Museum Mile Festival— FREE!

Nine of the world's best museums open their doors FREE to the public on Tuesday, June 12 from 6:00 PM-9:00 PM for the annual Museum Mile Festival. See the full listing of street events! Participating museums include Museo del Barrio; Museum of the City of New York; the Cooper-Hewitt; National Design Museum, Smithsonian Institution; Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum; Neue Galerie New York; Goethe-Institute/German Cultural Center; and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Family art workshops, live model drawing class for kids age 8-12; face painting, balloons, chalk drawing, magic, jugglers, lots of bands, and more!

Egg Rolls and Egg Creams Festival—FREE!

The Egg Rolls and Egg Creams Festival is an all-day family program on Sunday, June 3 from 12 noon-4:00 PM celebrating the cultures that make the Lower East Side unique - from the stories and crafts of the Eastern European Jews who built the Eldridge Street Synagogue to the customs and traditions of the Chinese immigrants who followed. Enjoy hands-on demonstrations of calligraphy and other art forms, Yiddish and Chinese storytelling, and traditional foods. Sample klezmer music, Chinese opera and acrobatics, language lessons, folk art demos, and more! More info. The Eldridge Street Project is located at 12 Eldridge Street, between Canal and Division Streets.

Tiny Smooshy Sunday On Fire!

Tiny Smooshy Sunday on Fire: Kids Rock for 826NYC!
Actress Martha Plimpton hosts an all-ages rock show to benefit 826NYC featuring kid bands Smoosh, Tiny Masters of Today, and Care Bears on Fire. A raffle, give-aways, and limited-edition T-shirts are in store. Reserve tickets in advance or take a chance at the door. [718.788.8282]
Date: Sunday, June 3rd
Time: 2pm; doors open 1pm
Cost: Adults $25; Children (16 and under) $10
Southpaw, 125 5th Ave., (Cross Street is 6th Street), Brooklyn.

826NYC is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting students ages 6-18 with their creative and expository writing skills, and to helping teachers inspire their students to write. With this in mind, 826NYC provides FREE drop-in tutoring, field trips, after-school workshops, in-schools tutoring, help for English language learners, and assistance with student publications. All of 826NYC's free programs are challenging and enjoyable, and ultimately strengthen each student's power to express ideas effectively, creatively, confidently, and in his or her individual voice. Check out the 826NYC storefront below! (A certain RGA first grader recently visited the original chapter, 826 Valencia in San Francisco... and came home with pirate bullion! There are 826 chapters in Seattle, LA, Chicago, and Ann Arbor, Michigan.)

Mafrika Music Festival 2007 — FREE

Mafrika Music Festival 2007 takes place Saturday, June 2nd from noon to 6 PM in Marcus Garvey Park, 122nd Street and Fifth Avenue, Harlem. Please click flyer for details! FREE!

Lunar Stages Festival Begins Tomorrow in Columbus Park — FREE!

Lunar Stages: Three Evenings of Performance and Film Under the Spring Moon kicks off tomorrow, Thursday, May 31st in Columbus Park in Chinatown, just a few blocks from school. The festival continues on consecutive Thursday evenings, June 7 & 14, 2007. FREE!

PACIFIC OVERTURES
Thursday, May 31
7:00 p.m. - Pre-show activities include tai chi, roving puppets, and interactive art projects.
7:45 p.m. - Na Lehua Melemele - Hawaiian dancers and musicians
Welcome the upcoming summer days with breezy Pacific island sounds, swaying hips and flowing hands that trace a fluid migration linking East and West.
Sundown (8:30-9:00 PM) — Outdoor screening of "Whale Rider" (2002, PG)
English with Chinese subtitles
Young torchbearers carry our precious cultural traditions forward in a changing modern world. Cheer on the 12-year old heroine of 'Whale Rider' as she challenges the status quo in her quest to lead her Maori tribe.

The map shows you how close Columbus Park is to school.
Dinner boxes from local restaurants are available for $5.50, including appetizer, entree and a beverage. Bring a blanket!

The Green Envelope, Please! Learning-Environment Surveys Are Here!

The learning-environment surveys have finally arrived!! Lower-school parents should have received green envelopes today from The New York City Department of Education via backpack mail. For 5th and 6th graders: Parents are requested to stop by the school office by June 15th to pick up their surveys. If you need to make another arrangement to obtain your survey, please email Brooke Rogers or call her at (212) 374-3884. The surveys have an extended deadline of June 22nd and come with a pre-addressed, postage-paid return envelope. You are also supposed to be able to take the survey online at this address, but at last glance this option did not work. (The page fails to load.) The survey hotline: 1-866-643-1033.

Pinstripes in the Park—Tomorrow!

The YES Network's live broadcast of the Yankees game vs the Toronto Blue Jays is displayed on a huge screen in Bryant Park. Fans can also meet Yankees legends Dave Winfield, Tino Martinez, Joe Girardi, and Whitey Ford, enjoy ballpark food at the concession stand, enter to win a trip on Continental, and gather giveaways. Limited edition blankets are distributed to the first 3,000 attendees. Arrive early, crowds are expected and entry is not guaranteed.

Date: Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Time: Lawn opens at 5pm
Autographs 6pm-7:30pm
Game begins at 7:05pm
Cost: Free

2007 Red Hook Waterfront Arts Festival — FREE!

The Red Hook Waterfront Arts Festival
Saturday, June 2 (rain date June 3), 10 AM- 7 PM
FREE

• NEW LOCATION: The festival has moved to Louis J. Valentino Jr. Park & Pier — cool sea breezes, grassy lawns and views of the harbor and the Statue of Liberty! At Coffey and Ferris Streets in Red Hook.

• NEW HOURS: From 10 am to 7 pm, the FREE festival will be jam-packed with activities for children, teens and the whole family ALL DAY.

