Enrichment

P.S. 163 offers a number of enrichment programs, some taught by in-school “cluster” teachers (art, music, computers) and others taught by teaching artists from other companies (Young Audiences New York, National Dance Institute, NY Chess Kids), funding for which is provided by the P.S. 163 PTA.

Chess is offered to every child in grades K-5. The Chess Program at PS 163 is funded solely through parent fundraising. Chess Nights and a spring Wine Tasting, along with parent contributions to the Annual Appeal, are earmarked for chess. NY Chess Kids provides in-school chess skill training in 12-week cycles.

NY Chess Kids not only offers chess to our children in school, but also conducts a Chess Afterschool Program. The afterschool program is fee-based with a number of the seats offered on a scholarship basis. The Chess Committee needs supporters and volunteers to help assure that chess remains in our school for all our children to enjoy.

For more information on NY Chess Kids, click here NY Chess Kids

Dance: PS163 places an emphasis on dance and movement throughout the years. In K-2, arts instructors from Young Audiences New York (YANY) work with the students on storytelling and movement. In 3rd grade, students take two 10-week dance residencies with YANY, one in Mexican Folk Dance and one in Chinese Folk Dance. Fourth- and fifth-graders get an entire year of dance instruction from the National Dance Institute (NDI), a not-for-profit arts education organization founded in 1976 by Jacques d’Amboise. Through in-school partnerships, workshops, and public performances, NDI uses dance as a catalyst to engage children and motivate them to achieve excellence.

For more information on NDI, check out their website: http://www.nationaldance.org.

For more information on NDI at P.S. 163, click here

For more information on Young Audiences New York, click here:
For more information on Young Audiences New York at P.S. 163, click here:

Art: Children in grades K through 2 attend art class once a week. Nia Mason provides the children with a varied curriculum, including exercises in creating portraits, working with complementary colors, and studying the masters. Students in grades 3, 4 and 5 receive one half-year of art instruction and one half-year of music instruction.

Music: PS163 has a dedicated music teacher in addition to an art teacher. As in art, each child in K-2 attends music class once a week. Through third grade, children focus on basic percussion and vocal experiences. Students in grades 3, 4 and 5 receive one half-year of art instruction and one half-year of music instruction. Anna Spallina, the music teacher, also leads an afterschool chorus program for which children in grades 1-5 audition, practice once a week for 10 weeks, then perform in front of family and other students.

Computers: Our computer program is available to children in grades K through five. Students in each grade build on what they have learned in the prior year. First graders receive computer instruction for one semester and are introduced to the “Type to Learn” program and Appleworks word processing and paint programs. They also learn about the computer as an interactive tool using the BBC and RIF programs[?]. In second grade, students are introduced to the presentation programs Appleworks and PowerPoint. In the process of writing factual reports, the students learn to access various Internet sites as sources for images as well as information, which they incorporate in slideshows. The computer work of our third- and fourth-graders enhances their work in science. The students perform interactive experiments on the computer, write reports in Word or Appleworks, learn standard word processing skills, and learn how to draw tables and diagrams. Fifth-graders work on PowerPoint, producing projects with narration, tables, action buttons, and hyperlinks to websites, pictures, and text.PS 163 has collaborations with a number of outside providers. Young Audiences New York, the National Dance Institute, and NYChess Kids all offer weekly programming at 163, paid for by the PS 163 PTA. 

NDI ya lleva unos años organizando y presentando un programa de baile en 163 para los estudiantes del 4º grado. En 2006-2007 NDI empleaba un tema de baile africano con los niños; este año, NDI está untilizando un tema de baile mexicano con los estudiantes del 4º grado. Todos los estudiantes del colegio (y muchos padres y maestros) podían ver los bailes mexicanos en diciembre 2007 cuando hacían una presentación de la mitad del año en el colegio. El espectáculo final ocurrirá esta primavera.

Otra cosa importante que ocurre con la beca ESP es que los maestros y otros del 163 tienen la oportunidad de trabajar en una manera mas profunda con los profesionales de NDI:
Profesora/artista/coreógrafa Bianca Johnson se crió en Nueva York y empezó su entrenamiento primario en la escuela de ballet Joffrey. Ha bailado en el Kennedy Center, Madison Square Garden y Lincoln Center, entre otros. Bianca se educó en La Guardia High School y tiene un BFA en baile de NYU Tisch School of the Arts. Director de musica Jerome “Jerry” Korman lleva más de 20 años con NDI y ha trabajado en sitios prestigiosos por todo el mundo. Recientemente trabajó de compositor para un documental, I-Deas, producido por la fundación Arthur Ashe, y trabaja de momento en una obra musical nueva para niños. Un graduado de Columbia University, es un consultante de música para el departamentode educación de Nueva York. En ese papél está diseñando y implementando un programa de desarollo professional para los maestros de música en los colegios públicos de Nueva York. Profesor de baile Luis Trujillo es de Los Angeles, CA, donde enseñaba con una compañía afiliado con NDI. De momento está entrenando en Nueva York con NDI y con Alvin Ailey.

Para conseguir más información sobre NDI, mire su sitio web: http://www.nationaldance.org.