Family Handbook
Family Handbook 2022-2023
REQUIRED SCHOOL FORMS
1. Blue Emergency Contact Card
Please fill out the front and back of this emergency contact card in blue/black in and return it to school as soon as possible. It will be kept in the main office in case of an emergency. This form must be submitted annually with current information. You must list several people who can be contacted in the event the school cannot reach you. Your child will not be released to anyone who is not listed on the Blue card with a note from you so please make sure the numbers are working and up to date. If numbers change during the school year, it is important that you come in to the main office and make the change to the blue card yourself. If your address should change during the school year you must bring in two pieces of address verification to the main office so that the new address can be entered in the DOE database and you must fill out a new housing questionnaire and blue emergency contact card. During school hours, students can only be released to an adult over the age of 18 that is listed on their blue emergency contact card. All adults must provide a picture id. New families fill out the blue card during pre-registration so will not need to update it in September, unless there have been changes.
2. SchoolFood Form
Every student must submit a SchoolFood form regardless of whether the student will eat a meal at school. Each school day New York City Public School students are able to enjoy FREE breakfast and lunch meals. Parents or guardians must return a completed paper application to their child’s school OR they can apply on line at www.myschoolapps.com/Application using any electronic device with an internet connection. If you require a paper application, they are available in the main office – G15. Completing the SchoolFood form helps secure state funding for our school. For assistance or questions on the lunch application, contact SchoolFood’s Help Desk at 877-363-6325.
3. Media Waiver Consent Form
Every family must submit a media waiver release form for their child. If you do not consent, simply write “no consent” on the form. New families fill out the form at pre- registration.
4. Student Dismissal Form
Every family must submit a student dismissal plan. It is the family’s responsibility to communicate to your classroom teacher your child’s dismissal plans.
It is the family's responsibility to communicate to your classroom teacher your child's dismissal plans and any changes throughout the school year. Same day dismissal changes call the school and speak to a staff member who will communicate the change directly to your classroom teachers. Teachers are not checking email during the school day.
SCHOOL PROCEDURES
PS 452 school hours are from 8:25 AM to 2:45 PM
ARRIVAL: Pre-K & KPlease wait outside the schoolyard gate of the small yard at the corner of Amsterdam Avenue and West 61st Street. Line up along the fence on Amsterdam Avenue. The gates will open around 8:25 AM. Kindergarten children enter the gate independently. At this time you will escort your Pre-K child through the small yard and into the building. You will say “so long” to your child at the classroom door. Children will enter the classroom on their own and you will exit down the stairs to the main entrance doors. PS 452 Staff will be nearby to assist any family that is having difficulty separating at the start of school or when requested later on in the school year. The gate will close about 8:30 AM.
Families with older siblings should drop off at the Amsterdam gate between 60th and 61st street and then proceed to the Pre-K & K gate at the corner of Amsterdam Avenue and West 61st Street.
ARRIVAL: 1st through 5thPlease wait outside the gate on Amsterdam Avenue between 60th & 61st Street.
A member of the PS 452 staff will come outside to welcome families at approximately 8:25 AM at which time students will enter the school. Please say a brief “farewell” to your child prior to them entering the school. Teachers will meet their classes outside in the yard. The gate will close at 8:28 AM.
DISMISSAL ALL GRADES: 2:45 PM
Please wait outside the gate on Amsterdam Avenue between 60th & 61st Street.
First through 5th Grade: Rain or shine, you will pick up your child outside in the schoolyard using the gate on Amsterdam Avenue in the middle of the street that leads to the main yard. Please enter the yard to find your child’s classroom teacher. The teacher will dismiss your child to you and then you will exit the yard using the gate on 60th St. Please make certain to place any changes to your child’s regular dismissal plans as a note in the purple home-school folder with any updates or changes for the classroom teacher. For the rest of the school year, a PS 452 staff member will open the gate beginning around 2:41 PM. The gate will close at 2:44 PM.
Late Pick Up:
We will take students who are not picked up on time to the auditorium, and a PS 452 staff member will contact adults listed on the Blue Emergency Card. We understand that emergencies do occur. Please call the main office if there is an emergency to notify us that you will be late. Staff members have other responsibilities at the end of the day so please try to be on time. Before leaving the building, the person picking up the child must present identification and sign the child out in the sign out book. If it becomes very late, and a child is not picked up or if no one on the blue emergency card can be reached, the 20th Police Precinct or the Administration for Children Services (ACS) will be notified.
If your child participates in another after school program, please instruct them to pick up your child via the instructions above.