• NEW! TOLERANCE TENT: The tent is where it's happening! Workshops, films from the 3rd annual Red Hook Youth Film Festival, winners of the "Seeds of Tolerance" film contest, and much more will be going on throughout the day. Funded by the Third Millennium Foundation.

• HOT LINE UP OF ARTISTS: DJ BOBITTO GARCIA aka KOOL BOB LOVE; earthdriver; ABUKUA DANCERS; BABA ISRAEL AND YAKO

• FANTASTIC YOUTH PERFORMANCES

• DANCE FOR TOLERANCE: WITH YOUTH FROM CALI, COLOMBIA, FORTALEZA, BRAZIL AND BROOKLYN (a project of the Third Millennium Foundation)

• FREE BOAT RIDES: with Red Hook Boaters

• CLOSING DANCE PARTY: BRING YOUR DANCING SHOES!

Please Send in Your Nominations for RGA PA Officers!!

There are only three more nominating days until the election of officers of the RGA Parents Association!! The elections will be held on Saturday, June 2nd during Saturday school. To make a nomination, please email:
RGA PA Elections! Click on the flyer above for more information. Thanks!

Horseshoe Crab Moon

A Jamaica Bay sunset and the rise of May's blue moon are the backdrop for mating horseshoe crabs and other spring time musings along the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge trails. FREE. Children welcome. Bring binoculars. Reservations required.
Thursday, May 31, 2007
7:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, Gateway National Recreation Area Jamaica Bay Unit
Contact: Gateway National Recreation Area Jamaica Bay Unit
718.338.3338

Family Arts Festival—Community Unity Picnic, June 2nd

Riverside Theater's Community Unity Picnic marks the start of the New York Family Arts Festival '07. Check the flyer for a lineup of great events that are FREE of charge and open to the public!!

Community Unity Picnic
Date: Saturday, June 02, 2007
Time: 12:00PM - 5:00PM
Location: Sakura Park, West 122nd Street and Riverside Drive
Saturday, June 2, 12:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m.

Honoring Rev Mariah Britton and Moriah Institute
FREE Food, performances, workshops and games!
Enjoy: Children’s Art Carnival – Community Mural Creation
Arts & Crafts

Games: Sack Races
Musical Chairs
Egg Spoon Races

Workshops:
Art & History of Hair Braiding
Kiyochi Vision Tai Chi
National Double Dutch League
Found Objects Art

Performances:
Steel Pan rhythms of Something Positive
Zulu Dance of Juxtapower South African Song & Dance Company
Gospel stirrings of Claude Jay
Jazz vocals of Lee Olive Tucker

Cookout facilitated by Riverside’s Million Man Marchers.

Time For Kids

Time for Kids teaches about the meaning behind Memorial Day.

Met in the Parks — FREE!!

Join thousands of opera lovers as the Metropolitan Opera returns to the parks of New York City and New Jersey. A summertime tradition in New York since 1967 and in New Jersey since 1987, the series opens with back-to-back concerts in Central Park on June 12 and 13, with six additional performances in each borough of the city and two locations in New Jersey. Experience opera in an accessible and informal outdoor setting. This year's series presents Puccini’s La Bohème, a timeless story of love among young artists in Paris, and Gounod’s Faust, an epic drama about an aged philosopher’s pact with the devil.

All performances are at 8:00 pm, FREE, and no tickets are required.

Tuesday, June 12 La Bohème, Central Park, Manhattan
Wednesday, June 13 Faust, Central Park, Manhattan
Friday, June 15 La Bohème, Pelham Bay Park, The Bronx
Saturday, June 16 Faust, Snug Harbor, Staten Island
Tuesday, June 19 Faust, Prospect Park, Brooklyn
Wednesday, June 20 La Bohème, Cunningham Park, Queens
Friday, June 22 Faust, Brookdale Park, Bloomfield/Montclair, NJ
Saturday, June 23 La Bohème, Buccleuch Park, New Brunswick, NJ

Harlem Meer Performance Festival

The Charles A. Dana Discovery Center
Inside Central Park at 110th Street between Fifth and Lenox Avenues
Sunday, May 27th
4:00 PM-6:00 PM
FREE!
Join the Central Park Conservancy for the 14th season of this popular Sunday concert series that features the best in local emerging and established Latin, Jazz, World, and Gospel artists. Tomorrow's concert: Sadiki Conde (African). See the full series schedule of Sunday concerts, May 27 through September 30 (except June 10).

Nickelodeon Family Fun Day at Belmont Park!!

Sunday, May 27th is Nickelodeon Family Fun Day at Belmont Park. Spend a family day at the races with a patriotic theme in honor of Memorial day and enjoy pony rides, petting zoo, face painting, clowns, characters, an inflatable bounce fun park, family shows, Nickelodeon's Game Lab, and more. For information call 516-488-6000.

12th Annual Lower East Side Festival of the Arts!

Thw 12th Annual Lower East Side Festival of the Arts is a three-day Memorial Day weekend extravaganza celebrating the ethnic and artistic diversity of the Lower East Side area. This afternoon's the best time for families, with performances by kids for kids from 2pm-5pm inside and a street fair outside on East 10th Street. At Theater for the New City, 155 First Avenue (between 9th and 10th Streets). [212.254.1109]; check the website for details!

DANCE AFRICA AT BAM!

BAM celebrates 30 Years of DanceAfrica during Memorial Day weekend with a kaleidoscope of dance, music, film, and art. New this year: a showcase of spoken word, dance and music inspired by the spirit of Africa and an archival retrospective. Honor America’s largest festival of African and African-American culture and another joyous milestone: the 70th birthday of Artistic Director Baba Chuck Davis. Tickets!

