Needed: VR Gaming System

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Are you a gamer?  Have someone in your family or know a neighbor who is?  Work for a design company with a powerful computer that is becoming outdated?  The ICE Science Department is seeking use of a VR (virtual reality) compatible Windows based gaming system!  An 11th grade ICE student, in collaboration with the Brownsville Community Center, has designed a neuroscience experiment that utilizes VR based interventions (Wow, right?!).  We purchased a VR unit for her but the available computers are unfortunately not powerful enough for it to run smoothly.

Need a forced break from gaming? Loan us your system for a month!  The student is exceptionally responsible and will be under the supervision of JD.  Have an old system you rarely use anymore? Donate it!  We'll give it a happy new life in the science department.  Work for Best Buy and can get us a wicked discount?  That could work too!  Email  or contact JD in the ICE Science Department at 212-475-7972. 

 

ICE PAC

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Middle School Parents, state tests are coming up:

  • ELA exam is 4/8-4/9
  • Math exam is 5/1-5/2

Federal law mandates that states give annual tests, but it also gives parents the right to refuse them on behalf of their children. Parents from ICE PAC have traditionally distributed and collected opt out letters and answered questions about opt out at parent teacher conferences--and we will be at next week's rescheduled Wednesday evening conference.

However, with the cancellation and re-scheduling of conferences this year, we want to point out that you can use our online opt out/test refusal form instead. Please do so as soon as possible so the school can plan accordingly for testing days. Here are the links in English and Spanish. 

Some ICE-specific testing/opt out questions we've been asked (and answers):

How does ICE use state test scores? At ICE, scores are not used to inform instruction, nor do they count in student evaluation. 

Does ICE do test prep? No. There is no explicit test prep in the ICE curriculum.

With 80% or more students refusing the tests, what do testing days look like? Students who are taking the tests are called from their classrooms to testing rooms. Non-testing students remain in their classrooms engaged in school activities like reading or writing. Teachers do not introduce new concepts so that testing students don't miss out.

For more about test refusal in general (why, statistics, impacts on admissions, etc), visit here.  

ICE Drama Club's Dramapalooza: 3 songs, 2 scenes, 1 show!

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Come out and support ICE Drama Club as they perform a workshop performance of musical numbers from Shrek the Musical, Fun Home, and Finding Neverland and scenes from Eye of The Stormand The Search for Odysseus. Featuring the work of 11th grade directors: Amina Morgan, Julia Majesky, and Siena Froment. 

DRAMAPALOOZA will take place on Monday, March 26th from 4:30 - 5:30pm in the Auditorium where we have  Town Meeting (1st floor)

Cost: FREE for ICE students & $5 suggested donation for family and friends

We promise you music, singing, dancing, drama.. umbrellas! tempests! goddesses! office supplies! banjos! overalls! Show your support for ICE Drama and come to the AUD Monday after-school. Tell your friends, your family, your cycle project group - all are welcome.