P.S. 516 Parent Policy Guide, 2018-2019
School Safety & Security
All visitors to the school must sign in and show a photo ID at the security desk in the main entrance to receive a visitor pass. Visitors must then proceed to the main office after signing in. You should then inform an office staff member of the purpose and destination of your visit. The office staff member will then direct you to the location.
Strollers, carriages, scooters, and bikes are not allowed in the school building under any circumstance. They create a substantial risk during emergency situations. Please note that you will be asked by the safety agent to leave these items outside in order to enter the building.
Breakfast Entry
The doors to the school official open to students at 7:40 a.m. This is when staff members begin their shifts and supervise students. No children are allowed to be in the building prior to 7:40 a.m. as there is not designated supervision and it is a safety and security hazard. At 7:40 a.m., a school aide will greet children and lead them to the cafeteria for breakfast service. Children sit in tables organized by grade level. Students are allowed to enter for breakfast between 7:40 a.m. up until 8:15 a.m. If you would like your child to have plenty of time to eat, please try to bring them to breakfast at 7:40 a.m. so they do not need to rush.
Morning Arrival
All students arriving prior to 8:00 a.m. will proceed to the school cafeteria for breakfast. Students arriving at 8:00 or after will walk to the multi-purpose room where they will sit with their designated class line-up spot. At approximately 8:15, we begin leading children in their lines up to their classrooms to they can begin their instructional day promptly at 8:20 a.m. Please make sure to drop your child off no later than 8:15 a.m. so they can walk to their classroom with their class line. This helps with safety and security and alleviates congestion in the main entry.
School Nurse
P.S. 516 has a school nurse on duty during school hours. If your child becomes ill at school, the school nurse will assess the child and provide any treatment then send the child back to their classroom. If the nurse determines that the child needs to be picked up from school and or go to a doctor or hospital, the nurse will contact a parent and/or adult listed on the blue emergency card in order to pick-up their child from the school. The nurse can also administer certain medications to students if there is a Medical Administration Form (MAF) on file for the student.
Birthday Celebration Policy
In keeping with our work towards equity and recognition of all students and their milestones, individual birthday parties will not permitted during the instructional day in Kindergarten-5th Grades. In keeping with the school health and wellness policy and allergy concerns, outside food is not permitted to be shared with students. We have several students with a wide range of severe, life threatening allergies. As such, we must be diligent about monitoring the ingredients of all food products brought in to our school building. This year, each classroom will arrange a short, 15-minute period of time at the end of each calendar month to recognize all students who had a birthday that month. Students who have summer birthdays (July and August) will be recognized in June. Students can bring in their favorite stories, songs, or activity for their classmates, as decided with their teacher.
In lieu of bringing any snacks and goodie bags, the “class parent” will coordinate the families to provide all children with a healthy snack and/or a non-food novelty, such as a pencil, sticker, bookmarks, etc. We appreciate your support and understanding as we continue to reflect on how to provide all students with an inclusive, equitable, safe, and healthy environment.
Toys & Electronics Policy
Toys, trading cards, and other items are not allowed in the school building. Parents need to regularly check and inspect their child’s backpack to ensure that toys remain at home. Toys brought to school lead to lost instructional time and conflicts between students. Teachers may, at some point, request that a child bring in an item or collection from home for a specific academic purpose. Should this be the case, parents will receive notification and specifics about what is allowed. If toys are brought to school, the child will receive a warning and be asked to put the toy in their backpack to take it home. If the toy is seen again, a staff member will bring the toy to Ms. Nieves for safe keeping in the main office. A parent will receive a phone call and will be asked to pick the toy up in the main office and reminded of our school toy policy.
Laptops, tablets, iPads and other similar computing devices and portable music and entertainment systems (such as iPods, PSP and Nintendo DS) are not allowed in school due to the significant risk they pose for theft. These items will be confiscated according to the school’s Cell Phone Policy (below).
