WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT HIGH SCHOOL
Parent Coordinator’s Newsletter
Our School’s Mission
In our “Relentless Quest for Excellence,” we will provide ALL students personalized targeted support in a warm,
supportive, safe teaching and learning environment so that they reach their highest potential. Each student will
be expected to master technology, think critically, problem solve, negotiate text and work collaboratively in small
learning communities. ALL students will graduate with the academic and life skills necessary for college and
career readiness for the 21st Century, be model citizens, and contribute to their community and the world at large.
May 9, 2014
Namita Dwarka, Principal
Dear Parents / Guardians,
Reminder Saturday Program This Week!
The program runs from 8:30 A.M. to 11:30 A.M. All students will receive support in subject areas and Regents
preparation classes for the upcoming administration of the Regents. Also there is an opportunity to make up
missing labs from 11:30AM – 12:30PM. Breakfast will be served!
Also Tutoring is now available in all subject areas throughout the school day and after school. Please check
out our website at Wcbryanths.org for schedule. Students should attend either after their school day or
during their free/lunch period.
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New Free Online SAT Prep Course for Our Students "Method Test Prep"
Your child has access to Method Test Prep, an online course that helps students improve their SAT and ACT
scores, as well as build their math, reading and writing skills.
This preparatory SAT/ACT course is geared to target all students and meet their learning needs.
For instant online access to assist you in preparing for the SAT...
1. Log into your Castle Learning account at www.castlelearning.com
(First time users should use only their OSIS numbers to create their account)
2. Click on Method Test Prep (at the bottom of the home page under Additional Resources)
Take advantage of this valuable online tool!
If you need assistance with your Castle Learning account, please contact us at 718-721-5404 ext. 1310
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Important AP Exams: May 5, 2014 to May 16, 2014
Selected students are schedule to take the AP Exams continue this week. Most exams are two to three hours
long. Be prepared to tackle a challenging exam with limited breaks. Selected students have been notified when
and where to report for the exams.
Eat a good breakfast and, if you are taking more than one exam on the same day, make sure you have lunch and
snacks to keep you going. Good luck!
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Reminder Upcoming Title 1 Parent Involvement Workshop:
Overview of Special Education Process: Parents will learn the NYC process, including referrals, evaluation,
services, placements and parent rights and role. Light refreshment will be served!
Tuesday May 13, 2014, 6:00PM
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Reminder Parent Association Meeting:
Please join us for our PA meeting on Tuesday, May 13 at 7 p.m. Once again, it is the time of the year when we
begin to recruit new parents and/or guardians for our Parents Association Executive Board and Parent
Representatives for the School Leadership Team (SLT). Nomination and Elections for these positions will take
place at our General Meeting on May 13, 2014. At the meeting we will also take nominations from the floor and
conduct our elections. Nominations will be closed at 7:30 p.m.
If you are interested in running for a position, please download the Nomination Form from our website at
wcbryanths.org. Complete the form and return to Room 121 or to our PA Nomination Committee, at our
general meeting. If you would like to run for a position, but cannot attend the meeting, a letter letting us know
the position you would like to run for during this election MUST be forwarded to the PA President through the
office of the Parent Coordinator. Please include your child’s name and grade. We hope to see all of you there.
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Reminder Important Senior Information:

Senior Prom $100.00 deadline to pay is May 21st 9 (Cocktail Hour, Dinner and Dancing at The Sand Castle on June
th
4 , 2014)

Senior Dues $70.00 deadline to pay is May 30th
All payments are to be made in cash or with a money order made out to William Cullen Bryant High School.
Receipts will be given for each purchase. Feel free to reach Ms. Ghrawi, 718-721-5404 ext. 2130 if you have
additional questions.
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New Spring Concert: Thursday, May 15 at 4:30PM and Friday, May 16 at 7:00 PM!
