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  Work for a design company with a powerful computer that is becoming outdated?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. 



 

ICE PAC (Parent Action/Education Advocacy Committee)

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Middle school families:

As our children showed us on Wednesday, sometimes the most powerful tactic is walking out. When you (and your actions) say, "Stop! I refuse to accept the norm--things can and should be different," it can force the powers that be to stop ignoring you and sit up and take notice. 

For years concerned parents wrote letters, signed petitions, called elected officials, even boarded buses to Albany in an effort to push the state to change its high-stakes testing policies. Nothing changed. But when families initiated a mass boycott of the NY state math and ELA tests, the state finally started to tweak its testing program and has made some important changes, including forbidding holding children back solely or primarily for poor test performance. But there is still a long way to go. These tests are still used to close schools against community wishes (mostly in under-resourced communities of color). Pressure to do well on them warps instruction in too many schools (again, mostly in under-resourced communities of color). Think about this when you decide whether or not your child should participate in this system. If you decide you're out, complete this simple form on our website. (En Español) After you fill out the form and hit SUBMIT, you'll see a screen confirming that your wish to opt out has been recorded and that notification of your refusal has been emailed to administration.

This 2-minute video features a mom from Washington Heights talking about how the tests perpetuate and exacerbate the class divide. ("What separated my kids from others? Wealth and access.") Also in Spanish.

STEM Summer in the City 2018

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STEM Summer in the City, a free, five week for current 2nd - 10th graders that is engaging and a fun summer program designed around STEM - science, technology, engineering and math.  

In addition to weekly STEM challenges, involving coding & game design, developing engineering solutions and inventing with robotics, the program also includes enrichment opportunities in the Arts, Physical Education and includes trips to NYC cultural institutions.   

  • Students are accepted into this program via a lottery   
  • Program runs from July 5, 2018 to August 09, 2018 
  • Monday through Thursdays from 8:30AM - 2: 30PM  
  • Breakfast and lunch are included  
  • Free transportation is provided, depending on students’ grade level and the distance between their residence and school. Learn more about student transportation services. 

STEM Summer in the City takes place in 11 locations across the city. To learn more about these locations, click on the school names below.

Middle and High School Sites
Bronx: M.S. 390 
Brooklyn: I.S. 096 Seth Low 
Manhattan: Art and Design High School
Queens: Thomas A. Edison Career and Technical Education High School 
Queens/Far Rockaway: P.S./M.S. 183 Dr. Richard R Green (6-8) 
Staten Island: Ralph R. McKee Career and Technical Education High School

Application will open on March 16, 2018.  Please select your application from the options below.  If you have only one child that you are applying for, select the application that matches your child’s current grade (e.g. if a student is in 5th grade, choose the Elementary School application; if your child is currently in 8th grade, select the Middle School application). If you have more than one child applying for STEM Summer in the City, use the link Sibling Application. 

When completing the application, you will need your child’s OSIS number and you must select the school your child attends from the list of options presented.  Only students from these schools are able to apply at this time. 

STEM Summer in the City 2018 Applications

Applying for One ChildApplying for More than one child

My child is currently in Elementary school- Click Here
Students Currently in Grades 2-5

Sibling Application - Click Here

My child is currently in Middle or High school- Click Here
Students Currently in Grades 6-10

Applications will close on April 27, 2018

More about the applications

  • Selection will be done via a lottery.  Besides being in the specific grades for this program, students should have at least 90% attendance during the school year and not be required to attend summer school.  It is expected that if you apply to this program, you and your child are committing to attending the full five weeks over the summer. 
  • Parents will be notified of acceptance into STEM Summer in the City via email during the week of May 21, 2018 and be asked to accept the seat and to provide additional information.  If a child is accepted into this program and is then required to attend summer school, they will not be able to attend this Summer Academy program.  Parents will be notified by their child's school if they are required to attend summer school and we will also notify you in early June if we need to retract the seat.  Any seat not accepted will move to the next student on the wait list.  Parents will be provided with a wait list number if they are not initially accepted in the lottery process.   
  • Support for the online application process can be available by contacting your parent coordinator. 
  • Please note, we are not accepting paper applications for this program.  

There are a number of enrichment programs for your children this summer. Learn about more these programs by clicking on Summer Academy programs.

Sign up for Summer in the City email alerts. 

All questions about this program should be directed to SummerSTEM@schools.nyc.gov. 

ICE Students Advance to NYCSEF Finals Round

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Earlier this month, four projects were presented by ICE students at the New York City Science and Engineering Fair (NYCSEF) Preliminary Round.  ALL FOUR projects scored within the top 25% of their categories, permitting their advancement to NYCSEF Finals! 

This coming Tuesday, March 20th, ICE seniors Eva Schulz, Isa Yehya, Phoebe Yates and Zander Donowitz will be presenting their projects under the great blue whale of the American Museum of Natural History.  Public viewing (10:00 am - 12:00pm) precedes judging, so come by and give them some encouragement if you're available!  11th grade students interested in submitting their original research to NYCSEF are also invited to the attend public viewing and should contact JD at jdahlstrom@iceeducate.org for more information.

