Hello and welcome to the 2019-2020 school year! We hope that your summer was full of rejuvenating and joyful adventures. The fifth grade team is eager and excited for the academic year ahead. Fifth grade at PS 452 brings a lot of newness. Believe us! Your child’s final year at here will be anything but ordinary.
If you don’t already know, our fifth grade is departmentalized, which is an innovative program that we offer at PS 452 and one that sets us apart from many neighboring elementary schools. Through this model, students learn from subject specialists and travel to various teachers and rooms to engage in content area learning, all while they work on developing skills needed to manage time and shifting schedules, to keep track of personal belongings and materials, and to be more independent with completing short and long term assignments.
COMMUNICATION
The fifth grade team works closely together to design, plan, and implement all aspects of fifth grade, regardless of whether any of us are physically present at certain times of the school day. We ask that you be considerate of our professional team work and we prefer to be updated as a team on most questions, concerns, or information regarding your child’s school experience. Important updates that leave out a teacher team member will likely result in a delayed or missed response.
When in doubt: “CC” All of Us: Regardless of your child’s assignment to section 5A or 5B, include all three teachers’ e-mail addresses in correspondence that you send.
📧 Brigida Littles - BLittle@schools.nyc.gov
📧 Leila El-Azem - LElazem@schools.nyc.gov
📧 Meg O’Reilly (f.k.a. Ocampo) - MOcampo3@schools.nyc.gov
ABSENCES, EARLY PICK UP, AND DISMISSAL CHANGES
Always tell your child of changes known in advance.
More than 24 hours notice: Please e-mail all fifth grade teachers.
🚫 DO NOT e-mail or cc SHARON LUSTIG 🚫
Day-of dismissal changes: Call the main office or send a hand written note in KidMail.
✆ (212) 259-6222 🚫 DO NOT e-mail or cc SHARON LUSTIG 🚫
Early Pick Up: Children will only be released early to adults listed on their emergency blue card in the main office. You may edit or add any authorized adults in person in the main office at anytime.
Absences or latenesses for religious observance, illness/medical reasons, or middle school visits: Please send in documentation via KidMail or fax the main office at (212) 259-6235. These will still be recorded as absences or latenesses, but will be coded as “excused” if documentation is provided as per DOE regulations.
ARRIVAL, DISMISSAL, AND SELF-DISMISSAL
We expect that your child comes to school every day, on time, prepared, and ready to learn, and that you help your child meet these expectations.
Please carefully consider that every lateness and absence results in your child missing out on valuable instruction and learning activities and frequent absences or latenesses have a notable impact on their education.
Arrival: The school day begins promptly at 8:40 am. There is daily breakfast and morning yard time from 8:00-8:35am.
Dismissal: Students must be picked up in the schoolyard by a parent, or an authorized designee between 2:55 and 3:00 pm, prior to gate closure.
Self-Dismissal: Students must be pre-authorized to self-dismiss. You can do this simply by sending a request in writing for the main office’s record, indicating any specifics regarding your child’s self-dismissal procedures.
PARENT ENGAGEMENT
Thursday morning is our school-wide designated parent engagement time from 8:00-8:40am. This time may be used for parent-teacher conferences and other family related work. Please note that conferences are scheduled by request, only, with advanced notice and confirmation (no walk-ins).
BRING I.D.! When visiting the school, please remember to carry a valid form of I.D. to present to the School Safety Agent at the main entrance. This helps ensure that you will be able to enter the building. This standard procedure keeps all of our school community safe.
In addition, our grade website will be our main information hub: www.452grade5.com
Bookmark this website! Visit our site often for important dates and events, class updates, general information, downloadable docs, and active discussion forums/FAQs related to all things happening in grade 5.
We also use the ClassDojo tool as a newsfeed & photo share, a digital work portfolio, and a participation tracker for your child. With a parent code, you can access Class Dojo features at www.classdojo.com, or through the ClassDojo app.
SPECIALS SCHEDULE
Monday: Guitars - Band | Winds & Brass - Physical Education
Tuesday: Guitars - Phys. Ed | Winds & Brass - Band
Wednesday: All Classes - Library/Media
Thursday: Guitars - Band | Winds & Brass -Art
Friday: Guitars - Art | Winds & Brass - Band
Thank you for taking the time to read this introductory post. During the next couple of weeks we will be sending home more important information so please continue to check your child’s KidMail folder as well as the grade 5 website.
Once again, we are pleased to welcome you and your child to the fifth grade this 2019-2020 school year. We look forward to meeting you in person and to a successful and memorable year together.
Sincerely,
Ms. Littles, Ms. El-Azem, and Ms. O’Reilly
Fifth Grade Team