Parent Weekly Bulletin

Principal’s Memo

Dear P.S. 120 Families,

I want to take this opportunity to introduce and thank our six Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) Board Members for 2025-2026: 

  • Co-Presidents Ching Fang (Eva) Hung & Jin Qiu (Tracey) Xie

  • Co-Treasurers Dan Lin & Maggie Zhu

  • Co-Secretaries Huali Zeng & Jiangfang Liang

These volunteer parent leaders have already met with our Parent Coordinator and Assistant Principals to plan special events and fundraisers to benefit our students during the first half of the school year. I can’t wait to see everything our PTA will accomplish to support our students.


Our first PTA meeting of the year will be held Monday morning at 8:30 AM in P.S. 120’s Auditorium. You can see more information about the meeting and RSVP via ParentSquare here. During the meeting, there will also be an election for this year’s Title I Parent Advisory Committee (PAC) officers and a School Leadership Team parent alternate member. Please click here to nominate yourself or another P.S. 120 parent to serve in a leadership role! I encourage all P.S. 120 parents to join and participate actively in our PTA/PAC meetings this year.


Have a wonderful weekend with your family!


Sincerely,

Robert Marino

Principal

P.S. 120’s Mission

At P.S. 120, we are committed to preparing our different types of learners to compete in the ever-changing 21st Century workforce by guiding them to recognize the importance of finding the balance between doing what they love, and what the world will need them to do. The faculty at PS 120 will:

  • Commit to the use of data-driven instruction and decision-making to provide equity-based instruction in all classrooms. 

  • Provide opportunities for students to take responsibility for their own learning by participating in classroom discussion and be able to predict how they can use what they are learning in their everyday lives and goals

  • Engage students in problem-solving and critical thinking activities

  • Foster leadership opportunities for students in and out of the classroom

  • Expose and engage students in the cultural arts

  • Enable digital literacy by teaching students to use information and communication technologies to find, evaluate, create, and communicate information, requiring both cognitive and technical skills

  • Empower students to apply their talents to the service of others

As a result, students at P.S. 120: 

  • SEL Assemblies: This week, our 3rd and 4th grade students joined our school counselors, Mr. Woodburn and Ms. Gao, for an SEL assembly. At P.S. 120, our students understand that, in order to be our best selves, we have to continuously work on our Mind, Body, and Heart!

  • Grade 3 Literacy Groups: Third grade students are receiving targeted instruction through strategically planned student groups. Teachers are engaging students in personalized instruction catering to individual needs. Some students are strengthening foundational literacy skills through Fundations phonics instruction, while others are working on their critical thinking skills through Book Clubs. Way to go, Dragons!

  • iReady Beginning of Year Diagnostic: This week, our school began administering the i-Ready Beginning-of-Year (BOY) Diagnostic across grades K-5. Once students complete the assessment, they will have access to personalized online lessons tailored to their specific areas of need. As part of our school-wide expectations, every child is expected to log in daily to i-Ready and complete their My Path lessons in both Reading and Math, or teacher-assigned lessons. Students should engage for 30–49 minutes per subject, over the course of the week. Teachers will share more about iReady usage expectations by grade in their communications with families. 


Announcements

  • P.S. 120Q Parent Handbook: Our school’s Parent Handbook has been updated for the 2025-2026 school year! Please bookmark the P.S. 120Q Parent Handbook to read school policies and procedures for parents.

    • Birthday Policy: Please note that we have updated our birthday policy for parents. We appreciate your cooperation: Every student’s special day is honored in the classroom with a song, movement break or craft. Please do not send treats to share in class or at lunch/recess/dismissal. PLEASE NOTE: Elaborate food, soft drinks, party favors, party hats, goody bags, balloons, decorations, or entertainment are not permitted and will be returned directly to the family.

  • September 2025 New York City Public Schools Family Update: Please see Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos’ family update for September 2025 here (Translations linked within). 

  • Free Family Events in the Community:

How to navigate how special education works, from referral and evaluation through IEP meetings and annual reviews

Support & Resources

 Language Access: Spanish and Mandarin interpreters will be available. Albanian, Arabic, Bangla, French, Haitian Creole, Korean, Russian, Urdu, Uzbek, Ukrainian, and American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters are available upon request.

  •  For more Special Education resources, visit schools.nyc.gov/BeyondAccess

  • ESOL classes - Free english Class 

    • Flyer

    • Registration is on-going. For more information, please call us at 718-939-6137 or email us at education@kcsny.org. Our office hours are from 9 AM - 5 PM

  • Korean Art Competition 

    • The deadline is approaching (October 31st).

