ICE on Fire

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ICE Music Dept. presents a very special “ICE ON FIRE” featuring saxophonist, composer and political activist Salim Washington (Memphis TN, 1958). Dr. Cornel West describes Washington’s work as a “new synoptic vision of what jazz can be and do. The fundamental spirit behind the music...lives on in new ways and novel sounds.”
 
Washington studied at Harvard and also became a professor in Brooklyn College. In 2013, he became a full-time professor at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. “This feels like home,” he reflects. “This is home. I am home.”
 
Friday, January 26th, 2018
ICE Music Classroom (5th Floor)
1st Ave between 15th & 16th Street, Manhattan
 
1:00pm
“Life in music and service, conference by Salim Washington
 
2:30pm
Jazz Concert feat. Salim Washington (ts), Albert Marques (p), Adi Meyerson (db) & Kush Abadey (dr)

ICE PAC (Parent Action/Education Advocacy Committee)

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MARK YOUR CALENDAR & SPREAD THE WORD: 4 IMPORTANT UPCOMING EVENTS

Here at ICE
ICE PAC's annual meeting on testing and test refusal falls during Black Lives Matter in Schools Week, so we are marking the occasion with “A Standardized Test is a Poor Substitute for Justice”: the Intersection of High-Stakes Standardized Testing and Race in NYC Schools. This presentation/panel discussion is open to the ICE community and beyond. Flyer coming soon to help you spread the word. Don't miss it! Wednesday February 7 6:15-8:30 PM

Elsewhere
Back-to-back press conferences, Tuesday Jan 23, 10 & 11 AM, downtown (Tweed & City Hall)
When Bill deBlasio first ran for mayor he promised that the public would be involved in the selection of a chancellor for the city's schools. That didn't happen the first time around. Now that Carmen Farina is leaving, he has a chance for a do-over, but so far it seems that the process for finding the person who will have a major influence on our schools, teachers, and children is excluding us parents. Elected parent officials (from PTAs across the city and Community Education Councils) are demanding that we be included. If you can skip out of whatever Tuesday @10AM, come to the steps of Tweed Courthouse, 52 Chambers St, to support their efforts. So important!

If you can skip out a little longer, or can only come later, immediately south of Tweed, at City Hall @11 AM organizers for the Coalition for Educational Justice are also hosting a press conference. They are calling for the city to institute more culturally responsive education measures, including expanded anti-bias trainings for teachers, curriculum changes, and more.

Finally, if you haven't already registered for the  for the annual Parent Action Conference, which takes place Saturday Jan 27 in downtown Manhattan, registration is still open. Past conferences have yielded a great, informative, and energizing day. Organized by Class Size Matters, NYC Kids PAC, and Community Education Council 2.

Any questions? Contac Kemala. 

 

Donations from The Parent Body  

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Dear Parents/Guardians,
 
Thank you all for your generous contributions and matching funds to ICE. Your dollars are critical for ensuring the students and teachers get all the support they deserve.
 
We have received matching funds from Bright Funds Foundation and The Benevity Community Impact Fund but we are unable to process the payments. If the payments were made on your behalf please contact Kristi Craig at kirsti.craig@gmail.com  
 
When setting up matching funds through your company please remember, matching grants should be to ICE Foundation, Inc., not the Institute for Collaborative Education. You can review the Matching Contribution page on the ICE Website.


Thank you,
ICE PTA

ICE PAC (Parent Action/Education Advocacy Committee

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Registration is open for the annual Parent Action Conference, which takes place Saturday Jan 27 in downtown Manhattan. Past conferences have yielded a great, informative, and energizing day. From the organizers (Class Size Matters, NYC Kids PAC, and Community Education Council 2): 

Come spend the day with fellow parent activists and participate in workshops to create an action agenda!

  • Morning: Choice of workshops (Parent Organizing 101, Legal challenges to School Overcrowding & Large Classes, Advocating for Your Child with Special Needs, Opting Out of Testing, Promoting Restorative Justice Vs. School-to-Prison Pipeline, Preventing Bullying to Create Safe Learning Environments, Integrating Our Schools, Fighting Against Charters)
  • Afternoon: Backpack Full of Cash, documentary narrated by Matt Damon about the efforts to privatize our public schools. Post screening discussion with New York State's Chancellor of the Board of Regents, Betty Rosa.


Lunch provided. Suggested donation for entire day (including lunch and film) $10. A steal!

View the flier here.

 PTA Meeting--January 17th 

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 This coming Wednesday I look forward to addressing the current public dialogue about sexual harassment in the work place, and the often toxic attitudes and behavior that pervade all areas of our society. At I.C.E. our kids are no strangers to these forces both at school, at home and the wider world. It is crucial that we support our kids and examine our behaviors and assumptions as we all reckon with the possibility of transforming our society for the better. Similar to how I have engaged you all in previous years, I plan to present some scenarios that we have recently discussed as a staff, as well as the conundrum of how to reconcile official policies with our commitment to address each interpersonal challenge as unique.
 
