PS84

Please join us for a unique collaboration and one-time only sound & sculpture performance by two of Williamsburg's most influential artists. Musician Tunde Adebimpe, lead singer of TV on the Radio - one of the best alternative bands out of Williamsburg - and internationally acclaimed sculptor and light artist Ivan Navarro come together to create the experimental work "OÍDO". 

Tickets: $60

While we wait for the construction of our rooftop hydroponic classroom to begin next year, our third floor hydroponic science room is already up and running and in use by students.  Check out the wonderful photos by parent and professional photographer, Daphne Youree.

 

 

 

 

 

 

By now many have heard that PS 84 will construct a 1,500 sq. ft. hydroponics laboratory classroom for students K-5 on the roof of the school. However there are so many great details that must be shared!

This will be a landmark project that will have profound benefits for our children’s learning experience at PS 84:

·       Our Greenhouse Science Laboratory is a classroom built around a 21^st Century Sustainable Urban Farm designed specifically to engage children through project based teaching methods.

·       Children will develop critical thinking and problem solving skills based on real world scenarios

·       The innovative curriculum touches upon multiple disciplines that will help expose children to topics that may capture their interest as they continue through their academic careers including Environmental Sciences, Engineering, The Arts, Community Services, Health Sciences, Economics.

·       The program focuses Students on Issues of Global Concern: Climate Change, Efficient use of Resources, Building Greener Cities, and Growing a Secure and Healthy Food Supply

At the local level, the Greenhouse will empower children to make educated choices about their impact on the environment. At the global level, students will learn to appreciate the importance of sustainable development and the links between cultural biological diversity.

Through the Greenhouse PS 84 Students:

1. Learn where food comes from and about the resources required to produce it
2. Meet and exceed NYC Science Standards
3. Make connections between their science and social studies classes
4. Gain in-depth knowledge about ecology, natural resource management and foodsheds
5. See first hand the connection between food production and nutrition
6. Discover how to think creatively about food systems and horticulture
7. Understand the global context of agriculture and sustainability
8. Are empowered to make their own choices about their impact on the environment and the world

There are 9 systems in our Greenhouse Classroom:

·       Weather Station: Interactive Displays allows students to monitor and record variables such as humidity, temperature, solar radiation and carbon dioxide both inside and outside the greenhouse.

·       Hydroponic Growing Systems: Hydroponic crops require ten times less water than conventional farming. Crops include tomatoes, cucumbers, peas, peppers, lettuces, herbs and flowers.

·       Aquaponics: Fish produce waste that is pumped through a bio-filter and converted into nutrients that the plants can use.

·       Rainwater Catchment: The water needed for crop irrigation comes from rain that is captured on the roof of the greenhouse and then stored in water tanks.

·       Raised Soil Beds: While hydroponics accounts for the majority of the growing systems, there are two soil beds for younger students to use as they explore what plant need to grow.

·       Evaporative Cooling: A passive cooling system, evaporative cooling relies on the absorption of heat by water as it changes from liquid to vapor, which greatly reducing the amount of electricity needed to cool the greenhouse.

·       Worm Compositing Station: A fantastic way to teach kids about the process of decomposition and the importance of reducing the amount of waste that enters landfills.

·       Solar Power and Wind Energy: In a time when our dependence on fossil fuels is greater than ever, teaching students about renewable energy options is paramount to their understanding of sustainability.

·       Integrated Pest Management: Pesticides will not be used on any of the plants in the greenhouse. Instead beneficial bugs will fight the pest bugs.

Status of the Project:

PS 84’s Greenhouse Classroom is one of several going up around the city. It is a highly replicable project designed to operate quickly and relatively smoothly.  Here is the link to our Greenhouse webpage on NY Sunworks: http://nysunworks.org/projects/ps84-brooklyn

We are pleased to announce that public funds are being committed to cover the majority of the construction related costs - $1.2 Million dollars. At the moment we are working with the engineers and architects to complete the necessary documents for regulatory approval. The funds to cover these expenses must come from private sources.

We expect to go to bidding in early summer 2013 and hope to commence construction by September 2013. Construction takes approximately 3-6 months.

Greenhouse Indoor Classroom: While the development and construction process is underway, the school has put together a classroom on the third floor of the building where some of the Greenhouse systems have been assembled. Our art teacher Mr. Soto has kindly painted a mural to beautify the temporary lab space. Teachers should be scheduling visits to the lab in the next few weeks. Several of the teachers have taken the teacher training course for the greenhouse already with many more planning to attend future trainings. When the rooftop facility is complete, much of the equipment will be transferred to the roof and the lab will become a staging and prep area for planting.

Community: The PS 84 Greenhouse Classroom will also underscore PS 84’s role as a hub in the Southside Williamsburg Community. Long range plans for the Greenhouse include summer science camp, adult evening classes and community outreach programs. A reading garden and kitchen are also under consideration for future phases of the project.

Principal support: For projects of this magnitude, principal involvement is critical. Our forward-thinking and tireless principal, Sereida Rodriquez-Guerra has been integrally involved with this project from day one.