ATTENDANCE
Please arrive and pick up on time! It is important that children arrive at school on time so that they do not miss important morning routines and do not disrupt these activities for others. All children who arrive after the gates are closed should proceed to the main entrance and enter on 61st street. Please, do not take your child directly to the classroom. It is equally important that your child is picked up on time. It is upsetting to the child when he or she is picked up late. Furthermore, all staff have other duties to attend to right after dismissal.
LATENESS:
It’s important to establish good habits from the beginning. Please make sure to arrive at school on time for students to arrive to class for the beginning of instruction. Tardiness creates a disruption and a difficult start of the day for our learners. If you are late, use the main entrance and stop at the school safety agent desk. Sign your child in to the “Daily Late Student Sign in Sheet”, and grades 1-5 will walk to their classroom, while a staff member will escort 3K, 4K and Kindergarten to their classroom. Automated phone calls occur when a child is late and absent.
ABSENCE:
Consistent attendance is extremely important. If your child is ill or unable to come to school, please, call or email the school. All absences must be documented. If your child has been ill 5 days or more, please send in a doctor’s note of explanation. If your child is ill or unable to come to school, please call or email the school at absentps452@gmail.com and copy your teacher.
Regular attendance is extremely important for your child to succeed in school. Please make every effort to have your child attend school unless her/she is sick. Check the school calendar carefully and plan family vacations and appointments during school breaks. Taking your child out of school for family trips is against DOE regulations and academically disruptive to your child’s learning.
Lateness and absences must be permanently recorded by the New York City Department of Education. If your child is absent, you will receive a call from our Automated Global Connect system even if the school is aware your child is absent. Parents/Guardians of students with excessive lateness and absences will receive letters and / or phone calls regarding their child’s attendance record.
EARLY PICK-UP:
If you need to pick up your child early for any reason, please, come to the main office and “sign out your child”. A staff member will bring your child to you. Please do not arrange to pick up your child during their lunchtime. We encourage parents to make appointments (for example, dentist) out of school hours so that children do not miss any instructional time. It is challenging to collect a student and his/her belongings during lunch/recess. If you schedule appointments during lunch/recess times please arrange to pick up your child before that period begins. If your child is picked up during the school day, s/he must be picked up by an adult listed on the blue emergency card (18 years or older.) If sitters or siblings pick up a child after school, we must have a note from the parent/guardian.
DISMISSAL:
If there are changes to the regular schedule you must send a note with your child that day. For example, if your child regularly takes the bus but is being picked up that day, the teacher must have a written note or he/she will be sent home on the bus, regardless of what the student says. Teachers will not consider verbal messages from the student. Emails to teachers must be written 24 hours in advance, as they are not checking during school hours. In an emergency or changes to the dismissal on the day, call the main office and speak to a person to give the detailed dismissal changes. If a student attends an afterschool program in the school, it is the family’s responsibility to notify the program director and the classroom teacher about dismissal changes. Students will not be released to any person not named on the blue emergency card without a written note.
BIRTHDAYS
Chancellor’s Regulations do not allow birthday celebrations in classrooms.
We do want to acknowledge your child’s special day. Teachers may ask the class to sing a birthday song or let the child wear a special crown or hat or let the birthday child choose a special activity. But we cannot accommodate cakes, cup- cakes, party bags, etc. However, if you wish to donate a book or a puzzle or other material to the class in honor of your child, the classroom community will be grateful. Please, let your child’s teacher know in advance. We will celebrate summer birthdays in June.
Nothing crushes a young spirit more than the dreadful realization that one is among the few (or is the only one) excluded from a classmate’s birthday party outside of school. Please, be considerate and do not distribute party invitations at school unless everyone in the class is invited. In addition, we would like to encourage families not to pick up from the yard a large group of students to travel together to a party, if everyone has not been included. We understand that this may be easier for families, however, for the few that are excluded from the classmate’s birthday party it is distressing to be the one left out.
CELL PHONE POLICY
MODEL SCHOOL-BASED POLICY OF PS 452 FOR USE OF CELL PHONES, COMPUTING DEVICES, AND PORTABLE MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEMS ON SCHOOL PROPERTY
Students are permitted to bring the following electronic items to school: 1) cell phones; 2) laptops, tablets, iPads and other similar computing devices (“computing devices”); and 3) portable music and entertainment systems, such as iPods, MP3 players, PSP, and Nintendo DS.
A. The use of cell phones, computing devices and portable music and entertainment systems at school is subject to the restrictions below.
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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.
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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.
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Use of cell phones, computing devices, portable music and entertainment systems and other electronic devices during the administration of state standardized examinations is governed by State Education Department Rules.
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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.
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Cell phones, computing devices, and portable music and entertainment systems may not be used in locker rooms or bathrooms.