    •  For more information, please click here

  • Library Open House Week Starts Sept 15–21 | All Locations!
    Discover special events, activities, and resources in many languages at NYPL during Library Open House Week! Visit any of our 92 locations across the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island to enjoy special giveaways for kids, teens, and adults—including backpacks, notebooks, and pens and pencils while supplies last—when you sign up for or renew your free library card, check out books, or take part in our all-new scavenger hunts.

  • 3rd Annual Kindness Carnival™

    • 📅When: Saturday, October 4 · 1 - 5pm EDT

    • 💻 Where: Cambria Playground-Frederick Cabbell Park 

                      Francis Lewis Boulevard Queens, NY 11411

  • FREE inflatables, food, haircuts & more as we stand together against bullying.

  • 👉 The event is free. You can register for the event here.

  • Recycled Materials Collection: Our Science team has planned an exciting activity for Dad’s Take Your Child to School Day that requires recycled items. We are in need of paper towel rolls and toilet paper rolls. Please save these cardboard items and keep them clean and dry if you wish to donate them.

    • Students may drop these recycled materials off in the gym or in the collection bin outside of the main office beginning on Wednesday 9/17. Ms. Day and her Green Team will take care of the rest!

  • Show Your Dragon Pride! Our PS120 Spiritwear Store is officially open!

    • Shop all the latest PS120 Dragon gear online at:
       👉 www.smoothusa.com/ps120q

    • Don’t miss out—this first ordering window closes on October 5th! Let’s fill our school with Dragon pride—Mind, Body, Heart… Go Dragons!

  • School Meals/Menus: Click the links below to access daily/monthly cafeteria menus:


SEL Corner

  • Announcements

    • In September, we are celebrating the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month, please find events and exhibitions here

    • Catch the end of summer and go to nature! NYC Parks have awesome events and talks. 

      • Do you hear the crunch when you step on dry leaves on the ground? Foliage season is around the corner! Click here to track New York City’s foliage, and here for the entire state of New York!

    • Middle schools: Welcome to the 2025-2026 school year. The NYC schools website has an overview of the middle school application process. NYC schools have 3 virtual family admissions events listed here, the link will be posted shortly:

      • October 21, 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM | Interpretation in: Bangla, Korean, Spanish, Albanian

      • October 22, 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM | Interpretation in: Chinese (Mandarin), Haitian Creole, Urdu, Ukrainian

      • October 23, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM | Interpretation in: Arabic, French, Russian, Uzbek

      • You can also sign up for middle school related emails and messages here.


  • SEL Resources

    • Want to learn more about special education in NYC public schools? We have a Special Education online event coming up on Tuesday, September 30th, 2025, from 7 pm to 9 pm. Topics include:

      • How to navigate how special education works, from referral and evaluation through IEP meetings and annual reviews

      • 🤝Support & Resources

      • Spanish and Mandarin interpreters will be available. Albanian, Arabic, Bangla, French, Haitian Creole, Korean, Russian, Urdu, Uzbek, Ukrainian, and American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters are available upon request.

      • Register here

    • Free mental health resources and tips at The Kids Mental Health Foundation

    • September is Library Card Sign-Up Month.  Click here to get a free library card.  

    • Back to School Resources

    •  Virtual Libraries


  • MindUp/Brain Power Wellness - Media screen time

    • Last week, we talked about establishing routines and how important routines are for us and our children. We know that screen time might be part of the routines at home, and here are some tips for healthy use of devices:

      • Limit the amount of total entertainment screen time to <1 to 2 hours per day.

      • Discourage screen media exposure for children <2 years of age.

      • Keep the TV set and Internet-connected electronic devices out of the child’s bedroom.

      • Monitor what media their children are using and accessing, including any Web sites they are visiting and social media sites they may be using.

      • Coview TV, movies, and videos with children and teenagers, and use this as a way of discussing important family values.

      • Model active parenting by establishing a family home use plan for all media. As part of the plan, enforce a mealtime and bedtime “curfew” for media devices, including cell phones. Establish reasonable but firm rules about cell phones, texting, Internet, and social media use.


Celebrations

  • New York City Public Schools Calendar 2025-2026: Please bookmark this year’s school calendar, which includes information on school events and vacations throughout the year! Scroll down to view and/or print translations in your preferred language.

    • Please mark your calendar with upcoming events, holidays and school closures:

      • Thursday, October 2: Schools closed for Yom Kippur

      • Monday, October 13: Schools closed for Italian Heritage/Indigenous Peoples' Day

      • Monday, October 20: Schools closed for Diwali