AT PS 139, your voice matters! We believe in democracy and want everyone in our community to become an active citizen, so we invite you to decide how to spend part of the school and Parent Association budgets.
This Spring the Parent Association asked for your ideas for what would improve the school, and students, parents, staff and teachers proposed over 200 ideas! In April, 1,192 of you voted to decide which of the 12 finalists to fund – more than twice as many people voting as last year! THANK YOU!
The Parent Association and Principal Mary McDonald originally set aside $5,000 each for your ideas, and you donated an additional $1,725 during the vote. The PA and School were so impressed with your participation that we’re investing more money in your priorities. The PA and Principal McDonald will each contribute $11,000, to fund $22,000 of projects! This allows us to fund the top seven projects, and one additional one that’s only $1,000.
See the full results and more info about the projects below. Thank you to the 819 students, 312 parents, 33 teachers, and 28 staff who voted, and to everyone who proposed an idea and who volunteered during the vote! Special thanks to Josh Lerner, Megan Jonynas, Rachel Coven, Megan Demarkis, Shayla Khan, Arcelia Leal, and the PA’s External Fundraising Committee for leading the process – and to Principal McDonald, Irene Varon, and the other school staff and teachers for their support!
If your idea didn’t win, please bring it and other new ideas back next year, and get involved in the PA to help make your ideas happen. Stay tuned for more updates on next steps, and thank you everyone!
| Project | Cost | Votes | Result |
| Creative Play Materials | $2,000 | 764 | Funded by PA |
| Technology Club | $4,000 | 720 | Funded by School/PA |
| Museum of Math Field Trips | $4,000 | 585 | Funded by PA |
| Teachers Lounge Makeover | $1,500 | 506 | Funded by PA |
| Books & Reading Rewards | $4,000 | 487 | Funded by School |
| Back to School Supplies | $4,000 | 438 | Funded by School |
| Global Garden | $1,500 | 411 | Funded by PA |
| Radio Show & Podcast | $4,000 | 402 | School will try to fund |
| Spanish Club | $1,000 | 388 | Funded by PA |
| Teaching Assistants & Lunch Leaders | $4,000 | 366 | School will try to fund |
| Yoga, Meditation & Mindfulness | $4,000 | 363 | School will try to fund |
| Bilingual Theater Show | $2,000 | 358 | PA will try to fund |
Creative Play Materials – $2,000
Buy purposeful play materials such as Legos, Blocks, and Magnet Tiles to help students engage in quiet but constructive activities in class and during recess.
Technology Club – $4,000
Hold after-school clubs for younger and older students to learn about technology and coding. Experiment with computers, circuit boards, and art.
“Museum of Math” Field Trips – $4,000
Make math fun through workshops with the National Museum of Mathematics, so students can learn real world math through hands-on activities.
Teachers Lounge Makeover – $1,500
Give teachers a nice place to eat, plan, and discuss educational topics! Buy new paint, chairs, microwave, table, and coffee maker to fix up the teachers lounge.
Books & Reading Rewards – $4,000
Buy interesting books and graphic novels for students of all grades, and prizes to reward summer reading. Keep reading fun and avoid summer slide!
Back to School Supplies – $4,000
Buy basic classroom supplies like soap and tissues for all classes for the start of the school year. Buying in bulk, rather than individually, saves families money and time.
Global Garden – $1,500
Plant a garden of edible plants, celebrating the countries of PS 139 families. Ask students to suggest plants that they eat at home and make a cookbook of recipes.
Radio Show & Podcast – $4,000
Let students creatively express themselves by recording podcasts and radio, with Radio Rookies and Cortelyou Radio. Pay for audio equipment and time with experts.
Spanish Club – $1,000
Give Spanish-speaking students an opportunity to practice and speak Spanish through an after-school club, to celebrate and validate their identities.
Teaching Assistants & Lunch Leaders – $4,000
Pay parents, college students, and/or high school seniors to help out in classrooms, at recess, and in the lunchroom.
Yoga, Meditation & Mindfulness – $4,000
Help students be more present and focused through meditation, yoga, and calming exercises. Bring in an expert to lead workshops during the school day.
Bilingual Theater Show – $2,000
Have a bilingual English/Spanish language theater show with Teatro SEA, the top Bilingual Latino Children’s Theatre.
