2015 Back-to-School Guide

By NORWOOD NEWS

Bronx students are prepping to hit the books this year, and the Norwood News is your place for some compelling stories that can get you nice and ready for the new school year. Check out the list of stories below to get a snapshot of what lies ahead for the new school year. Enjoy the reading, and send thoughts to dcruz@norwoodnews.org: Op-Ed: Building Stronger Community Schools: Schools Chancellor Carmen Farina champions parent engagement as a way to bolster a student’s success. PS 94x: Better Preparing Students Through Key Initiatives: We begin in Norwood, at a neighborhood school that’s pushing

By DAVID GREENE

This week we asked readers how they spent their summer and what they looked forward to most this fall. Well, our son is off to college. During the summer we spent most of our time in New York because it’s the most marvelous place to be in the summer, because it’s not that crowded. I’ve been a native New Yorker for 70 years and I love this city. Eric Courtney West Farms We’re waiting for our son to go back to school. The summers are too short and the fall comes too quickly. I’m definitely not looking forward to the cold weather. Julia Courtney West

By VIVIAN CARTER

The Norwood News conducted a survey in the past month, producing a snapshot of local concerns. Overwhelmingly, area residents want a cleaner neighborhood. The survey was begun with visits to local venues by newspaper staffers, who asked passers-by to answer a list of questions. The survey was then posted on the paper’s website until a roughly equal number of individuals had responded. Results proved that the Norwood News has succeeded with its own marketing mission, as 86 percent of those surveyed said they know about the award-winning publication. In contrast, only 65 percent of respondents know their New York

Editor’s Pick Clothing and Food Drives Riverdale-Yonkers Society for Ethical Culture, 4450 Fieldston Rd., is having a clothing drive to benefit Part of the Solution (POTS), where clothing is distributed to the homeless, people going back to work in need of business attire, and anyone else in need of new clothing. Please only donate suitable clothing, including shoes, belts, ties, and bedding until the end of October. RYSEC is also having an ongoing food drive to benefit the Kingsbridge-Riverdale-Marble Hill Food and Hunger Project, Inc. (KRMH). Donate canned food (nothing perishable or expired) for low-income families, homeless, underemployed and unemployed

Back-to-School Giveaway By Your Side Tutoring hosts a Kids Launch Free Event on Sept. 5 from noon to 3 p.m. at Van Cortlandt Park. Enter at the entrance of Broadway and 242nd Street. One hundred free backpacks filled with a shirt and school supplies will be given away to students who register for fall tutoring. Attendants will receive a free raffle ticket for a bike, a gift, and wrist band to participate in each activity. Events include face painting, magic show, games, concert, and more. Students receive free drinks and snacks. For more information, call (347) 280-7919. MetroCard Buses/Vans The

By JASMINE GOMEZ

A Bronx street will be renamed after a tireless advocate who provided service for a north Bronx community board for more than 20 years. The corner of East 229th Street and White Plains Road will be renamed Carmen Rosa Way, an eponymous tribute to the district manager of Community Board 12. She died in March from cancer-related illness. During her tenure as district manager of CB12, Rosa’s most celebrated accomplishments included pushing the Federal and State Department of Environmental Protection to clean the toxic site, Hexagon Labs, and playing a vital role in the creation of a revitalization program with

MMCC’s Discovery Club/Afterschool is the place to be during the school year, with a host of activities for children of all ages. Located at 3450 DeKalb Ave., MMCC’s Discovery Club/Afterschool is a great place for children to enjoy an enriched curriculum of classes and clubs in Norwood. Activities include ice skating, bowling, computer courses, soccer, art workshop, nature crafts, drama, music, basketball, activity groups and homework help. All of these classes and clubs are included in the affordable fee. Children receive a nutritious snack each day. Special needs services may be available for your child based on certain criteria. A

COMMUNITY BOARD 7 will hold its general board meeting on Sept. 15 at 6:30 p.m. at the Bedford Park Senior Center, 243 E. 204th St. CB7 committee meetings are held on the following dates at the board office, 229A E. 204th St. at 6:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted: Public Safety & Quality of Life, Sept. 3; Environment & Sanitation, Sept. 8; Health & Hospitals, Sept. 8 at 7:30 p.m.; Senior Services, Sept. 9; Parks & Recreation, Sept. 9 at 7:15 p.m.; Traffic & Transportation, Sept. 10; and Veterans, Sept. 10 at 7:30 p.m. For more information, call (718) 933-5650.

School Vaccinations: Another Item on the Back-to-School Checklist

By DAVID CRUZ

Vital Stats: 207K – Number of students enrolled at Bronx public schools. (Source: New York City Department of Education) On the eve of the first day of school for Bronx students, city education officials have already begun to remind parents about some requirements that go beyond school supplies: vaccinations.