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Thursday, September 17, 2020
 schools will also be open for in-person learning
Tuesday, September 29th: K – 5th Grade and K – 8th Grade schools will open for in-person learning
Thursday, October 1st: middle and high schools will open for in-person learning
Remote learning will start for all students on Monday, September 21st
In the meantime, schools will be provided with more staff, time and material to get ready to open their school buildings.
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 was born out of the desire to create while locked in our small house, with our two young boys. We spent so much of our careers abroad, but now the adventure was at home. Now, the possible outlets of creativity were confined to the living room and the kitchen. Find out more here. Location: Brooklyn Bridge Park – Piers 2, 3 & 6
Underwater Wildlife New York–a joint project of the New York Aquarium with underwater photographer Keith Ellenbogen–visually introduces the public to the amazing, and sometimes surprising, diversity of life in our local waters. Through his lens, we help the public see the ecological riches such as the sharks, whales, corals, and birds we are working to protect. Find out more here. Location: Brooklyn Bridge Park – Pier 3
A Mother’s Eye features photographs of children made by their mothers. These harvested moments become family memories, the narrative of growing up. Find out more here. Location: Brooklyn Bridge Park – Empire Fulton Ferry Park Area
Flex: Kennedi Carter explores ideas of Blackness related to wealth, power, respect, and belonging in her new series of photographs. Carter dressed friends and acquaintances in historically-inspired costumes that represent wealth and power. History is referenced, rejected, and reimagined. Find out more here. Location: Old Fulton Street and Prospect Street, DUMBO Brooklyn
Brooklyn Bridge Park at 10: Transforming the Waterfront: Did you know that the site of Brooklyn Bridge Park was a bustling, working waterfront port in the 19th and 20th centuries? Thousands of longshoremen, boaters, clerks, and U.S. customs inspectors worked on ships and piers, and in warehouses and factories. After the Civil War, dozens of warehouses were built along the west side of Furman Street, and many timber bulkheads, piers, and factory foundations still lie beneath the Park. Find out more here. Location: Brooklyn Bridge Park
Picking Up NYC: For over a century, the men and women of the New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY) have heroically served the City as daily stewards of public health, and as emergency responders in extraordinary circumstances. As the workforce meets its latest challenge, picking up New York City during the coronavirus pandemic, we remember the countless challenges they’ve faced with unwavering strength. Find out more here. Location: Brooklyn Bridge Park – New Dock Street
Single Moms By Choice: For the last three years, four women in New York and New Jersey opened their lives to photographer Jackie Molloy as they struggled to get pregnant, navigated the adoption and foster-care systems, and juggled a new life with children—all on their own. They are single mothers by choice; a growing number of women who choose to become a parent without a partner. Find out more here. Location: Brooklyn Bridge Park – New Dock Street
The Great Empty: The coronavirus has made scarcity a necessary condition of survival. Over the course of a few days in March, The Times sent out dozens of photographers around the world to capture images of once-bustling public plazas, beaches, fairgrounds, and more. The photographs tell a similar story: emptiness proliferates like the virus. Find out more here. Brooklyn Bridge Park – New Dock Street
Flamingo Bob is a celebrity on the Dutch Caribbean island of Curaçao, where he acts as an emissary for conservation, and protecting nature. Local veterinarian Odette Doest rescued Bob in 2016, after the American flamingo slammed into a hotel window. She began taking him to local schools as the face of her organization, Foundation for Animals and Education in the Caribbean, and he quickly gained a following. Find out more here. Location: Washington Street, DUMBO Brooklyn
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latest
Free outdoor events for families in September and October
Tuesday, September 15, 2020
Our overview of socially-distanced outdoor activities features free family dance classes, stargazing, kayaking, scavenger hunts, a photo exhibit and more in DUMBO, Downtown Brooklyn, Governors Island and local parks.
Journey to the Stars in Brooklyn Bridge Park | 9/25
Gaze across the New York sky and all the wonders it holds. Members ... (read more).
. Register here.
Little Panda Productions: DUMBO STANDS UP at Jane’s Carousel | 10/3
Free Stand Up comedy show in front of the good old Jane’s Carousel by the waterfront every other Saturday 10/3 from 5:30 to 7.30 pm. Find out more here.
Family Kayaking in Brooklyn Bridge Park | Wednesdays and Saturdays until 10/14
Glide along the water while kayaking from the Pier 4 beach. Advanced registration is required for this activity. Due to COVID-19, limited capacity is available. Walk-ups will only be accommodated on-site if there are still spaces. Children and teens under 18 must have an adult guardian present. Wednesdays 4-8pm, Saturdays 10am-4pm.
