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Parent Coordinator Message

Dear PS 101Q Families

Welcome back to an exciting school year. Fall is in the air as we get ready for an exciting year ahead. My role as parent coordinator is to support and involve you, the parent community, in your child’s education as part of the Children’s First initiative. The key is to build strong and productive relationships between parents and schools.

One of the core elements is the establishment of a parent support system to make schools more welcoming to students’ families and to give families the access and tools they need to be full partners in the education of their children.

Learn about what you can do at school by getting to know your child’s teacher, and other staff members. You have the opportunity to be involved in your child’s life not just at home but also here at school. My goal is to increase parent’s awareness of the workings of the Department of Education and how it involves your children.

We at P.S. 101 would like your help in planning parent involvement programs that best meet your needs. Please take a few minutes to answer the question below.

What kind of workshops would be of interest to you? Please feel free to add your suggestions.

Samples include, but are not limited to:

Homework and Organizational Habits, Arts & Crafts (Parent & Child), Nutrition & Fitness, Parenting Skills, Character Building, Discipline & Bullying, Multicultural/Diversity, Computers, Test Prep, Balanced Literacy, Math, Creative Games.


If you want to be added to my e-mail list to receive news of school events or to receive the monthly newsletter please fill in you e-mail address. Please print information clearly. You can also send me an email at rstgermain@schools.nyc.gov

Let’s work together to make this an exceptional year for P.S. 101.

Randy St. Germain
Parent Coordinator
 

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HELPFUL INFORMATION FOR NEW PARENTS

Welcome to PS 101Q, The School in the Gardens. Our Mission is to provide a rich educational program that will foster the development of literate, creative, culturally aware, technologically competent learners. PS 101Q encourages each child to be productive, respectful individuals, with a lifelong love of learning.

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  START & END TIMES FOR REGULAR SCHOOL DAYS

Pre-K 8:50 a.m. – 2:15 p.m.
Kindergarten – 8:40 a.m.-2:50p.m.
Grades 1- 6 8:40 a.m. -3:00p.m.

Students in K-6 are expected to be at line-up by 8:35 a.m. When students are late they miss vital instruction time which hampers learning and performance.

MORNING LINE UP

All students are to line up in the schoolyard. In case of inclement weather line-up for K-3 will be in the gym, and 4-6 in the auditorium.
Parents should drop off their children outside the appropriate line up areas or entrances.

AFTERNOON DISMISSAL

End Time:

• The school day ends for Pre-K at 2:15p.m.

• Kindergarten at 2:50 p.m.

• Grades 1 - 6 at 3:00 p.m. each day.

Dismissal will be at designated Exits:

Pre–K Exit 3 (Main) & 3 (Front))
Kindergarten Exit 6 (Rear gym/yard)
Grade 1 Exit 5 (Side door)
Grades 2, 3&4 Exit 4 (Center school yard)
Grade 5 Exit 2 (Main Entrance)
Grade 6 Exit 4 (school yard)

Kindergarten – Grade 3: Teachers will ONLY release students in Kindergarten through Grade 3 to their parents or legal guardians, or those authorized IN WRITING as indicated on the Blue Emergency Contact Card. If you have made special arrangements for someone not on the list to pick up your child (e.g., for a play date), you must send a note in advance, to your child’s teacher.

If a student is not picked up by dismissal time, child will be taken to the Auditorium.

Grade 4 – Grade 6: Students in Grade 4 through Grade 6 may be dismissed on their own.

Bus Students: Any student who rides the school bus home must bring in a note to the teacher for any day he/she will not be taking the bus.

ATTIRE

There is no School Uniform policy in our school. Students are encouraged to wear comfortable, appropriate apparel. To prevent trips or falls, students should not wear baggy pants, flip flops or open-toed sandals. Halter-tops, “spaghetti straps”, or other high-cut shirts or very low cut pants are not permitted.

Pre-K and Kindergarten: Make life easier for your young child by avoiding “complicated” clothing, such as “overalls” or clothing with intricate ties and closures. Elastic waste pants and loose fitting clothing allow for maximum movement and comfort. Daily activities include arts and crafts and painting, so clothing may get stained or dirty. This is to be expected.

Please send in a plastic shoebox with extra clothes in case of accidents. Label the box and the clothes with your child’s full name. Make sure that the clothes are weather appropriate.

SUPPLIES

Supply lists are available on the website (left side)and from the classroom teacher

ITEMS TO LEAVE AT HOME

The following items are not permitted in school: cell phones, CD players, MP3 players, iPods, Walkman radios, Game Boys or other hand-held electronic games, Poke-é-mon cards, Yu-Gi-Oh! Cards, Digimon Cards, or any other trading cards.

