The Real District 25

Dear Parents and Members of the Parent Advisory Board, Principals, PTA's, Parent Coordinators, Teachers, and Education Councils, We hope you are enjoying your summer with your loved ones. As the new school year approaches we would like to wish your children a great and successful start of the new school year. As a parent you understand the cost of buying school supplies and these costs can add up especially if you have more than one child. There are over 87,000 New York C...ity kids living in homeless shelters or temporary housing who's families will have a very hard time purchasing the school supplies their child needs in order to get a good education. These children are starting the school year with a disadvantage when trying to keep up with their peers in class while experiencing unimaginable stress and hardship with their family. As a result the Queens Borough President Melinda Katz is participating in the annual initiative organized by the Coalition for the Homeless called Project: Back to School Backpack and School Supply Drive where we will be collecting the following school supplies: Backpacks, #2 Pencils, Hard Pencil Case, Soft Pencil Case, Pencil Sharpener, Crayons, Colored Pencils, Washable Markers, Elmer's Glue, Glue Stick, Composition Notebook, 1.5' and 1' Binder, Ruled Paper, Safety Scissors, Rulers, Pocket Folders Scientific Calculators items The drive will go on until September 1, 2017. The Borough President has a drop-off box placed in the lobby of Queens Borough Hall located at 120-55 Queens Blvd in Kew Gardens (by the main entrance security desk). Donations are anonymous and are not tax-deductible. Queens Borough Hall is the only location where "Project: Back to School" donations are being collected this year in Queens and it is also easily reached on the E or F subway line and the stop is called Union Turnpike. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to call Monica Gutierrez at (718) 286-2627 or email us at [email protected]. We would like to thank you very much in advance for your compassionate donation in helping homeless children receive the supplies they need in order to succeed academically. Sincerely, Monica Gutierrez Education Director Queens Borough President Melinda Katz (718)286-2627

The DOE announced today that the proposed co-location of a new Success Academy Elementary school at the Murray Bergtraum campus has been withdrawn. The CEC had advocated for this action via Resolution 72 last year.