And we're back!

A few weeks ago, PS173 invited Corey Jones, a former high school teammate of Lebron James, to share with us the power of growth mindset through a variety of concrete and fun activities. Growth mindset is a concept we encourage our kids to apply in all aspects of their lives. It requires kids to think more deeply about the, "process" of learning rather than solely focusing on the end product. Through this process, students learn the importance of mistakes and occasional failures---because with each step, they learn something new about themselves and develop the patience and drive to accomplish whatever goals they set.

Thanks to our amazing music teacher, Ms. Sable, we were able to welcome summer with Grammy Nominated trombonist and composer Papo Vazquez! Kids were up on their feet as we listened and danced to the cultural sounds of Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic. This was a once in a lifetime experience that our kids at PS173 will never forget. 

On behalf of everyone at PS173, we wish everyone a healthy, safe, and fun summer break! See you in September!

Congratulations are in order for our April and May Students of the Month! This is a tricky time of year with summer so close in reach, but these kids have stayed motivated and worked their hardest through this busy time. Demonstrating kindness, effort, and overall positive school spirit, these students stood out as clear winners!

On Friday, May 23rd, students from all grades participated in our first every Cultural Exhibition. Our amazing movement teacher Ms. Chavez worked tirelessly with each grade over the last several months to explore a variety of cultural dances and songs such as India to the Dominican Republic. It was two days filled with fun and celebration!

For the first time ever, PS173 held Career Week focused on engaging our students in a world of possibilities. Throughout the week, both the lower grades and upper grades participated in activities that promoted the importance of college, trade schools, and careers, and how each one requires hard work and effort. In the lower grades, activities were geared towards the importance of community workers and how one day, they too can be making a difference like their family and friends around them. The upper grades were introduced to what college and trade schools are and how everyone has to work hard in order to get there. Through research and hands on activities, students were able to experience first hand what colleges have to offer in the form of majors and minors through our web searches, how to fill out an, "application," and how to write a persuasive, "college essay" demonstrating what qualities and experiences they have that would make them a good fit for a particular career path. 

Our week finished off with our Career Fair! Family and friends from all over joined us in conversation about their educational experience, what they wanted to be when they grew up, and what their role is in our society today. Kids were eager to hear from everyone they met--joining us were artists, architects, doctors, fitness specialists, sanitation workers, and so many more. The kids had a blast, and even the teachers learned a thing or two!

Big congrats to this month's winners! We are so proud of all our students, particularly on days like this! Each of our kids have shown tremendous progress and we can't wait to see what successes lay ahead.

On March 13th, our students of Little Feet had an exciting opportunity to participate in White Coat Day. The purpose of this day is to welcome doctors, nurses, and athletic trainers into the armory for a day of fun and healthy activities. Students got to ask questions of their new found friends and develop  a trust between those in the medical field and themselves. Check us out on their website!