BREAKFAST, LUNCH AND SNACKS

The NYC Department of Education provides a free breakfast program for all students. Breakfast is served from 7:40 AM to 8:10 for morning extended day and from 8:20-8:40 for all other students.

Students can bring their own lunch, purchase hot lunch, or purchase milk alone from the school on a monthly basis. All students must complete a School Lunch Form, even if declining free or reduced lunch.

New students can participate in school lunch immediately – and return the lunch form ASAP. Lunch forms will be distributed to all students during the first week of school.

Lunch Schedule

Grades 3 through 6: Lunch period begins at 11:50 a.m. and ends at 12:40 p.m.
Grades K, 1 and 2: Lunch period begins at 12:40 p.m. and ends at 1:30 p.m.

Snacks
Check with classroom teacher about snack policy. Only healthy snacks (e.g. apples, grapes, cheese, and crackers) are permitted.

SCHOOL RESOURCES

Our school provides mandated and non-mandated services in a variety of areas. Some of the services include Physical Therapy (P.T.), Occupational Therapy (O.T.), Speech, Guidance, SETSS and English as a Second Language (ESL). We also have a school psychologist, guidance counselor, social worker and nurse. Special services can be requested by parents and/ or teachers, and after an evaluation of the student by the School Based Support Team, a determination about appropriate service is made and implemented.

MEDICATIONS

Teachers may never administer medication to a student, nor can students self-medicate. If your child needs to take medication during the school day, you may come into school to give your child the medicine yourself. If your child needs medication on a regular basis, your doctor needs to complete a “504” Form, which is available from the school nurse. When the school nurse receives this form, she can then administer the medication. All medicines must come into school in a labeled container from the pharmacy. Medications will be stored in the nurses’ office.

SECURITY PROCEDURES

We are interested in maintaining the safest possible environment for our students and staff. To that end, the following security procedures are in effect at our school:
Visitors may not go directly to any classroom, office or any area of the building.

All visitors must:

• Enter and exit through the Main Entrance.

• Present PHOTO IDENTIFICATION to the School Safety Agent or designee at Security Desk.

• Sign the Visitor’s Log and obtain a Visitor’s Pass that must be displayed during visit.

• Proceed to the General Office (Room 157) for directive to visit any other location.

EMERGENCY HOME CONTACT CARDS

During the first week of school each student will bring home an Emergency Home Contact Card (the Blue Card). It is important that you fill out the card completely and return it to school as soon as possible. It contains vital contact information for the school to use in the event of an emergency or early dismissal. You must complete a separate card for each of your children attending PS 101Q. Please look for the Blue Card in your child’s backpack. Only individuals listed on the card may pick up your child. if the contact information on the Blue Card changes, you must contact the school for a new card!

WHAT KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS SHOULD KNOW WHEN THEY COME TO SCHOOL

Students should be toilet-trained, know how to use the bathroom themselves, and how to wipe, flush, and wash their hands. They should also know how to zipper, tie shoes, buckle, and button.

BATHROOM USE (TOILETING) OF EARLY CHILDHOOD STUDENTS

At the beginning of the school year students are brought to the bathroom as a group. As the year progresses they are usually sent with a partner. There are special bathrooms for Early Childhood students.

FAQ’s

How do I contact my child’s teacher?

In addition to regularly scheduled parent-teacher conferences (which take place in November and March), make an appointment to speak with your child’s teacher by sending in a note, phoning the office, or sending an email. In the note make sure you include your name, your child’s name and class, the issue you would like to discuss, a phone number or email address and the day(s)/time(s) you are available. This will allow the teacher to schedule a mutually acceptable time to meet with you.

Please do not speak with your child’s teacher during morning line up or dismissal as this distracts the teacher from monitoring the rest of the students and the teacher cannot give you the undivided attention you deserve.

How do I handle class/school related issues and concerns?

If the concern is class-related, please speak to your child’s teacher first. If it is a more general concern, call, email or write a note to the Parent Coordinator. If the issue is not resolved in a satisfactory manner, please contact the school Personnel Secretary (Ms. DiVisconti), to arrange a meeting with a school administrator, or email the administrators directly at:

Assist. Princ. Gonzalez: igonzal4@schools.nyc.gov

Principal Feder: rfeder@schools.nyc.gov

Keep records of all meetings, including meeting dates and times, personnel involved, with whom you met, what was discussed, and what action plan was developed.


How can I meet other parents in the school?

A good way to meet other parents is to attend monthly PA meetings and become involved in PA and school activities. There are many committees that would welcome your help. You can also volunteer to serve as a “class parent.” More information and ways to sign up for committees and PA activities will be discussed at the first General Membership Meeting in September. PA Meetings are held every month, from September through May. Notices about general as well as special meetings will be distributed periodically.

The PA offers many opportunities to support your child and the school, throughout the year. Our school prides itself on the high level of parent involvement and support.
 

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