Play at the Yard in Governors Island | 9/26 & 10/3
The junkyard playground on Governors Island will be open on 9/26 and 10/3 from 12 to 4 pm. Just stop by, play time is on a first come, first serve basis. No open shoes or parents/caregivers inside the playground allowed. Find out more or donate here.
Beach Scavenger Hunt in Brooklyn Bridge Park | 9/27
Participate in a self-guided, beach scavenger hunt on Sunday, September 27. Brooklyn Bridge Park has a new park scavenger hunt with a nautical twist. Explore the Park’s beaches and shorelines to complete this month’s outdoor and socially distanced nature challenge. This event is free and advanced registration is required. Sign up on Eventbrite to reserve a time slot for your family.
Family Dance Classes at The Plaza at 300 Ashland in Downtown Brooklyn | 10/3, 10/17, 10/24 & 10/31
Join Mark Morris Dance Group for a fun, family-friendly series of dance classes, taught by their dancers and teachers on Saturdays at 1 pm in October! Registration is open; they recommend registering in advance as classes are capped at 50 participants. Find out more here.
DUMBO DROP Neighborhood Scavenger Hunt in DUMBO | 10/17
A fun scavenger hunt activity featuring our beloved Dumbo Drop elephants around the neighborhood. You can pick up your scavenger hunt card on Washington Street on October 17th, 10-5pm. Prizes, photo op + fundraising to ensue!
DUMBO DROP Elephant Art Extravaganza with in DUMBO’s Archway | 10/18
Come to the Archway to bling out your Dumbo Drop Elephant light. Grab a beer at DUMBO STATION, do some arts & crafts and watch a replay of the virtual Dumbo Drop with your neighbors. Reservation is required to ensure social distancing, October 18, 10am-5pm.
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Vinegar Hill food news
Monday, September 14, 2020
Vinegar Hill House is back open with garden and sidewalk dining, they also turned the restaurant into a wine and cheese shop. Hours are Wednesday to Friday 5 to 9 pm, brunch is served until 3 pm and dinner until 9 pm on weekends. Reserve your table ... (read more).
11 Hoyt Luxury Condominiums | NYC’s Top-Selling Condo in 2019 (sponsored)
Monday, September 14, 2020
11 Hoyt sets Brooklyn’s new standard for architecture and design. Located at the crossroads of Downtown Brooklyn and brownstone Brooklyn, 11 Hoyt is a collection of studio to four-bedroom luxury condominium residences priced from $715,000 to over $3,400,000.
The graceful 57-story tower is an extraordinary work of architecture and design. A true collaboration among three celebrated ... (read more).
11 Hoyt sets Brooklyn’s new standard for architecture and design. Located at the crossroads of Downtown Brooklyn and brownstone Brooklyn, 11 Hoyt is a collection of studio to four-bedroom luxury condominium residences priced from $715,000 to over $3,400,000.
The graceful 57-story tower is an extraordinary work of architecture and design. A true collaboration among three celebrated world-class firms – architecture by Studio Gang, interiors by Michaelis Boyd Associates, and landscape architecture by Hollander Design – 11 Hoyt is a visionary building that looks to the future while drawing inspiration from Brooklyn’s rich architectural history and creative spirit. Studio Gang found inspiration in the classic bay windows of traditional Brooklyn brownstones, reinterpreting them as projecting bays sweeping diagonally up and down the tower’s facade like gently cresting waves. The building’s unique scalloped façade and oversized windows provide spectacular views of Downtown Brooklyn and Lower Manhattan. 11 Hoyt is comprised of 190 unique floor plans to suit every lifestyle. Each residence is offered in two distinct interior finish palettes — Heritage and Classic — inspired by quintessential Brooklyn living, with rich, tactile materials designed to withstand the test of time and improve with age.
11 Hoyt features more than 55,000 square feet of unrivaled indoor and outdoor amenities. The 32nd floor Sky Club features private dining and entertainment spaces with breathtaking panoramic views. The third-floor Park Club includes a fitness center, pool, spa, a co-working tech lounge, salon lounge, playroom, and more, all seamlessly connected to the private outdoor park. 11 Hoyt’s private park spans almost 27,000 square feet – almost a full city block. Included within the park are a fitness deck, active lawn, hot tub, sundeck, wooded forest walk, outdoor lounge with private dining areas and barbeques, and a butterfly-themed playground inspired by the migrating monarchs drawn to 11 Hoyt’s flower gardens.
Contact us at:
info@11hoytbrooklyn.com
347.657.3097
11hoytbrooklyn.com
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DUMBO public library opening 9/14
Thursday, September 10, 2020
The Brooklyn Public Library is opening more branches for limited grab and go service including the library at 1 John Street in DUMBO. The Annex will be open Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. starting Monday 9/14.
Patrons will be able to make ... (read more).
