative feelings; engage your child’s willing cooperation; help your child develop a realistic and positive self-image; foster an atmosphere of love and respect; and resolve conflicts peacefully. Participants will receive a workbook at the first session. You will need to buy two books, which will be read throughout the course: Liberated Parents/Liberated Children and How to Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk, both by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish. Childcare is not provided, but babes in arms are welcome. Financial assistance is available upon request.

For more information and to register, visit www.apparentlove.com. You may also contact Shelly Macdonald at apparentlove@me.com or (917) 716-8475

For more information about The Playroom, contact alisha@egg-baby.com.

The Playroom at EGG (on DumboNYC)
72 Jay Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201
alisha@egg-baby.com