Parent Weekly Bulletin

Dear P.S. 120 Families,

I would like to send a HUGE thank you to our fantastic PTA board members and volunteers for all of their hard work in preparing for our schoolwide Lunar New Year celebrations. On Thursday night, we hosted over 300 P.S. 120 students and family members, as well as 7 different community dance/martial arts studios, for our annual World Food Expo and Lunar New Year performance! On Friday, we had daytime assemblies featuring class and individual student performances, and the PTA surprised all of the students with a red envelope gift. 

Cultural celebrations like these are such an important part of our P.S. 120 community, and we appreciate the talents of all the students, staff, and parent volunteers who come together to make these events happen!

Stay warm and 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: 

  • World Read Aloud Day: On Wednesday, P.S. 120 celebrated the joy of books! Teachers read aloud favorite children’s stories to their classes and students also visited their Reading Buddies for continued reading enjoyment!

  • Lunar New Year Celebration: Our school’s Lunar New Year celebration highlighted the rich traditions of the holiday with colorful performances, festive decorations, and a World Food Expo on Thursday night! The event brought our community together to honor heritage, share delicious food, and welcome the new year with joy and unity. On Friday, we had daytime assemblies featuring class and individual student performances.

  • Field Trips: Classes 208, 308, 408, and 508 enjoyed a day out at Bee’s Arts and Crafts Studio. Students tapped into their creative minds and engaged in fun artmaking!

  • Dragon Press Student Newspaper: Our student journalists have completed the January edition of Dragon Press - read it here!


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.

  • February 2026 New York City Public Schools Family Updates: Please see New York City Public Schools family updates for February 2026 here (Translations linked within).

  • Coming Soon - NYC School Survey 2026: Share your opinion! Every year, NYC public schools ask families to complete a survey about your school experience. This year’s survey window opens Monday, February 9, and runs through Saturday, April 11. Keep an eye out for your child’s green survey envelope coming home soon! You will receive directions about how to complete the survey, which you can choose to complete on paper or online. Read more about the NYC School Survey here!

  • 2025-2026 Parent Participation Days: We will continue to have monthly Parent Participation Days from December to May. Please save these dates:

    • Thursday, February 26

    • Monday, March 16

    • Wednesday, April 22

    • Friday, May 29

    • Prior to each Parent Participation Day, homeroom teachers will message parents specifying the content area of the lesson parents will view, so that parents know in advance and can decide whether they wish to attend.

    • We will continue to offer Parent Academy workshops before/after classroom visits. If you have a workshop topic you would like to suggest, please contact Parent Coordinator Annabelle TianTian Zhang.

  • Clothing Bin Removed: Please note that we have discontinued our clothing donation bin in the schoolyard, as the company responsible for picking up the items was not responsive with making pickups in a timely manner. Please do not place clothing donations in the schoolyard any longer; they will not be collected and will present a health/safety hazard. We encourage families to seek other locations in the community to donate unneeded items.

  • P.S. 120Q Spiritwear Online Store is open once again! 🎉 

Thanks to our partnership with Smooth Sportswear, parents, students, and staff can easily order spiritwear to show your PS120 Flushing Dragon pride.

You can shop directly at: www.smoothusa.com/ps120q

Ordering Window & Delivery Date:

  • Ordering Window: January 12, 2026 – February 8, 2026

  • Expected delivery: Early March 2026

We encourage you to place your order during this window, because this will be the last opportunity to order spiritwear for the 2025-2026 school year - don't miss out! Thank you for helping us build school spirit together—Mind, Body, Heart… Go Dragons! 🐉

  • Reminder - iReady Expectations: As a reminder, P.S. 120 purchases schoolwide iReady licenses to support students in achieving grade level standards. iReady is an online tool for K-5th grade students in Reading and Math. Three times a year at school, we take the iReady diagnostic screeners to assess students' skill levels. In between assessments, we ask for parents' assistance in encouraging students to complete assigned iReady minutes. It is a schoolwide expectation that all Kindergarten - 5th grade students engage for 30-49 minutes per week, per subject, with a 70% or greater pass rate. Students can engage in the iReady myPath lessons, which provides personalized, adaptive instruction based on students' performance on previous lessons. Students can also be assigned specific content area lessons by their teachers directly. 

  • PreK Application is Open: All NYC children born in 2022 can apply by the February 27, 2026 deadline for a PreK seat in September. All families who apply by the deadline will receive an offer in May. Families can apply three ways (Translation is available for all application materials):

  • Free Family Events in the Community:

    • ESOL classes - Free English Class 

      • 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

  • i‑Ready Virtual Parent Workshop on Monday, February 9, 2026.

📘 Topic: Understanding the purpose of the Diagnostic and how it helps identify student strengths and areas for growth

  • 🕒 Workshop Schedule

    • 5:30–6:15 PM — English/Mandarin Session

    • 6:15–7:00 PM — English/Spanish Session

Each session includes a 30–35minute presentation followed by 10–15 minutes for parent questions.

