For updates and additonal images, visit smsplayathon.com.

The 15th New York Music Competition, sponsored by the YMCA of Queens & The Korea Daily, was held the week of April 9th.  Daniel Mori, from SMS Third Grade, placed first.  Dovie Lepore-Currin, SMS First Grade, placed third.  Congratulation to both.  The SMS Community is very proud!

Get your current copy of the SMS UpBeat right here!  Great articles from students and faculty and Kaufman Center staff.  More articles, a new school spirit, lots of fun.!
May 2012 SMS UpBeat

For past editions of UpBeat from this school year, go to the UpBeat page.

Please join us in congratulating Nadira Novruzov, Sophia Reyes and Eleanor Bent, all flute students of Valerie Holmes, on their recent competition and placings.  We look forward to hearing you play at the Aprill 22nd concert, at the New York Flue Club. We are all so very proud of you!

For more information about the event, visit New York Flute club at http://www.nyfluteclub.org/.

Dear SMS Community, Our Winter Appeal ended a last month, but we are still receiving contributions from our generous families. Since last week we have jumped to 90% general participation. Grades K, 1 and 4 are already at 100% participation and 8 classes are above 73% in contributions.    Congratulations!

You can make your PTA Dues contribution on the web using PayPal, see box to the right of this notice.  Or you can download the PTA Dues Form and follow the instructions there.  Either way, please send in your dues this month. If you have already done so, we thank you.

If you have any questions about your financial contributions to the Special Music School, please contact the SMS PTA Co-Treasurers at smspta.treasurer@gmail.com.

SMS PTA General Membership Meeting
February 29 2012, 6:00 p.m.

Minutes of the Meeting of the SMS PTA

On February 29, 2012, the Special Music School PTA met, with quorum, and entertained a motion by Corrine Schiff to admit as the official policy of the Special Music School PTA, the Conflict of Interest Policy of Special Music School PTA, Inc. (the “Conflict of Interest Policy”). The motion was seconded by Nika Aldrich. The Conflict of Interest Policy, along with a Unanimous Written Consent of the Board of Directors of Special Music School PTA, Inc., was read into the record. The motion passed by a unanimous vote.

Following the vote, these minutes of the meeting were typed and motion was submitted by Nika Aldrich and seconded by Corrine Schiff to approve these minutes. The vote passed with a majority vote.

The meeting thereafter continued, and separate meeting minutes were to be typed and distributed for later approval.

Submitted by Nika Aldrich
Checked by Yvonne Lau.

You can download a copy of these Minutes here or on the  PTA General Meeting Minutes Page.

Also available are CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY OF SPECIAL MUSIC SCHOOL PTA, INC. and UNANIMOUS WRITTEN CONSENT OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF SPECIAL MUSIC SCHOOL PTA, INC.  Click on these forms here, to download a PDF, or you can visit the Forms Page  on this website to download a copy.

Thank You.
Special Music School PTA

New York International Children’s Film Festival (NYICFF) is an ongoing PARTNERSHIP & FUNDRAISER for the PTA.  The PTA receives a percentage when you visit http://www.gkids.tv/intheaters.cfm — select “Special Music School of America, The” in the green box in the top third of the page that prompts select my school or organization, and buy tickets to films.  Keep an eye on your emails, as well, for notices of specials and upcoming events from NYICFF … there is always something good going on!

The following letter was sent home with you child on Friday, February 17, 2012.  If you did not get it, please click the link below and read this very important message from the Department of Education.

http://schools.nyc.gov/ParentsFamilies/getmoreinfo/talkingtoyourchildaboutsexualabuse

Thank you!

UPDATE FROM JENNY UNDERCOFLER:
Hi everyone -
Just a quick note to let you know that we have been officially approved to expand into 9th grade, starting in fall 2013.  The Panel for Educational Policy voted, last night, to allow us to use space in the MLK Educational Complex (Amsterdam/65th St), that is being vacated by the Manhattan Theater Lab School, which is being phased out.

What an exciting moment in the life of the school! Congratulations to everyone!

All best-
jenny

MESSAGE FROM YVONNE & SILVIA:
QR and High School Expansion
Many congratulations to Katie and Jenny for the wonderful news about our High School expansion approval. Thank you for all the hard work behind-the-scenes. Parents are very supportive of this new venture for SMS, and are very appreciative to Katie and Jenny for their leadership.

Congratulations to all teachers for an outstanding job in our first Quality Review last Wednesday and Thursday. Well done and thank you for all your hard work!
We were part of the Parent Panel, a group of parents who had the opportunity to talk to Esther Friedman, the District 3 superintendent. It was really pleasant to hear how impressed she was to see classroom practices, the quality of our teachers, the education our children are receiving, our childrens’ accomplishments and Katie’s leadership. We feel very proud to be a part of SMS.

This was a link to an OP ED piece in the Sunday Times in Katie’s Weekly Email to SMS Families.  Pat passed it along to Katie, who passed it along to us, the SMS community.  In case you missed it, here it is again:
How Mrs. Grady Transformed Olly Neal
By NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF   Published: January 21, 2012
http://nyti.ms/ACTmEf