The mission of our PTA is to support our school, our principal, our teachers and our families by raising funds to support curricular and enrichment programs benefiting our entire student body as well as organizing regular events that bring all PS 150 stakeholders together through events that foster our sense of community. As a small school, each parent has an opportunity to help shape their child’s educational environment and contribute to enrich our school experience. The information below will hopefully help parents better understand why a successful PTA is so critical to our beloved school and children. 

Through our parents’ financial and volunteer contributions, the PS 150 PTA funds 100% of the following programs. The direct appeal ask of $1,500 per child doesn’t even cover the amount (in excess of $2,000) spent on each child every year. Please take the time today and give through Zelle, PayPal, check or stock grant here.

Assistant Teachers

By far our most ambitious and costly program, the Assistant Teacher Program truly makes PS 150 stand out for its commitment to providing each student, regardless of grade, added support and attention. With a full-time assistant teacher present in all our classrooms, the PS 150 student to adult ratio averages 14:1, half the average NYC public school ratio of 25:1. As a result, our students receive more quality, individualized time with their teachers and benefit from a more tailored approach to their needs. 

Teachers College Reading and Writing Project

PS 150’s ELA program is based on Columbia University’s Teachers College Reading and Writing Project (TCRWP), a child-centered approach, rich with language and writing, and a proven track record. 

TCRWP is based on a workshop approach to teaching reading and writing. It includes components such as read aloud, shared reading, guided reading, independent reading, phonemic awareness and word study, book-clubs, and writer’s workshop. Through this program children learn to become thoughtful readers and writers who are able to comprehend a wide range of literary genres and make connections to themselves, other texts, and the larger world.

In addition to providing their curriculum, TCRWP staff developers offer ongoing coaching to our new and seasoned teachers throughout the year. These sessions are highly valued by teachers and surely play a role in attracting and maintaining our talented group of educators. Here is a video from our beloved 1st grade teacher Wendy Liu on the value that the Teachers College program brings to our curriculum.

Academic Enrichment

PTA funds help pay for a dedicated science teacher and an extra day of science class for all studentsstarting in 3K. Having a dedicated science teacher is a privilege, few public schools can offer this level of expertise, and often rely on classroom teachers to teach science in addition to their many other curricular responsibilities.

In addition to science, the PTA funds pay for weekly chess instruction for each grade starting in pre-Kindergarten! Among its many benefits, chess is found to improve a child’s critical thinking ability, develop their attention span, and supports improved academic performance.

Enrichment funds also support our dance and theater program. Each class participates in 12 dance classes, while fifth graders also receive instruction in playwriting. 

Curriculum Support 

This program funds field trips and discretionary purchases by our classroom and specialty teachers (Art, Music, Physical Education, and Science) not covered by our school budget. These expenditures include such items as food for classroom animals, supplies for in-classroom cooking projects, musical instruments, sheet music, physical education equipment, art materials, and alleviate the burden of our teachers funding classroom activities out of their own pockets.

End-of-Year Celebration

Each school year ends with a full-staged theatrical performance, written by fifth graders, in which every student from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade participates. This is one of the beautiful ways our school leverages its small size to come together to create a unique and memorable event for all the participants and the lucky audience. 

Community Building

This program supports the many community outreach events PS 150 PTA organizes throughout the year; including: the October Pumpkin Festival on Governors Island, the Holiday Ice Skating Social, the School Auction, and the Spring Field Day event. Pandemic conditions easing, we look forward to the return of our Halloween Disco, bingo nights and all school potluck.

These funds are also used to support initiatives such as Blankets of Hope and Letters of Love that will help our children grow into charitable, empathetic and compassionate young adults. Additionally, these funds support nominal miscellaneous PTA costs and administrative needs.