B. Cell phones may be used as set forth below.
- Cell phones may not be turned on or used while on school property. The cell phone must be kept in the child’s backpack during the school day and turned off. The school bus is considered school property and as such cell phones may not be turned on or used on the bus. Failure to comply, will result in the cell removed from the child and returned at the end of the day or to the guardian when the child leaves the bus.
C. Computing devices may be used as set forth below (select applicable option(s) or select other options consistent with Regulation A-413). During the school day:
- Computing systems may not be turned on or used during instructional time, except for instructional and educational purposes with the explicit approval of the teacher.
D. Portable music and entertainment systems may be used as set forth below (select applicable option(s) or select other options consistent with Regulation A-413). During the school day:
- Portable music devices and entertainment systems may not be turned on or used during instructional time, except for instructional and educational purposes with the explicit approval of the teacher
E. Confiscation and return of electronic items. School-based policies must describe the procedures for the confiscation, storage and return of electronic devices. In determining whether to confiscate an electronic device, schools should consider the nature of the violation. Where appropriate, measures should be instituted in a progressive fashion. Such measures may include, but are not limited to:
- warnings
- confiscation of item and return at end of school day
- confiscation of item and return following parent conference
- confiscation of item and return following student entering into behavioral contract
- revocation of privilege to bring item to school.
F. Discipline
- School-based policies must state that students who use cell phones, computing devices, and/or portable music and entertainment system in violation of any provision of the DOE’s Discipline Code, the school’s policy, Chancellor Regulation A-413, and/or the DOE’s Internet Acceptable Use and Safety Policy (“ISUSP”) will be subject to discipline in accordance with the guidance interventions and disciplinary responses set forth in the Discipline Code.
CLOTHING
INDOOR AND OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES:
Children will engage in active play and exploration at school. This includes painting, gluing, running, jumping, and climbing. Please, make sure your child is dressed in comfortable clothes and footwear so that s/he can enjoy doing all these activities. Please dress your child in sneakers for physical education days. We provide smocks in Art, but we cannot prevent all stains on the children’s clothing. On gym days, please dress your child in sneakers.
Weather permitting, the children will go outdoors each day to play and develop their gross motor coordination. We make every effort to go outside even in cold temperature days, so we advise parents to dress their children accordingly to the weather forecast.
Please use hats or raincoats instead of umbrellas. Umbrellas are easily lost and in some cases are used inappropriately as a weapon.
DRESS CODE:
We do not have a mandated dress uniform. However, we encourage you to dress your child as comfortable as possible. Sneakers and T-shirts are appropriate while flip flops, crocs, dress boots, and dress shoes are not. Children should be able to manage their clothing alone when using the bathroom. Children should be dressed appropriately for the season (hats, gloves, scarves, etc.) to be ready to go outside every day.
Please, keep items such as expensive jewelry and toys at home. Please make certain all clothing and belongings are labeled with your child’s name and “PS 452” on the inside of the clothing and backpacks/lunchbox. We make every effort, if items are labeled, to return them to you when they are lost. Tank tops or clothing that reveal a bare midriff are prohibited.
CHANGE OF CLOTHING:
Please bring a complete change of clothing for your child in Pre-K, Kindergarten and first grade. All items should be clearly labeled with your child’s name and placed in a plastic bag. When soiled clothes are sent home, be sure to replace them with clean ones the next day. Please, check the clothing every few months to make certain that the clothes still fit and that they are appropriate to the season.
COMMUNICATION
Consistent communication contributes to student’s success in school. Forms and notices come home from many sources. Please take advantage of the avenues of communication below.
Backpack Mail (Kid Mail folder)
Backpack mail is the most direct communication between parents and teachers. There will be a designated purple folder that your child uses to bring home mail that will be distributed in the beginning of school from your child’s teacher.
After school every day parents should get into the routine of checking that folder for any notes from the teacher or school. Most teachers will send weekly and/or monthly letters. Families should use the folder to send notes to the teacher with dismissal routines, meeting requests or other questions or concerns.
Teachers are not able to speak to parents during instructional time. You will need to make an appointment to speak with them. Your teacher will explain the best way to contact them throughout the school year. Other ways to communicate with your teacher besides the folder is to leave a note in the teacher’s mailbox in the main office or you may call the Main Office and leave a brief message for the teacher with the school secretary.
Newsletters
There are several avenues of communication from the school. PS 452 news is sent at the end of every week. PTA news is sent in the beginning of every week. It is essential for at least one parent per family to read the newsletter in order to stay well informed. In an effort to use less paper, most announcements are now sent only via e-mail. All new parents are added to the newsletter distribution list after pre-registration. If you are not receiving the newsletter, please email ps452admisssions@gmail.com . If you do not have access to email, let us know by telephone or written note. We will get back to you as soon as possible. You can always reach us by calling the school’s main office: (212) 259-6222.