4 Crucial Elements to Correct “Summer Slide” in a Pandemic World (sponsored)
Wednesday, September 9, 2020
The problem of “summer slide” has taken on a whole new dimension this year: With three months in Emergency Learning mode, a longer-than-usual summer, and an uncertain fall ahead, concerns about atrophying academic skills are intensifying. What does the research say about bolstering children’s skills and expanding them in this ... (read more).
The problem of “summer slide” has taken on a whole new dimension this year: With three months in Emergency Learning mode, a longer-than-usual summer, and an uncertain fall ahead, concerns about atrophying academic skills are intensifying. What does the research say about bolstering children’s skills and expanding them in this context? What happens if we are forced to continue with, or switch to, remote learning this fall?
It is indeed possible in the context of remote learning to infuse strong academic skill-building into sessions that feel like rich and fascinating conversations to a child. This past spring, Science, Language & Arts International School (SLA) launched research-based online Oral Language Fluency and Math Practice Programs that are highly successful at improving students’ language fluency and math skills through short, frequently scheduled sessions. Rooted in cognitive research on memory and retention, these popular programs ensure challenging and fun skills and language building at all levels using multidisciplinary tools.
“Picture talk” activities like this (Look at each animal’s teeth. What do/can they eat?) can conjure a specialized vocabulary set, sophisticated critical thinking language, and science concepts, as well as spark fun and interesting conversation with an advanced speaker.
Four key elements are critical to the success of any online academic program: Rich linguistic input, multisensory skills practice, relationship building, and short, frequent sessions.
Rich linguistic input is critical to building fluency (in a target language as well as in English and math). SLA teachers model the key structures, vocabulary, and content students need to begin to produce them on their own in a scaffolded space. Both programs build math skills and spoken fluency through natural conversation, thus the child commits concepts to long-term memory because the sessions do not rely on rote memorization.
Even online, children must practice and build skills using more than one kind of sensory input, thus enabling them to commit key concepts and skills to long-term memory.
Critical to successful remote engagement is relationship building and connection. Game-based, conversational teaching and scaffolding contribute greatly to the rapport between teacher and child (and during group sessions, among teacher, student, and peers).
Cognitive research addressing short- and long-term memory shows that short, frequent practice sessions distributed over time are more effective than one longer session per week over time. This distributed model is built into the design of SLA’s online program.
With a skilled teacher, a “spot the differences” activity can accommodate a beginning language learner (simple vocabulary for colors and shapes, same/different, here/there) as well as an advanced speaker (adverbs of place, nuanced vocabulary like pebbles and bark, and sophisticated comparison / contrast language).
SLA’s Oral Fluency Program is designed for building spoken fluency and sophistication of a target language at all levels, beginner to bilingual. It is available in French, Mandarin, Italian, Spanish, and Korean (coming soon). The Math Practice Program is aligned to core standards and designed as a complement to your child’s school curriculum.
Author: Jennifer Wilkin
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Latest public school news
Wednesday, September 9, 2020
The annex of PS 32 is complete and will be open for this school year. The school’s main office will now be located in the new building, along with the library and cafeteria. Students in Pre-K and K will have a bathroom in each of their classrooms and all of ... (read more).
City Point center in Downtown Brooklyn reopening and welcoming new tenant lululemon
Wednesday, September 9, 2020
Now that malls in New York State are allowed to reopen, City Point is back with a 50% occupancy limit and strict safety protocols. The center itself is open from 9 am to 9 pm daily, the DeKalb open air food market from 11 am to 9 pm weather permitting. ... (read more).
Save up to $38K a year on a new 2 & 3 BR luxury apartment in Greenpoint along the Brooklyn waterfront (sponsored)
Wednesday, September 9, 2020
An affordable housing lottery has opened for 235 lucky applicants in Greenpoint’s sister waterfront towers, One Blue Slip and Two Blue Slip. The Towers are located at the heart of Greenpoint’s promenade and feature spectacular views of the city’s skyline, modern interiors, and top amenities. The ... (read more).
An affordable housing lottery has opened for 235 lucky applicants in Greenpoint’s sister waterfront towers, One Blue Slip and Two Blue Slip. The Towers are located at the heart of Greenpoint’s promenade and feature spectacular views of the city’s skyline, modern interiors, and top amenities. The affordable apartments range from studios to three-bedroom residences. Monthly rent for a studio starts as low as $2,370, while three-bedroom apartments start at $3,530.
The lottery is set for individuals with middle income and must earn between $81,258 and $183,300 to be eligible. Eligible individuals who enter the lottery and win could save up to $38K per year over time on a two-bedroom luxury apartment. Each building will have its separate lottery, to increase your chances of winning you are encouraged to apply for both lotteries.
