Support PS 116 through the 
Direct Appeal Campaign

Your generous donation will help continue

to make PS 116 as special as it is!


 

Whether you donate $16, $116, or our traditional request of $1,116, your participation ensures the PTA can provide critical support and enrichment opportunities to all of our children. 

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WHY A DIRECT APPEAL CAMPAIGN?

Our annual direct fundraising appeal to families is a tradition at PS 116, as it is for other high-performing New York City public schools. Parents/Guardians like us supplement public funding to provide their children with more resources and a broader range of learning opportunities.  

The following initiatives are a few of many examples of how the PTA partners with PS 116’s Administration to create a supportive and energizing learning environment. But this would not be possible without support from our community, which is the reason for this outreach.  

 

Over the Summer the PS 116’s Administration and PTA accomplished:

 

• Supporting school leadership to reduce class sizes ahead of the timeframe required by New York state.  PS 116 opened up 5 new classes and hired 5 new classroom teachers.  With these changes, class sizes were reduced by 38% for 1st-3rd grade and 28% for 4th-5th grade. The PTA supported these classrooms with supplies and equipment.

 

• Stocking a brand new Art room with all the best materials for our new, full time, K-5th Grade Visual Arts Teacher, while continuing to fund Studio in a School for our youngest learners.

 

• Organizing and distributing school supplies for all classes for our community of 450 kids.  

 

• Completing new murals at the 33rd Street main lobby entrance and in our cafeteria, which were created by Saint-Cyr Art Studio and funded by a combination of school and PTA funds.   

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PTA funds pay for programs that enhance our school and benefit every student, including: 

 

• National Dance Institute and Dancing Classrooms Programs

• Studio in a School Visual Arts Program

• School Supplies for every Classroom, including Specialty Teachers and Special Education Service Providers

• Author Visits with Meet the Writers

• Training and Professional Development Support for Teachers

• School Beautification Efforts

• Supplies & equipment for every classroom, including specialty teachers and special education 

• Supplemental learning opportunities and enrichment programs like (but not limited to) field trips, annual class trips for Grades 4 and 5, ballroom dancing, and horticulture

• Training and professional development for teachers and staff

• School beautification including murals and sidewalk flower bed maintenance

• Special celebrations including the Halloween Bash, Winter Festival and Spring Fair

 

The cost of these and other critical programs are not covered by public funds and would not be possible without the support of PS 116 families. 

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Learn More: 
2025 Direct Appeal Letter to Families + Donation Forms - English

Carta de apelación directa a las familias de 2025 + Formularios de donación- Español
 

We accept direct appeal donations year-round and donations are 100% tax-deductible.  In addition, we encourage families to look into corporate matching programs which can increase the impact of donations with no additional out-of-pocket cost.

 

 
NOTE ON CORPORATE MATCHING
Many corporations match donations made by employees.  If you work for a company that has a matching grant program, please be sure to notify your Human Resources Department whenever you donate money to our school. They will help you double your contribution to PS 116!
 
To find out if your company matches contributions, ask your HR Department.
 
Thank you for supporting our school!