The music students of W.C. Bryant High School take the stage for our annual Spring Concert, performing a variety
of classical and contemporary works. Join us for an evening of enjoying the fruits of our musicians’ hard work
and dedication throughout the year, as the Concert band, Beginning Choir, Freshman Choir, Glee Club, and Jazz
Band entertain you! Tickets are $8.00 available at the door or in advance in room B53.
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New Sport Awards Dinner:
Sport Awards Dinner will be held on Monday, June 2nd, at Ricardo’s. Our goal is to have all students within the
athletics program attend in order to recognize their individual performance, contribution, and achievement.
Admission is $40 which includes a buffet dinner and a dance party.
Members of the B.U. (Bryant Union) leadership team and Ms. Ghrawi are collecting the money in room 213.
The last day to pay will be Thursday, May 30th, 2014.
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New Summer School
Summer school provides students with additional instructional support to ensure that they achieve proficiency
in NYS Learning Standards and NYC Performance Standards. Summer school is encouraged for those students in
grades 3-12 who have not yet met the promotion standards to move on to the next grade level. For more
information see Chancellor’s Regulation A-501 .
The summer school calendar is now posted. The first instructional day will be Tuesday, July 1, 2014. As in past
years, families will be notified in June if their child is mandated to attend summer school. For more information
visit the Summer School website.
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New STEM Summer Enrichment
The NYC Department of Education presents 17 exciting science and STEM summer enrichment opportunities for
Pre-K to high school students featuring:
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
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1-week and multi-week camps
High School Internships
A 5-week College Credit-bearing Course

Registration is now open! For program offerings and to register, see information below. Click here to print the
Summer Enrichment Opportunities flyer. Visit http://schools.nyc.gov/students for more information and to
register
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OPPORTUNITIES FOR FAMILIES AND STUDENTS:
Family Fun Days— June 7, 14
Join D75 schools for a full day of entertainment featuring WBLS, face painting, caricatures, lunch, community
resources and giveaways. The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at P.S. 721 Roy Campanella Campus, 64
Avenue X (between West 11th & 12th). The final fun day will be held in Queens on June 14. Visit
D75’s website for a complete list of events and resources.
NYC Ladders For Leaders
NYC LADDERS FOR LEADERS provides high school and college students the opportunity to participate in summer
internships with some of the most dynamic corporations and businesses in New York City.
The NYC Ladders for Leaders program, a component of the Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP),
provides professional internships to NYC youth between the ages of 16 to 21. This competitive process differs
from the traditional SYEP model in that it requires applicants to submit an application to one of several
community-based organizations (CBO) serving the five boroughs. Applications are evaluated based on academic
performance, response to an essay question, and resume. Once participants have been selected, they are
engaged in 30-hours of pre-employment training designed to teach essential workplace readiness skills and
business etiquette. Interviews for summer internships are scheduled by our partnering CBO’s in a variety of
industries from the public and private sectors. Final selections for the six-week internship are made by our
partnering employers.
For more information, please contact 1-800-246-4646 or http://www.nyc.gov/html/dycd/html/jobs/ladders.shtml
Additional Ways to Graduate Fair—May 22
Students who will be 16 -20 years old on September 1, 2014 and have between 0 and 44 credits, and their
families, are invited to attend the Additional Ways to Graduate Fair on Thursday, May 22 from 5:30 a.m. to 8:00
p.m. at the George Westinghouse Career & Technical Education High School, 105 Johnson Street Brooklyn, NY
11201. Families will have the opportunity to meet school representatives and learn more about Transfer
Schools, Young Adult Borough Centers (YABCs) and GED Programs – across all five boroughs. Click here for a
flyer. For more information visit www.goingforme.org. For additional questions about this event, e-mail
KConnolly6@schools.nyc.gov.
Spanish (ELE) Reading Assessments—May 19, 20
All students who receive native Spanish must take the Spanish (ELE) Reading Assessment.
The Spanish (ELE) Reading Assessment will be administered on May 20. For a complete list of assessments see
the 2013-2014 City and Statewide Assessment calendar. For a list of all calendar visits the visit the Calendars’
website. Please contact your school with specific questions about your child.
