The SLT is the primary school-based vehicle for parents to work with teachers and the Principal to establish school priorities, ensure that the budget is aligned with those priorities, and evaluate our school’s progress.

Six elected parent members and an equal number of teachers comprise the SLT. Through active participation on the SLT and its various sub-committees, members have the opportunity to directly influence how the school operates.  The Principal, PTA President/Co-President and UFT Chapter Leader, or their designees, are core members of the the SLT.

The SLT develops the Comprehensive Education Plan (CEP) that sets annual goals for the school in all areas and sets up systems to measure achievement of those goals.

Logistically, the SLT is mandated to meet once a month at P.S. 29. Meetings are generally the second Thursday of the month at alternating times of 5:00 or 6:00 PM, in room 232. Please see the school calendar at www.ps29brooklyn.org or your monthly calendar backpacked home at the beginning of each month, to confirm the date and time, should you like to attend. All parents and teachers are welcome to attend.  Parents who have questions or suggestions for the SLT but cannot attend a meeting may leave a message in the SLT mailbox in the main office or contact any member.

SLT Members:

Andrew Harris, Co-Chair

Amy Metsch, Co-Chair

Paula Heitman

Ariane BenEli

Lisa Catanzaro

Jane Heaphy, PTA Co-President

Nicole Nadeau, UFT Chapter Leader

Melanie Raneri Woods, PS 29 Principal

Cara Turnbull

Monica Salazar-Austin

Katie Even

The majority of the work is done through the various sub-committees.  Participation on the sub-committees is not restricted to SLT members, and attracting a wide representation of the larger school community to participate on one of the sub-committees is one of the goals of the SLT.  This year, the sub-committees include:  arts, diversity, food and farming, PE/wellness, green, hospitality, and service.

Please see below for some background information on each committee and how to get involved!

Arts Committee
This Committee works closely with the Principal to incorporate arts and arts instruction in the curriculum and in other aspects of school life.  The arts committee explores opportunities for collaborations with visual and performing arts organizations.  Such collaborations for in-school and after-school arts programs have included Citilore, Metropolitan Opera, Dancing Classrooms (ballroom dancing), Brooklyn Academy of Music, New Victory Theatre, and Vital Theater.  The Arts Committee also works to identify grant opportunities and other funding sources for arts programs at P.S. 29.

To get involved: please contact our art teacher, Kristen Adamczyk, by leaving a note in her mailbox (in the main office) or email ps29pta@gmail.com

Diversity Committee

The Diversity Committee provides a forum for and oversees efforts to discuss and respond to issues of diversity, multiculturalism, respect, inclusiveness, and understanding in our community. Since its formation three years ago, the Committee has accomplished many things, including implementing a peer mediation program in which a core of fourth and fifth grade students is trained to be peer mediators at lunchtime.  In addition, significant staff professional development time has been devoted to issues of diversity and multiculturalism as they play out in the classroom.  In Spring of 2009, we held a diversity “family night, a hugely successful event exploring the many different forms a family can take and what that means within our PS 29 community.  Building on the success of that event, we will continue to expand the agenda to look within our own community to identify, discuss, and appreciate how are differences make us stronger and offer rich learning opportunities.  In addition, we will continue to focus on  addressing lunch time conflicts and resolutions; support non-academic community building activities such as potluck dinners; expand volunteer opportunities and reinterpreting the notion of what constitutes parent “involvement”, so as to consider the needs of working parents; and implement school-wide events that are designed to build bridges, strengthen community, and support connections among families of different classes and cultures.

To get involved: please contact our guidance counselor, Cara Turnbull, by leaving a note in her mailbox (in the main office) or emailing ps29pta@gmail.com

Food & Farming Committee

In 2007 we launched our food and farming initiative with a visioning meeting to help our school community imagine a bold future for PS 29 that incorporates healthy food into our curriculum, into our schoolyard, and into our community.

We have a wonderful children’s garden (built by staff, parents and children); fresher and healthier foods prepared in our cafeteria featuring a very popular salad bar; and science curriculum which includes garden-related studies.  Every September, through Garden to School Café, we harvest our own PS 29 produce and incorporate it with fresh produce provided by Greenmarket Farmers for a fabulous Harvest Day at 29.  We were also given the green light to include all of our school-grown food into our lunch menus—no small feat in the NYC Department of Education!  Thanks to our kitchen staff and science teachers we are enjoying PS 29 produce whenever it is available.

To get involved: please contact our lower-grades science teacher, Tina Aprea-Reres, by leaving a note in her mailbox (in the main office) or email ps29pta@gmail.com

Physical Education/Wellness Committee

This Physical Education/Wellness Committee promotes optimal levels of health in our students and their families through physical activity, healthy eating habits, and healthy lifestyles.  This group is committed to promoting healthy food choices at school and at home, and organizing a wide array of fitness/wellness events during the school year, including overseeing the hugely popular lunchtime running club for upper grade boys and girls and the “Kick Butts” day event in the spring.  The PE/Wellness committee is also involved in the planning and redesign of the PS 29 schoolyard.

To get involved: please contact our Physical Education teacher, Kathy Nobles, by leaving a note in her mailbox (in the main office) or email ps29pta@gmail.com

Green Committee

The Green Committee was formed in the 2009-2010 school year, dedicated to educating and finding ways to implement environmentally friendly practices within our school building.

Past initiatives have included:

• Spring 2010 and Fall 2011 Recycling Events: which provided textile recycling, electronics recycling, some plastics recycling, and document shredding for community members.
• Paper Reduction: providing lists to teachers of siblings in their class, making it possible for school-wide notices to only be printed once for families with more than one child at PS 29.

Future Goals:

• Used Book Sale: possibly in February 2012
• Another Spring Recycling Event this May
• Cafeteria Initiatives: finding alternative trays to replace the styrofoam in our cafeteria; making recycling a part of the cafeteria culture during lunchtime
• Get recycling containers for schoolyard next to the 2 existing garbage cans
• Form a recycling brigade at school: consisting of students that help monitor and encourage recycling in the classrooms
• Close the loop with TerraCycle to recycle and get paid for things like drink pouches, pens and markers; as well as finding a place we can sell our toner cartridges to
• A winter gear and sports equipment recycling event in the fall
• Used bike sale

To get involved: please speak with our Parent Coordinator or email ps29pta@gmail.com

Hospitality

The Hospitality Committee is a recently formed group of parents focused on providing a welcoming environment at PS 29.  In addition to helping coordinate special events for parents, for instance our Open House for Prospective Parents and coffee/snacks for Families as Learning Partners, the Hospitality Committee is also involved in organizing appreciation meals and snacks for teachers and school staff.  In addition to helping plan, the Hospitality Committee is also in need of families who like to BAKE!

To get involved: please email Millicent Robertson (millicentlrobertson@gmail.com), Randi Song (randi@halfpintcitizens.com) or Jo Waxman (jowaxman@gmail.com)

Service

The Service Committee is a recently formed group of parents interested in researching community service opportunities, and helping to initiate and expand service programs at PS 29.

To get involved: please email ps29pta@gmail.com