Beyond the Barbecue

The United States Department of Education offers a special collection of resources to teach kids about Memorial Day.

Chinese on Your iPod!

In addition to the link provided yesterday to the Chinese video lesson, you can also subscribe to the podcast! (Thanks, Ms. Shan via Sherrill!)

Fleet Week 2007!

There's lots of events for Fleet Week 2007, going on now through next Wednesday, May 30th!!

Wave Hill Family Art Project: Spring's Wings

Savor your Memorial Day weekend with a visit to Wave Hill's spectacular 28-acre gardens overlooking the Hudson River and Palisades in the Bronx! Join artist Ellen Alt to look for and sketch some of the critters that fly through the gardens and woods of May. Then Ellen will help you construct a bird, bee, bug, butterfly or hybrid-winged creation of your own, using recycled and natural materials. FREE admission 9 AM-Noon. After 12 PM: $4 for adults, $2 students, and free for kids under six.
Date: Sunay May 27th
Time: 1:00-4:00 PM
Where: Kerlin Learning Center, Wave Hill
West 249th Street and Independence Avenue (front gate)

Family Festival at The Cloisters!

The Cloisters hosts a two-day festival for families, Saturday, May 26-Sunday, May 27 that includes guided gallery workshops for kids ages four to 12 and accompanying adults (at 11am, 1pm, 2pm & 3pm); a self-guided Animal Hunt (1pm-4pm); and a Falconry Demonstration (2pm-4pm). Reservations are not required, but preorganized groups of 10 or more cannot be accommodated. FREE with museum admission. [212.650.2280]

Nominations, Please!!!

Click and print! Please use this form to make Nominations to the RGA PA Board! Please return to Brooke Rogers. The election is only a week and a half away—Saturday, June 2nd!! Please get involved!! (Flyer sent by Ayo Harrington, Chair, RGA PA Nominating Committee.)

Register now! FREE MoMA Summer Arts Workshops!

Sculpting Space: Exploring the Art of Richard Serra

In conjunction with the exhibition Richard Serra Sculpture: Forty Years, MoMA will present special two-hour workshops for families. Kids and adults explore works in the collection and special exhibitions, then use their experience in the galleries as inspiration. Engage with the work of Richard Serra, then use your imagination as you experiment with a range of materials in this special sculpture workshop. Ages for the workshop vary by date—during weekends in July. Register now! This info was just released this afternoon and these workshops always get booked up quickly!

Shop for Dads and Grads Via SchoolPop!!!

Register to support Ross Global Academy on SchoolPop—and puchase your gifts for dads and grads via SchoolPop.com! Here's just a sampling of the contributions to the RGA Parents Association that we can receive though your purchases: 2.5% from iTunes; 1% from the Apple Store; 1% from Best Buy; 1.5% Circuit City; 3% from Sony; 2.5% Home Depot, and other great deals!! You don't spend a dime to support the school! Check out men's apparel, electronics, plus flowers and gifts for new graduates!

Innovation on the Piggy Bank

The idea of a piggy bank originated in medieval Europe—so what prompted the Native people of South America to create their own versions? In this FREE hands-on workshop tomorrow, Thursday, May 24th from 5:00-6:30 PM, kids ages 8 and up check out the piggy banks on display in National Museum of the American Indian's Indigenous Motivations exhibit, then use mixed media on pre-fab banks to design their own unique creations. FREE. Advance registration is required. 212.514.3716. See here for the online exhibition.

New York Schools Get Their 2005-2006 Report Cards!

New York State has issued the 2005-2006 School and District Report Cards. These Report Cards are produced to inform the people of New York State about the performance of public schools and districts.

Mythic Creatures — New Show at the Museum of Natural History!

A new exhibition, Mythic Creatures: Dragons, Unicorns and Mermaids, opens this Saturday, May 26th at the American Museum of Natural History. The world is full of stories about brave heroes, magical events and fantastic beings—and it's not just kids who are spellbound by them!

Wednesdays in Teardrop

Artist Elise Engler leads a FREE afternoon program for elementary school kids in Battery Park City's Teardrop Park, featuring an exploration of the park's rock formations and woodlands, games, and art. Art projects employ diverse media such as clay, plaster, wood, and fabric. No need to register—just drop in each Wednesday afternoon (except July 4), 3:30-5:30 PM; enter on Murray Street. Ages 5 and Up. Sponsored by the Battery Park City Conservancy.More info and map. Close to school!

Say It Loud!

Have you seen these clips on the school website? Check out the Chinese vocabulary video and fun films from Mr. Noguera's enrichment cluster, Say It Loud!

FREE—BANG ON A CAN MARATHON!

River to River at the World Financial Center presents
BANG ON A CAN MARATHON 20th ANNIVERSARY
Saturday, June 2, 8pm-Sunday, June 3, 10pm :: Winter Garden

In 1987, the first Bang on a Can Marathon in New York City exploded many of the myths surrounding contemporary music. This year, as a co-presentation with World Financial Center, BoaC is set to make history again with a 26-hour, round-the-clock mix of mind-boggling, genre-bending music. A continuous stream of pioneering artists from around the globe will take the stage in the Winter Garden for an informal musical adventure. The Bang on a Can Marathon begins Saturday night at 8pm and continues without stopping until 10pm on Sunday, so come and go as you like or stay all night long.

Take special note of Kids Can Too! at 2:00 PM on Saturday, June 2nd on the Battery Park City Esplanade Plaza. Bring your kids, hang out along the river and hear an awesome set of fun and unusual music featuring Bang on a Can electric guitarist and instrument inventor Mark Stewart, the central Asian sound wizards Mashriq from Uzbekistan, Talujon Percussion Quartet and instruments you've never seen or heard before!

Check out the full schedule! All FREE!

Nominations Are Open for PA Officers!