School Website
www.ps452.org is our school website. Please check the website frequently for information about curriculum, parent resources, and events. The calendar in this handbook lists only the Department of Education School Holidays/Closings. For up to date information and times and locations of events, check the website calendar.
Classroom Rep
Every class will have a classroom rep who will help distribute information from the teacher and coordinate family involvement for class projects, trips, etc. Classroom reps will create and distribute a contact list for the class. At First Parent Conference, Curriculum Night in September, teachers will discuss the classroom rep.
Teacher Communication
For questions and concerns about your child, please speak with your child’s teacher first before contacting others in the building. The classroom teacher spends the most time with your child and should always be your first contact. During classroom hours, teachers are not available to speak with parents. All discussions with teachers, in person or by phone, must be scheduled for the teacher’s preparation period. The best way to do this is to send the teacher a note in your child’s backpack or leave a message with the school secretary in the main office (212-259-6222). Please do not use dismissal time for conferences with your child’s teacher. Teachers are responsible for the students in their class and cannot discuss your child with you at this time. Please keep in mind that even if your child’s teacher encourages e-mail communication, most messages will not be checked during the school day so you will not receive a response until after dismissal or later.
Parent Engagement
Please contact your teacher via email or send a note in the kidmail folder if you would like to meet with your child's teacher.
CLASSROOM EVENTS AND PERFORMANCES
From time to time, classrooms will invite families to events to share what was learned at the end of a unit of study, or for art performances. Due to space and safety constraints, these events are for our adult family members. In instances where an adult family member can’t attend, a written request to your teacher, in advance of the event, is required to ask for siblings to attend. Based on the schedule for the day, the teacher will decide whether the request can be accommodated.
FORGOTTEN ITEMS
Forgotten lunches, rain gear, backpack and the like can be left labeled with your child’s name and class number, at the desk in the main office. A staff member will deliver it to your child. Parents are not permitted to go to the classrooms once school has begun.
LOST & FOUND
PS 452 can’t be responsible for personal items. Lost items will be placed in the bin in the main office. Families should check frequently because the bins will be emptied about once a month. To avoid losing anything, please, label everything with your child’s name, class number and “P.S. 452”. Please label items on the inside of the backpack or lunch box. We check everything for a name and do our best to get things back to you! If an item doesn’t have a name and is not claimed, we will periodically donate the items left to charity.
MEALS
Please Note: The school safety agent assigned to our school sits at a desk inside the main lobby. Per DOE regulations, the person is not permitted to allow children to enter the building before there is other school staff supervision, even in inclement weather. School Safety Agents are there to monitor the traffic coming in and out of the building, it is not their responsibility to watch students left unattended. Please do not leave children unattended in front of the building.
Please, make sure your child has breakfast either in school or home. Children are not able to learn, concentrate, and participate if they are hungry!
LUNCH/RECESS:
Recess: Children will go to recess outside every day except in severe weather and rain. NYC Department of Education recommends that children benefit from vigorous exercise and should be given every opportunity to play outside whenever possible. Unless it is snowing, there is ice on the playground, or the wind chill factor creates an effect temperature below zero degrees Fahrenheit (-18 degrees Celsius), temperature alone should not be a barrier to outdoor play. They will have lunch afterwards. PS 452 recommends that children need to have proper attire to go out (sweaters, jackets and hats, gloves etc. when it gets colder.) Work with your child to practice how to properly put on their winter garments. Remind them to cover exposed skin in the winter, and use multiple layers to maintain warmth. Remember to label these items with your child’s name and “P.S. 452”! On very cold days, we take precautions to keep students warm and ensure that they are properly dressed with the winter garments that you provide.
Lunch: PS 452 children will have lunch in the cafeteria. 3K & 4K have to eat in their classrooms. K-5th grade lunch is supervised by other staff members, not the classroom teachers. Children may bring their lunch or have school lunch. School lunch is free for all students. Children are encouraged but never forced to eat. A variety of healthy options are served which is part of the “Wellness in the School” Program. School lunch is free for everyone. Please, remember to discuss any dietary restrictions or allergies with the staff. If a child leaves their packed lunch in the classroom, the student will be offered school lunch instead as we do not allow students to return to their classroom during their lunch/recess time.
If your child requires a homemade lunch, please, make it nutritious (no candy, chips, soda, etc. and no glass containers).
Water: Please, send children with a refillable bottle of water labeled with their name. Children need to hydrate throughout the day and especially when they play outside in hot weather. No glass bottles, jars or containers are allowed in school. Our PTA has on sale PS 452 water bottles that you may purchase for your children to use in school. There is a filtered refill station in the cafeteria.
