Speaker Quinn and Councilman James Vacca to Visit P.S. 105 Faculty to Demonstrate SMART Board technology

Here is a press release related to technology in Bronx public schools.

Gregory
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Speaker Quinn, CM Vacca to Visit P.S. 105 Faculty to demonstrate importance of SMART Board technology in the classroom Tomorrow morning at 11:30 A.M.

Council Speaker Christine Quinn and Council Member James Vacca will join Principal Christopher Eustace and several teachers at P.S. 105 in Pelham Parkway South for a pre-school year visit and tour. Vacca and Quinn will meet with school leaders and tour the building, followed by a teacher demonstration of how SMART Board technology is used in the classroom. P.S. 105 is slated to have a SMART Board installed in every classroom by January 2012 as a result of capital funding allocated by the City Council and the School Construction Authority.

WHO: Council Speaker Christine Quinn; Council Member James Vacca; Mr. Christopher Eustace, Principal of P.S. 105
WHAT: Pre-school year tour and SMART Board technology demonstration
WHEN: Tuesday, September 7, 2011 @ 11:30 A.M.
WHERE: P.S. 105, 725 Brady Avenue, Bronx

11th Annual Hugs from Pun Foundation School Supply Give Away a Hugh Success

(Nicole Rodriguez in front of “Big Pun” mural after this Saturdays Hugs From Pun Foundation school supply give away)

This Saturday I had the honor to meet up with the main organizers of the Hugs from Pun Foundation after their eleventh year of distributing free school supplies to youth in the South Bronx. The organization, lead by his sister Nicole Rodriguez above, distributed 547 school supply packages to local youth as they prepared for their first day of school.

Murals of "Big Pun" can be found often when driving around the South Bronx. Besides creating music many loved, he also was loved by the community due to his philanthropy. His early death caused by weight issues, ended a carrier that would have exploded making him legendary, much like many of the artists he collaborated with. During his life time he earned the honor of being the first Latino Hip-hop artists to go platinum.

Speaking to his sister Nicole made me wonder why we have yet to see this iconic figure on the “Big Screen”. Much like Brooklyn has “Biggie Smalls” the South Bronx has “Big Pun”. Is it time for a film about this great entrepreneur and community philanthropist? Everyone I asked in the Bronx has been enthusiastic about the idea. Please do let me know your thoughts on the question.

(Left and Right Shot of Mural Dedicated to Big Pun on Rogers Pl and 163rd)

Official Big Pun web site;
http://www.bigpunplace.com/

Bronx Brewery Launch Party on Thursday September 8th at the Bronx Ale House

For anyone on the hunt for good beer after today’s Labor Day festivities, the party continues at the Bronx Ale House on Thursday, when Bronx Brewery launches its new brew. The Bronx Ale House is located on 216 West 238th Street in the Bronx. I posted their web link for anyone needing additional information on one of the best watering holes our borough has to offer.

http://www.bronxalehouse.com/ordereze/Gallery/Galleries.aspx

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Join us for the official release of Bronx Brewery's first beer, Bronx Pale Ale. This deep amber, American-style pale ale is brewed with 5 different barley malts, generous additions of Cascade and Centennial hops, and a unique strain of yeast. It is dry-hopped, unfiltered and unpasteurized…we hope that you enjoy beer in the freshest state possible which is on draft at the Bronx Alehouse! Meet brewer Damian Brown and the Bronx Brewery crew and taste a fine craft beer from our great borough for the first time!

When : Thursday, September 8 · 6:00pm - 9:00pm

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Governor Cuomo Launches "Labor for Your Neighbor" Citizen Action Program

Governor Cuomo's administration is organizing individuals that want to help fellow New Yorkers devastated by Hurricane Irene through a volunteer work program called "Labor for Your Neighbor. For those who did not receive the e-mail and are interested, please do review the e-mail and web link below.

Gregory

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Governor Cuomo began a new program this weekend called "Labor for Your Neighbor," which encourages citizens to pitch in and help their fellow New Yorkers hit the hardest by Hurricane Irene.

The "Labor for Your Neighbor" program was created to build on the outpouring of support already expressed by New Yorkers and to stimulate even more neighbor-to-neighbor help on this long holiday weekend.

