Parent & Student Handbook
PS 10 PTA
Parent & Student Handbook
2019-2020
PS10 | 511 7th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11215 | (718) 965-1190 main office
Principal: Laura Scott
Assistant Principals: Barrett Braithwaite, Robert Grant, Gary Nusser, Gary Wong
Parent Coordinator: Madeleine Seide
¿Hablas español?
Si su hijo o hija estudia en PS10 y necesita alguna información en español, llame a Maddie Siede al (718) 965-1190.
Attendance & Arrival
Attendance is extremely important for the academic success of each child. If your child is ill or unable to attend school for any other reason, please send a note of explanation, as all absences must be documented. In the case of a prolonged absence, please check with your child’s teacher about the optimal way to handle assignments. Students are responsible for making up missed instruction
Arrival
•School begins at 8:20 every day.
•Grades 1 through 5 are expected to arrive in the school yard on Prospect Avenue between 8 and 8:15 am every day. At the whistled signal, students line up in their designated spots to wait for their teachers. Teachers meet their classes and escort them indoors at 8:20. Please note: In inclement weather, grades 1 through 5 will enter the school yard on Prospect Avenue and proceed through the main school yard doors directly into the cafeteria, where school staff will direct students to their indoor line-up.
•Kindergarten parents may escort their children up to the classrooms at 8:20 am. Parents and Kindergarten children assemble in the main lobby, where parents are required to show proof of identity prior to escorting their children upstairs.
•Parents other than Kindergarten parents are not permitted to escort their children upstairs. Any parent visiting the school must sign in, with proof of identity, at the security desk in the main lobby.
•Any child who arrives too late to join their class line in the school yard should enter through the main lobby and report straight to their classroom. Children who arrive after attendance has been taken will be marked late.
•Breakfast is offered to all children free each morning before school, beginning at 7:30 am in the Cafeteria. PLEASE NOTE: Children will not be allowed into the building before 7:30 am and parents may not stay with their children during breakfast.
Bussing & Transportation
Due to extreme traffic congestion on 7th and Prospect Avenues at school drop-off and dismissal, there is NO DOUBLE PARKING while picking up or dropping off children. Double-parked cars on both sides of Prospect Avenue block traffic and create dangerous conditions for PS10 families as well as for other drivers, including emergency vehicles. The local police precinct has issued a warning to PS10 double-parkers, and PS10’s neighbors have appealed for compliance. If you drive your child to school, plan to arrive early enough to locate a legal parking space prior to escorting your child to the building.
•Families who require assistance with busing or public transportation matters should email Aleris Lorenzo at alorenzo@ps10.org.
Dismissal
All students are dismissed at 2:40 pm at the locations listed below. Any adult other than the primary caregiver who picks up a child must be authorized to do so by being listed on that child’s Blue Card, which is sent home at the beginning of the year. Copies of the Blue Card are filed in both the Main Office and each child’s classroom. Teachers will not release a child to anyone not listed on the Blue Card. If plans necessitate that someone other than an adult listed on the Blue Card must pick up your child, you MUST telephone the main office at (718) 965-1190 to make arrangements.
•It is imperative that children are picked up promptly at 2:40 pm. PLEASE NOTE: children not picked up in a timely manner will be escorted to the Auditorium for late pickup. Caregivers must access late pickup via the main lobby.
Pickup Locations:
Kindergarten: 17th Street, near the corner of 7th Avenue. Students are escorted outside by their teachers. Parents and caregivers wait on the sidewalk, and may only take their child after the child has been individually released by the teacher. Please do NOT remove your child from the line without a visual or verbal cue from the teacher.
Grades 1-4: In the school yard on Prospect Avenue, rain or shine. Students are escorted outside by their teachers. Parents/caregivers wait outside the double gate until they see their child’s class, then enter the school yard and exit with their child as directed. It is important to comply with the flow of traffic, which may vary according to weather/yard conditions.
Grade 5: 17th Street barrier-free exit (the exit furthest from 7th Avenue.) Parents/caregivers wait on 17th Street outside the gated area.
Dismissal During Inclement Weather:
DISMISSAL IN BAD WEATHER IS INDOORS FOR KINDERGARTEN ONLY. Kindergarten parents are asked to enter the main lobby and wait until their child's class is released. When your child's class is called, you may enter the Auditorium and pick up your child from at their class's designated seating area.
Grades 1-4 will dismiss in the Prospect Avenue school yard, and Grade 5 will dismiss on 17th Street, regardless of weather conditions.
Lunch and Recess
Lunch
Lunch is served free of charge to all students at PS10. Children may also bring lunch from home. Citywide school lunch menus are sent home monthly by the Administration, and can be accessed via the school website as well as at www.schoolfoodnyc.org. Each of the three lunch periods is 50 minutes long and includes 25 minutes of Recess in the schoolyard. Children are expected to clean up after themselves at the conclusion of their lunch period, which includes separating their refuse into compost (food scraps, napkins, compostable school lunch trays), recycling (metal, rigid plastic, foil, juice boxes, milk cartons), and landfill (plastic wrap, squeeze pouches).
Recess
Recess includes outdoor play all year, weather permitting, so it is vital that children are dressed appropriately for the weather, particularly in winter. Please label coats, scarves, gloves/mittens and hats with your child’s name and class number. PS10 PTA funds professional Recess Coaches to help facilitate safe play in the schoolyard.
Lunch/Recess Volunteers
PS10 welcomes parent/guardian volunteers to help support school staff during Lunch periods. Join the Recess Committee on Konstella or contact pta@ps10.org for information on how to volunteer.
