Principal's Page

School Hours

8:20-2:40 Grades K, 1, 2

8:20-3:17 ½ - Grades 3, 4, 5

Items to be kept at home

The latest fad seems to be Silly Bands/Zany Bands. 

As the students have been wearing them or bringing them to school, they have been causing a distraction in the classrooms as well as causing disappointment as student are losing them or trading them.  At this point, students should not wear or bring these bands to school.  They should be kept at home.  Students bringing them to school will be asked to turn them in and parents will be asked to come to school to retrieve them.

Please be reminded that electronic devices such as Game Boy, PSPs and Nintendo items as well as Pokemon cards or WWE items are not permitted in school.  If your child has such items in school, they will be confiscated and you will have to come to school to retrieve the items. 

Toys are also not permitted to be brought to school.

Cell phones are also not permitted to be brought to or used in school.  If students are found with cell phones, they will be confiscated and parents will be called to come to school to retrieve them.

School Meals for September

Full price 22.50 (15 days @ 1.50 per day)

Please place the exact amount in a sealed envelope, labeled with the Pupil’s name, class and money amount, as well as the correct form. Check is the preferred form of payment. Please pay check if possible. Lunch status is determined by a centralized committee from The Office of Food Services, not by P.S. 223Q.

School Dress Code

With the advent of warm weather, please be reminded of appropriate dress for students at P.S. 223.  Students should be wearing the items in our dress code which includes the navy, white or yellow collared or t-shirt, khaki or navy pants.

If you have any questions regarding obtaining the items in the school dress code, you may contact

Ms. Diane Thomas Parent Coordinator, at 347-563-4205 or 718-322-9012

Registration Information/Updates

            Pre-Kindergarten

If you have applied to have your child attend our Pre-K classes for Fall 2010, letters will be sent out by the OSE office sometime in mid to late May.  You are to follow the directions of the letter regarding registration.  Just receiving the letter does not mean your child is registered.  You must call for an appointment with Ms. Ambrosio and register your child bringing the proper documentation required.

Immunization News

For current Pre-K parents, please be reminded that your child needs to have the second Measles vaccination.

If he/she doesn’t have the vaccination required, the child will be excluded from school in September.

Parents of 5^th grade students should make certain that your child has the varicella vaccination (Chicken Pox).

It is required for entry into junior high school.

Safety Information

   Please be reminded that if you or someone you designate comes to school to pick up your child during the course of the school day that person must bring photo id and sign in with school safety, be listed on the blue emergency card and be at least 18 years of age to pick up any child.  This is enforced for the safety of your child.

If you are changing the normal pick up plan for your child on a particular day, you must send in a note to your child’s teacher notify her of such.  Your child should give the note to the teacher that morning and not wait until the end of the school day.  Calling at the very end of the school day is not acceptable notice.  If we do not have a letter and your child usually rides the school bus, your child will be placed on the school bus.

When picking students up at the end of the day, students should be picked up on time from the class’ designated exit. 

If you are late in picking up your child, your child will be picked up from the lobby area.  You are required to get out of your car and come to the door to pick up your child.  If you are unknown to school staff, you will be asked to identify yourself.   All of these protocols are in place for the safety of your child. Pick up from gymnasium.

Emergency Blue Cards

Each child needs to have a completed blue emergency contact card on file.  If you have not sent in a completed card with your child, it is past due.  Also, if you should move or change any of your contact numbers during the school year, you need to contact Ms. Ambrosio, Pupil Accounting Secretary and arrange to come in to see her with your new information.

Attendance

 Please be reminded of the importance of daily attendance.  If at all possible, you are asked to make medical appointments for children either after school or on the weekend.   Schedule vacations during the school vacation periods.  If children are absent, they miss out on valuable instruction and consistency in routines. 

 Importance of Daily Attendance and Punctuality

Daily attendance and punctuality is, as you know, extremely important for children in all grades.  Children need to be in school each day in order to learn, keep up with the curriculum covered for their grade and to meet the standards.  Children should be absent no more than 10% of the school year (approximately 18 days). Children who are absent more than 10% of the school year are subject to being held over in their current grade at the end of the school year.  In grades 3, 4 and 5, children must score at least a level 2 or higher to be promoted.  In order for children to meet the standards, they must be present in school learning.  Unless your child is ill, he/she needs to be in school each day.  Plan vacations around the school calendar.  You should not plan vacations during school instructional days.  Also, kindly plan medical appointments for after school and weekend hours.  Many children are being taken out of school during the day for appointments and valuable time is missed by doing this.

If your child is absent, you need to send in a note to the teacher when the child returns to school.  Your child has one day to make up missed homework.

Office News

If you need to change your child’s address or home phone number, changing the information on the child’s blue card is not sufficient.  You need to come in to school to see Ms. Ambrosio, Pupil Accounting Secretary, to update the information in ATS, the Department of Education system.  We need to have the most up to date and accurate information for your child in case we need to reach you for any reason.  Additionally, if your work phone number or cell phone number changes, please apprise Ms. Ambrosio of that change as well. E-mail is also an acceptable way of communicating. Please provide the office with a valid e-mail address.