ICE PAC Updates

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Middle school families: Opt out? Opt in?

ICE, like all public schools, is required to offer the state English Language Arts test (beginning April 11) and the math test (this year in May) to its 6th-8th graders. But students are not required to take them. In fact, for the last several years, well over 80% of students at our school have refused ("opted out" of) the exams. 

If you are wondering why so many ICE families have made the decision to refuse in the past, check out the informative email an ICE PAC parent in your grade sent recently. (You should have received this by the time you get this newsletter.) Already decided that you want your kid to refuse? We now have a super easy way for you to make that happen: a simple form on our website. (En Español) After you fill out the form and hit SUBMIT, you'll  see a screen confirming that your wish to opt out has been recorded and that notification of your refusal has been emailed to administration.

All families: Poor Substitute for Justice video clips now consolidated

In the last newsletter we shared some links to the video coverage of our Feb 7 event, A Standardized Test is a Poor Substitute for Justice. We've now got most of the links up together on one page of the ICE website, which should make viewing easier. Watch to get an idea of what lies behind test-focused education (hint: it's not good) and what harms it continues to inflict. Parts 4a and 4b feature an ICE teacher and student respectively and provide great insight into our school's educational philosophy. Here's some feedback from one parent who saw the video, "This is so great!!...I shared the link to my family and friends via snap chat  because it was really inspiring." 

Contact ICE PAC.
 

ICE Spring Fling Update & Donation Request

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The Spring Fling is ICE's biggest fundraiser, and will take place this year on Friday June 1st, at the Dumbo Loft

Auction Donation Request:  Vacations

Some folks like to get away, take a holiday from the neighborhood….

Well, ICE families certainly do—vacation homes are always among the hottest auction items at the Spring Fling.

  • Can you donate a week or weekend at your vacation home?
  • Do you know anyone who works for a hotel or resort who could donate a vacation package?

Help your fellow ICE families escape the city for a few days, and help raise money for our kids!  Make your vacation donation—or any donation!—via our Online Donation Form.

 
Questions? Want to volunteer? Email icespringfling@gmail.co

PTA Meeting on Screen Time

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ICE Parents, what are you doing about too much screen time? The average child in America spends more time consuming electronic media than going to school, with many teenagers going online “almost constantly”. And parents aren’t necessarily being good role models.
 
On March 14th in Room 508 at 6:00pm Pete Karp will discuss the use of cell phones and social media, it will be a frank and open dialogue about his plans for phone usage at school, and his experiences. Pete will share strategies in households about the use of and monitoring of both phones and the social media sites.
 
Refreshments will be available.  We look forward to seeing you there!


 

Girls HS JV Soccer

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Ninth and tenth grade ICE girls who think they may be interested in learning the ins and outs of soccer or just improving their skills in a friendly, encouraging, and fun environment should consider joining our JV soccer team!

Practices will be Tuesdays and Fridays after school (specific times TBD).  Interested players should complete this interest form (Girls JV Soccer Sign-up) and stop by JD's room (508) on Monday during lunch for an information al meeting.  The game schedule can be found here: ICE JV Soccer Games.  Go ICE!
 

Junior College Night

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All junior parents on WEDNESDAY, MARCH 14th at 6PM in ROOM 518 Carolyn Cohen, College Counselor will be hosting College Night.  At this meeting a representative from Clark University will speak about many aspects of the college process in general and I will speak more specifically about the process for ICE students.  I urge all of you to attend!
Your students do not need to attend as they will hear all of the information in class with me.
 
Also, if you have not already done so, please fill out the Parent Survey AND schedule a meeting with Carolyn and your child (your child must attend this meeting) HERE
 
For other college related post visit the College Corner tab on the ICE Website.

Parent Teacher Conferences

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The Appointment Scheduler closes on Saturday (tomorrow) at 8:00pm.

Families on the Wait List will be able to sign themselves up for any available appointments on Monday, March 5th from 6:00 AM – 8:00 PM on a first come first serve basis. 

If you are not able to schedule an appointment with your child's teacher during the regular sign up period or during the Wait List period email your teacher and arrange for a phone, email or in-person appointment for another day. 


Sign Up Instructions:

  1. Use this link for access to the Appointment Scheduler
  2. You are not required to have a Signup Genius Account however if you have one you should sign in.
  3. Select your Teacher from the list
  4. Find a time slot that best fits your schedule & click Signup
  5. Then click on the Submit & Signup button at the bottom of the page
  6. Your Name, Email & Child’s Name is required.
  7. When finished entering the required information click the  Sign Up Now button
  8. An email reminder will be sent to parents 1 day before the date they signed up

 
Parents who have questions about the sign-up please contact the sign-up Administrator at iceschool345@gmail.com