The Camp Auction Needs You! It’s Easy!

STEP 1 – Claim a Camp
Sign up to ask one to five (or more!) camps and activities for donations on this form: http://bit.ly/BSICampAuctionTracker.

New camps and companies are welcome! Just add them to the grid.

STEP 2 – Reach Out
Contact camps by email, phone or in person using the sample letter at http://bit.ly/BSICampAuctionLetter

STEP 3 – Finalize Donation
Input donation by February 23 into http://bit.ly/BSICampAuctionForm

Questions? Email auction@bsipto.org

Online bidding will be Friday, March 8th through Sunday, March 17

For Chess Enthusiasts of All Levels!

Join us for a day of fun including:

• Friendly chess tournament for those who want to play against peers of similar age;
• Chess related activities for chess beginners such as:
  — chess art and craft;
  — chess lessons by future chess Grandmasters;
  — chess puzzles, lottery and prizes;
  — chess related games.
• We are planning to invite Grandmasters to play blitz against, go over the game with tournament players, get autographs and ask questions.
• And new activities this year which we will announce shortly: stay tuned!
• Breakfast and lunch provided at additional cost.
• Parents attend free of charge.

Tickets available for participants and non-participants, for BSI students and non-BSI students.

Ticket prices increase after January 23. 

Tickets available through February 8.

Let’s start the weekend off together! Enjoy skating and socializing on our private rink with friends, family, teachers and staff!

Join us at LeFrak Center at Lakeside in Prospect Park! Lakeside’s Bluestone Cafe will be open throughout our social for snacks and warm drinks. We will have a party room to warm up or meet-up with friends.

For more details or questions see Skating Social Info here.

We are lucky to have Allison Dubinski, a speaker from the Child Mind Institute who will talk about stress and anxiety and skill-building for independent, strong young people and adults. Don’t miss it!

Principal Havlik will request funding for a spring 3rd grade coding enrichment and teacher/parent diversity training and give updates on upper grade career day, science fairs and after-school band program.

Come and hear about events coming up, our funding, old business, new business — YOUR business!

Order Here!

New BSI chess shirts are finally here! Buy a shirt to show your support for our chess enthusiasts or to wear at the tournaments and show your school pride.

We have many new faces this year so  would like to get you familiar with the chess program at the school. The chess community at BSI is well established and is an advocate for promoting chess in youth. BSI students have excelled at tournaments across NYC and the country. The school also hosts tournaments annually. The school has a Chess Instructor; the program is primarily funded by the PTO and assisted by many volunteers.

There are several ways one can participate in chess at BSI:

• Instructional chess in K through 5 grades;
• Lunch clubs for 6 through 8 grades;
• BSI Chess Team: representation of the school in local tournaments and National Championships.  

Chess team is about school spirit, developing friendships with other students and creating a chess community for our school.  Participation in tournaments is open to everyone, regardless of the level and grade. It is a great way to connect with BSI students and parents as well as expose your child to chess.  If you would like to join BSI chess team please contact Coach Vlad Bugayev at batradz@gmail.com.

Most tournaments are held weekly on Saturdays and Sundays at various schools in NYC, typically consist of 4 rounds and last for about 5-6 hours with breaks in total.

There are several upcoming big national tournaments – require travel and extra planning:
— The National Scholastic K-12 Championship, Orlando, Florida, December 13-15, 2018
— Greater NY Scholastic Chess Championship, Brooklyn, NYC (aka Kasparov’s chess tournament),  January 5-6, 2019
— New York State Scholastic Championships, Saratoga Springs, NY, March 9-10, 2019

BSI Chess team page on Facebook
https://m.facebook.com/groups/204131293400869

BSI Chess team news on PTO site:
http://www.bsipto.org/parent-resources/school-programs/bsi-chess-team/

Want to receive emails from BSI chess team? Please request to join by emailing communications@bsipto.org