16 The QUEE NS Courier • september 12, 2013 for breaking news visit www.queenscourier.com BORO KIDS GO BACK TO SCHOOL BY CRISTABELLE TUMOLA [email protected] It was Jennifer Ramos who felt nervous as she dropped her son Jayden off for his first full day of school. “This is a big step for me and him,” said Ramos, preparing to say goodbye to the kindergartner at P.S. 229 in Woodside on Monday, September 9, the start of the year for the city’s public schools. “I think I’m a little more nervous than he is because this is a whole day without my son,” she added. Some P.S. 229 parents were also anxious about whether they prepared their children for the academic back to school year ahead. “I wanted them to do more reading if they had time, but all they wanted was to play video games,” said Woodside resident Armen Baltaian about his kids getting ready for school during the summer. The summer was a mix of outdoor activities and academics for Alison Ulmschneider’s children. Ulmschneider, who has kids starting the seventh grade, third grade and kindergarten at P.S./M.S. 207 in Howard Beach, said they had summer reading and each one came home with a list of books. “They have to keep going with their education,” she said. “They get too used to being home and they lose what they learn.” Lisa Singh, the parent of second grader Ashvin at P.S. 232, also in Howard Beach, was happy that even though the family vacationed during the summer, her child had to do book reports. “He gets something to do and he’s not just playing video games or watching TV,” she said. Ashvin, however, said he was sad that he had to trade his summer fun for classroom time and wake up early for class. At P.S. 46 in Bayside, however, some of the students were glad to get back to class. “I liked everything. I have the best class and the best teacher,” first-grader Peyton Jean-Jacques, 6, said after class let out on Monday. Cayla Hogan, 6, also a first grader, said “there are so many new things in first grade,” but that her favorite part of school was recess. Over in Long Island City, the start of this school year had extra significance for the students at the new Hunter’s Point Campus, located at 1-50 51st Avenue. Part of the Hunter’s Point South development project which broke ground in March, the state-of-the-art facility houses a middle school and The Academy for Careers in Television and Film high school, which made its move from 36-41 28th Street “The new school is nice, it’s awesome,” said senior Justin Bruggemann, 18, from Flushing. “I love it. I’m excited for the school year.” Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott, who took a tour of the new building on the first day of classes, also participated in a practice filming session with the students on the school’s fourth floor balcony which overlooks the Manhattan skyline. “It feels great, it’s a big change. It’s all brand new,” said senior Lesley Ptacek, 16, from Jackson Heights. “It’s great we’re meeting the Chancellor and showing him what we have learned.” -With additional reporting by Angy Altamirano, Melissa Chan, Maggie Hayes and Liam La Guerre THE COURIER/Photos by Melissa Chan Friends Cayla Hogan and Peyton Jean-Jacques, both 6, started first grade. THE COURIER/Photos by Angy Altamirano LIC welcomes new Hunter’s Point Campus. THE COURIER/Photos by Liam La Guerre THE COURIER/Photos by Maggie Hayes
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