One Blue Slip leads the new luxury building wave along the Greenpoint waterfront. The spacious and modern residences, over 90% of which have water views, feature bay windows, stainless steel appliances, quartz countertops, and in-home Bosch washer/dryers. Each building has its own collection of amenities, One Blue Slip features a co-working space with meeting rooms, a media room, game room, social lounge, fitness center with a yoga room, children’s playroom, and outdoor terrace with kitchen and Manhattan views. Two Blue Slip presents a new level of urban sophistication. Expect breathtaking views, high-end amenities, and impeccably designed spaces featuring impressive floor to ceiling windows, Deckton Cosentino countertops, and in-home Bosch washer/dryers.
The amenities at Two Blue Slip include a coworking lounge, pool deck with Manhattan views and adjacent pool bar, an amenity deck equipped with cabanas and outdoor grilling stations, a resident’s lounge, media room, two-story fitness center with cycling room, children’s playroom, and 24/7 concierge.
Interested in entering the Lottery? Visit https://brooklynaffordablehousing.com/ to apply.
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Brooklyn snapshots and end of summer neighborhood news
Wednesday, September 9, 2020
Local bakeries have closed for good, the outdoor dining scene is spectacular, new businesses are opening, there is still a line at Trader Joe’s, gyms are back open and the loss of some neighborhood institutions. Our roundup of neighborhood news:
Bad news for bread lovers! Pain Quotidien on Montague Street, Maison ... (read more).
 is limited during the 2020 season to allow for social distancing. Visitors must reserve tickets in advance through a new ticket reservation system. See more info here. NYC ferry service is also available from Wall Street, take NYC ferry from DUMBO or Pier 6 to Wall Street, request free transfer ticket on the boat and switch there.
6. Take the NYC ferry to Rockaway Beach and spend a summer day by the ocean. Ferry service from Wall Street is in effect, details here. Ask for free transfer ticket on the ferry coming from Brooklyn.
7. Stop by one of the many playgrounds with sprinklers or water labs. Here is our list of local options.
8. Visit the NYC Aquarium in Coney Island and check out their new exhibition about spineless creatures. Opening August 27 to the public. All details here.
9. Make a visit to the “Pandemic Pop-up Park” on Atlantic Basin at Pier 11 in Red Hook. Amenities for kids are a self-serve sprinkler, kids-size picnic tables, dodge balls, a racquetball racquet, chalk, frisbees and huge amount of traffic-free asphalt (bring your scooters and roller skates). In addition, the PopUp features large umbrellas, bistro tables, chairs, blooming and fragrant plants in pots and maritime stuff in sight (rowboats, kayaks, buoys, fenders, lights, etc). During the day it is a very hot from approx. 11am to 6pm, so choose the early morning or early evening on sunny days.
9. Glide along the water while kayaking from the Pier 4 beach in Brooklyn Bridge Park. Advanced registration is required for this activity. Due to COVID-19, limited capacity is available. Walk-ups will only be accommodated on-site if there are still spaces. Children and teens under 18 must have an adult guardian present. Wednesdays 4-8pm ET. Saturdays 10am-4pm ET. August 15-October 14.
10. Free Ping Pong Happy Hours in Downtown Brooklyn. MetroTech Commons: Tuesdays at 4:30pm (starting 9/8 all September). Register here
11. Prospect Park roller skating at LeFrak Center at Lakeside is open daily from 12 to 6 pm. Find out more here.
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 named Kosmo Kidd crash lands his wind-up rocket ship in Lily’s kitchen. Kosmo whisks Lily away to his floating treehouse in Outer Outer Space, to join his Spacetronaut crew. Lily and Kosmo share many adventures, exploring exotic alien worlds and facing fearsome villains, as Lily proves that a girl from Brooklyn can hold her own among the galaxy’s greatest junior space cadets. Recommended for 7-10 year olds. Shop here.
Mermaids on Parade by Mel Hope Greenberg
Excited about wearing her own special costume for the day, a little girl goes with her family to Coney Island to take part in all the festivities of the Mermaid Parade where mermaids, Neptunes, and sea creatures of all shapes, colors, and sizes go to strut their stuff! Recommended for ages 4 to 7. Shop here.
How Emily saved the Bridge by Fieda Wishinsky
The Brooklyn Bridge, the iconic suspension bridge that connects Manhattan and Brooklyn, was completed in 1883. It is thanks to Emily Warren Roebling that the bridge was finished at all. Emily was not an engineer, but she was educated in math and science. She married Washington Roebling, the chief engineer of the famous bridge. When Washington became ill from decompression sickness, Emily stepped in, doing everything from keeping the books, to carrying messages for her husband, to monitoring the construction of the bridge. She was the first person to cross the Brooklyn Bridge when it opened. Recommended for ages 3 to 6. Shop here.
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