MEDICAL NEEDS AND INFORMATION
Immunizations: The NYC Department of Health has strict medical requirements for new entrants to school. Each child must have an up-to-date, complete medical examination, which includes all the required immunizations. In January, any child that does not have up-to-date, complete immunizations will receive a letter and be excluded from school until all required immunizations are administered. Medical documentation must be provided to the school.
Medications: If the doctor prescribes medicine that your child must take during school time or if your child has any other medical needs, your doctor must fill out Form 504/Medical Administration Form (available in the main office or on the Department of Education website.) Staff members are not allowed to dispense medicine. (This includes sunscreen.)The school nurse is the one allowed to dispense medication but only with Form 504/Medical Administration Form on file. Please, let PS 452 know and see the nurse if you have any question in Room G8on the ground floor. Children are not allowed to carry medication with them to school and are not allowed to self-medicate. However, students may apply on themselves sunscreen, hand lotion or lip balm.
Allergies: Let us know about any food or other allergies immediately and if your child will require an Epi- pen in the classroom. Various staff members have been trained in the use of an Epi-pen.
Sickness: Please, do not send your child to school when s/he does not feel well. PS 452 has a set of guidelines, in accordance with general medical standards, to assist parents in making a decision whether it is necessary to keep an ill child at home.
Your child should not attend school if he/she has any of the following symptoms:
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Evidence of infection, sore throat and swollen, tender, painful neck glands
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Fever of 100* or higher (including having such a fever in the past 24 hours)
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Vomiting
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Diarrhea
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Earaches
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Persistent cough
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Body Rash
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Pink Eye
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Ring Worm
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Lice(your child needs to be checked by a staff member before returning to class)
Parents/guardians whose children become ill at school will be contacted to pick up the child. If your child has a contagious disease, please inform the school.
Accidents: A child who has an injury while in school will be seen by the school nurse. In the case of minor injury where the child returns to class, s/he will be given a note to take home. In the case of an accident that results in more than a minor injury, the staff member who is in charge of the child will fill an accident report required by the DOE and parents/guardians will be contacted.
If your child has an injury outside of school, please send a note to the teacher. This is not an invasion of your privacy but we are required by the NYC Department of Education to inquire about unusual injuries observed by the staff.
In case of an emergency, and if time permits, staff will make every effort to contact you before deciding what action to take to insure your child’s health and safety.
EMERGENCY INFORMATION & CHANGES IN PICK-UP
It is essential that the Blue Emergency Cards are filled out (front and back) and returned to the main officewithin the first week of school.
In the event the school needs to contact you regarding your child, it is important to list all telephone numbers where you and your designated caregivers can be reached during the day. Please, provide at least 2 alternatives numbers where one can be reached in your absence or during your transits. The card must include the persons who are allowed to pick up your child in the afternoon. Children are not released to anyone whose name is not on the Blue Card or whom you haven’t sent in a written note prior to pick up.
Teachers will always follow the regularly scheduled dismissal procedures that parents give them at the beginning of the year. Any changes due to other adults picking up your child, such as, appointments, play dates, Sports N Stuff, other afterschool programs or activities, MUST BE MADE IN WRITING via backpack kid mail to the teacher and/or main office.
In emergencies in which the expected adults are not able to pick up your child or you have not communicated to the teacher via a handwritten note in kid mail a change in dismissal plans, you must call the school at the main office 212-259-6222 and speak to someone directly no later than 2:40PM on the same day (this is to ensure that your child and the teacher receive the information in time). Please give school personnel your child’s name and class. This person, in turn, will have to provide identification on arrival.
Please, update the Blue Card and notify us right away with any change of information such as home, cell or office phone numbers, address or adults allowed to pick up your child. For address changes, you will need to sign a new housing questionnaire and provide two proofs of residency for the new address.
PARENT/GUARDIAN ENGAGEMENT
CLASSROOM REP: Teachers will send home information about becoming a classroom rep for your child’s classroom. Class Parents take their lead from their child’s classroom teacher. Your teacher will explain in the beginning what their expectations are so you will have a clear sense of what you will be asked to do for the class during the school year. Please remember that you are not an advocate for other parents in the class! Families need to contact the appropriate teacher or staff member themselves if they have an issue that needs to be addressed.
TRIPS: Extra hands are always welcome and needed for trips, based on each individual trip. Speak to your teacher. Trips are suspended for this year.
WORKSHOPS: Parents/Guardians help plan and attend workshops. Workshops may focus on child development, health, literacy, bullying, and many more.
CELEBRATIONS AND SPECIAL EVENTS: Parents/Guardians help plan seasonal celebrations for the children and families.
