ICE PAC (Parent Action/Education Advocacy Committee

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From New York State Allies for Public Education:

Last month, NY State Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia asked the Board of Regents to approve a new $225,000 grant from the Gates Foundation for “enhanced communication” efforts around the standards, testing and data collection --  to convince parents that State Ed is on the right track in all these areas. 

The new standards that the NY State Education Department has adopted are still developmentally inappropriate and little different from the last set of standards. There is still too much emphasis on flawed high-stakes testing.  Moreover, NYSED has failed to enforce the state student privacy law, passed in 2014-- though the legal deadline for implementation was more than four years ago.  Meanwhile, NYSED’s own data system has been audited twice by the NYS Comptroller, and found to be highly insecure and vulnerable to breaches.

PLEASE CLICK HERE to TAKE ACTION and DEMAND that the Regents give back the Gates funds. Instead of trying to sell parents us on State Ed’s  policies, include parents in authentic decision-making on all issues affecting our children, including standards, teacher evaluation, and privacy. The State Education Department should also be barred from any effort to expand student data collection until the 2014 student privacy law has been fully enforced and the SED’s own data system made secure.

 

Family Program in St. Croix Over Winter Break 

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Wouldn't you like to relax on tropical sandy beaches and learn about ancestral skills and get to know like minded people?

Learn about friction fire, making natural fiber, basket making, shelter building, gourd containers, primitive pottery, spear fishing, medicinal and edible plants, water purification, archery and much more!

Earth Living Skills is collaborating with Caribbean Earth Skills to run a family program in St. Croix over winter break 2019, February 17~22.  

We will all stay at Mt. Victory Eco-Lodge, in a lush forested farm valley.

$775.00 or $1,375.00 for first family member, $275.00 or $375.00 for each additional family member (depending on if you choose to stay in a tent of bungalow)
Meals are included, air fare is not. Flights to STX range from $300 to $700 round trip depending on the date of travel.
Suitable for ages 7 and up, younger children are welcome.
Space is limited so please register as soon as possible.


Please find more details and register here

Thank you, Natalie Vantuyn, ICE Teacher

Senior Internships 

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Thank you for helping spread the word about internships--the response from parents this year has been really great!

Several ICE seniors are still looking for leads for internship opportunities in fields they are most passionate about. Please contact Internship Coordinator Josh Torpey if you or someone you know may be able to offer one of our students help making a connection in any of the following areas!

Women's health / reproductive rights / advocacy organizations
Software / coding
Science labs (plug: every year our superstar seniors intern at labs with professors and grad students and knock their socks off!)
Specifically, neuroscience or chemistry labs
TV/ film / commercial production
Journalism
Public interest law
Youth education / advocacy
Writers' / literary organizations
Marine biology / ecology
Urban planning
Political science / history
Photography
Statistical / data analysis
Sports data analysis
 
Thank you!

Parent Volunteers

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Sadly if there are no volunteers there are not events!


I.C.E. Holiday Celebration - Wednesday, December 19th, 4:30pm - 7:00pm
Holiday Celebration Volunteers (5 volunteers to set-up and clean-up) 
Holiday Celebration Day-of-Coordinator (1 volunteer to be the point person at the event) 

For a full list with detailed descriptions of opportunities visit our website to view the "Parent Life" tab or click Volunteer Opportunities now.

ICE Community Service Club Sock Drive  

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Hello ICE families.

Happy holidays! This December, ICE’s Community Service club is collecting socks to be donated to families in need. Make this holiday season warm for people in need! Collections will take place during Town Meeting (the next two Wednesdays) and there’s also a collection box in Marlyn’s room (522D). Below is a list of inexpensive socks you can pick up at a store near you if you don’t have any used pairs to donate.

10 pairs of antimicrobial socks for $8.99 at target.
6 pairs of kids socks at Kmart for $3.75
24 pairs of socks at Dollar Tree for $14

Socks are one of the least donated items in homeless shelters, and one of the most needed. They don’t only provide warmth but also promote healthy blood flow, prevent cracked heels, and can even prevent hot flashes. Additionally socks can absorb moisture from feet which helps prevent foot fungus, athletes foot, and calluses.

Thank you!

ICE Community Service Club

ICEBREAKER Theater Company, Subway Moon & ICE Cold Jazz Orchestra 

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Icebreaker Theater Company presents: "Check, Please" by Jonathan Rand.
Subway Moon will present original songs written and composed by ICE HS students.
ICE Cold Jazz Orchestra will perform and improvise pieces from Charlie Parker to Free-jazz and from Metallica to Afro Cuban Jazz.

Sunday, January 13th @ 3PM
TRIAD THEATER 158 W 72nd St, Manhattan, NY

12th Grade Literature Panels   

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Sitting in on panels is a great opportunity to see the kind of critical reading and writing work our seniors have been doing.
 
The seniors will be presenting and defending the critical work they did in analyzing the novels, plays, etc. they have been reading and writing about for months.

The remaining date of these panels isTuesday, December 18th , 3:15 to 4:15 AND 4:20 to 5:20 If you are interested and able to participate in this wonderfully enriching activity, please email Jeffrey Romanow (one of the 12G literature teachers) and let him know which day and which session (one or both) you could sit in on. Jeffrey will fill you in on all the details for how the panel will work – and he will be happy to answer any questions you may have.


Senior Internships 

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Thank you for helping spread the word about internships--the response from parents this year has been really great!

Several ICE seniors are still looking for leads for internship opportunities in fields they are most passionate about. Please contact Internship Coordinator Josh Torpey if you or someone you know may be able to offer one of our students help making a connection in any of the following areas!

Women's health / reproductive rights / advocacy organizations
Software / coding
Science labs (plug: every year our superstar seniors intern at labs with professors and grad students and knock their socks off!)
Specifically, neuroscience or chemistry labs
TV/ film / commercial production
Journalism
Public interest law
Youth education / advocacy
Writers' / literary organizations
Marine biology / ecology
Urban planning
Political science / history
Photography
Statistical / data analysis
Sports data analysis
 
Thank you!

ICE Skating Trip 

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We are continuing the long tradition of taking our entire school ice skating this holiday season.  On Thursday, December 20th, 2018, advisors will take their advisory on the Q train to LeFrak Lakeside Ice Rink in Prospect Park, Brooklyn.  Here is some info:

  • Students meet in advisory room at 8:15 am until their departure time.  All students will depart with their grade between 9:00 and 10:00 am.

  • Students can bring lunch or buy it at the rink

  • Admission is $12 for all students attending the trip (no matter if skating or not).  This includes admission and skate-rental

  • Middle School students will be escorted back to ICE by their advisor at 2:00 pm and dismissed from ICE at the end of our school day (2:59 pm). 

  • High School students can be dismissed from the rink directly at the end of our school day (2:59 pm)



Please fill out the information and sign on BOTH permission slips if you give permission for your child to attend this trip.  Have your child hand in the permission slip and money to his/her advisor by Friday, December 14th…. But sooner the better!

**If your family cannot pay, ICE will cover the cost for you.  Also, if you have the means to, we ask that you bring in $20 to help offset the cost of those who cannot pay.

As always this will be a great way to enjoy the holidays in our community.  Happy holidays!