  • Click here to register:

👉 https://cainc.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_WHSoFNZMQxav8s8cEKXWAw

Please sign in as soon as possible so we can ensure smooth communication and preparation for the session.

    Join Webinar    

  • VIRTUAL SOCIAL EMOTIONAL SUPPORT FOR PARENTS WORKSHOP SERIES

Join us via Zoom to learn how to support your child's Social Emotional Learning (SEL) at home. Families are encouraged to attend all sessions. ALL are welcome!

  • Session #1: Balancing the Books and the Bonds: Stress Management Strategies for Academic-Focused Parenting. 

    • 🎟️ Tuesday, February 10, 2026 from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM: Balancing the Books and the Bonds (RSVP Here)This workshop helps families support strong academic growth while also protecting connection and emotional wellbeing at home. Caregivers will learn practical stress management strategies that balance high expectations with warmth, communication, and healthy relationships. Presented by Child Center of New York.

  • Session #2: Thriving Together: Improving Family Communication

    • 🎟️ Tuesday, March 10, 2026 from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM: Balancing the Books and the Bonds (RSVP Here)Build stronger family connections in this workshop focused on helping caregivers and children communicate with empathy, manage stress, and repair after conflict. Families will learn simple, practical tools to listen better, speak clearly, and grow closer through everyday moments. Presented by Marble Health.

  • MATHEMATICS VIRTUAL PARENT WORKSHOP SERIES: Join District 25 via Zoom as our Math Instructional Lead, Beth Eaton, leads us through supporting your child's Algebra Readiness at home. Families are encouraged to attend all sessions. ALL are welcome!

    • Event Flyers and Shared Documents

      • 🎟️ Wednesday, April 29, 2026 from 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM: Fractions, proportions & ratios across grades K-8 [RSVP Here]

    • SPECIAL EDUCATION VIRTUAL PARENT WORKSHOP SERIES: Join District 25 via Zoom as our Administrator of Special Education, Nathan Yakubov, leads us through different Special Education topics including the IEP process, eligibility, and more. Families are encouraged to attend all sessions. ALL are welcome!

Event Flyers and Shared Documents


SEL Corner


  • SEL Resources

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

    • Back to School Resources

    •  Virtual Libraries

    • Parent workshops

      • Free workshops by Child Center of NY and Marble Health

        • Balancing the Books and the Bonds: Stress Management Strategies for Academic-Focused Parenting - Tuesday, February 10, 2026 from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM: Balancing the Books and the Bonds (RSVP Here)

        • Thriving Together: Improving Family Communication - Tuesday, March 10, 2026 from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM: Balancing the Books and the Bonds (RSVP Here)

      • Free workshops by Community Change Inc., learn more and sign up here:

        • The Whole You: How Can a Father Become More Whole, Present, and Emotionally Steady for His Children? - Thursday, February 12th, 2026 6-7 pm

        • Supporting the Journey: Helping Your First-Generation College Student Thrive - Friday, February 13th, 2026 6-7 pm

    • Student activities

      • New York City Football Club's Youth Programs, learn more and sign up here


  • MindUp/Brain Power Wellness - Modeling coping skills

    • Painful feelings are unavoidable, but how we respond to them is a choice. And showing children how to cope effectively with uncomfortable emotions is one of the most important ways we can support their wellbeing and development.

    • Healthy coping skills take many forms, including mindfulness, exercise, deep breathing, and positive self-talk. They help us manage our most intense emotions, and they’re also linked to lower levels of impulsivity

    • Children pick up behavior patterns from adults, so one of the best ways to teach your kids good coping skills is to practice them yourself. This can mean taking space after a tense interaction, practicing paced breathing when the train is running late, or having a daily yoga practice. It can be helpful to narrate your behavior to your kids as you model (“Okay, that phone call made me feel anxious, so I’m going to do some belly breathing and walk around the block to help calm myself down”). Leading by example is also usually more effective than trying to tell kids what to do.

    • If you struggle with regulating your emotions (like most of us!), you may worry about your ability to model effectively. Remember that you’re only human, and that all parents make mistakes. Start with practicing one or two skills that feel manageable and add on from there. Taking it slow will help you build confidence and internalize the habits you are working on.

    • Many parents find it hard to prioritize working on their own coping skills. When you’re balancing competing responsibilities, it can feel like there’s just not enough time in the day. You might even feel like setting aside time for your personal development is selfish. But kids pick up on how we treat ourselves, and they are likely to copy our habits, positive or negative. Sometimes, the best way to care for your child is to show up for yourself, too.


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:

      • Monday, February 16 - Friday, February 20: Schools closed for Midwinter Recess

      • Thursday, March 5 - Half day dismissal for all P.S. 120 students; Virtual afternoon/evening Parent-Teacher Conferences