ICE Students to Compete at NYCSEF

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On Sunday, March 4, five ICE seniors, Zander Donowitz, Isa Yehya, Eva Schulz, Adryanne Gordon and Phoebe Yates, will be presenting their science research at the preliminary round of the New York City Science and Engineering Fair (NYCSEF). 

Stop by to show your support, learn more about their research, and see the other great science that NYC students are doing at The Great Hall in The City College of New York on Sunday, March 4th.  CCNY is located on Convent Avenue and 138th Street in Manhattan and public viewing is from 2:00-4:00 PM. More information about NYCSEF can be found here.

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ICE/No Barriers Summer 2018 Costa Rica Trip!

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The time has come to apply for this summer's Costa Rica trip! This is a scholarship program run by No Barriers, a program that has partnered with ICE to provide opportunities such as the summit trips and the Camp Jewell trip. The scholarship fully covers the cost of the trip, including airfare, meals, a full-time local guide, transportation, activities, etc.** During the 10-day trip, we travel to different areas of the country, such as the Osa Peninsula, Monteverde, and Sarapiqui, engaging with local communities, experiencing the lush biodiversity, and challenging ourselves outside of our comfort zones. Some activities include ziplining, kayaking in the Pacific Ocean, night and day hikes through the rainforest, community service projects, and much more! This summer the Costa Rica trip will run from August 4th through August 13th, 2018. All current 10th and 11th graders are eligible, and the application can be found online. The application is due on March 1st. Please contact Juliana  (6G Humanities, 9G/12G Literature) with any questions, and students are encouraged to drop by room 505 for more information! **If a student is not offered a scholarship, there is an option to pay to attend the trip, given the student's application is accepted.

The Spring Fling is Coming!

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The Spring Fling is Coming!


Never mind what that groundhog said, spring is right around the corner. And at ICE, spring means the Spring Fling! This year's festivities will take place on Friday June 1st, at the Dumbo Loft.

The Spring Fling is ICE's biggest fundraiser.
To make this year's Spring Fling a success,
we need our ICE families to donate amazing items for the auction. 
 
You can easily donate using our Online Donation Form.
 
We appreciate all of your generosity!

- The Spring Fling Committee



 

Scholarship Opportunity for 11th Grade Girls through New York Road Runners  

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NYRR Run for the Future is a free summer scholarship program for current juniors going into their senior year of high school. This opportunity is designed for young women with little to no prior athletic experience. With support and guidance from NYRR’s coaching staff, NYRR Run for the Future participants are introduced to the sport of running. Participants are given access to workshops that teach running technique, nutrition, goal setting, and stretching so they may develop the ability, confidence, and motivation to be active for life. At the conclusion of the seven-week program, the runners participate in their first race at the Percy Sutton Harlem 5k Run (3.1 miles) on August 25. Those accepted into NYRR Run for the Future who fulfill the program requirements and maintain an 80% attendance rate will receive a $2,000 college scholarship. 

The seven-week program runs from July 9 - August 25 and meets three times a week (Monday, Wednesday, Thursday) for two hour practices in Central Park. Both morning and evening practice sessions are offered. 

Young women are encouraged to apply for the program if they live in New York City; will be a senior at a public, publicly-funded, or parochial high school in New York City during the 2018-2019 school year OR are working toward their New York State High School Equivalency Diploma; plan on attending an accredited two or four year college or university in Fall 2019; are under 20 years of age; and have had little to no experience participating in physical activities.

To be considered for the NYRR Run for the Future program, you must complete the online application AND ask an adult who knows you well, such as a teacher, counselor or employer, to send in a signed letter of recommendation. Recommendations from relatives will not be accepted. Please share the recommendation details found here with the adult writing your letter of recommendation. 

The online application must be complete by April 1, 2018. 

Recommendation letters must be received in the New York Road Runners' office by April 1, 2018. Please visit nyrr.org/rftf for more information. 

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In addition to producing world-class road races like the TCS New York City marathon, New York Road Runners is one the largest providers of free youth fitness programming in the country, serving more than 215,00 youth in over 1,000 schools and community centers throughout New York City and across the country. 

ICE PAC Annual Meeting on Testing & Test Refusal ​​​​​​​

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“A Standardized Test is a Poor Substitute for Justice”: the Intersection of High-Stakes Standardized Testing and Race in NYC Schools

Wednesday February 7th 6:15-8:30 PM


For parents of children in all grades, but if you are new to ICE, you are especially encouraged to come. Over the last several years, the vast majority (over 80%) of ICE students in middle school grades  have refused the state ELA & Math tests when they are administered in the spring. Test content does not align with our curriculum and your children will receive no test prep. High school students at ICE take only one Regents exam (ELA), instead completing "performance-based assessment tasks," an alternative to the standardized Regents. There will be an opportunity for audience questions at the event, which is the only meeting currently scheduled for our community to discuss testing and test refusal ("opt out"). Don't miss it!

The presentation/panel discussion, which coincides with Black Lives Matter in Schools Week of Action, is open to the ICE community and beyond. (Our current RSVP list includes mostly folks from outside ICE, so come on out, ICE peeps!)  RSVP (not required, but very helpful for determining room size, how much literature to have on hand, etc.)



 

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 Contributionpage on the ICE Website.


Thank you,
ICE PTA
 

Camera & Cell Phone Drive 

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

 No, we don't need the phones to make phone calls.
 We need the phones for their picture taking capabilities!
 Please be sure the phones – as cameras – work.
 It would also be helpful if each phone-camera donated has 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 Romanov (the International Youth Media Advisor/Program Director) in Room 419B.

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

ICE PAC

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MARK YOUR CALENDARS & SPREAD THE WORD: IMPORTANT EVENTS ON THE HORIZON!

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. Don't miss it! Wednesday February 7 6:15-8:30 PM

Please help us figure out what size room we need by indicating your interest here. 

Elsewhere
If you are reading this before Saturday, Jan 27, it's not too late to registered for the  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. Organized by Class Size Matters, NYC Kids PAC, and Community Education Council 2.  Details here!  

Any questions? Contact ICE PAC via Kemala.

Can't Miss Event @ ICE--Wed February 7th 

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Around the state, Regents exams are in full swing while 3rd-8th grade math & ELA tests are just around the corner. Meanwhile, whether it's the media covering the latest words coming out of the White House or our own kitchen tables, the topic of race and racism is on full blast.

It's the perfect backdrop for our February 7 PTA meeting, which will explore the connection between race/racism and high-stakes standardized testing in NYC's public schools. A panel of Brooklyn and Bronx educators will shed light on the historical origins of these tests and how they impact students and schools. We'll also hear about an alternative to business as usual (from an ICE teacher)! This event is open to the public, so please share this invite with friends from other schools, including those from the elementary schools your kids attended.  While not required, we ask that you RSVP by Feb 5 so we can determine what size room we need.

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.