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Originally delivered on 1/15/2023 8:34 pm

SUBJECT: Sunday Night News - January 15, 2023

Issue 20, January 15, 2023

Please join us in welcoming our new Parent Coordinator, Jerrianna Phenix to the LaGuardia community. 

Ms. Phenix can be reached at jphenix@laguardiahs.org and (212) 496-0700 x 7209. 

Please see her welcome message below.

Hello LaGuardia Community!

My name is Jerrianna Phenix and I am thrilled to announce my new position as Parent Coordinator. This week marks a collaborative journey as we strive together to ensure that our mission of engagement allows each family to feel like a vital part of this iconic school’s artistic family. As a parent myself, I know what a significant impact that can have for a family; feeling heard by school representatives and connected to a school community has always been central to my daughter’s positive school experiences. My goal is straightforward: I want to ensure that parents have the ultimate support experience. 

Each time a question or concern arises, I want families to have confidence that I’m here as their advocate – and, hopefully, in time, their friend. I’ve learned that this type of relationship building begins with the heart. So, I’m looking forward to not only figuring out a student’s best path forward but also to nurturing the involvement and enthusiasm of the adults in their life. Please be on the lookout for upcoming coffee and donut chats. I'm eager to get the dialogue started and find out what is on your minds!

 

All my very best,

Jerrianna Phenix

This Week @ LaG

All-School Dance

Tuesday, January 17 @ 4:30pm in the School Lobby. 

Please click HERE to purchase tickets: $10/student in advance, $15 at the door. 

NOTE:  Online ticket sales will close at 

NOON on Tuesday, Jan 17.  

Click HERE for more information about volunteering or donating. We are also looking for parent volunteers from 3:45pm-7pm the day of the event. Please click on your class tab at the bottom. Let's make this dance one for the memory books! Please email seniorrep@laguardiahspa.org with any questions. 

General PA Meeting

Wednesday, January 18 @ 7:00pm - Virtual Meeting

Meeting Link to follow.

School Spirit Shopping Day

Thursday, January 19th, 2:30-4:30pm / School Lobby

Your continuing support directly funds many incredible enrichment programs for our students and educators through this initiative. Thank you for your enthusiastic in-person engagement at our monthly event. We look forward to sharing new items designed for LaGuardia High School collection and looking forward to seeing you on Thursday.


PA Annual Gala

LaG Parent's Association Annual Gala 

Planning Committee - Call for Volunteers

Please consider joining fellow parents to plan an event to raise funds that help minimize the impact of long-standing NYC DOE budget gaps in our children's education.  

The event will take place in early June.

  • No special skills necessary. Just bring your love for our students and a willingness to pitch in. 
  • Tasks include event planning, donation procurement and everything in between.
  • Time commitment is as much or as little as you can spare.

Please provide contact information HERE and the Committee Chair will be in touch with more detail. 

Sports Report

PURCHASE LAG SPORTS MERCH for ALL TEAMS

All teams in season can purchase merchandise HERE

Academic Forum

Special Event:  Navigating College Admission Tests

Thursday, February 2, 6:30 - 8:20 pm

Hosted by Compass Education 

REGISTRATION LINK COMING SOON. 

Hear from the experts at Compass Education Group as they lead a thoughtful and pragmatic discussion about the future of college admission testing.

Presentation topics will include:

  • The evolving role of test scores in specific contexts
  • Making sense of the subtlety and variety of testing policies
  • Fresh admissions data from test score submitters and non-submitters
  • Making an informed choice between the ACT and SAT
  • The specs and design of the digital, adaptive PSAT & SAT
  • Optimal timing and smart approaches to test preparation and testing
Student Wellness
Tuesday, January 31st at 6:30pm

Join a webinar for LaGuardia High School parents led by Dr. Diana Martinez, a psychiatrist and neuroscientist who studies addiction. 

The goal of this seminar is to provide parents with the information they need to have a frank, open conversation about drug use. This will include strategies for improving safety and information on the interaction between psychiatric disorders, like depression, anxiety, and ADHD, and drug use. 


JOIN MEETING

Meeting ID: 816 0613 0127
Passcode: 194160

Fundraising
How to Support Our Community

Donate your time - Whether you’re available once a week, once a month, or once a year, please fill out our volunteer questionnaire so that we can reach out to you when an activity suits you. This will allow you to meet and team up with other LaG families who share your interests in our school. Go to our Volunteer Interests, Skills and Resources form here.

