WELCOME TO SPEYER!
Welcome to Speyer! You and your family are now a part of our Speyer family — we are the Speyer Dragons, and as we say, once a Dragon, always a Dragon!
We know you have already received a lot of information from Speyer, though you may still have questions about the upcoming months and the fall. This is why we created this page for you! This is your main go-to place to find out the latest information from Speyer, upcoming dates to know, whom to contact for what, and so much more.
NOTE: We will be updating this regularly, so please bookmark this page and check it often!
UPCOMING SPEYER hAPPENINGS & INFO
Speyer Buddy Program!
Our Speyer Buddy Program serves as a way for existing families, parents, and current students to welcome you, our new families, to our Speyer community. The goal to ease your transition to Speyer, and the program is organized by the Speyer Admissions Team with support from the Parents Association. All new families will receive a Buddy Family match in mid-April. If you have any questions regarding the program, please contact Melissa Fisher at mfisher@speyerschool.org.
JUNE/JULY/AUGUST
K Revisit Day! Save the date: Thursday, June 15 from 8:30 AM - 10:30 AM. This is when our Class of 2032 and their parents come and visit Speyer. We will share more detailed information as the event draws near.
School forms and the Family Handbook for 2023-2024 will be released in early June, so be on the lookout!
In addition:
Summer assignments will be sent in mid-June.
School supplies are provided by Speyer; you will receive addition information on helpful items to be sent from home (i.e., water bottle, backpack, etc).
Your 2023-2024 printed calendar will be mailed in early August (the online calendar can always be found HERE).
Class lists are announced in late August/early September; however, grade teaching teams and advisors will be reaching out to your children during the summer months to arrange class socials and one-on-one meetings get to know them!
IMPORTANT DATES FOR 2023-2024 SCHOOL YEAR
First Day of School: Wednesday, September 6
Thanksgiving Break: Wednesday-Friday, November 22-24 (school closed)
Winter Break: Friday, December 22 (half-day, classes end) through Sunday, January 7. Classes resume Monday, January 8.
Spring Break: Friday, March 15 (full day, classes end) through Sunday, March 31. Classes resume Monday, April 1.
Last Day of School: Wednesday, June 12 (half-day)
For the preliminary 2023-2024 Speyer Calendar, please click HERE!
Have a question about medical information and forms? Want to know more about afterschool programs? Want to volunteer on the Speyer PA? We have all of the names and emails of whom to contact for what, as well as links you will use often!
Links and resources
Speyer Online Calendar (most up-to-date reference for all-school and division-wide events)
Speyer Spirit Shop (purchase your Speyer gear here!)
Speyer PA Connect (info on all PA happenings, committee meetings, events, and more)
Dragon DEIB Resources (a page dedicated to sharing articles, resources, web sites, and other information on how we can start to understand and address the many topics that fall under the DEIB umbrella)
Registrar (for assistance related to school registration forms and transportation)
Joan Friedman, Registrar/Data Specialist, jfriedman@speyerschool.org
Business Office (for assistance related to tuition payments)
Rona Gruber, Accounting & Human Resources Manager, rgruber@speyerschool.org
School Nurse (for medical concerns and information)
Allyce Perret-Gentil, School Nurse, nurse@speyerschool.org
School Student Support
Jordan Zelinger, School Psychologist, jzelinger@speyerschool.org
Jenn Lam, School Counselor, jlam@speyerschool.org
Speyer DEIB Information
Dondre Greenhouse, DEIB Coordinator, dgreenhouse@speyerschool.org
Lower School - Grades K-4
Dr. Heather Pinedo-Burns, Head of Lower School, hpinedo-burns@speyerschool.org
Middle School - Grades 5-8
Dorothy Sandler Meyer, Head of Middle School, dmeyer@speyerschool.org
INspeyerED Camp and INspeyerED Afterschool (summer and afterschool programming)
Jamie Steinfeld, INspeyerED Camp Coordinator, jsteinfeld@speyerschool.org
Malin Segal, INspeyerED Afterschool Coordinator, msegal@speyerschool.org
Technology (for assistance with your Parent Portal)
Speyer Tech Parent Support, parentsupport@speyerlegacyschool.org
Parents Association
Anne Cochran, PA President, pa@speyerschool.org
To find out more about Speyer Parents Association and how to be involved, head to PA CONNECT!
Check back here for links to various school emails, recordings of meetings, and more that will keep you informed as what is happening at Speyer!
We’ve gathered some fabulous information on online resources, websites, and apps from Speyer teachers and administrators. There are so many sites and apps to help you and your child explore a new topic, find a new favorite book, or practice a skill. We will be updating this list periodically, so check back often!
Places Around the World, Museums, and More
Math Fun
Sushi Monster (app)
Prodigy (app)
Prodigy (website)
Podcasts, Video, Movie, & TV Recommendations
Podcasts
Videos, Movie, and TV Recommendations (more coming soon!)
Use Alexa to play some awesome games and maybe learn something new in the process!
Games, Lessons, Activities & More From New York Times Learning Network
Chess
Creative and Computational Thinking/STEM Fun
Online Fun with Everything
Adventure Academy (All grades)
PBS LearningMedia (All grades)
Science Adventures
NASA (Search their entire collection by image, video, or audio)
25 Live Cams to Follow (from National Geographic)
Gizmos (Search by grade & topic level)
Mystery Science (for K-Grade 5)
The Kids Should See This (Smart Videos for Curious Minds of All Ages)
Humanities (and more) Adventures
Books (and Book-y Activities) Galore
Hogwarts at Home (NEW: You can listen to Harry Potter himself, Daniel Radcliffe, read the first chapter of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone!)
Literary Resources from Ms. Steinfeld!
Great nonfiction articles and magazines for elementary school readers
Archive.org (Online public library that provides access to thousands of books. Students can borrow up to 13 books at a time. A great resource for adults too!)
Vooks.com (Hundreds of well made video versions of popular children’s picture books)
Great podcasts for gifted children
Book Recommendations/Information for K-4 from Speyer Librarian Ms. Mehler
Ms. Mehler’s Goodreads list! On the left side of the page, there are bookshelves with lists by grade.
Get a virtual library card!
Get SimplyE! The New York Public Library (Manhattan, Bronx, and Staten Island) has amazing free resources and anyone in NYC can get a card. Download the SimplyE app to apply for a library card and to gain access to databases, ebooks, audiobooks, and more!
Apply for a Brooklyn Public Library card here. Get access to tons of free books, audiobooks, videos and other free resources.
Have Fun with the Speyer Cookbook!
Enjoy family time in the kitchen as you try out some fun recipes from our Speyer community that we have gathered in our Speyer Cookbook!
Read-Alouds by Speyer Families
When we were all forced to stay home, one of our fourth grade families, the Funk-Kents, turned to some of their favorite books to pass the time. They began doing read-alouds they shared on Facebook for all of us to enjoy. Hope you all have some fun with them too!
We all need some tips and resources to help our kids. Speyer school psychologists, faculty, and administration have collected some great info for you to use.
Coping with Anxiety, Worries, Stress & Perfectionism
Feeling Charts (to help younger children express how they are feeling)
From Hey Sigmund: 10 Practical Strategies to Help Kids Manage Perfectionism
Practicing Gratitude & Mindfulness Tips
Screen Time Information
Helpful Apps