Cell Phone Policy
Students may bring cellphones to school, but they may not be turned on or used at school, including:
Procedures for Cell Phone Confiscation:
Headwear, Headband, and Hats Policy
Due to previous injuries, we ask that parents do not send their children with headbands or headwear that are made of plastic, metal, or have pointy parts that could create a hazard for other students. This include “cat ear” style headbands. Students actively play each day in PE and at recess, and injuries have occurred due to this type of headwear. If a child comes to school wearing headgear that could create a hazard for other students, a staff member will ask the child to remove it and keep it in their backpack until the end of the day. While students are allowed to wear hats to school, all students will be asked to remove hats in the classroom during instructional times.
Attendance and Tardiness
Regular and punctual attendance is extremely important to your child’s success in school. Research strongly shows a connection between a child’s school attendance and their academic and social performance. Absences without notification or proper justification are noted as unexcused absences in the child’s permanent record. A child with 10 absences in a school year is considered chronically absent and parents will be required to meet with school administrations to create an improvement plan. There may be times when a child is sick and unable to attend school. Excused absences will only be noted for: illness or health conditions (with doctor’s notes), legal appointments, family emergencies, or religious observations. The administration must approve of all absences in order for it to be excused.
All students are expected to be in school, on time and in their classroom at 8:20 a.m. each day to begin instruction with their peers. A student who arrives after 8:25 a.m. is tardy and must report with the parent, to the main office for a late pass. Parents will need to sign a late arrival books. Tardiness is closely monitored and should patterns of tardiness occur (more than 1 tardy each month), families will receive a letter and may need to meet with the Parent Coordinator and school administration.
Pick-Up Policy
Each day, students are dismissed by their teacher at 2:40 p.m. Students will only be released to the individuals listed on the Blue Emergency Card. It is critical that you keep this up-to-date in the main office. If someone who is not listed on the blue card attempts to pick up a student, the teacher will keep the child in the main office until a parent can be contacted and come pick up the child.
Parents should ensure that only adults, age 18 and older, are picking up their child. Should a parent have a specific request of someone younger than 18 to pick up the child, they will need to provide a written permission slip after getting approval from school administration.
Late Pick-Up Policy
We make every effort to ensure that all students are under appropriate supervision until they return to you at the end of their school day. For that reason, we are concerned about students who are left after dismissal time or who are brought back to school because no one is there to meet the bus. The school is not, and cannot be, staffed to provide supervision for students in these situations; hiring extra personnel to supervise is beyond our financial resources. In addition, children can feel confused and apprehensive when they are not picked up on time.
When children are returned to school or not picked up within 20 minutes after school is dismissed, the child’s parent or guardian will receive a letter documenting each time this occurs and may need to meet with the Parent Coordinator and school administration to determine a plan to pick the child up on time.
Inclement Weather Pick-Up
If there is heavy rain or snow, we will conduct an indoor dismissal for all students K-5 from the school’s multi-purpose room. Parent will wait at the 43rd Street Exit Doors for their child’s class number to be announced. At that time, parents can enter and pick-up their child.
Lice Policy
Children are not allowed in school if they have live lice. If head lice is detected, parents will be notified, instructed in treatment of head lice, and asked to pick-up their child from school that day. Children are allowed to return only when they are lice free and after being examined by a staff members.
As per DOE policy, the school is not allowed to conduct routine head lice checks nor are schools allowed to exclude children with nits from school. However, presence of nits is an early sign that live lice will develop. Left untreated, this will cause lice to be spread to other children.
Parents can take the first step in preventing the spread of lice by learning how to regularly check their child’s hair for lice and how to effectively treat lice should they be found. Workshops on lice prevention will be offered by the Parent Coordinator and School Nurse during the school year.
Snack Policy
Each grade level will establish a shared snack policy for the school year that meets the developmental needs of students and will ensure equity among all students in providing access to healthy snacks. Your child’s teacher will inform you of the policy during “Back to School” night and via notes home. Please follow the policy established by the grade-level team.