Annual Appeal - Your generosity helps LAGHSPA minimize the impact of long-standing NYC DOE budget gaps in our children’s education. LaG teachers and administrators work diligently to make the most of their budget, and the LaG PA provides necessary additional resources. To give online today click here.

Donor's Choose - Fund classroom projects and needs as requested by our teachers.  View our teacher's projects here

Specific Initiatives -  Funding for one-time initiatives or grade specific requests such as Graduation. 

Right now, ABC's Abbott Elementary is celebrating teachers on DonorsChoose!

Donors can use promo code ABBOTT to double the impact of their donations, while funds last.

Each donor can use this promo code to double their donations up to $200. After a donor has used this promo code on $200 worth of donations, the promo code will no longer be available.

How to use this promo code:

  • During checkout, select payment methods using a credit card or PayPal
  • Click on “Apply a gift or promo code”
    • In the text field, write the promo code “ABBOTT”
    • Click “Apply”

Hurry, as of January 13th, only 22% of funding remains!

Let's help Ms. Harisiadis give her students copies of Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe, which will be part of their book group unit.

Let's help Mr. Abikzer give his students the cameras they need to successfully complete the yearbook and continue covering events as they occur at our school.

Let's help Ms. Riley give her students large stretcher bars to make big paintings AND enamel paint and wood panels to create beautiful paintings in a new style. (Be the first to donate to these projects!)

Please visit our DonorsChoose page and share with your family and friends. Your donations are always appreciated by teachers and students, and are fully tax-deductible.

Thank you for your generosity and continued support.

Class News
Senior Families / Class of 2023

DEADLINE EXTENDED for the  LaGuardia PA Sponsored Senior Class of 2023 T-Shirt Design Contest! 

Deadline to enter is February 6th!

We are accepting designs from all Seniors. Students may submit up to three t-shirt designs. The Senior Board & Events Committee will select five designs for the entire Senior class to vote on. Click HERE to learn more and enter the contest!

Junior Families / Class of 2024

CHAPERONES  AND SNACKS NEEDED FOR ALL-SCHOOL DANCE!!

The All-School Dance fundraiser for the seniors is coming up on 1/17, at 4:30pm.  Volunteers are needed starting at 3:45pm.  Help is needed with check-in, snack distribution coat check and general supervision.  Junior Families are being asked to donate individually packaged snack bars.  For donations and sign-up, click HERE.   For other details see the school-wide announcement from Senior Class Rep, Anne Gregorio; or contact her at seniorrep@laguardiahspa.org.  Thank you! 

Sophomore Families / Class of 2025

Click here to join the Sophomore families Google group. Please state your name, your child’s name and studio in the "reason for joining" box when asking to join the group.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this Google discussion forum are those of the participants and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Parents Association or School Administration.

Freshman Families / Class of 2026
Studio Updates
ART

Art Studio PA Meeting

Wednesday, January 25th, 7:00pm via Zoom 


MEETING LINK 

Special Guest: Assistant Principal, Heather O'Connell 

She will give an update on the art studio and answer parent questions.

 

Spring Semester Art Studio PA Meeting Schedule

February 27
April 24
June 12
March 27
May 22

All meetings will take place at 7:00pm on Zoom. 

Links will be posted closer to meeting dates.

Outside Opportunities

Whitney Museum of American Arts Teen Programs give New York City high school students the opportunity to discuss art critically, think creatively, and make art with contemporary artists, educators, and their peers. Youth Insights Artists is a free semester-long program where students get to make art inspired by this exchange. Apply HERE by 1/20. 

Have questions? Students and teachers should contact Teen Programs directly by emailing youthinsights@whitney.org

As always, donations to the art studio are greatly appreciated. We have only reached 30% of our fundraising goal. All donations directly help our art students. Please give what you can.

Contact Art PA

Tracy Ballas & Marie Wolpert
Art Studio Co-Representatives
art@laguardiahspa.org

DANCE
Hello Dance Families!  

Don’t wait to BUY YOUR TICKETS for the Winter Dance Showcase for

 - Friday, January 20th at 4pm and  7pm
 - Saturday January 21st at 2pm

We will be selling new Dance MERCH at the shows.  Cash/Credit/Apple Pay will be accepted. 

On Monday, January 23rd we will be hosting the Senior Dance Luncheon to celebrate the seniors and their performance.  


And don’t forget to check the REGENTS WEEK DANCE SCHEDULE to see when your Dancer is required to be at school the week of Tuesday, January 24th through Friday January 27th. 

