Go Koala Bears! PS 212 Students Debut New Mascot

“P.S. 212 has the best K-O-A-L-A-T-I-E-S!”

The new catchy slogan rang out this week, as students at PS. 212 The Lady Deborah Moody School (87 Bay 49th Street) debuted their school’s new democratically-chosen mascot.

Since Principal Rina Horne was appointed in July of last year, the students have been given a voice on how they see themselves and their role as leaders in our school community. Teachers and paraprofessionals formed a steering committee and developed a comprehensive plan to survey the elementary school students to come up with a school mascot and logo which best captures the school.

The top three mascot contenders were chameleon, dragon, or koala bear.  After, third grader Yahya Abdur-Rashid came up with the catchy slogan and logo, the koala was overwhelmingly elected as the school’s new mascot.

A system was created for students to earn Koala Cash and now the school community is looking forward to the grand opening of their very own “Koala Corner” store. Students will be able to purchase a variety of novelties that were donated by Sky High and various other organizations. Upper grade students will also be able to fill out job applications and interview for a position in the “Koala Corner.”

The objective of this collaborative project was to encourage more cooperation, pride and respect at the school. The PTA gave every student their first koala t-shirt for the holidays, and will continue selling school spirit sweatshirts, t-shirts and sweatpants to staff, students and parents to help fund a new STEM and Robotics program for the school and increase classroom libraries.

The koala t-shirts are worn on the first Wednesday of every month by students and staff help us to promote school spirit.

During a superintendents’ visit to P.S. 212 on March 8, students presented Superintendent Isabel DiMola with their new koala school spirit apparel, and offered her a tour of the koala store.