Appropriate Clothing and Shoes
Each day, students participate in free-play for recess. Additionally, they will have physical education and dance classes throughout the week. Children need to wear sneakers that are appropriate for play and movement. Avoid sending students in open-toe sandals, shoes with heels, or shoes with dark soles that can leave marks on the floors. Also consider that children go outside each day, so they must be prepared for the weather. We recommend sending children in appropriate clothing for the temperature that day. We play outside even in the snow and cold. During winter months, make sure you send your child to school with a warm jacket, gloves/mittens, hats and scarves. Have your child practice putting all of these items on independently at home as this will be expected at school.
Communicating with Staff and Teachers
Part of the success of our school will be the open communication between parents, students, and teachers. In an effort to help with this, we have provided email addresses for all staff members. The main school number can be used at any time and your call will be directed to the appropriate staff member. You may also send a note in your child’s blue folder. Please understand we will be as prompt as possible in returning your call, but do understand that teachers are often busy throughout the day and may not be able to return your call or respond to your email for 24-48 hours.
Field Trips
Each year, teachers will plan several field trips that complement the curriculum, including travels to the local museums and parks and other New York City institutions. A parent/guardian MUST sign a permission slip in order for their child to attend a field trip. If written permission is not received the day prior to the field trip, the students will not be allowed to attend the trip and will remain at school in another class. For some trips, teachers will request a specific number of adult chaperones. However, please keep in mind we cannot accommodate all parent chaperones on all trips. Parents must attend a Chaperone Training course offered at school in order to attend a field trip. In addition, a general walking trip slip will go home at the beginning of the year that will give permission for teachers to take students on neighborhood walks throughout the year.
All visitors to the school must sign in and show a photo ID at the security desk in the main entrance to receive a visitor pass. Visitors must then proceed to the main office after signing in. You should then inform an office staff member of the purpose and destination of your visit. The office staff member will then direct you to the location.
Strollers, carriages, scooters, and bikes are not allowed in the school building under any circumstance. They create a substantial risk during emergency situations. Please note that you will be asked by the safety agent to leave these items outside in order to enter the building.
Breakfast Entry
The doors to the school official open to students at 7:40 a.m. This is when staff members begin their shifts and supervise students. No children are allowed to be in the building prior to 7:40 a.m. as there is not designated supervision and it is a safety and security hazard. At 7:40 a.m., a school aide will greet children and lead them to the cafeteria for breakfast service. Children sit in tables organized by grade level. Students are allowed to enter for breakfast between 7:40 a.m. up until 8:15 a.m. If you would like your child to have plenty of time to eat, please try to bring them to breakfast at 7:40 a.m. so they do not need to rush.
Morning Arrival
All students arriving prior to 8:00 a.m. will proceed to the school cafeteria for breakfast. Students arriving at 8:00 or after will walk to the multi-purpose room where they will sit with their designated class line-up spot. At approximately 8:15, we begin leading children in their lines up to their classrooms to they can begin their instructional day promptly at 8:20 a.m. Please make sure to drop your child off no later than 8:15 a.m. so they can walk to their classroom with their class line. This helps with safety and security and alleviates congestion in the main entry.
School Nurse
P.S. 516 has a school nurse on duty during school hours. If your child becomes ill at school, the school nurse will assess the child and provide any treatment then send the child back to their classroom. If the nurse determines that the child needs to be picked up from school and or go to a doctor or hospital, the nurse will contact a parent and/or adult listed on the blue emergency card in order to pick-up their child from the school. The nurse can also administer certain medications to students if there is a Medical Administration Form (MAF) on file for the student.
Birthday Celebration Policy
In keeping with our work towards equity and recognition of all students and their milestones, individual birthday parties will not permitted during the instructional day in Kindergarten-5th Grades. In keeping with the school health and wellness policy and allergy concerns, outside food is not permitted to be shared with students. We have several students with a wide range of severe, life threatening allergies. As such, we must be diligent about monitoring the ingredients of all food products brought in to our school building. This year, each classroom will arrange a short, 15-minute period of time at the end of each calendar month to recognize all students who had a birthday that month. Students who have summer birthdays (July and August) will be recognized in June. Students can bring in their favorite stories, songs, or activity for their classmates, as decided with their teacher.