Best, Heide and Courtney
Contact Dance PA

Courtney Potts & Heide Valero
Dance Studio Co-Representatives
dance@laguardiahspa.org

DRAMA

THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY!

Thank you to all our generous families who contributed during the Annual Appeal to support the Drama Studio! With your help we’ve raised close to $25K so far this year. BUT…. Just because the fall appeal is over, it’s not too late to give. Donations are still welcome and NEEDED, and you can give anytime by going HERE. Remember to select “Drama Studio” from the drop-down menu, and thank you!


ANNUAL APPEAL RAFFLE DRAWING: TUESDAY 1/17

We will be selecting a winner for our raffle of two house tickets to a Broadway show (Hamilton, MJ: The Musical, Moulin Rouge, or Funny Girl) during our next meeting of the PODS Board. Please stay tuned for our announcement of the big winner!


SCHOOL SPIRIT SHOPPING & MERCHANDISE PICK UP: THURSDAY 1/19, 3:00-4:30PM

Want to buy some Drama Studio swag? Or did you place an order online for merchandise? OR do you need to pick up your thank-you gift from donating to the Annual Appeal? If so, you can have your student pick up your items at school, this Thursday from 3-4:30pm in the lobby during the School Spirit Shopping Day—we will be there!


NEXT PODS MEETING: TBA

Please stay tuned for an email announcement about our next PODS meeting, which will be virtual.


JOIN THE TEAM

Want to get involved in the Drama Studio? Please reach out to us! We can use all the help we can get: drama@laguardiahspa.org

Contact Drama PA

Daniel Ott & Emily Yoshikawa
Drama Studio Co-Representatives
drama@laguardiahspa.org

MUSIC

Join Us!

What: Music Studio General Meeting.  The topic will be Jury Review for Juniors and Seniors

When: Tuesday, January 17 - 7:30 p.m.

Where: Zoom (link to be shared in Music Monday and a reminder email, once we receive it)


Visit Us!

What: All-School Spirit Day Sale.  Send your students with money to make a purchase!

When: Thursday, January 19 - 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.

Where: 1st floor lobby

Contact Music PA

Marcee Smith and Christian O'Connor
Vocal Co-Representative

Rebecca Sherman and Monique Johnson
Instrumental Co-Representative


music@laguardiahspa.org

TECH
Tech Studio Meeting

The next Tech Studio meeting will be held on Zoom at 6 pm on Wednesday January 18th. Here is the zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/5077868251

Meeting ID: 507 786 8251


Volunteer Link for Tech’s School Spirit Day Sale

In the lobby, January 19th from 1:30-5:00pm, which includes set up and wrap up. Please see the volunteer sheet for a time that works for you! 

Contact Tech PA

Louisa Chafee & Rina Cohen Schwartz
Tech Studio Co-Representatives
tech@laguardiahspa.org

Alumni & Friends
Summer Study Arts Scholarships

We are excited to announce that in addition to LaGuardia's amazing free Summer Arts program, LaGuardia Juniors, Sophomores, and Freshmen may apply for the Alumni & Friends Summer Study Arts Scholarships. These scholarships are for students with financial need who wish to pursue the arts over the summer. Last year more than 80 scholarships were given out to students in all studios.
The deadline to apply is January 25, 2023. 

Click HERE to apply.

Contact A&F
Outside Opportunities
Auditions, Opportunities and Free Arts events in and around NYC.


Whitney Museum Youth Insights Artists

Apply by 1/20/23 at 11:59 PM


Alumni & Friends Summer Study 

Apply by 1/25/2023


Neighborhood Playhouse Teen Conservatory

Accepting applications for 4 week summer program. Application fee waived for LaGuardia students. 


Dance Italia+Open Arts Studio Young Artists Summer Program

All LaGuardia dancers will receive a 200 Euro discount by stating they attend LaGuardia in their response to this application section "Please tell us about your dance experience, including how long, where and with whom you have studied." Apply by 3/31/23.


National Youth Orchestra Programs

Apply by 1/19/23


Click for more

To submit opportunities or help compile this list weekly, please email us at snn@laguardiahspa.org.

Useful Links
Contact Executive Board and School Leadership Team

For questions about, and/or to submit content for consideration in SNN, please email: snn@laguardiahspa.org.

DISCLAIMER: The LaGuardia High School Parents Association Inc (LAGHSPA) and its officers and elected members do not endorse third-party content shared in our communications, nor do they profit from third-party promotions featured in our communications.

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