To all P255Q Community Members,
Hello and welcome to 2019. Winter is here, though we have yet to have had major snow, the wind has been blowing and temperatures are quite frigid. With the new season, our school curriculum has shifted onto our new area of focus, Physical Science. Students will focus on a variety of science concepts. In grades K-2 the ‘5 Senses’, grades 3-5 the ‘phases of matters’, grades 6-8 ‘property changes’ with a focus on cooking, and grades 9-12 the Unique ‘transition’ grade bands with a focus on vocational life skills. All of the instructional bands provide access to common core standards with instructional materials that are adapted to meet our students at their learning level. Be on the lookout for science experiments and science homework.
With a New Year, many of us set goals and New Year resolutions. One I have set forth is to be more mindful in the presence of others. Many NYC school have begun to undertake the practice of ‘mindfulness’. At 255Q for the last 10 years we have participated in a program to support our students that prepares them to learn. Get Ready to Learn (GRTL) is a therapeutic, research based yoga program, which helps improve attending and self-regulation skills for our students. This school year, we have 18 classes from our elementary school sites participating in the program each morning as part of their routine. We have expanded the program this year to our 128 site in Middle Village. Video modeling through GRTL assists our students in getting their minds and bodies into an optimal state for learning to take place. Teachers have reported that student’s exhibit decreased interfering behaviors and greater ability to focus after completing the routine each morning in the classroom. The program is supported by facilitators from our Occupational and Physical Therapy Departments.
Continue to look out for school calendar and keep checking in on the school website p225q.org for upcoming school events. In December we had a PTA sponsored ‘Winterland Dance’ in which over 150 family members, students and staff gathered to celebrate the holiday season. It was a huge success. I look forward to seeing you at an upcoming school event.
Sincerely,
Gregg Lopez
Principal
I am honored to have been chosen to become the next assistant principal at P255Q. I began my educational career as a 1:1 paraprofessional for students with autism. Soon thereafter, I was hired as a literacy coverage teacher for P255Q in February, 2009. I then taught in both 6:1:1 and 8:1:1 middle school classrooms up until last year when I became the unit coordinator at our elementary site in Middle Village. All of these experiences have shaped my educational philosophy and passion for working with our students and their families. I look forward to meeting and working with you and your child in this new role as the assistant principal at our P7 and PS 307 sites. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at any time. I can be reached via email at mkozak@schools.nyc.gov as well as by phone at 718-899-6528 (P7) or 718-779-5241 (PS 307). Looking forward to an exciting school year together!
Welcome to school year 2018/2019. I am very excited to begin this year as the new Principal of P255Q. I started teaching at 255Q in 1998 and then became an Assistant Principal in 2001. During my tenure, I have learned many things from the teaching professionals, our students and their families. Our school community is our greatest resource! We will continue many of our best teaching practices, as well as seek out additional resources and ways to support the development of your child.