Dearest Families
We wanted to wish everyone a Happy New Year, and we hope this message finds you and your family doing well. It's been so wonderful welcoming everyone back to school for the new year this past week! Our children are our greatest joy.
As many of you may have heard from your children, we have welcomed and enrolled over 40 children (from Pre-K to Grade 5) in the past three days at PS 130. Our immigrant families claiming asylum just recently moved into 231 Grand Street, which is currently serving as shelter.
We thank our entire staff and community for welcoming our new families, most who have come to NYC with extremely limited resources. Thanks to our wonderful Parents Association and organizations like UA3, Trinity Church, and Chinatown Rotary, we have been able to provide some donated supplies and materials to our new students upon registering. Our Council Member, Christopher Marte and our District Superintendent Kelly McGuire have also been super supportive.
Most of all, I have been so touched by how loving and accepting our children and staff have been! We've been moved to tears at the amount of care and compassion being shown by our entire community these past few days. Everyone has been stepping up and shining bright, as this has brought out even more of the best in each and every one of us! Thank you to our awesome families!
In an article in the Village Sun Councilmember Marte said the following moving words: "I strongly urge the Chinatown and Lower East Side community to be welcoming to these new neighbors,” he said. “They have risked their lives fleeing conflict at home — experiences that many of us as immigrants and children of immigrants can relate to. They are coming to our country just as many of our parents did, for better opportunities for their families and future generations. Many of these families have experienced loss and tragedy, and it is our responsibility to help them feel welcomed and supported here in New York City, just as we were welcomed by generations of immigrants before us."
Our Parents Association has stepped up once again to offer to receive a collection of items for our newcomers for one week next week (as we don't have the capacity to sustain this for longer, but we do want to do what we can to provide as much help and support as we can). After next Friday (1/13), donations can be brought to our Councilmember's Office at 65 East Broadway, Monday-Friday, from 9am-6pm. We are asking for only new items at this time for those who would like to make a donation.
Below is the list of needed essential items that we have been shared with us by Councilmember Marte's office:
· Underclothes
· T-Shirts/Blouses (long sleeve and short sleeve)
· Sweaters
· Pants (jeans, sweatpants, leggings, slacks)
· Coats
· Closed toe shoes (sneakers & boots)
· Gloves, scarves and hats
· Diapers, formula
· Book bags/school supplies
· Duffel bags or tote bags (to distribute clothing to the families
*We are requesting all items from newborn to adults, all sizes for male and female. Items must be NEW.*
It continues to be so humbling to be able to serve at our school. Thank you, thank you, everyone. Please take good care, and be safe.
With Buckets of Gratitude,
Principal Fong