PARENT / TEACHER ASSOCIATION
Every parent/guardian of a PS 452 student is a member of the PTA. There are many ways to get involved, whether you have a little or a lot of time to give. All parents/guardians are welcome and encouraged to participate. Examples include:
Meetings
PTA meetings are held once a month. All parents and guardians are automatically PTA members and are encouraged to attend meetings. Meeting dates are posted on the PS452 website at www.ps452.org. We encourage everyone to attend the PTA meetings.
Events/Fundraisers
The PTA sponsors many events throughout the school year. Some annual events include the Fall Fair, the Spring Auction, and many more. We encourage everyone to volunteer and attend these events.
Volunteering
The events and fundraisers rely on family volunteers. There are many ways to volunteer and many committees that you can become involved in. Whether you have a lot of free time or very little, there is something that is just right for you.
Strong parent engagement is important to a successful partnership between families and educators. The PTA’s mandate is to support in whatever ways allow the teachers to teach and students to learn. The PTA also serves parents/guardians by providing tools and information that help them to become active participants in their child’s education.
Visit the PTA page on ps452.org or email the PTA at PS452pta@gmail.com for more information.
PARENT / TEACHER CONFERENCES
Parent – Teacher conferences this year are scheduled four times a year. All families are encouraged to make use of these informative sessions to discuss their child’s progress with teachers. If you feel that there is an additional need to meet with your child’s teacher, please call the school to make an appointment or e-mail the teacher. You will get specific details about the schedule from the classroom teachers. The November and March conferences are by virtual appointment to accommodate everyone and reduce wait time.
Please see the School Calendar at ps452.org for parent / teacher conference dates.
PERSONAL ITEMS
Toys, electronic devices smart wearables, computerized games and personal headphones MAY NOT be in school. We believe that items such as these cause distraction if taken out during the school day and cause potential problems in places such as the cafeteria and yard at recess. If an occasion arises in which your child’s teacher permits personal items, this property is the sole responsibility of your child. For safety precautions, as well as the reasons mentioned above, we ask that bats, Frisbees, and footballs not be brought to school either.
REPORTS TO FAMILIES
All students receive reports for families. There are two marking periods, one ends in January and the other in June. All grades receive progress reports to families that correspond with the dates of parent – teacher conferences in November and March. (See School Calendar for dates.)
Parents are asked to read these reports carefully, and discuss your child’s progress at the parent-teacher conference. When your child’s report is given to you in June, however, it is yours to keep and the Department of Education does not keep copies of these documents, which include teacher comments. It is highly recommended that parents/guardians keep the reports in a safe place. Please note this is in case you will need it for future reference.
SCHOOL LEADERSHIP TEAM
The School Leadership Team is a joint committee of staff and parents and is one of the mandated policy- making structures of the school. Parent members are elected at a PTA meeting in the spring; however they are open to everyone to attend and observe. SLT meetings are held once a month in the afternoon. A list of SLT dates are on our website at www.ps452.org.
SCHOOL SAFETY
A School Safety Agent is on duty at all times at the main entrance to the school.
We are limiting visitors to the building this year. All adults wishing to enter the building at any time, for any reason, must use the 61st Street entrance where security is located. All visitors, including parents/guardians, must stop at school safety. A staff member will be contacted and come to the lobby.
These procedures allow school personnel to easily identify everyone throughout the building (and can alert us to potential intruders), minimize interruption of teaching & learning, and ensure the safety of your children. Please cooperate or school safety is seriously compromised.
You will also receive updated information in October regarding General Response Protocols for drills to ensure emergency preparedness. Additional information can be found at https://www.schools.nyc.gov/school-life/support/emergency-readiness.
STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PROGRAM (IEP): Every child who receives mandated special education or related services has an IEP. This includes children who are mandated for Integrated Co-Teaching (ICT), Special Education Teacher Support Services (SETSS), Speech and Language Services, Occupational Therapy (OT), Physical Therapy (PT), mandated counseling, or any other service as stated on the IEP. Parents and staff meet periodically to review the IEP and make sure the children are progressing toward stated goals. Parents should always have a copy of their child’s IEP. If your child does not have an IEP and you have concerns regarding his/her performance, please speak to your child’s teacher.
For more information, call the Special Education Office at 718-935-2007 or go to https://www.schools.nyc.gov/special-education.
STANDARDIZED TESTING
Standardized testing is a mandatory part of school life in grades 3, 4, and 5 and we will work with your child to best prepare him/her. Please keep in mind that standardized tests are only one form of measuring your child’s achievement.
