Here, we will share stories from across the state on how PTAs, families, students, and educators are #MakingADifference during these times!
Kaushik Siblings #MakeADifference!
Uma Kaushik and Eesha Kaushik attend Syosset High School, and shared that the outbreak has “hit home and turned our daily lives upside down …” and while they “were stuck at home, working on school work and listening to the news we are alarmed by the fact that our healthcare heroes are fighting this pandemic without adequate supplies like masks, gloves and gowns.” Their father is a doctor and they wanted to help, so the siblings decided to create a go fund me to support doctors, nurses, and other healthcare heroes. They continue to raise funds for much needed medical supplies like masks, gloves, and gowns to protect our healthcare heroes.
You can see their donation page here: ‘Help our Healthcare Heroes’ https://www.gofundme.com/f/helpourhealthcareheros. They have raised over $28,000 and donated thousands of gloves, gowns, face shields, masks and many more PPE supplies to over 10 hospitals in Long Island , Brooklyn, Jamaica, Queens, NY. The duo was also featured on Fox News! WAY TO GO!
https://www.fox5ny.com/news/long-island-sisters-raise-money-to-buy-masks-for-hospital-workers
Kudos to Shaw Avenue PTA!
They are offering Facebook live through their page to members and community members, and having guest psychologists speak on various topics to help with coping during these unprecedented times. You can tune in here: www.facebook.com/shawavenue.pta. WAY TO GO! #MakeADifference
Submitted by Sandy Gosine
News from Chango Elementary
“We have been rallying round and helping boost morale in anyway we can for our student body, community and school. These are just a few of the many ways – our teams have been doing this. In no particular order:
1. Designating their front porches as Bountiful pack back donation drop zones, delivering to coordination points and coordinating classroom snackbox redistribution to avoid waste.
2. Running live Facebook bingo games weekly for our students, community and families. With teacher drop ins.
3. Creating video read throughs singalongs and games for various grade levels with children – https://youtu.be/Lef73lXjIls.
4. And https://youtu.be/_KxAA0csn6k with our author who had just visited k-2.
5. Helping our students get some of their, unfortunately cancelled, fields trips and visits virtually by helping our vendors deliver in new ways.
6. And….creating lots of love both ways with videos of hope and recording the music too… (2 more in production as replies and 5th grade moving up not yet completed) – https://youtu.be/1e6wz70KIKM.
Creating new and interesting ways to honor our students with virtual art shows, virtual dance classes and distant graduation magic. Everyone have shown their very best whenever and wherever they could for the love our community and school.”
Submitted by Diane Nolan – Arts in Ed., Chango Elementary, Ballston Lake
School 16 PTA in Troy NY holds 1st Virtual Meeting!
“Hello! The School 16 PTA (Troy, NY) had our first virtual general PTA meeting last night! We had 24 people join us. It was a great space for parents/caregivers to ask questions to teachers/staff and our principal. We shared some of our upcoming virtual events, including our virtual Talent Show. And we established planning committees for a virtual Kindergarten and 5th grade graduation celebrations.” NICE JOB!
Submitted by Nicole Margiasso, President, School 16 PTA
West Elementary School Birthday Surprise!
“Hello, I just wanted to share this….. My daughter attends West Elementary school, West Seneca, NY. She celebrated her 7th birthday on April 20th. Ms. Frawley the school principal stopped at our house with Weston the school mascot to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Isabella also was on Google classroom with her first grade teacher Teri Martin who sang Happy Birthday to her. All her classmates also made her birthday cards, pictures of the cards and students were sent through classroom dojo. This made Isabella’s birthday unforgettable and very special. Our family was so touched they took time out of their day to make Isabella’s so special. I truly appreciate all everyone did.” SIMPLY AMAZING!
Submitted by Isabella’s Mom Nicole