Please see the flyer posted a few days ago (below) for information on how to nominate!! Elections are coming up—June 2nd!!

EPA School Bus Study Shows Idling Worse Than Re-starting Engines

Shut off those diesel school bus engines! The Environmental Protection Agency recently conducted a study that concluded that idling for more than three minutes generates more pollution than stopping and re-starting the engine —debunking a widely held belief of some drivers. Turning the engine off cuts carbon monoxide, fine particles, nitrogen oxide, and carbon dioxide—a greenhouse gas.

Diesel exhaust particles can penetrate deep into the lungs and pose serious health risks, including aggravating the symptoms of asthma and other respiratory problems in healthy individuals. The Northeast has some of the highest asthma rates in the nation, including childhood asthma rates near 12 percent in areas of New York City.

In the U.S., 24 million children ride the school bus every day. On average, students spend an hour and a half each weekday in a school bus. Nationally, school buses drive more than 4 billion miles each year.

Due to the longevity of diesel engines, it is estimated that about one-third of all diesel school buses now in service were built before 1990. Older buses are not equipped with today's pollution controls or safety features and are estimated to emit as much as six times more pollution as the new buses that were built starting in 2004, and as much as sixty times more pollution as buses that meet the 2007 diesel standards. There are steps that school bus operators can take now to reduce pollution levels including idling reduction programs, anti-caravanning practices, ensuring proper maintenance of engines, and replacing and retrofitting older buses.

Visit EPA's Clean School Bus website for more info.

New City Schools Newsletter

Read the latest issue of the City Schools newsletter.

RGA PA Bylaws

There is now a permanent link to the RGA PA Bylaws from the lefthand sidebar!

Please Go to the General Parents Association Meeting on Saturday, May 19th!

There is a general Parents Association meeting scheduled for this Saturday, May 19th at 10 AM during Saturday School! Please go!!

Children's Festival of Russian Culture!

THE RUSSIAN-AMERICAN CULTURAL-HERITAGE CENTER sponsors the FREE Children's Festival of Russian Culture on Saturday, May 19th from 10 AM-4 PM in Fort Tryon Park, North Manhattan.

Russian children's dance and singing groups;
Russian foods;
Magicians, storytellers and clowns;
Handcrafts and books (Russian and English);
Games and contests for kids and families;
Fun learning experience in Russian history and traditions.

Directions and more info!

FREE: Third Annual Governors Island Family Festival on June 2nd!

Governors Island will open for visitors at 10 AM on June 2nd! Go early and enjoy all the Island has to offer. The Family Festival kicks off at 12:30 PM and will feature children's theater, sea-shanties, puppet making workshops, yo-yo artists, musicians, storytelling, face painting and more! Visitors to Governors Island are also invited to:

Have a picnic on the historic Parade Ground;
Take a leisurely one-mile bike ride;
Tour the National Historic District and visit the Island's two forts and historic structures;
Relax under the trees of Colonel's Row and enjoy summer concerts and programs every Saturday.

Governors Island is open to the public every Saturday and Sunday from 10 AM - 5 PM from June 2nd to September 2nd.

Governors Island is only minutes away from Lower Manhattan and is accessible only by ferry.
Ferries leave every hour on the hour from 10 AM-3 PM from the Battery Maritime Building at the intersection of South and Whitehall Streets, adjacent to the Staten Island Ferry Terminal. Arrive early, as access to the ferry is on a first come first served basis. More information!!

Another season highlight includes:
Saturday, June 30: Dance China NY - The Professional Dance Company of the New York Chinese Cultural Center.
Watch as this accomplished troupe performs six traditional dances including the Ribbon Dance and take part in a 15-minute interactive dance workshop where select audience members dance on stage.

The ferry and all events on Governors Island are FREE (and not far from the Tweed Courthouse)!! (Thanks, Brenda M.!!)

FREE Children's Festival at the National Museum of the American Indian

National Museum of the American Indian
Children's Festival—Aloha Days
Saturday, May 19, 2007, 12 noon-5 p.m.
Sunday, May 20, 2007, 12 noon-5 p.m.
Celebrate the culture of Native Hawai'i in this FREE two-day festival of hands-on workshops, interactive dance demonstrations, and storytelling. Hi'ilana Shibata will lead the dance workshops and provide storytelling. Workshops include creating a traditional Hawaiian "quilt" design, making a kukui nut necklace, and many more fun activities.

National Museum of the American Indian
The George Gustav Heye Center
Alexander Hamilton
U.S. Custom House
One Bowling Green
New York, NY 10004
Phone: 212-514-370

General PA Meeting on Saturday May 19, 2007

There will be a general Parents Association meeting this Saturday, May 19, 2007 at 10:00 AM in the school cafe!!

PA Elections Are Now Open!

The flyer above is posted on behalf of the PA's Nominating Committee (Ayo Harrington, Chair; Xavier Chavee; and Tricia Mecklembourg). Please click it for details!

To nominate a candidate for PA office, either:
1. Print out the flyer (a copy will also be sent home this week via backpack mail!) and return the bottom portion to Parent Coordinator Brooke Rogers.
Or:
2. Send an email with the relevant info to RGA PA Elections!

Thanks in advance for your participation!!

Go to the Movies and Support Our Parents Association!

Here's a way you can support the RGA PA—just by going to the movies! Make sure you are signed up as a Ross Global Academy supporter on SchoolPop (it only takes a minute) and buy your tickets from Fandango, through SchoolPop! We get a percentage of the ticket sales—and be sure to tell friends, uncles, aunts and cousins to help us win $10,000! Other great deals include donations of $10 from NetFlix and five percent of purchases from the Nike Store! Click on the flyer above for more info!

Support the Parents Association Without Spending a Dime!

