GerritsenBeach.net » PS 277

Vote: PS 277 Student is Finalist in National Competition

GerritsenBeach.net — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 15:24:52 +0000

A 4th Grade student in PS 277 is one of 72 national finalists in “What Math Means to Me Art Contest” by McGraw-Hill. It is a where there were over 2100 entries to the My Math Cover contest. Students were asked to create original works of art that tell the story of “what math means to them”. They will be rewarded with that piece of art proudly displayed on the cover of the new My Math Student materials – both in print and online.

Mikayla

I was asked to draw a picture about what math means to me. Math means many different things to me. I see math in different ways. I see math in shapes and colors. I don’t see math like other people because of my dyslexia. Sometimes I see numbers backwards. Sometimes I jumble the place value. It helps me when I think of the number in colors. The colors help me concentrate. When I drew my picture I wanted to show how I see numbers in colorful ways.

You must signup to Vote. Help this talented student out!

Schools To Start Thursday Please “Drive Carefully”

GerritsenBeach.net — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 12:01:02 +0000

As students head back to school, motorists should drive cautiously to prevent injuries and deaths among school-age children.

AAA urges drivers to:

Slow down near schools, bus stops and playgrounds.
Obey lower speed limits in school zones.
Stop for school buses with flashing red lights and extended stop arms.
Never use a handheld cell phone while driving – it’s the law.
Drive carefully in bad weather..

If you are walking:

Rules for Safeguarding Your Child

Walk On Sidewalks: Watch out for cars pulling into, and backing out of, driveways.
Walk On the Left Facing Traffic If There Are No Sidewalks: Staying to the left allows you to watch oncoming traffic and to get out of the way if necessary.
Cross Only At Corners: Avoid the dangerous practice of “jaywalking.” Cross at an intersection controlled by a traffic light wherever possible.
Stop And Look All Ways Before Crossing: If there’s no traffic light, wait until oncoming cars are at least a block away before crossing. A car may still be able to stop if it’s closer, but children are often badly frightened by “near” accidents.
Watch For Turning Cars: Children sometimes forget to look and unintentionally walk into the side of a turning vehicle.
Continue To Look Left, Right and Left Again As You Cross: It’s easy to miss an oncoming car.
Avoid Crossing Between Parked Cars: It’s almost impossible for drivers to see youngsters who enter the roadway from between parked cars.
Play Away From Traffic: Playgrounds, schoolyards and your own backyard are the safest places to play.
Be Especially Alert In Bad Weather: Rain, snow, fog and even umbrellas can obstruct vision. Also, drivers may be unable to stop quickly. Children should wear brightly colored and retro-reflective clothing.
Obey Police Officers, Adult Crossing Guards, and Traffic Signals: These “safety guardians” can greatly enhance a child’s safety when going to and from school.

Congratulations: Last day of School

GerritsenBeach.net — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 21:38:48 +0000

Exams are over, grades are in. At this point, most students know whether they are bound for summer school or summer fun.

Congratulations to all who have moved up and graduated.

Eagle Scout Project Improves PS 277

GerritsenBeach.net — Tue, 31 May 2011 17:43:35 +0000

Shane Blundell, 17, Boy Scouts of America Troop 396 completed his Eagle Scout Project at PS 277 on Gerritsen Avenue, Brooklyn NY. The community as well as the school will certainly benefit from the improvements he and his volunteers have made.

Shane and his small crew took down and cleaned up the old seahorse planting that used to be at PS 277. They then set up a whole new area with low-maintenance patterned brick replacing the rocks chips that were in place. They then topped it off with new molded cement in the shape of PS 277 and a seahorse.

Eagle Scout is the highest rank attainable in the Boy Scouting program of the Boy Scouts of America. A scout who attains this rank is called an Eagle Scout or Eagle. Since its introduction in 1911, the Eagle Scout rank has been earned by more than two million young men. The title of Eagle Scout is held for life, thus giving rise to the phrase “Once an Eagle, always an Eagle.”

The St. Edmunds High School Junior joined cub scouts in the first grade and became a boy scout in the fifth. He has earned a total of 38 merit badges, 17 more than the minimum 21 required towards becoming an Eagle; they include the National Conservation Badge, Mile Swim, Wilderness Survival, and the 2010 Historic Merit Badge which was only released for one year for the 100th Anniversary of the Boy Scouts. Four vintage merit badges were released for the centennial celebration, Carpentry, Pathfinding, Tracking, and Signaling (i.e. Make a device and demonstrate the ability to send and receive a message in the International Morse Code with a complete message of not less than 35 words, at a rate of not less than 35 letters per minute.)

