Dear Parents,
Our 2019-2020 school year is off to a wonderful start, thanks to all of our students, staff, and parents working together as a family, like we always do. I want to publicly thank the members of our Parent Association for helping us at arrival and ensuring that all of our students are at their destinations safely.
Our Parent Association works tirelessly on behalf of all of our students. If you have not done so yet, the Parent Association asks that you please return the Parent Association dues membership envelope.
School will be closed on Monday, September 30th and Tuesday, October 1st for Rosh Hashanah, on Wednesday, October 9th for Yom Kippur and Monday, October 14th for Columbus Day.
On Wednesday, October 16th at 8:30 am, we are having a PA Meeting in the auditorium. Following the meeting, our ENL Teacher Ms. Bonsignore, will be presenting a session, titled, “Programs, Resources and Services.”
On Tuesday, October 22nd we are having a 5th Grade Middle School Workshop.
On Thursday, October 24th the Parent Association will be holding a pumpkin patch for our Kindergarten classes. Each Kindergartner will be receiving a pumpkin courtesy of our PA.
On Thursday, October 31st at 9:00am, we will be having our Annual Halloween Parade. Please send your child to school on October 31st in the costume of his/her choice, but remember children may not bring in any props or masks. Your child will be permitted to change out of his/her costume following our parade. Also, make sure that the costume is age appropriate for an elementary school child. All parents are welcome to either march with their child’s class or wave to all of us along the parade route, which will be in the schoolyard and around the perimeter of the building. Looking forward to seeing all of you there to enjoy a fun filled time with your child, as well as with all of our children.
Our 3rd graders will begin their residency with the National Dance Institute (NDI) on Wednesday, October 2, 2019. This 10 week residency will conclude on December 4, 2019. The 3rd graders will be putting on an evening performance for their families on Wednesday, December 11, 2019.
As a reminder, it is important that your child is in school each and every day. If a child has a fever, they must be fever-free for 24 hours before returning to school. We hope to see your child everyday otherwise. As an incentive, every class that has perfect attendance during the month will receive a pizza party.
I must remind you that you must always bring photo I.D. with you when entering our school building. For example, if you have been called by the school to pick up a sick child. This is for the protection of all of us at P.S. 255. We’d much rather be safe than sorry.
Mrs. Beth Rocco, our Parent Coordinator, will be creating our Parent Calendar again for each month. If there is anything that you would like to see included, please contact her. Monthly menus, from the cafeteria, as well as any important information are posted by Mrs. Rocco on our website, www.ps255.org. I hope you will continue checking our calendar for the most up to date information.
Please keep in mind our arrival procedures for our students. Any student that would like breakfast will go to the cafeteria immediately upon entering the building. Students in grades 4 and 5 enter the building through exit 7, which is the front door closest to Moore Place. Our 4th and 5th grade students wait in the gymnasium for their teachers. Kindergarten through 3rd grade enter the building through the main entrance and go to the cafeteria if they are having breakfast. Our 1st graders lineup in the cafeteria, our 2nd and 3rd graders wait for their teachers in the auditorium while kindergarten students are supervised in the hallway until the teachers pick them up at 8:10 am.
School begins at exactly 8:10 am. Any child who enters the building after 8:10 am will be detained in the front lobby, until all of our students have gone up with their teachers. Any child that arrives late for school MUST be signed in at the door by his/her parent before proceeding up to his/her class. Please make sure to bring your child on time! When children are late, it upsets them for the rest of the day and they can’t absorb as much as they should during their class time. All latenesses will be reflected on report cards and permanent record cards. Children who are consistently late will not be able to: attend Awards Assemblies, be selected as Student of the Month, attend Special Assemblies, etc. Lateness is something that can be avoided. Please let’s eradicate this problem.
At dismissal, please be sure to meet your child at his/her exit no later than 2:25 pm. If children are not picked up on time, they will not be eligible to attend afterschool programs in the school. When picking up your child, please do not crowd the exit doors. The classes must have enough room to safely exit the building. We must insure the safety of our students and would greatly appreciate your assistance. Also, please be careful with your umbrellas in the rainy weather. We do not want anyone injured.
Looking forward to seeing you at the various parent meetings and functions we are holding this month. Thanks for all of your support and cooperation. My door is always open, if you want to discuss anything with me.
Very truly yours,
Kelly McCann
Principal