This conversation will certainly continue, but I hope you will join me as we begin.
 
See You Wednesday
 
Pete

SAT  Prep Course Offered at ICE

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Hi 11th Grade Parents,
 
I am writing to let you know of an opportunity that we have offered our 11th grade students at ICE for the past five years. We hire an SAT prep company called A-List to come in to our school during the second semester to help prepare students for the SATs in May.  It is a course that will occur three days a week, during these times:
 
Tues: 10:48 am -11:35 am (Advisory)
Weds: 12:30 pm - 1:19 pm (Gym)
Thurs: 9:55 am - 10:45 am (Elective)
 
The diagnostic SAT exam will occur on Saturday, February 10th at 10 am at ICE and the course will begin on Thursday, Februray 15th (the practice exam can also be taken on an alternate date at the A-List offices in Manhattan, or if BOTH of these options don’t work, PSAT scores can be used from last year).  The course will run through the week leading up to the SATs on May 5, 2018, which all students in the course will take.  There are also two other practice exams given at ICE in April on the 21st and 28th to gauge progress.
 
The cost of the course is $450 per student.  You can set up a payment plan on the ICE website under “SAT Prep.”  You can also send your child in with a check for $450 made out the ICE Foundation and bring it to Mark or Eileen in the main office.  If possible, we ask families who have the means to sponsor another student or donate an extra $100 to please do so. These are options on the ICE website.
 
Payment is not a barrier to enrollment in this course. If you need help with payment, email Pete and Mark and we will find a way to help you manage the payment.  If the payment is unmanageable, we will help provide assistance.
 
Participation is optional and has varied from year to year but has been between 30-60% of 11th graders.
 
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SIGN YOUR CHILD UP FOR THIS COURSE, PLEASE DO THE FOLLOWING TWO THINGS:
 
1.  Please fill out this survey.


2.  Hand the check to someone in the main office (made out to ICE Foundation) or pay online at by selecting "Trips and Events" then "SAT Prep."
 
**Please send the email by Tuesday, January 16th** At that point, we'll confirm the number of participants with A-List and provide more information regarding the classes.
 
Please email Lisa Bleyer with any questions.
 

Senior Math Graduation Requirement Presentations: Evaluators Needed

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Hello ICE Families,

I want to ask one last time for parents to sign up to be a part of our math panels on Thursday the 18th.  We currently do not have enough evaluators to place at least one non-teacher adult on every panel.

Our kids have done amazing work this year and we want as many members of our community as possible to be a part of hearing them present and justify it.  

If you have found your self pondering questions like these:

Why does Aaron Judge hit the ball so far? What should I pack when I travel to Barcelona in May? How can I make money trading Crypto-Currency? How can I generate enough force to complete a flip on the trapeze? As a pirate, how should I aim my canon?

Sign up here to find your answers:
 

Schedule for Regents Week: January 22-26

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In order to support students in studying for midterm exams, completing cycle projects, and paneling graduation requirements, we will be implementing the following schedule at the end of January:

Monday, JANUARY 22nd - Thursday, JANUARY 25th:

Middle School:  Middle School students have a regular schedule though midterm exams for each course will be scheduled during regular class time throughout the week.

Grades 9, 10 and 11: 

  • Students will take final exams (in some cases presentations) starting promptly at beginning of 1st period (8:15 am) and concluding at the end of 2nd period (9:55 am).  Teachers on grade level will let students know which final/presentation is occurring on each day.  If a student does not have outstanding work and there are no other presentations, s/he is dismissed for the day when s/he completes the midterm.
  • If a student has missing projects or work in a course, advisors will let students and parents know.  After completing the midterm exam, these students are to report to the assigned classroom for his/her grade level to work with teachers and complete the outstanding work during periods 3 and 4 (9:58 - 11:35 am).  These students will be dismissed for the day after 4th period (11:35 am).

Grade 12:

  • If all Graduation Requirements are completed AND the ELA Regents Exam has been passed, 12th grade students do not need to come in to the building as they have no assigned classes.
  • If a student has an outstanding Graduation Requirement, s/he should report to school at 10 am in room 513 to receive support from teachers to complete these projects.  Students who are ready will be scheduled to panel during the afternoon of this week.
  • If a student has not yet passed the ELA Regents exam (Mark has contacted parents already), s/he must report to room 509 at 9:00 am on Monday, January 22nd to take it.

Friday, JANUARY 26th: 

  • Middle School: Regular Classes
  • 9G, 10G and 11G: No School
  • 12G: Only students who are presenting a graduation requirement will attend
  •  

MONDAY, JANUARY 29th: No school for all grades (City-Wide Professional Development Day for Teachers).

