Friends Of Ps 163 Inc

DANCE/MOVEMENT ENRICHMENT:OUR DANCE/MOVEMENT ENRICHMENT PROGRAM SUCCESSFULLY SERVED 660 CHILDREN AT P.S. 163, FROM KINDERGARTEN THROUGH FIFTH GRADE, OVER THE COURSE OF THE SCHOOL YEAR (SEPTEMBER - JUNE). THE OBJECTIVE OF THE ARTS ENRICHMENT WAS TO PROVIDE MORE MOVEMENT AND EXERCISE FOR CHILDREN, TO TEACH THEM ABOUT THE ART FORM THAT IS DANCE, AND TO GIVE THEM AN OUTLET FOR CREATIVE EXPRESSION, WHILE ALSO MEETING THE NEW YORK STATE STANDARDS IN THE ARTS. CHILDREN IN GRADES K-2 WORKED IN 12-WEEK CYCLES WITH TEACHING ARTISTS FROM YOUNG AUDIENCES ON STORYTELLING AND MOVEMENT. THE THIRD-GRADERS HAD THREE 10-WEEK-LONG WORKSHOPS (IN MEXICAN, CHINESE AND AFRICAN FOLK DANCE) WHERE THEY LEARNED CHOREOGRAPHY, PERFORMANCE SKILLS, AND TEAMWORK. FOURTH- AND FIFTH-GRADERS WORKED WITH TEACHING ARTISTS FROM THE NATIONAL DANCE INSTITUTE ON A YEARLONG PROJECT THAT FOCUSED ON THE MUSIC OF NEW ORLEANS. THE NDI PROGRAM BUILDS UPON WHAT THE CHILDREN HAVE LEARNED IN THE LOWER GRADES. OUR DANCE PROGRAM OFFERS ENRICHMENT AND CULTURAL OPPORTUNITIES TO THOSE FAMILIES THAT COULD NOT AFFORD IT OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM, AND IS AT THE CORE OF THE WELL-ROUNDED EDUCATION OFFERED BY P.S. 163. FOR MANY STUDENTS, THE DANCE RESIDENCIES TOUCH UPON AN ASPECT OF THEIR OWN HERITAGE; FOR OTHER STUDENTS, THEY ARE AN EXCITING, HANDS-ON WAY TO LEARN ABOUT A FOREIGN CULTURE. THE MEXICAN FOLK DANCE PROGRAM IN PARTICULAR RESONATES WITH OUR POPULATION, WHICH IS 48% HISPANIC. THESE CULTURAL PROGRAMS ALSO GIVE OUR CHILDREN THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM IN A CREATIVE, NON-ACADEMIC WAY. IN THIS WAY, MANY CHILDREN FIND A NEW MEANING OF "SUCCESS." THE PROCESS OF LEARNING HOW TO DANCE PROMOTES SELF-ESTEEM, WHICH TRANSLATES INTO BETTER PERFORMANCE IN THE CLASSROOM, ESPECIALLY FOR OUR SPECIAL-NEEDS STUDENTS.CHESS PROGRAM:ALL CHILDREN IN GRADES K-5 (ABOUT 650) AT P.S. 163 RECEIVED 12 WEEKS OF CHESS INSTRUCTION IN THE CLASSROOM THROUGH OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH NEW YORK CHESS KIDS, WHICH SERVES PUBLIC-SCHOOL STUDENTS THROUGHOUT NEW YORK CITY. THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROGRAM WAS TO PROVIDE CHILDREN WITH THE BENEFITS OF CHESS-NAMELY, HELPING THEM TO DEVELOP ANALYTICAL, SYNTHETIC AND DECISION-MAKING SKILLS; HELPING THEM TO DEVELOP HIGHER-ORDER THINKING SKILLS, ANALYZE ACTIONS AND CONSEQUENCES, AND VISUALIZE FUTURE POSSIBILITIES; AND TEACHING THEM HOW TO RECOGNIZE COMPLEX PATTERNS AND CONSEQUENTLY HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO EXCEL IN MATH AND SCIENCE. IN ADDITION TO SUPPORTING WEEKLY CHESS INSTRUCTION, FRIENDS OF P.S. 163 ALSO HELPS TO RUN QUARTERLY CHESS NIGHTS, WHICH GIVE CHILDREN THE CHANCE TO BUILD UPON WHAT THEY HAVE LEARNED DURING THE SCHOOL DAY AND PLAY AGAINST FAMILY AND FRIENDS IN A FAMILY-FRIENDLY, EVENING EVENT. LEAP AFTERSCHOOL FUNDING:WE SUPPORT A DAILY AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM OFFERED BY LEAP. LEARNING THROUGH AN EXPANDED ARTS PROGRAM (LEAP) IS A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION COMMITTED TO IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF PUBLIC SCHOOL EDUCATION IN INNER-CITY SCHOOLS THROUGH AN ARTS-BASED APPROACH TO LEARNING. LEAP WAS FOUNDED IN 1977 AND NOW WORKS ANNUALLY WITH 8,500 TEACHERS AND 200,000 STUDENTS IN MORE THAN 400 SCHOOLS THROUGH CLASSROOM RESIDENCIES, STAFF DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS, AND PARENT INVOLVEMENT PROGRAMS. AT PS 163, IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING A 1:10 STAFF TO STUDENT RATIO, A NUTRITIOUS HOT SUPPER, AND SUPERVISED RECESS, LEAP AFTER SCHOOL IS COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING PS 163'S EDUCATION PLAN THROUGH ITS COMPREHENSIVE UTILIZATION OF ACADEMIC CURRICULUM AND LITERACY-BASED PROGRAMMING. ALL STUDENTS RECEIVE DAILY HOMEWORK ASSISTANCE.FRIENDS OF P.S. 163 HELPS TO FUND THIS PROGRAM IN ORDER TO OFFSET THE COST AND MAKE IT AFFORDABLE FOR LOW-INCOME FAMILIES. THIS MEANS THAT CHILDREN HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAFELY STAY AT SCHOOL FROM THE CLOSE OF THE SCHOOL DAY (3PM) UNTIL 5:45PM, FIVE DAYS A WEEK. ABOUT 130 STUDENTS TAKE PART IN THIS PROGRAM, WHICH RUNS FROM THE FIRST FULL WEEK OF SCHOOL IN SEPTEMBER UNTIL THE END OF JUNE.