Standardized testing begins in 3rd grade and includes:
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NEW YORK STATE LANGUAGE ARTS test
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NEW YORK STATE MATH test
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NEW YORK STATE SCIENCE test (Grade 4 only)
The scores from these tests are typically not available until late August, after school ends. Parents have access to the tests results by going on line to NYC School Account. Information on how to access this program will follow later in the school year for students new to PS 452. To access the NY School Account go to https://mystudent.nyc/ . If you have forgotten your password, follow the prompts at the website. If you require further assistance, please contact our Parent Coordinator.
TRIPS
Curriculum is enriched throughout the year with field trips. We may take small walks around the neighborhood or go on trips by school bus or subway depending upon the destination. The Department of Education (DOE) requires consent slips signed by parents/guardians for each trip. The DOE also requires one adult chaperone for each 10 children so parents and guardians’ help is needed. The teachers will notify you of upcoming trips and give you specific information on lunch, transportation, etc.
Depending upon the trip, a teacher MAY request parent chaperones to accompany the class and assist in supervision. Parent chaperones play a vital role in maintaining the safety and educational value of the trip.
“Rules of the Road” for parent chaperones: Follow the instructions of the teacher who organized the trip. Turn off your cell phone. Limit adult socializing. Do not bring siblings of any age. This is a liability as well as a safety issue. Do not purchase souvenirs or food for your child or any student unless requested to do so by the teacher. Remember that you are there for all the students, not just your child.
Children cannot leave the building without signed parental consent. Children who do not have a signed consent or can’t go on trips are still expected to attend school and will be assigned to another class for the duration of the trip. Be sure to check your child’s backpack kid mail folder for consent notes, sign, and return forms promptly.
YELLOW BUS STUDENTS
Students who ride a school bus come down to the auditorium and are met by a school staff member who escorts them to their bus. Please be prompt in meeting your child at your bus stop. We recommend arriving several minutes early to avoid any problems. We prefer for an adult to meet students at the bus stops. However, in the event the student is discharged to a teenager (12 or older) the parent/guardian should provide a written consent to the bus company, school, and OPT. A child of the age 12 or 13 is considered what we call a “latch key” (a child who is at home without adult supervision for some part of the day, especially after school until a parent returns from work). With consent, they will be deemed appropriate to meet the younger student at the bus stop.
If no one is there to meet the bus, per Chancellor’s Regulations, children may leave the bus, therefore, it is suggested that you tell your child to remain on the bus until the driver can return to school. If no one is at school, the driver will take your child to the nearest police precinct. It is suggested that parents ask the bus driver for his/her cell phone number. Some bus drivers may request parent/caregiver numbers in case of an emergency. If the bus is late, please call the Office of Transportation, not PS 452, at 718-392-8855.
If you have any questions about yellow bus transportation, you may:
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Call the Office of Pupil Transportation at 718-392-8855
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Visit the OPT website at https://www.schools.nyc.gov/school-life/transportation/transportation-overview or contact the Parent Coordinator at 212-259-6222
To file a complaint about a yellow bus transportation:
- Call the Office of Pupil Transportation at 718-392-8855
Parents of students who use special education transportation will receive bus information at the beginning of the school year. Parents of students who are eligible to use the general education yellow bus should visit the OPT website at https://www.schools.nyc.gov/school-life/transportation/transportation-overview at the end of August for information on their child’s route.
The Office of Pupil Transportation needs to have accurate address and contact information for each child they serve. They rely on this information to contact you in emergencies. Contact the PS 452 main office to keep your address and emergency contact information current.
If your child is not to go home on the bus on any given day, this request must be made in writing to your child’s teacher. Please include your child’s name and class number. In an emergency, last minute changes may be called to the main office no later than 2:30pm. Please give your child’s name and class number directly to the staff member. Your child will always be placed on his/her regular bus unless a parent or guardian writes with other instructions to the classroom teacher. These measures are meant for the safety of the children. Only students who are eligible to ride their assigned school bus are permitted on the vehicle, with no exceptions. Friends and play dates are not permitted to ride a bus they are not assigned to, as per the Office of Pupil Transportation (OPT).
Children riding the school bus are expected to follow safety rules and courtesy when aboard the bus. The driver is responsible for the safe operation of the vehicle as well as making sure that children obey the safety rules. We follow the Chancellor’s Regulations that set forth the provisions that govern the transportation of pupils who are New York City residents to and from school. They can be found at Chancellor’s Regulations A801 Pupil Transportation here: https://www.schools.nyc.gov/docs/default-source/default-document-library/a-801-english.
If your child takes the bus, please review the following safety rules with them.
The school bus rules for boarding the bus:
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Stay as far from the edge of the road as possible.
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Let the bus come to a full stop before approaching the door of the bus.
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Use the handrail to help keep your balance as you go up the steps, one at a time.
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Report anything damaged on the bus (such as seatbelts) to the driver as you leave.