Here's an easy way to raise money for PA-funded enrichment programs for our kids. Just start using GoodSearch.com as your search engine. Every time you search, GoodSearch makes a donation to Ross Global Academy's Parents Association—and GoodSearch is powered by Yahoo! so you get great search results.

We all care about our kids' school environment. But we don't all necessarily have the time or money to support the school as much as we'd like. So, what if we could raise money for RGA by doing something we do every day — searching the Internet?

GoodSearch is a search engine which donates 50 percent of its revenue to the charities and schools designated by its users. It's a simple and compelling concept. You use GoodSearch exactly as you would any other search engine. The money GoodSearch donates to the Parents Association comes from its advertisers —we, the users, and the PA do not spend a dime!

Since it doesn’t cost anything and you get proven search results, there's no reason not to use it! Start supporting your kids' education and enrichment at RGA every time you go online!

Lottery!

Yes, folks, the school's annual lottery will take place tomorrow, Wednesday, May 16th at 5:00 PM at Ross Global Academy!

A Thank-You From Dr. Clagnaz to Isadora Bolton and All Scholastic Fair Volunteers!!

Please click on the letter above to see the thank-you from Dr. Clagnaz to PA treasurer Isadora Bolton, who organized the school's historic first Scholastic Book Fair, and to all the volunteers who made the event an enormous success! The final numbers, in case you missed them, were sales of an impressive $4,184.53 (more than double the target) and $168, or 168 books, for "One For Books."

(Iz, the PA, thanks you, too, especially for all those weary nights crunching numbers and sweating sales tax!!)

Eine Kleine Mozart Lesson

Violinist Yibin Li noticed that the kindergarten and 1st grade kids' ears pricked up when she told them Mozart was only eleven years old when he composed the minuet she played for them last week. She very kindly followed up with this little blurb about him:

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) started playing his sister Nannerl's piano pieces at the age of 4 and composing from the age of 5. Leopold (Mozart's father), fully aware of the remarkable talents of Wolfgang and his sister, took the family around Europe, showcasing his children before kings and queens. As a child, young Wolfgang seemed gifted beyond all measure, playing at age six before the Empress. At age 11, he went to an opera, and when he returned home had already fully memorized it. By twelve, he had written an opera himself. He died when he was only 36, but was prolific:
Symphonies: 41
Concertos: 27 for Piano
5 for violin
and for other instruments: clarinet, oboe, French horn, bassoon, flute, and flute and harp
Operas: The Marriage of Figaro (Le nozze di Figaro, 1786), Don Giovanni (1787), The Magic Flute (Die Zauberflöte, 1791)
Choral music:18 Masses, the Requiem K.626 (incomplete, 1791), and other liturgical music
Chamber music: 23 string quartets, string quintets,
clarinet quintet, oboe quartet, flute quartet, piano
trios and quartets.
Sonatas for violin and piano, and divertimentos and
serenades (Eine kleine Nachtmusik K.525, 1787)
Keyboard music: 17 piano sonatas and Fantasia in C
minor K.475 (1785)

(Thanks, Bin!!)

Multicultural Storytelling Series

Central Park
The Peter Jay Sharp Children's Glade
West of Great Hill Oval from West 103rd to West 106th Streets. Enter Park at Central Park West and 103rd Street

Travel around the world from the Caribbean to Africa, to Scandinavia, Asia, and back to North America, with the impressive line-up of multicultural storytellers that A Clearing in the Forest programming offers families this summer. The artists' incredible repertoires of oral histories come alive with interactive props and music for an all-around sensory experience.
FREE — for all ages.
For more information, please call 212-860-1370

Program Schedule
Sunday, May 20: Stories from Mexico, Brazil, and Norway with Regina Ress
Sunday, June 3: Haitian stores from The Magic Orange Tree with Diane Wolkstein
Saturday, June 30: Czech and Slovak Fairy Tales and Marionettes with Vít Hořejš
Sunday, July 8: Scandinavian stories with Julie Della Torre
Saturday, July 28: Mosquito Stories from Opposing Ends of the Earth (Africa and
Scandinavia) with Ron Sopyla
Saturday, August 4: New Zealand and Australian Aboriginal stories with Christine
Campbell; musical accompaniment provided by Frank Fields
Sunday, August 12: German Fairy Tales from the Grimm Brothers with Robin Bady
Saturday, September 1: Jewish Folklore with Dan Kitrosser
Sunday, September 23: Native American Taino stories with Bobby Gonzalez


Saturdays: June 30, July 28, August 4, September 1
Sundays: May 20, June 3, July 8, August 12, September 23
1:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Google News Reader—Revised

The Google News Reader in the lefthand sidebar has been edited to filter general charter-school news. The previous settings were not returning adequately targeted results, so let's try this!

West African Percussion and Dance with Alvin Ailey

Saturday, May 19, 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm
Central Park's Great Hill
West Side from 103rd to 107th Streets
Join the Alvin Ailey Student Performance Group and the Alvin Ailey Arts in Education Teaching Artists for an exciting program:
• 1:00 pm: performance
• 1:30 pm: West African movement workshop with percussion lecture and demonstration
Attend an inspiring performance by eight talented students and learn some moves of your own afterwards. Learn about the basic rhythmic structure of indigenous music and the cultures that create this music.
FREE — for all ages.
For more information, please call 212-860-1370.

Take a Stand!

Sunkist is calling all kids, 7 to 12 years of age, across America to "Take a Stand" for their favorite charity. It's a rewarding way to squeeze some fun into summer and give back to the community.

Last year, kids from every state in the U.S., and every province in Canada, signed up to 'Take a Stand' for a cause that was close to their hearts and Sunkist's supply of 10,000+ stands quickly disappeared. So, this year Sunkist is once again giving out free lemonade stands to the first 10,000 kids who want to give back to their communities. So, encourage your kids to either raise money for RGA or another charity dear to your family! (Gotta give Sunkist credit for the ingenious curbside advertising — but if it motivates the kids to learn the concept of charity, it's worth giving them the billboard!)