The idea for the project arose from discussions with his family and the PS 277 staff whom Blundell approached with the suggestion for this project. The school was all for the project – as it as it would cut most – if not all of the maintenance.

Blundell, has spent about six months working on this project but only because the brutal winter and recent weather held him back. Preparation started back in November and entailed a detailed, page plan covering all aspects, meetings with the 277 administration and local mason, Kerry Ecock. “I feel as though this project is the biggest accomplishment of my life. This project has helped my existing communication, and planning skills. The advice I have received from my Scout Master Mike Bianco has been amazing because he is always on top of things.” said Blundell.

“In 20 years, hopefully it will still be here and I will be able to look back knowing how much I accomplished,” he reflected.

The 17 year-old plans on attending SUNY Maritime in the Fall to major in Marine Engineering.

For more information about scouting, visit www.scouting.org. Alternatively within our area contact Mike Bianco or stop by the Resurrection Church basement any Tuesday night at 7:30pm

P.S. 277 Park Sinkhole Filled

GerritsenBeach.net — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 12:19:37 +0000

The sinkhole at the PS 277 playground has been filled, no word yet on whether or not the underlying leak was repaired.

Parks Upgrades Hole to Sinkhole – Broken Pipe to Blame

GerritsenBeach.net — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 14:21:23 +0000

Parks was on site the other day at the Giant Hole Inside PS 277 Playground site and has determine that this is not a hole but a sinkhole caused by a broken pipe.

According to a parks spokesperson they have gone in with the camera probe and found a broken pipe, possibly a sewer pipe, that will need to be repaired before the hole can be filled.

“It is not a simple case of filling a pot hole, and will take some time”. They will have to open up the street and repair if that is the cause which will take time. Therefore, in response to the community’s concerns, they will put a temporary plywood cover on the hole itself in addition to the barricades currently around it.

Updated with better pictures.

WPIX: Dangerous Hole at Playground

GerritsenBeach.net — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 11:06:42 +0000

Traffic Signal Installation to Start In Three Weeks

GerritsenBeach.net — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 16:54:16 +0000

State Senator Marty Golden today is announcing that the yellow traffic signal installation at Channel Avenue will finally be installed approximately three weeks.

After being originally announced back in August the installation the installation was being held up by Department of Transportation’s installation department.

PS 277 Get New Speed Limit Signs

GerritsenBeach.net — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 16:43:37 +0000

Over the weekend the Department of Transportation placed new speeding signs in front of P.S. 277. The new signs explicitly spell out the new speed limit of 20MPH during arrival and dismissal times of 7-9am and 2-4pm.

Gerritsen and Channel is still scheduled to receive a flashing yellow traffic signal. There is no estimated date on installation.

Op Ed: “No one cares about the lives of the children of PS 277″

GerritsenBeach.net — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 21:39:56 +0000

A concerned parent writes in:

A child will be killed or maimed before a traffic light is installed at the corner of Gerritsen Avenue and Channel Avenue. This corner is the morning entrance to our elementary school. We started the school year without a crossing guard assigned to the corner. When a crossing guard shows up for work, the motorists disregard her commands to stop. The mothers and children cross at great peril. The community has tried for years at no avail to protect the children. A child had to die at the hands of a motorist before a traffic light was installed at the main entrance of the school. Help save our children.

State Senator Marty Golden received approval for a flashing light at the location in the summer of 2010. Surprising amounts of traffic lights have been installed around our community but we cannot get this desperately needed one up and working. October 13, 2010 Representative Anthony Weiner wrote Brooklyn Borough Commissioner of Transportation, Commissioner Palmeiri that he secured funding (through SAFETEA-LU) for such a light in 2005 and urged him to use the money to make the neighborhood and school safe for the residents. Although a flashing light is insufficient, no work is being done to install the light.

Gerritsen Avenue is the main thoroughfare of this peninsula community. It is heavily trafficked when the children are arriving at school. The motorists are in a hurry to get to work and will not slow down for our precious little ones crossing the street. Save our children please!