Parent Handbook
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School Day Guidelines
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MONDAY - FRIDAY
8:20 AM - 2:40 PM
Entrance doors will close at 8:25am
HALF DAYS - STUDENTS ARE DISMISSED AT 11:30 AM
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All students must have a current emergency card on file.
Blue cards will be distributed to students on the first day of school. Please make every effort to fill out the card and return it to the school as soon as possible.
Please inform the school of any changes to the blue card that may take place during the school year.
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3-K, Pre-K and Kindergarten enter and dismiss through the early childhood playground.
1st & 2nd grade enter and dismiss through the Grand Street doors (next to the park).
3rd & 4th enter and dismiss through the cafeteria doors.
5th grade enter through the Grand Street doors and dismiss from the lobby doors.
6th, 7th and 8th enter and dismiss through the Berry doors close to Grand Street.
Early drop-off is available beginning at 7:45. In the event a student arrives late to school, the student must be signed into the late book in the main lobby. Please note: the main lobby will not be available for entrance, until all other entrances have been closed.
Students who are bused to and from school will be dropped o in the lobby and dismissed through the lobby.
Please contact the main office at 718-384-8063 when someone who is not on the blue emergency card will be picking up your child. Please make sure the pickup person has identification.
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If your child is going to be absent from school on any school day please inform your child’s teacher via Bloomz or email. Please send in a doctors note if your child was seen or a personal note regarding the absence.
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As a school community we want to validate and appreciate the efforts that as parents/guardians, you make to have your child at school everyday. You play a vital role in your child’s academic success and we are thankful to have your support.
As we know, frequent lateness and absences affect your child’s learning opportunities and have a serious impact on their academic performance. Please refer to the school year calendar for more information regarding non-attendance days. If at all possible, please schedule vacations during those times.
It is important for parents to know that your child’s attendance record is a legal document and as a school we are not allowed to alter a child’s attendance. The Department of Education codes absences in three ways:
-Excused absences are those that occur because of action taken by the DOE. For example, schools were closed due to snow or a catastrophic event. These absences are not recorded as such on a child’s permanent attendance record.
-Explained absences are those for which a parent has submitted documentation explaining the child’s absence. Documentation could be a doctor’s note, airline travel itinerary, court documents or a funeral program. Explained absences are still recorded as absences.
-Unexplained absences are those for which no explanation has been submitted. If a child has too many unexplained absences, the system generates a request for investigation which can result in a visit from an attendance teacher or child welfare offcials.
The Chronic Absenteeism (CA) rate is the percentage of students who have 10 days on register with one day present and an attendance rate <=90% as of 4.8.2022
Excessive absenteeism and lateness will be discussed with the teacher and administrators.
Keep in mind both explained and unexplained absences are recorded as absences in your child’s permanent attendance record.
Your child's teacher takes official attendance daily. Class begins at 8:20am and students will be considered late if they arrive after entrance doors have been closed. All children arriving late must enter through the main entrance to sign in. Keep in mind your child needs time to transition into a busy day. We suggest you plan to arrive early enough so that your child does not feel rushed when saying goodbye.
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Please notify your child’s teacher, in writing, if your child will be attending our on-site after school programs (Grand Street, YMCA, Right at School) or any off site programs that pick-up at PS 84. Vetted pick-up, fee based programs may be found on our website.
-Grand Street Settlement may be reached at 718-384-8063 extension 3210.
-YMCA may be reached at 718-384-8063 extension 2210.
If you need to pick up your child early, you must sign your child out at the main office. Unless there is an emergency, students may not be picked up from school after 2:15pm, as this interrupts instruction.
Dismissal is at 2:40 pm and 11:30 am on half days. Please make every effort to pick up your child on time. If you are running late, please notify the school.
ALL STUDENTS NOT PICKED UP AFTER 2:40 PM WILL BE TAKEN TO THE CAFETERIA UNTIL 3:00 PM AND THEN TO THE MAIN OFFICE. PLEASE MAKE SURE TO BRING IDENTIFICATION WITH YOU.
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When celebrating birthdays, please contact your child’s teacher to make arrangements. Birthday celebrations will take place in the classroom with their peers. Maximum of two persons may attend.
(The maximum includes siblings that do not attend PS 84). Students/Siblings from other classrooms are not permitted to attend. Snacks are permitted if they are store bought and individually wrapped; however, it is important to consult your child’s teacher to determine any allergies in the classroom. Large sheet cakes and candy bags are not permitted. We ask that you make every effort to share healthy items.
Communication with Staff & Teachers
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It is important to build a relationship with your child’s teacher therefore we ask that parents reach out to their childs’ teacher first, with any questions or concerns so they may address them or direct you to the appropriate personnel. You may also reach out to our Parent Coordinator for assistance in any area.
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At the beginning of the school year, you will receive a welcome letter from your child’s teacher introducing themselves and indicating classroom routines, structures, and goals. Parent’s will also receive monthly newsletters with grade specific information about curriculum, assessments and/or unit plans for the month. Information about celebrations, trips, and long-term assignments may also be found in the newsletter.
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Please note that PS 84 follows the elementary school calendar, so our conference dates differ. We have four conferences in total. The first is used as Curriculum Night, to introduce parents to the curriculum units, goals, grading and homework policy. The Fall and Winter conferences are used to inform you of your child’s progress and how you can best support your child in their academic journey.
The final conference date is our Science Exploratorium. The Exploratorium is a modern twist to the traditional science fair. (All 2023-2024 dates to be determined).