PS 84 Parents: A sincere thank you goes out to all the PS 84 parents who have helped with this project so far. Your donations, your ideas and help with our fundraising events have been critical in helping us get to where we are today. The PTA will be sending out a donation form to the entire PS 84 community in the coming weeks. Please donate whatever small amount is possible. Every donation counts.

The Greenhouse is the new classroom and it belongs to the entire PS 84 family!

 

 

 

 

Renderings courtesy of Kiss & Cathcart Architects

PTA UPDATE

-Saturday, June 2nd, from 11am to 4pm will be our 2nd annual garden party fundraiser. 

-To volunteer to work at the Garden Party, email Diana Zelvin :  diana@dianazelvin.com
-To volunteer to make food for the event, email Ileana Santos-Moya : isantosmoya@yahoo.com
    We will need side dishes.

-There will also be the unveiling of the plans at the party for the school's new rooftop greenhouse classroom featuring a state of the art hydroponic laboratory.  The curriculum will begin this September in the science classes.  This is a continuation of PS 84's greening of the school and of its commitment to a strong science program aided by this year's new early morning enrichment science class.

-We are forming a nominating committee to run the elections for next year's executive officers and school leadership team (SLT).  If you want to run for office, you cannot be on the nominating committee, but you should start to write up something presenting yourself and what you'd like to do if elected.  Anyone interested in being on the committee should contact Ileana Santos-Moya : isantosmoya@yahoo.com

- El Puente will be creating a wonderful mural for the school.  They will be donating their time and funding half of the needed supplies.  They did host a meeting and our kids came up with some great deas.  Look for updates about this in the future.

-There will a father/daughter event on Friday, June 15th.  Hoping to also host a mother/son event.

Fundraising information:

-Our First Ever Gala Auction was a tremendous success:  Over 250 people attended the party, and we raised over $25,000.
 
-Our Direct Donations Campaign is still ongoing. To donate money towards the direct appeal, go online to www.ps84k.org and give thru paypal. Or, you can send a check written to PS 84 PTA .

-Matching donations: If you work for a company which has matching grants, please consider asking them to match your contribution to P.S. 84.  Also, we are looking for a parent with a business experience to help us in soliciting funds from businesses. If you are interested in helping please contact
Elka Nikolova : elkanikol@gmail.com

-Trout in the Classroom: Thanks to the grant writing efforts of parent Meredith Barish, starting in the fall, PS 84’s children will begin a very exciting program: Trout in the Classroom where they will raise and later on release trout fish in to the wild.

- Music grant: Parent Chris Tokar worked on an application to the Baker Foundation for $25,000 towards our music program. We will receive updates once the decision is made.

- Boxtops for Education Fundraiser: We are collecting box tops cutouts and shopping online to earn money for our school. So far, we have earned $413.29 towards our goal of $1000 this year. We have 48 parents and supporters registered at the Boxtops for Education website but we need more. Please register at www.boxtops4education.com and choose P.S. 84 as your school to support.  Then, every time you shop online thru the boxstops website, you earn money for P.S. 84! 

- Books4ourschool Fundraiser: Our school came in third on the Books4ourschools fundraiser, and we will get 100 new books to add to our library collection. Thank you to all who voted for PS 84.
 

P.S.84 is pleased to announce a revolutionary new project that will have significant long-term benefits for our students and the community. Come join us for the unveiling of the plans for our 1,500 square foot Hydroponic Greenhouse Classroom on June 2nd, at our Annual Garden Party, from 11-4pm.

Not only will you be able to enjoy the music, food, crafts, and the pig roast, but you will have an opportunity to preview plans for this thrilling addition to our school - a prototype sustainable urban farm and environmental education center.

You will get a chance to see how students will learn major science concepts through hands-on activities, critical thinking, and by interaction with greenhouse technology.

Our Greenhouse Science Laboratory will be a classroom built around a 21st-century sustainable urban farm. In the greenhouse, children will grow food, while learning about nutrition, water resource management, efficient land use, biodiversity, conservation, pollution, waste management, and sustainable development. To facilitate this project-based learning environment, the PS 84 Greenhouse Classroom will also include hydroponic growing systems, a rainwater catchment system, aquaponics, a weather station and a vermi composting station, among other specialized greenhouse equipment.

The laboratory operates as an integrated part of the school curricula and prepares children to exceed New York City science standards.
In addition to enhancing a school science curriculum, the greenhouse laboratory greatly enriches arts and social studies by connecting nature to culture. Students learn the relationship between humans and the environment and gain a greater appreciation of sustainable development and its direct relationship to cultural diversity.
This is a two-part project. The first part leading up to our completed rooftop Greenhouse is converting a classroom into a Greenroom, a hydroponic science lab. Although our science and art teachers, have already been implementing a green curriculum, the in-house green room will give children the opportunity to start using the systems as early as this coming September.
Part two is the completed construction of the rooftop greenhouse classroom. When that is ready, the in- house green classroom will be converted into a science lab and all those systems will be installed in the greenhouse along with other specialized equipment.
We greatly look forward to sharing our unveiling of this project!

Sincerely,

Diana Zelvin and Heather Langsner
Co-Chairs Greenhouse Project

Sereida S. Rodriguez-Guerra
Principal PS 84 Jose de Diego