Dear Parents,
It is with great sadness that I inform you of the death of one of our teachers Ms. Colleen Bowerman.
Ms. Bowerman passed away on Tuesday September 21, 2021. This is a tragedy for the Bowerman family, our students, and our entire school community. Deepest sympathy and condolences go out to the family and our entire school community.
We know how devastating this news is for our school community. Although classroom instruction will continue, I anticipate that the coming days and weeks will be particularly difficult for everyone. We have professionals trained to help with the needs of students, parents and school personnel during difficult times. Our school crisis team, school counselor and social worker will be available to provide counseling for any student or staff member who may need or want help surrounding this loss. Team members will continue to check-in with students and staff to provide support and resources.
Our staff will monitor our students to see if they express any concerns or would like to speak to someone about their feelings. It is equally important that you monitor your child’s behavior to determine how they are feeling and if they need any support.
Please feel free to reach out to me, our school counselor Ms. Karen Konstan (718) 621-2730 ext 2202, our social worker Ms. Belfon (718) 621-2730 or to another staff member if you have any questions or concerns. Also, we encourage you to utilize the DOE CRISIS PAGE for additional resources.
Thank you for your understanding and support during this difficult time.
Sincerely,
Josephine Sportella-Giusto
Founding Principal
The Academy of Talented Scholars 