2014 Summer Youth Police Academy – June 27 ( Application Deadline)
The 2014 Youth Police Academy is six (6) week program that will hold sessions five (5) days a week from 8:30
a.m.- 2:00 p.m. Program dates are July 7-August 15. Students will attend classroom sessions with lectures, roleplays and topical demonstrations by police officers in the areas of law, behavioral science, drug prevention and
gang resistance. Field trips are also part of the curriculum. Transportation to and from the field trips will be
provided. Each site is accessible by public transportation. New York City residents, attending school, between
the ages of 10 and 16 are eligible to attend. The Youth Police Academy will provide those participating in the
program with lunch and uniform shirts. APPLICATIONS MAY BE DOWNLOADED BY CLICKING HERE.
Parent Workshops –Various Dates
This spring District 75 is hosting a number of workshops and events open to all families. See below for a
complete list of topics. For flyers and additional information visit their website.
Events
Health and Nutrition Fair- May 10 (Staten Island)
Family Fun Day - May 3 & June 7,14 ( Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens)
Fresh Air Fund Summer Opportunities
The Fresh Air Fund provides summer experiences for youth, including its summer camp program or Voluntary
Host Family Program. Applications are now being accepted at different locations. To apply, visit
http://www.freshair.org/. Call 1-800-367-0003 for more information.
Young Adult Internship Program
The Young Adult Internship Program (YAIP) is a 14-week workforce development internship program. YAIP
targets young adults ages 16-24 who are not working and not in school. YAIP begins with a two- to four-week
orientation conducted by DYCD-funded community-based organizations (CBOs), and followed by a 10 to 12week paid internship that offers structured work opportunities incorporating ongoing education as well as
additional participant and employer support. For more information, visit www.nyc.gov/dycd or call DYCD Youth
Connect at 1-800-246-4646.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of NYC’s Mentoring Children of Promise Program
The Mentoring Children of Promise Program aims to help families by matching youth that have an incarcerated
parent or family member with a fully screened and trained, volunteer mentor. Through this mentoring
relationship youth are afforded the opportunity to learn resilience in the face of adversity, the importance of
healthy relationships, as well as gain the support to grow to be successful young adults. Print a flyer. To refer a
child, contact Lissette Hernandez at (212)-686-2042 ext. 162 or lhernandez@bigsnyc.org.
Google Science Fair ( Middle and High Schools)—May 12
The Google Science Fair is an online science competition open to students ages 13 to 18 from around the globe.
It encourages students to change the world through scientific inquiry. Visit the website for resources designed
to help participants through the competition and more information about submitting a project online.
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Dates to Remember
May
9
11
13
15-16
20
22
23
26
27
28
29
30
Arista Ceremony
Mother’s Day
Book of Records – Periods 2 to 9
Spring Concert
Fashion Show – 6:00PM
Second Language Honor Society – 7:00PM
Carnival
Memorial Day – School Closed
Gymnastics Performance – 4:00PM
Senior Awards Night – 7:00PM
Art Show – 5:30PM Library
SLC Awards Night – 6:30PM
Happy Mother’s Day to All Moms, Grandmothers, Stepmothers, and Foster Mothers.
Enjoy Your Day!
Camilo Galvis
Parent Coordinator
William Cullen Bryant High School
718-721-5404 Ext. 1211 School
917-376-2499 Cellular
cgalvis@school.nyc.gov
Please continue to visit our website http://www.wcbryanths.org and also http://schools.nyc.gov/default.htm
for further updates.
Principal’s Vision
As we embark on our “Relentless Quest for Excellence,” it is my vision that we work collaboratively in a warm,
safe teaching and learning environment to provide personalized, targeted support for ALL students to reach
their highest potential. Each student will graduate with the academic and life skills necessary for college and
career readiness for the 21st Century, be model citizens, and contribute to their community and the world at
large.