In lieu of bringing any snacks and goodie bags, the “class parent” will coordinate the families to provide all children with a healthy snack and/or a non-food novelty, such as a pencil, sticker, bookmarks, etc. We appreciate your support and understanding as we continue to reflect on how to provide all students with an inclusive, equitable, safe, and healthy environment.
Toys & Electronics Policy
Toys, trading cards, and other items are not allowed in the school building. Parents need to regularly check and inspect their child’s backpack to ensure that toys remain at home. Toys brought to school lead to lost instructional time and conflicts between students. Teachers may, at some point, request that a child bring in an item or collection from home for a specific academic purpose. Should this be the case, parents will receive notification and specifics about what is allowed. If toys are brought to school, the child will receive a warning and be asked to put the toy in their backpack to take it home. If the toy is seen again, a staff member will bring the toy to Ms. Nieves for safe keeping in the main office. A parent will receive a phone call and will be asked to pick the toy up in the main office and reminded of our school toy policy.
Laptops, tablets, iPads and other similar computing devices and portable music and entertainment systems (such as iPods, PSP and Nintendo DS) are not allowed in school due to the significant risk they pose for theft. These items will be confiscated according to the school’s Cell Phone Policy (below).
Cell Phone Policy
Students may bring cellphones to school, but they may not be turned on or used at school, including:
- Cell phones and portable music and entertainment systems may not be turned on or used during the administration of any school quiz, test or examination.
- Computing devices may not be turned on or used during the administration of any school quiz, test or examination, except where such use has been explicitly authorized by the school or is contained in an Individualized Education Program or Section 504 Accommodation Plan.
- Cell phones, computing devices and portable music and entertainment systems may not be turned on or used during school fire drills or other emergency preparedness exercises.
- Cell phones, computing devices, and portable music and entertainment systems may not be used in locker rooms or bathrooms.
Procedures for Cell Phone Confiscation:
- If a student violates this policy by using a cell phone or other electronic device during school hours, the teacher will first remind the student of the policy and instruct the students to turn off and return the device to their backpack for the remainder of the day.
- If the student does not comply and/or there is a repeated infraction of this policy after the teacher has provided fair warning, the teacher should inform the principal or assistant principal.
- The principal or assistant principal will determine if confiscation is necessary.
- If a device if confiscated, parents will be notified.
Headwear, Headband, and Hats Policy
Due to previous injuries, we ask that parents do not send their children with headbands or headwear that are made of plastic, metal, or have pointy parts that could create a hazard for other students. This include “cat ear” style headbands. Students actively play each day in PE and at recess, and injuries have occurred due to this type of headwear. If a child comes to school wearing headgear that could create a hazard for other students, a staff member will ask the child to remove it and keep it in their backpack until the end of the day. While students are allowed to wear hats to school, all students will be asked to remove hats in the classroom during instructional times.
Attendance and Tardiness
Regular and punctual attendance is extremely important to your child’s success in school. Research strongly shows a connection between a child’s school attendance and their academic and social performance. Absences without notification or proper justification are noted as unexcused absences in the child’s permanent record. A child with 10 absences in a school year is considered chronically absent and parents will be required to meet with school administrations to create an improvement plan. There may be times when a child is sick and unable to attend school. Excused absences will only be noted for: illness or health conditions (with doctor’s notes), legal appointments, family emergencies, or religious observations. The administration must approve of all absences in order for it to be excused.
All students are expected to be in school, on time and in their classroom at 8:20 a.m. each day to begin instruction with their peers. A student who arrives after 8:25 a.m. is tardy and must report with the parent, to the main office for a late pass. Parents will need to sign a late arrival books. Tardiness is closely monitored and should patterns of tardiness occur (more than 1 tardy each month), families will receive a letter and may need to meet with the Parent Coordinator and school administration.