The school bus rules while riding the bus are:
- Stay seated while the bus is in motion.
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Do not climb on or over the seats or play beneath them.
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Do not open or close windows unless instructed to do so by the driver.
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Do not extend hands or objects out of the bus windows.
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Use appropriate language.
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Do not engage in any physical fighting or provocations.
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Do not eat or drink on the bus.
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Speak softly
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Keep arms and legs out of the aisle, where they could trip or hurt someone
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Sit quietly in your seat until the trip is over and the bus has come to a full stop
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Keep seat belt on until the bus comes to a halt at the school or home.
The school bus rules for leaving the bus are:
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Stay seated until the bus comes to a full stop. The driver will tell you when to go.
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Always use the handrail going up and down steps to protect yourself from falling
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Move away from the bus quickly. Stay clear of the rear wheels. Never reach back through a window.
If your child is reported for breaking any of the bus rules, you will receive a phone call and / or warning letter of concern from the school. After one warning regarding inappropriate behavior on the bus and the behavior persists, students may be suspended from riding the bus for a period of time. Students suspended from the bus are not suspended from school and are still required to attend school.
If you child does not ride one of our yellow school buses and you live more than 1⁄2 mile (for Kindergartners, 1st and 2nd graders) or more than 1 mile (for 3rd graders) from the school, your child may be entitled to a Metro Card student pass for public transportation to and from school.
Dual transportation on both the yellow school bus and public transportation is not permitted. You may not receive bus service and a metro card.
Metro Cards will be assigned during the beginning of the school year and sent home via backpack kid mail.
PS 452 COMMUNITY STANDARDS
PS 452 has a list of community standards that our staff and students adhere to when in and out and about in our community.
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Be careful with other people’s feelings. Don’t tease, insult, threaten or call anyone an unkind name.
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Tell the truth; don’t lie.
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Use appropriate language. Don’t use bad words or gestures
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Respect other people’s conversations. Don’t interrupt when people are talking.
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Don’t bother people when they are working or learning. Don’t barge into classrooms.
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With your body:
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Be careful with other people’s bodies. Don’t hit or bite or fight. Don’t make anyone feel uncomfortable.
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Be careful with other people’s things. Don’t steal or break or damage anyone’s property.
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Be careful with our school property. Don’t destroy things and don’t write on desks or walls.
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Always ask this question: “Would you like it if someone did that to you?”
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Be quiet in the halls. Classes should walk quietly.
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Listen to and follow directions given by any staff member.
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Be on time.
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Walk. Do not run.
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Work quietly in your classroom so that other people can think.
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Don’t fool around in the bathroom.
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Don’t chew gum.
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Eat only in the cafeteria, or during designated times, in your classroom.
When you do not follow the community standards, you will be asked to try to solve the problem that you created. You may have to:
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Write a letter of apology.
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Participate in mediation.
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Lose privileges.
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Meet with an administrator or social worker.
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Your family may be contacted. Inappropriate items may be confiscated.
Our children are young but it is not too early to instill good conduct and values, which they will have to abide by throughout their school career. Please, review these rules and the information found in our handbook as a family in simple language your little one can understand. Thank you!
PS 452 follows the NYC Department of Education Discipline Code.
Our first Kindergarten class developed the rules below. We think they hold up well today!
Have fun.
Play nicely.
Be Kind.
Be polite to everybody.
Share.
Care about others.
Respect everyone.
Try your best.
Tell the truth.
Treat others as you want to be treated.
Help someone in need.
Stand up for your friends.
Listen to teachers.
Sit quietly when you are supposed to work.
Don’t wander or leave the classroom without telling an adult.
Follow bathroom rules: wait and check, go and flush, wash your hands, turn off water, use 1 paper towel, and throw in garbage.
Follow lunch room rules: line up, get your food, sit and stay put, eat and talk quietly with friends, clean up, get ready to line up.
No running in the hallways and inside the school.
Leave toys at home.
No chewing gum.
Be quiet during fire drills.
Use your “inside voice”.
No screaming.
Use kind words/ No bathroom words/No bad words.
Choose a different center every day at choice time.
Don’t be bossy.
No bullying.
Don’t make fun/ don’t tease.
Don’t hurt others.
No fighting/No hitting/ No pushing/No punching/ No spitting/ No biting.
Keep your hands to yourself.
Use words instead of your hands.
Respect each other’s body.
Take responsibility for your actions.
Take turns/No skipping.
Include everyone in the game.
Treat materials in the class carefully.
No throwing blocks.
Be good to your principal.
No cartwheels in the class.
Do not kill the pets.
No trading shoes.
No peeking in the bathroom.
We look forward to getting to know you and working towards a wonderful partnership!