Now That's Something to Smile About!

PA Treasurer Isadora Bolton reports that Irvin Simon Photographers will be cutting a commission check for $885 to the Parents Association for RGA's first school photos! SWEET! (Thanks to Tricia MecKlembourg for setting up this deal!!)

1st Graders Get JazzED!

Wynton Marsalis will host the season's final Jazz for Young People Concert, How Do We Create Jazz Moods?, at the Apollo Theater on Friday, May 18th—and our first graders will be there! (Thanks, Mary!!)

Wynton and friends will show the children how jazz music’s changing tones, colors, rhythms and tempos can take us from being “Kind of Blue” to “Struttin’ with Some Barbeque!”

This event aptly follows up last week's in-school classical music concert by Yibin Li, who demonstrated how her violin can communicate sadness and happiness, lethargy and frenzy.

How Do We Create Jazz Moods? also will be performed at Jazz at Lincoln Center's Rose Hall on Satuday, May 19 at 12 noon and 2 PM. Tickets!

Aquatic Asia

Aquatic Asia at the New York Aquarium
Saturday and Sunday, May 19–20
Learn about different types of sea jellies found off the coasts of Asia. Discover dragon fish, sea turtles, sharks, archerfish, and several varieties of seahorses. Enjoy Asian cultural arts performances, arts and crafts, and more.

New York Aquarium is located on Surf Avenue & West 8th Street in Brooklyn, NY 11224. Hours are 10:00 AM-5:30 PM; Special program is FREE with Aquarium admission. For further information please call 718-265-FISH.

92nd Street Y Recanati-Kaplan Merit Scholarships

For Young Artists, Dancers and Musicians

The 92nd Street Y School of the Arts will grant a limited number of Recanati-Kaplan Arts Scholarships in June for studies beginning in fall 2007. Based on merit rather than financial need, these awards provide a rare opportunity for exceptionally talented 5-17 year olds to study with the renowned faculty of the 92nd Street Y School of the Arts. Set up an audition or portfolio review today.

Recanati-Kaplan Arts Scholarships provide full, yearlong scholarships based on artistic merit for children and teens to study art, dance and music at the 92nd Street Y School of the Arts. Cash prizes are awarded at the end of each year.

With an outstanding children's faculty of professional artists, dancers and musicians, and more than 200 courses annually in visual arts, dance and music—as well as private instruction in piano, voice and all orchestral instruments for children and teens—the School of the Arts provides an ideal laboratory for learning in the arts. Small class sizes allow instructors to provide individualized, age-appropriate instruction at all stages of artistic development.

To apply for the fall 2007/spring 2008 season, call the appropriate office below to make arrangements for auditions and applications.

92nd Street Y Art Center
212.415.5562
Drop off your child's portfolio and application Mon-Fri, Jun 4-8, from 10am-7pm

92nd Street Y Harkness Dance Center
212.415.5552
Auditions
Jun 12 (ages 7-11)
Jun 13 (ages 12-18)
4:30-6pm

92nd Street Y School of Music
212.415.5580
Auditions
Jun 5 or Jun 7, 4-6pm

IMPORTANT: MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD WITH THE D0E PARENT SURVEYS!!!!

Ross Global Academy recently received reminder postcards from the Department of Education regarding the New York City 2007 Parent Survey... but the surveys themselves have so far not arrived due to the DoE's printing and shipping delays. It is very important, however, that you make your voices heard!!

Your feedback is important both to the school and to the system itself.

Please call the New York City Schools survey hotline at 1-866-643-1033 for your barcode so you can complete your survey online.

Ross Global Academy is in District 84; the School Number is M355.

The deadline for the surveys, which are available in English, Spanish, Chinese and other languages, is June 1.

The Department of Education told the RGA Parents Association this morning that the school should receive the printed surveys by tomorrow, Tuesday, May 15. However, if you can complete the survey online, the PA recommends that you do so!!

If the surveys do not give you room to air all of your opinions, you can email further comments to the DoE!

Count yourself in!

WHITE HOUSE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM: MINORITY STUDENTS NEEDED!!

If you know of anyone—older siblings, cousins, nieces or nephews—who might be interested, please pass along this info:

THE WHITE HOUSE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

The White House Internship Program offers an excellent opportunity to
serve the Federal government and explore public service.

The White House is seeking exceptional candidates to apply for this highly competitive program. In addition to typical office duties, interns
attend weekly lectures, tours, and complete an intern service project.

Interns may serve a term in the fall, spring or summer. Every candidate must be a United States citizen, enrolled in a college or university, and at least 18 years of age. An application and additional information about the program can be found here.

Applicants must be:
* At least 18 years of age on or before the first day of the internship
* Enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program at a college or
university, or graduated the previous semester
* A U.S. citizen

Getting Better All the Time

For the kindergarten and younger set, a great new book from Kevin Henkes!

Help the PA without Spending Extra! Use SchoolPop for Your Online Purchases!

Do you order from Amazon, Lands' End, Apple iTunes, Barnes & Noble, Banana Republic, The Gap, Best Buy, Frenchtoast, J. Crew, FootLocker, Office Depot, Staples or Target? There are HUNDREDS of online merchants who will donate a percentage of your purchases to our school's PA if you order them via SchoolPop!

It adds up — and costs you nothing extra to give more to your kids! The Parents Association needs your help to raise funds for enrichment programming!!

Happy Mother's Day!!

Happy Mother's Day to all the inspiring moms in the RGA community!

Teacher Appreciation in 1B!!

