2023-2024 School Year Policies

Attendance

Attendance is essential to success in school.  All children are expected to be in school  in-person  starting at 8:00am every school day.

In order for your child to be successful in school, it is important that your child be in school regularly.  When your child is absent from school, please contact Ms. Monte.  You will also receive a call from our School Messenger system alerting you to whether or not your child was late or absent. Families check attendance on report cards, ask the school for attendance records, or view your child's attendance on your My Schools account.

Every absence counts. Excused absences are still absences.

Schools can excuse absences when a student misses school for religious, medical or emergency reasons, but the excused absences is a legal part of the student's record. Excused absences may not count against a student for school awards or participation in school activities. 

Homework Policy 

Homework is an extension of the learning that takes place in school. Homework provides practice and drill that reinforces classroom learning and can provide opportunities for independent study, research, and creative thinking. Parents can help their children by providing a quiet, comfortable place for children to work and by seeing that the assignments are completed. A specific time should be set aside each day for homework. The final grade on the child’s report card includes homework assignments.

Report Cards

Report cards are distributed three times a year: November, March and June. Please make sure to review your child’s report card. Discuss any concerns you may have with your child’s teacher. You may also contact the school and request a meeting with your child’s Assistant Principal. Equally important are the parent teacher conferences scheduled in the fall and spring.  

NY State and Local Test 2022-2023

Students in elementary grades take various NY State and local tests to support their instruction, to determine eligibility for certain programs, and to provide information on their progress toward mastering grade-level learning standards. The Department of Education explains in details the tests that student take in grades pre-k–5. At PS 59 Third, Fourth and Fifth Grade students are expected to take NY State Math/ELA exams, below is the NYC Testing Schedule for the 2022-2023 School year 

School Learning Model

The 2022-2023 school year will be following the NYC DOE approved 100% in-Person Learning Model. Our full-time in-person learning starts with a safe and healthy learning environment for every student and staff member and ensuring students have the tools and support they need to succeed. As we prepare for the first day of the 2022-23 school year, we will continue to update this page with information about health and safety protocols in our schools, important changes to academic policy, supports and services for students and families, and more.

Drop-off and Pickup Procedures

Students will be asked to line up with their class on the track beginning at 8:00 am, we ask everyone to maintain social distancing between families during drop-off and pickup. Parents are not allowed to enter the building with their child unless arrangements have been made in advance with the office. Please move through the drop-off and pickup line as quickly as possible to make room for families behind you.

Before entering our school building: Every student and staff member must complete the Health Screening Form (healthscreening.schools.nyc) prior to entering the school building each day. Anyone entering the building must confirm that they are not experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19, have not recently tested positive, and are not currently required to quarantine based on close contact with an infected person. If you need a thermometer to check for a fever, you can request one from your school. If a student or staff member is feeling ill, they must stay home and get tested, which is an effective way of protecting the whole school community. Every school will have a nurse on staff to whom students can report if they are feeling ill.

While in the building: Please check in at the front desk. During check-in, you will be given a nametag and reminded to wear your mask at all times. A Mask will be provided if you need one. Your temperature will be taken at check in and please follow the traffic flow in hallways and common areas: Hallways are marked with arrows. Please keep at least 3 ft. distance between yourself and others.

Changes in Dismissal

It is important to refrain from frequently changing your child’s dismissal routine. This confuses the child and increases the risk of errors in your child’s dismissal.

• Any changes in dismissal MUST be sent in writing to the teacher. This includes:
  • if a bus child is going to be a walker or
  • if someone other than parent or guardian is picking up the child. This person must be listed on the Blue Card. PHOTO ID MUST BE PRESENTED.
• NO EARLY SIGN OUT POLICY
  • Dismissal is at 2:00pm. Student are not to be picked up early without prior written notice being sent to the Main Office. Here at P.S. 59 we pride ourselves on providing a fine education for our children. To maintain order and to ensure the safety of all children no child will be dismissed between 1:45p.m. and dismissal (except in cases of emergency). The reason for this is that during this time children are summarizing the day, copying homework and preparing for the following day. Additionally, it is also during this time that bused children are transitioning to the Auditorium/Cafeteria.

School Visitors 

Due to the strict health measures due to COVID 19 all visits to school must be prearrange and scheduled through the main office. No visitors will be allowed into the building without a prior appointment, health screening, All visitors must show proof of at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccination to enter a DOE school building.

For the protection and safety of students and staff members, it is essential that each person entering the building should sign our guest book at the front security desk.

An identification sticker is issued to the visitor and the visitor will be directed to the main office where he/she will explain the purpose of the visit to school. A pass will be issued to permit the visitor to go to the appropriate floor of the building. This pass must be worn in the building and then returned to the security desk when leaving the building. A staff member will escort visitors while they are in the building.

Acceptable proof of vaccination is one of the following:

• A CDC Vaccination Card; a photo or photocopy is also acceptable.
• A NYC Vaccination Record or other official immunization record from within or outside the US, including from a health care provider. A photo or photocopy of this card is also acceptable.
• NYC COVID Safe App on Android or iOS
• Excelsior Pass or Excelsior Pass Plus
• DOE COVID-19 Vaccine Portal

An acceptable COVID-19 vaccination includes one dose of any COVID-19 vaccine fully authorized or authorized for emergency use by the FDA

Afterschool: The Committee for Hispanic Children and Families

The Committee for Hispanic Children and Families is a state led initiative that is expanding the school day by three hours with Advantage after school organization support and leadership. Each school partners with a community organization. At PS 59, we partner with The Committee for Hispanic Children and Families (CHCF), to expand learning time by at least 35 percent—more than 60 extra days of school each year—at 10 percent of the cost of the school day. The CHCF model builds on research practices that have been shown to noticeably improve students’ achievement, attendance, their intellectual and creative development, and their motivation to succeed.