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Parents are encouraged to make appointments to meet with their child’s teacher to discuss any academic or behavioral issues that may arise during the school year. Please ask your child’s teacher about their parent engagement day.
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Parents and caregivers are strongly encouraged to share their email address with the school to disseminate important information about activities in the school. Teachers value your input and would like to hear from you. Please allow 48 hours for teachers to respond to emails.
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Class liaison serve as community builders, teacher supporters, and as class representatives to the PTA Executive Board. Your primary goal is to encourage parent participation in class and PTA events. Teachers will pick one or two parents per class.
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To increase engagement and communication, PS 84 is using BLOOMZ to help parents and caregivers keep up with information about our school. We encourage you to download the app and create your account.
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We encourage you to sign up for your NYSCA to see your students grades, test scores and more.
Meals & Recess
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Students in grades K-8 eat in the cafeteria at staggered times. 3K and Pre-K students eat in their own classrooms. All students are welcome to bring their own food if they prefer.
Breakfast will no longer be served in the K-8 classrooms and must be consumed in the cafeteria before school starts.
PS 84 follows the breakfast in the classroom combo menu, and the Pre-K - 8 lunch menu.
To see this month’s menus click here, and choose Breakfast Meals or School Lunch Meals.
For easy access to monthly menus download the Feed Your Mind app.
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Recess is daily, either right before, or right after lunch. We know that exercise is necessary for children’s health and ability to focus, so weather permitting, students play in the small playground (3k, Pre-K & Kindergarten) or schoolyard (grades 1-8). When inclement weather keeps us indoors, students take part in our Move to Improve program.
Bus & Transportation
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General education transportation eligibility is based on a student’s grade level and the walking distance between home and school. When a child is assigned to a bus route, please make note of the route and bus number.
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Students who receive special education services may receive other transportation services. When a child is assigned to a bus route, please make note of the route number and bus number.
All other students will receive a half fare or full fare MetroCard. More information may be found on the Office of Pupil Transportation website or by calling 718-392-8855.
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The MTA typically provides a MetroCard to children who live within a qualified distance. The schools’ Pupil Accounting Secretary will distribute cards to eligible students. Please ensure that your child does not lose the pass.
Health & Safety
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Minor injuries are cared for at school when the nurse is on duty.
For more severe illnesses or injuries, the nurse or a staff member will notify parents to have the child taken to the doctor.
In cases of emergency, the school will be required to call an ambulance. Parents will always be notified of a serious problem. Therefore, it is critical that parents keep the school notified of any change in cell/work/home numbers and emergency contacts.
Parents of students who need regular medication must fill out a 504 Form, including students that need an EPI pen for life threatening allergies. Teachers will inform all staff and other parents of the life-threatening allergy, to ensure that those food items are not brought to the classroom.
All children must have a DOE Health Examination form filled out by their doctor each school year.
*Please note that teachers are not allowed to administer medication to students, even with a doctor’s note
Get a list of Immunization Requirements
What to do if your child has lice
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PS 84 has one Safety Agent located at the main entrance of the school.
Parents, Caregivers and other visitors, may enter the school if identification is provided.
Please remember to exit the building through the main entrance/exit, as all other doors have alarms.
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Over the course of the school year, every grade will go on multiple field trips linked to the curriculum. (Pre-K trips don’t begin until January, by which time every student will have turned four years old.)
You’ll receive notice ahead of time via a permission slip in your child’s folder, which will also include an invitation for you to volunteer as a chaperone. Note that most of the time, we have more volunteers than we need, so teachers choose using a lottery system—every parent or guardian who wants to chaperone should have an opportunity at some point. Adult:student ratios are never higher than 1:10, and in the younger grades they are considerably smaller.
Student Conduct
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At PS 84 we believe all students are capable of being leaders in their academic and social lives. We work with students to develop their leadership qualities through an embedded social-emotional curriculum called The Leader In Me and The Seven Habits of Happy Kids, which emphasize personal accountability, proactive problem solving, communication and adaptability.
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PS 84 follows the New York City Department of Education’s Citywide Behavioral Expectations to Support Student Learning. This document will be distributed to all parents, and can be found online. It is expected that families review the code with their children.
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We understand that some students have cell phones to communicate with parents or caregivers before and after school hours, however students are not permitted to make or receive calls during the school day.
If a student has a cell phone, it must remain in their backpack, turned off, for the entire day. If a teacher or staff member sees a child’s cell phone, it will be confiscated and cannot be returned until a parent or caregiver comes to the school to pick it up.
Upper grade students are encouraged to hand in their cellphone to our Student Advocate, who will ensure the safekeeping of cellphones.
PS 84 is not responsible or liable for any other electronics brought into the school. Please discourage your child from bringing such items as they can be misplaced or damaged.
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Technology is an important tool available to students in their daily lives. With the aid of the Department of Education Office of Technology Assistance, we do our best to monitor and block access to websites that may provide inappropriate content for students. The common message between home and school must be that all students understand that access to technology must also be accompanied by a commitment to accept the responsibility for the appropriate use of this tool.
Students will be held accountable for any behavior that impacts life in school in a negative manner. PS 84 will refer to the DOE discipline code regarding cyber technology to enforce the policy accordingly.
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It is the policy of the New York City Department of Education to maintain a safe and supportive learning and educational environment that is free from harassment, intimidation, and/or bullying committed by students against other students on account of race, color, creed, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship/immigration status, religion, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, or disability. Such bias-based harassment, intimidation and/or bullying is prohibited.
See Chancellor’s Regulation A-832 for more information.