The parents and kids of 1B celebrated Mr. Damweber on Friday morning with breakfast tables laden with Caffe Falai's legendary pear and apple turnovers, lots of fruit salads, donuts and muffins, juices, and coffee! The 1B kids have had a wonderful year and many families contributed to a lovely event!

Moms! Moms! Moms!

Mother's Day Weekend AT MADAME TUSSAUD'S Wax Museum
Moms mentioning "Super Mom" receive $10 off admission at Madame Tussaud's, a free chair massage, and a discount coupon to a local restaurant. [212.512.9600; http://www.nycwax.com]
Ages: 7-12

Bird Mommies
In honor of Mother's Day, families are invited to the Prospect Park Audobon Center to learn about some unique adaptations that have been made by female birds. [718.287.3400]. Free with center admission.

Mother's Day Mother Goose Tea Party
Moms and their kids can enjoy Mother’s Day at the Staten Island Children's Museum with a little tea party, snack on some sandwiches, listen to some Mother Goose Rhymes, take a family picture, and make a beautiful decoupage frame to display it in. $3 plus museum admission. [718.273.2060]

Mother's Day Serenade
Deedle Deedle Dee Lloyd Miller performs some traditional tunes at Lefferts Historical House for Mom's special day, and kids can also taste homemade ice cream and make a special gift for mom to take home! 3 PM. FREE.

Nature Crafts for Mom
Kids are invited to make something completely natural for Mom on her special day - and moms can come along for lady fingers and strawberries! Meet at the Blue Heron Nature Center, Staten Island, 222 Poillon Avenue (between Amboy Road & Hylan Boulevard). 1 PM-2:30 PM. [718.967.3542] FREE.
Ages: 3 and up

Wild Moms
Moms find out how wild parenting can be during Mother's Day weekend at the Bronx Zoo: games, storytelling, keeper demonstrations, and more. [718.367.1010; ] FREE with zoo admission.

Marine Moms
Learn about the different ways marine mothers care for their young at the New York Aquarium, from sharks (whose pups are independent from their first moments in the water) to sea otters (who carry their young on the furry beds of their stomachs). [718.265.FISH ] FREE with aquarium admission.

RGA Lottery Set for Wednesday, May 16th!

Mr. Martin Payson, a Ross Global Academy Trustee, will conduct the school's annual lottery at 5:00 PM on Wednesday, May 16th at Ross Global Academy. The lottery will be videotaped for fairness-assurance purposes. At yesterday's Board of Trustees meeting, Dr. Clagnaz said the lottery will mainly determine waitlist standing in grades other than kindergarten, as there are few seats to fill.

The numbers of openings and applications are as follows:
Kindergarten: 19 available seats; 122 applications
1st Grade: 7 available seats; 41 applications
2nd Grade: 5 available seats; 32 applications
6th Grade: 7 available seats; 87 applications
7th grade: 1 available seat; 24 applications.

Applications in English, Spanish and Chinese may be downloaded here.

The 2007-2008 School Year Calendar

The Department of Education this week posted the School Year Calendar for 2007-2008. At yesterday's RGA Board of Trustees meeting, Dr. Clagnaz asked the trustees to approve the same schedule, with an exception that the first day of school, Tuesday, September 4, will be a full day for kindergarten. Still to be determined are the RGA Saturday School, Professional Development, and 2008 summer-program calendars. The trustees resolved that Dr. Clagnaz shall assign dates for Professional Development days, not to exceed the number held this year.

SAVE THE DATE: SATURDAY, JUNE 2nd to Meet '07-'08 Faculty and for PA Elections!!

Principal Stephanie Clagnaz will introduce the 2007-2008 faculty to the community on Saturday, June 2 from 11:00 AM-12:30 PM. The PA will also hold elections for officers on the same morning. Details to follow!!

Wave Hill Family Art Project: Floral Fantasy for Mom/Fantasía floral para mamá

Create unique flowery gifts, including fragrant sachets and a vase filled with fantastic paper flowers, at a family event tomorrow at Wave Hill. Led by Colombian artist Esperanza Cortés, who covers her own art with flowers.
Saturday, May 12
Wave Hill
Kerlin Learning Center, 1-4PM
75 West 252nd Street, Riverdale
Phone number: 718-549-3200 x305
Free admission on Saturdays before noon; afternoon $4 adults, $2 students and seniors 65+; free for children under 6.

Modern-Day Fairy Tale

The new Snow White is Ebony Black. This 2007 incarnation of the famed fairytale princess has got the red-as-blood cheeks and the evil, vain stepmom—though hers isn't a queen, but a rich lady who lives in the Hamptons. And rather than seven dwarfs, this princess's posse includes a band of hired household help and some hipster musicians. Her handsome prince is the lead singer of a band, and her escape is not to a forest but the East Village. Heck, she probably has a MySpace profile.

Catch the full tale by taking your kids to see the new children's musical, Ebony Black, debuting tomorrow at the South Street Seaport. Laced with plenty of catchy song-and-dance numbers, it's also a way to impart little ones with a less stereotypical vision of what "fairest" means (since naturally, in the end, Ebony embraces her own intrinsic beauty). And honestly, the more familiar Snow White was long overdue for a makeover. Poison apples and wild boar's lungs and glass coffins? This version is much more likely to leave you with a happily-ever-after vibe.

When: Sat., 5/12, 5/19 & 5/26, 3pm; $10/Adults, $5/Children (reservations suggested).
Where: Seaport District Cultural Association Performing Space, southwest corner of Beekman & Front St., 212-242-6036.
[From Daily Candy]

PEN WEEKLY NEWSBLAST

Check out the PEN Weekly Newsblast for articles on the economic value of motherhood; the importance of parent and community involvement in school; a new code of conduct for school leaders; how a "persistently dangerous" school is defined; limits to the get-involved policies at schools, and more.