Pick-Up Policy
Each day, students are dismissed by their teacher at 2:40 p.m. Students will only be released to the individuals listed on the Blue Emergency Card. It is critical that you keep this up-to-date in the main office. If someone who is not listed on the blue card attempts to pick up a student, the teacher will keep the child in the main office until a parent can be contacted and come pick up the child.
Parents should ensure that only adults, age 18 and older, are picking up their child. Should a parent have a specific request of someone younger than 18 to pick up the child, they will need to provide a written permission slip after getting approval from school administration.
Late Pick-Up Policy
We make every effort to ensure that all students are under appropriate supervision until they return to you at the end of their school day. For that reason, we are concerned about students who are left after dismissal time or who are brought back to school because no one is there to meet the bus. The school is not, and cannot be, staffed to provide supervision for students in these situations; hiring extra personnel to supervise is beyond our financial resources. In addition, children can feel confused and apprehensive when they are not picked up on time.
When children are returned to school or not picked up within 20 minutes after school is dismissed, the child’s parent or guardian will receive a letter documenting each time this occurs and may need to meet with the Parent Coordinator and school administration to determine a plan to pick the child up on time.
Inclement Weather Pick-Up
If there is heavy rain or snow, we will conduct an indoor dismissal for all students K-5 from the school’s multi-purpose room. Parent will wait at the 43rd Street Exit Doors for their child’s class number to be announced. At that time, parents can enter and pick-up their child.
Lice Policy
Children are not allowed in school if they have live lice. If head lice is detected, parents will be notified, instructed in treatment of head lice, and asked to pick-up their child from school that day. Children are allowed to return only when they are lice free and after being examined by a staff members.
As per DOE policy, the school is not allowed to conduct routine head lice checks nor are schools allowed to exclude children with nits from school. However, presence of nits is an early sign that live lice will develop. Left untreated, this will cause lice to be spread to other children.
Parents can take the first step in preventing the spread of lice by learning how to regularly check their child’s hair for lice and how to effectively treat lice should they be found. Workshops on lice prevention will be offered by the Parent Coordinator and School Nurse during the school year.
Snack Policy
Each grade level will establish a shared snack policy for the school year that meets the developmental needs of students and will ensure equity among all students in providing access to healthy snacks. Your child’s teacher will inform you of the policy during “Back to School” night and via notes home. Please follow the policy established by the grade-level team.
Appropriate Clothing and Shoes
Each day, students participate in free-play for recess. Additionally, they will have physical education and dance classes throughout the week. Children need to wear sneakers that are appropriate for play and movement. Avoid sending students in open-toe sandals, shoes with heels, or shoes with dark soles that can leave marks on the floors. Also consider that children go outside each day, so they must be prepared for the weather. We recommend sending children in appropriate clothing for the temperature that day. We play outside even in the snow and cold. During winter months, make sure you send your child to school with a warm jacket, gloves/mittens, hats and scarves. Have your child practice putting all of these items on independently at home as this will be expected at school.
Communicating with Staff and Teachers
Part of the success of our school will be the open communication between parents, students, and teachers. In an effort to help with this, we have provided email addresses for all staff members. The main school number can be used at any time and your call will be directed to the appropriate staff member. You may also send a note in your child’s blue folder. Please understand we will be as prompt as possible in returning your call, but do understand that teachers are often busy throughout the day and may not be able to return your call or respond to your email for 24-48 hours.
Field Trips
Each year, teachers will plan several field trips that complement the curriculum, including travels to the local museums and parks and other New York City institutions. A parent/guardian MUST sign a permission slip in order for their child to attend a field trip. If written permission is not received the day prior to the field trip, the students will not be allowed to attend the trip and will remain at school in another class. For some trips, teachers will request a specific number of adult chaperones. However, please keep in mind we cannot accommodate all parent chaperones on all trips. Parents must attend a Chaperone Training course offered at school in order to attend a field trip. In addition, a general walking trip slip will go home at the beginning of the year that will give permission for teachers to take students on neighborhood walks throughout the year.