• The CHCF Site Coordinator, Mr. Mauro works closely with our school community to establish and implement the program. Interested parties should contact the CHCF After-School Site coordinator @ 718-584-4598. Parent participation is most welcome in the program.
• For more information, please contact Mr. Mauro via email at msatalino@chcfinc.org

CHCF Afterschool Program schedule:

                                  Monday – Friday (All Grades)   2:00 PM – 4:50pm

Dress Code

The appearance of a student is the responsibility of the parent. The Board of Education adopted a mandatory uniform policy on March 18, 1998. It applies to students in grades pre-K –5. Our school is implementing this uniform policy. The mandatory uniform policy is intended to

• promote a more effective learning climate
• foster school unity and pride
• improve student performance
• foster self-esteem
• eliminate label competition
• simplify dressing and minimize costs to parents
• teach children appropriate dress and decorum in their “work” place; and help to improve student conduct and discipline. Information about where to purchase our school uniform can be obtained from the Parent’s Association and/or the Main Office.

At PS 59, the school uniform is a dark blue dress, skirt, or pants paired with a light blue button down or polo top. On the days, a student has gym they are allowed to wear loose, comfortable clothing with sneakers. If any student should want to wear skirts, they may do so, with spandex shorts/ leggings underneath. When the weather gets warmer  our dress code still applies.

Please ensure your student is not wearing clothing that is revealing even on Gym days, this means  NO spaghetti straps/tank tops and short shorts 

Please note: If a child comes to school wearing clothing that is deemed inappropriate a family member will be contacted, to make alternate arrangements.

Uniform Store Locations: School Uniforms can be purchased at the following locations:  Kid City and/or Cookie's Department Stores

Respect For All

It is the policy of the New York City Department of Education (NYC DOE) 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, and free from discrimination committed by students against other students on account of actual or perceived race, color, creed, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship/immigration status, religion, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, disability, or weight.

Discrimination, harassment, intimidation and/or bullying is prohibited in school, during school hours before or after school, while traveling in vehicles funded by the DOE and on other than school property when such behavior disrupts or would foreseeably disrupt the educational process or endangers or would foreseeably endanger the health, safety, morality, or welfare of the school community.

The following NYC DOE policies further define and prohibit bullying behavior in our school communities, and establish protocols for responding to incidents:

• Chancellor’s Regulation A-832 outlines conduct that constitutes student-to-student discrimination, harassment, intimidation and/or bullying, and describes the procedure for reporting, investigating, and resolving complaints of discrimination, harassment, intimidation, and/or bullying.
• Chancellor’s Regulation A-831 outlines conduct and communication that constitutes student-to-student sexual harassment, and describes the procedure for reporting, investigating, and resolving complaints of peer sexual harassment at the school level.

The Citywide Standards of Intervention and Discipline Measures includes the Discipline Code as well as the Student Bill of Rights and Responsibilities, which promotes re­sponsible student behavior and an atmosphere of dignity and respect by establishing guidelines to help students as they strive to become productive citizens in a diverse society.

Cell Phone Policy

As of March 2, 2015, the cell phone ban was lifted in all NYC Public Schools. Mayor DiBlasio and Chancellor Farina came to a joint decision that all schools could come up with their own cell phone policy based on what made sense for their own school community. In consultation with our School Leadership Team and the Parent Association, P.S. 59 decided to adopt the following policy:

• Students who bring cell phones to school are expected to turn them off and store them in their backpacks upon entering the building.
• Cell phones are not to be used during the school day, not even during lunch. Cell phones can be turned back on at 2:00 PM.
• Any student needing to call home, once in school, is expected to come to the main office to do so.
• School staffs are not to be asked to store phones for students or to take responsibility for student cell phones.
• If students are seen using a cell phone at lunch or any other unauthorized time, their phone will be confiscated and a family member will be called before the phone is returned.
• If a student is seen using a cell phone for any purpose other than making or receiving a call during the authorized times (i.e. videotaping, playing games, etc.), the phone will be confiscated and student can retrieve their phone before they leave the building.
• Parents are not to call students on their cell phones during the school day. Please contact the main office (718-584-4730) if you need to speak to your child or leave them a message.

P.S.59 Ladder of Discipline 

If a student fails to follow the rules in the P.S. 59 Student Handbook these are the consequences.

P.S.59 LADDER OF DISCIPLINE

• First infraction: The teacher speaks to the student.
• Second infraction: Teacher contacts the Dean and interventions are implemented.
• Third infraction: Dean contacts the parent, or (depending on behavior) a written report to Assistant Principal(s)

Continuous Misbehavior:

• The teacher will report in writing to the Dean and /or Guidance Counselor a description of the problem with the student and the disposition of phone conversation with parent. Dean and /or Guidance Counselor will meet with the student and contact the parent. The Dean and/or Guidance Counselor will notify the assistant principal of continuous problem with the student.
• The assistant principal will call a meeting of the Instructional Support/RTI Team with the teacher and the parent, to determine strategies to assist the student.
• As a last resort, the principal will be notified based on the severity of the behaviors, the child may be suspended for a short period.
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DEAN OF STUDENTS – Ms. Walsh: 718-584-4730

The dean of students plays a variety of roles within the school community. It is the dean's job to ensure that students have all of the necessary tools for academic and personal growth. The dean also serves as liaison between students, parents and faculty members. In our school, the dean of students takes on a mentorship role with the students. It is the dean's job to make sure the school policies are upheld and to implement the school's discipline policies if they are breached. The dean must then oversee all student disciplinary matters and make sure to communicate all concerns with parents.