Quite a Story...

Yikes.

Our Teachers Are Tremendously Appreciated!

To mark Teacher Appreciation Week, Sherrill Collins reports that the 5th Grade parents today bought donuts and coffee for the faculty!

Board of Trustees Meeting This Afternoon at 4 PM!!

ROSS GLOBAL ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL WILL HOLD A PUBLIC BOARD MEETING TODAY FROM 4:00 P.M. UNTIL 5:30 P.M. IN ROOM 115.

Yibin Li Makes Her Violin Buzz for Kindergarten and 1st Grade Classes!

How do you make a violin buzz? Violinist Yibin Li showed the Kindergarten and 1st Grade kids how with her frantic, virtuoso rendition yesterday of The Flight of the Bumble Bee. She also played a Mozart piece written when the comporser was just seven years old, like many first graders in her audience! She intertwined musical basics with a lesson in audience etiquette, and instructed the kids to close their eyes and open their ears, to truly hear the music.

Did you know...?

There's a gallery of school photos here! Click on the images on the page to see the online albums. There's even a short film in the section!

Justin Timberlake Gets Slimed!!

Jakob Trollbäck showed the first-grade children last Friday how Trollbäck + Company creates animation and motion graphics for television and films. Projects he showed were from Sesame Street, Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards, and Mira Nair's film Monsoon Wedding. The kids were particularly intrigued by how Justin Timberlake turns into green slime in the Kids' Choice graphics—and wanted to see it over and over again!!

Top-Secret Personal Beeswax!!

The first graders LOVED that crazy girl, Junie B. Jones, in her own Theatreworks show yesterday at Town Hall!! Best of all was the final number, "Top Secret Personal Beeswax"!

Violinist Yibin Li to Perform Today at RGA!

Solo violinist Yibin Li to perform today at Ross Global Academy at 10:00 AM!!

Scholastic Book Fair Exceeds Goals!!!

Isadora Bolton reports the whopping final sales figure from the Scholastic Book Fair last week is $4,184.53, over double the sales target!! The "One For Books" initiative took in $168, including a generous donation from Margaret Ng and Michael Chan, yielding 168 new Scholastic books for the school!! Thanks to everyone who participated!! The next book fair is already set for October!!

ParentJobNet Events

Have a look at the May calendar of Parent Job Network.
ParentJobNet: Connecting parents with opportunities

Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Wine & Cheese Professional Networking Event at HSBC
Special Book Signing by Seana
Author of "Success in 30 Seconds: Discover the Secrets of a Winning First Impression"
(Proceeds to benefit ParentJobNet)

HSBC: 2411 Broadway
Corner of W. 89th Street, NYC
Time: 6:00pm – 8:00pm
Cost: FREE (RSVP required)
Dress Code: Business Attire

Network with other business professionals,
promote your business, and explore career opportunity at HSBC!
Enjoy food and wine and a chance to win a $50 dining gift card, courtesy of Restaurant.com
Complimentary Food & Wine
RSVP

Thursday, May 17, 2007
Professional Networking Event At Starbucks
Special Guest: Nathana Josephs, President
Nathana Josephs Public Relations
Will present: How to Promote yourself
and your Business.

Starbucks: 540 Columbus Avenue
Corner of W. 86th Street, NYC
Time: 6:00pm – 7:30pm
Cost: FREE (RSVP required)
Dress Code: Business Casual

Complimentary beverage provided by Starbucks.
RSVP

Carnegie Hall Brings FREE Concerts to Your Neighborhood!

The Carnegie Hall / Citi Neighborhood Concert Series features over 30 FREE concerts this spring! All concerts are presented in collaboration with participating venues. For more information on individual events, please contact the hosting venue directly at the phone number below. (Pictured: Neba Solo)
FEATURED CONCERT
TUES, MAY 15 at 7:30 PM
Abdoulaye Diabate
and Neba Solo
Harlem Stage / Aaron Davis Hall, Inc.
West 135th Street and Convent Avenue
New York, NY 10031
Phone: 212-650-7100
Call for Reservations
Malian Concert
FREE!

PEN WEEKLY NEWSBLAST

There are a lot of interesting education-reform articles in the current PEN Weekly NewsBlast.

Citywide Council on Special Education: Public Meeting Tomorrow

Betsy Gotbaum, NYC Public Advocate
and
Dr. Andres Alonso, Deputy Chancellor
Will be coming to Staten Island to speak to the public about Special
Education.

The Citywide Council on Special Education invites you to our Public
Meeting
Wednesday, May 9th, 2007
6pm Sharp!
P721R
155 Tompkins Avenue
Staten Island, New York 10304
(718) 273-8622
Members of the Public are encouraged to sign up to speak or ask
questions. Please keep your comments to under four minutes.

The Citywide Council on Special Education
45-18 Court Square – 2nd Floor
Long Island City, NY 11101
ccse@schools.nyc.gov

TIME: STOPPING THE DROP OUT EXODUS

Kids who quit school don't just suddenly drop out; it's more of a slow fade. Typically it begins in the ninth grade, if not earlier, often when life hits a particularly nasty patch and racking up credits in class no longer seems especially compelling or plausible. Read Time's article on the drop-out exodus! On May 9, TIME is co-sponsoring a national summit in Washington on the dropout crisis. Learn more .

Calling A Few Good Women!!

Moms, grandmothers, and all women in our community, please help us bring the Girl Scouts to RGA! Please email Isadora Bolton or call her at (917) 660-0630. (Iz clearly can't steer clear of another big project now that the Book Fair is over! We also now know we have plenty of role-model women among us; hard to escape noticing that all the volunteers who "manned" the book fair... were women!) Click on the flyer above—and thanks for making a difference in our girls' lives!