TUESDAY, JANUARY 30th: Cycle 3 begins.  Regular Classes for all Grades. 

Calling for All Used Refurbished Cell Phones

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The Nepal and Malaysia International Youth Media Groups are asking parents, students, and friends to donate the cell phones they no longer use

 No, we don't need them to make phone calls.
 We need hem for their picture taking capabilities!
 Please be sure the phones – as cameras – work.
 It would also be helpful if each phone-camera donated came with a charger.

The Nepal and Malaysia International Youth Media Groups will be sharing these used phones as cameras for the children they work with in Nepal and Malaysia. So please, if you have any old cell phones, smart phones, etc. with picture taking capability, please bring them to Jeffrey (the International Youth Media Advisor/Program Director) in Room 4198.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact Jeffrey.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - No School

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Monday, January 15th 2018

The Meaning of the King Holiday --- “We celebrate the life and legacy of a man who brought hope and healing to America. We commemorate as well the timeless values he taught us through his example — the values of courage, truth, justice, compassion, dignity, humility and service that so radiantly defined Dr. King’s character and empowered his leadership….” Coretta Scot King


“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: what are you doing for others?” --- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.   Visit MLK Day Legacy of Service or MLK Day of Service Events in NYC to find volunteer opportunities.

ICE PAC (Parent Action/Education Advocacy Committee

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Registration is open for the annual Parent Action Conference, which takes place Saturday Jan 27 in downtown Manhattan. Past conferences have yielded a great, informative, and energizing day. From the organizers (Class Size Matters, NYC Kids PAC, and Community Education Council 2): 

Come spend the day with fellow parent activists and participate in workshops to create an action agenda!

  • Morning: Choice of workshops (Parent Organizing 101, Legal challenges to School Overcrowding & Large Classes, Advocating for Your Child with Special Needs, Opting Out of Testing, Promoting Restorative Justice Vs. School-to-Prison Pipeline, Preventing Bullying to Create Safe Learning Environments, Integrating Our Schools, Fighting Against Charters)

 

  • Afternoon: Backpack Full of Cash, documentary narrated by Matt Damon about the efforts to privatize our public schools. Post screening discussion with New York State's Chancellor of the Board of Regents, Betty Rosa.


Lunch provided. Suggested donation for entire day (including lunch and film) $10. A steal!

View the flier here.

Senior Math Graduation Requirement Presentations: Evaluators Needed!

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We are writing to invite you to participate in evaluating student work at the Institute for Collaborative Education's 6th Annual Math Panel Presentation on Wednesday, January 10th and Thursday, January 18th, 2018.

Our math graduation requirement encourages students to research and complete math projects in fields in which they are passionate. Our seniors have immersed themselves in real professions and hobbies and have designed and solved problems in these professions highlighting the use of math in the world. 

We invite you to be part of student presentations to hear about math used in these professions and hobbies and engage in intellectual conversations about math with our students. Each student panel will last one hour and there will be two presentations on each day:


On Wednesday, January 10th

3:15 - 4:15: Senior Math Panels - Round 1

4:15 - 5:15: Senior Math Panels - Round 2

On Thursday, January 18th

3:15 - 4:15: Senior Math Panels - Round 1

4:15 - 5:15: Senior Math Panels - Round 2
 

We are looking for a commitment of approximately two hours from each evaluator, from 3:15-5:15 pm, but also welcome evaluators who can participate in only one of the panel evaluation rounds.  Participation does not require prior content knowledge on your part and all volunteer evaluators will be partnered with at least two ICE Teachers with one math expert. No matter your skill level, you will be an important part of the math conversation!

If you would like to attend to be an evaluator, please sign up via the Google Document, found by clicking this link.

Be sure to click on the sheet of the date you would like to attend and list your first and last name, your email address, your relationship to ICE, and whether or not you can stay for both rounds.  

Our address is:  Institute for Collaborative Education, 345 East 15th Street , 5th Floor New York, NY 10003

Evaluators show up on the day they signed up for and come to the 5th floor by 3:00 pm for room assignments.  The night prior to the panel dates, more information will be emailed to those who have signed up.  If you have any questions, please contact AP Mark Mazzone.

Thanks in advance for coming to see what our seniors have learned over their time at ICE in math and for being an integral part of helping them fulfill their math graduation requirement!  Please forward to all who may be interested!

-The ICE Math Department (Mark, Patty, Paul, Natalie, Danielle, Chelsea, and Matt)

 ICE Senior Internship Program 

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Our seniors will go to their internships in February through June, 4 days a week. If you or anyone you know would be interested in learning more about the mutual benefits of participating in our internship program, please contact ICE’s Internship Coordinator, Josh Torpey, at jctorpey@gmail.com. Thank you!


View and download FAQ Sheet Internship Institute for Collaborative Education