Through this program, individual New Yorkers can join Governor Cuomo and roll up their sleeves to help their neighbors take small steps toward recovery.

Volunteers will be shuttled into villages needing assistance and provided with appropriate equipment and supervision. New Yorkers who want to help by making a financial contribution to recovery efforts can do so by clicking the link above and donating through a centralized effort coordinated by the United Way of New York State.

Together, we will rebuild better and stronger than ever before.

Web link to learn more about the program:

http://governor.ny.gov/laborforyourneighbor

DOE Cuts Geared to Lower Paid Employees Sparks Demonstration on Wednesday September 7th

Here is an e-mail circulating from a Lisa Womack. She provides information about a demonstration scheduled for this Wednesday related to the proposed cuts to education. Again, the sacrifice is geared against the lowest paid employees of the NYC Board of Education. Multiple organizations are involved in the demonstrations planning and execution. The complete list can be found below.

Please do review and consider the points presented. Good luck to everyone taking part in the struggle to make sure NYC Educates don't force more working New Yorkers into shelters were the average monthly costs is greater than $4,000 per month or $48,000 annually. I am sure the salaries on the chopping block have a much lower average salary.

Gregory
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WEDNESDAY,
Sept. 7th @ 4 PM
NYC Departmentof Education
52 Chambers Street

Mayor Bloomberg’s layoffs will wreak havoc upon the lives of our school children with the greatest needs: students with disabilities, students in our poorest neighborhoods, and students who receive free lunch. These students— most of whom are Black and Latino, are being denied the support of workers who care for them every day—workers who also happen to be the lowest-paid employees of the NYC Department of Education, and who also happen to be mostly Black and Latino. Contrast these layoffs and those impacted by these layoffs with the highly-paid, non-union educrats populating the central office of the NYC Department of Education, including lawyers, or the millions of dollars spent on numerous consultants retained by the Department. Contrast these layoffs and those impacted with the $100 million per year of unpaid rent by co-located charter schools, or to the no-bid contracts and corruption associated with vendors such as Verizon.

(Trains: 4,5,6, N & R to City Hall-Brooklyn Bridge; or A/C to Chambers St.)
Sponsored by:• NYC Parents Union• Local 372-DC 37• CEP-CEP: Coalition for Public Education /Coalición por laEducación Pública• GEM: Grassroots Education Movement• Class Size Matters• The MANY: The Mothers’ Agenda NY• NYCORE• NY Charter Parents Association• Teachers Unite

History of Labor Day Clip

Here is a clip on the origins of Labor Day produced by the History Channel. The intention of the post is to provide a quick means to think about the holiday many of us probably take for granted.

To my surprise the holiday was created in 1894 as an appeasement to labor by Grover Cleveland after he squashed a labor strike which killed two strikers. I hope everyone does take a minute to review the clip and think about the origins of the holiday and how fortunate we are to live in a nation where our predecessor fought to create a middle class.

Gregory
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BoogieDowner Community Board Announcement: CB7 Meeting Tonight

The following tip on tonight’s Community Board 7 Parks committee meeting was sent by Jay Shuffield. He is part of a very vocal community organization called the Friend of Williamsbridge Oval. Tonights meeting is at 6:30pm at the address listed below.

I encourage everyone to get involved in their local community board so they can help maintain and improve their neighborhoods. All CB members, regardless of which neighborhood in the Bronx they represent, are encouraged to send information to the BoogieDowner. Part of the BoogieDowner mission is to help spread community awareness. Please send any information to the boogieDowner@gmail.com.

From the e-mail sent it seems some of the groups’ members are not satisfied with recent services in their park. For additional information her is the phone # to for CB7 headquarters; Ph (718) 933-5650

Gregory
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"Anyone who can make it should come to the Parks Committee meeting at Community Board 7 this evening. We need to talk about how nothing is getting done at the Oval!

CB7 is at 229A East 204th St. (the other 204th Street, between Mosholu Parkway and the Grand Concourse). Hope to see you!"
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Community Board web site:
http://www.bronxcb7.info/index.php