Health & Safety
School Security
All Parents, Guardian, Visitors and Volunteers to the school must sign in and show photo identification at the Security Desk in the Lobby to receive their Visitor’s Pass and gain entry to the school. It is essential for the safety of the children that everyone follow this protocol.
Family Health Center
PS10 is pleased to host Nurse Practitioner Josephine Allen from NYU Langone Brooklyn Family Health Centers. Her office is located across from the Main Office on the second floor and is open to families during school hours. She can be reached at (718) 788-6572. Nurse Practitioner Allen’s services include providing first aid, conducting physical examinations and lab screenings including strep tests, writing prescriptions and referrals to specialists, administering flu shots and vaccinations, screening for asthma, diabetes and other chronic conditions, and administering daily medications. Parents whose children become ill at school will be sent to Nurse Practitioner Allen and will, if necessary, be contacted to pick up their child. It is important that parents and guardians fill out a consent form and supply the Family Health Center with up-to-date phone numbers in order to be contacted in the event of a child’s illness.
Illness
Please do not send a sick child to school. Parents are asked to wait until the child is fever-free without the use of fever-controlling medication for 24 hours before sending a child back to school. Please do not send a vomiting child to school. If a child has a contagious condition, such as chicken pox or strep throat, the school MUST BE NOTIFIED. When your child is well enough to return to school, please put a note in their Yellow Folder explaining that their absence was due to illness.
Lice
Children are NOT ALLOWED in the classroom while they have lice. Periodically, the PS10 PTA helps organize school-wide head checks conducted by a professional lice removal company. Lice checks will also be conducted as needed on a case-by-case basis. If head lice are detected, parents will be asked to pick up their child from school that very day. Parents are given directions for lice removal if needed. Children will be allowed to return only when they are lice-free.
Parent & Guardian Involvement
Parent involvement in the school is an essential part of every child’s success as well as an amazing opportunity to create a strong community (and have fun!) There are many ways to be part of the community and help it grow. Please consider becoming active in these activities, and feel free to suggest new ideas.
•Chaperone a Class Trip
•Volunteer for or attend a school event
•Join a committee and encourage your friends to join too
•Volunteer to help the school staff during Lunch/Recess
•Attend monthly PTA meetings, and meetings of the School Leadership Team (SLT) and the PTA Executive Board (these meetings are open to all parents/guardians; check the website for meeting dates/times)
•Become a Class Parent
•Donate to the PTA
•Attend a Title 1 or Diversity Committee evening parent workshop
The work of the PTA through events and donations can be seen everyday by your children! The work you do to support the PTA supports teachers with additional support in the classroom, pushin teachers who work with children who need additional work and attention, recess coaches to help children interact and play together, and exciting programs such as the Metropolitan Opera, Facelab and Chess in the classrooms.
Personal Property
Lost and Found
All backpacks and outerwear must be labeled with your child’s name. The school is not responsible for lost or misplaced items. The Lost and Found is located in the school auditorium. As space is limited, clothing that is not collected in a timely fashion will be donated.
Phone Policy
The PS10 Administration advises parents that students should NOT bring cell phones to school. However, if it is necessary for a child to carry a cell phone to school, the phone must be kept in the student’s backpack during the school day and accessed only after school. PS10 is not responsible for lost, misplaced or damaged/broken cell phones.
Miscellaneous
Field Trips
Many PS10 teachers incorporate Field Trips into their curriculum. Permission slips will be sent home in Yellow Folder; slips must be signed and returned to your child’s teacher in order for your child to be included in the trip. On Field Trip days, children are asked to wear their Yellow Trip Tees, which can be obtained in Rm. 210 next to the Main Office for a fee of $6.
PS10 Merchandise
During the school year at various events there will be PS10 merchandise available for sale. This varies from year to year, and has included apparel (t-shirts, sweatshirts), hats, water bottles and tote bags. Parent volunteers are needed to help sell items at events. (see PTA section below for more details)
Photo Day
Photo Day is a PTA-sponsored fundraiser that occurs every year in October. Class pictures as well as individual portraits are taken by a professional photography company. Please join Photo Day committee to help plan this great undertaking. Volunteers are needed day of to help ready the children for photos. Look for announcements via Konstella and in your child’s yellow folder for dates. The PTA also offers a photo retake day, to be determined, if your child is absent on photo day.
Family Library Hours
In 2004, PS10 was the recipient of a Robin Hood Foundation grant, which provided the school with a beautiful Library. The Library will be open for families during after-school hours on a schedule that is announced each fall.
SLT (School Leadership Team)
All schools in New York State are mandated to have an SLT, whose purpose is to create the Comprehensive Education Plan (also known as the CEP) and to make decisions about the budget that will allow the plan to be implemented. The SLT is a place where parents, administrators and staff members have an opportunity to communicate regularly and to share ideas. All SLTs must be 50% parents and 50% staff. The Principal, PTA Co-Presidents and United Federation of Teachers (UFT) representative (or their designees) are automatically on the team; other members are elected by their constituencies at special meetings held for that purpose.
Meetings are held at 7:30 am every other week in the school library and are open to all observers. Check the online calendar for SLT meeting dates.
PTA (Parent Teacher Association)
Who we are
The PS10 PTA is an all-volunteer group of parents and guardians who work collaboratively to support the school community. All parents and caregivers of PS10 students, as well as the teachers and school staff, are automatically members of the PTA and have a voice in decision-making. Last year we grossed close to $300,000 which we donated back to the school. We also manage and run the PTA after school program (PS10 PTA Extended Day.)
Where to find us
The PTA Office is located in Room 107, on the first floor, next to the Cafeteria. Sign in at the Security Desk and come by. Someone is usually in the room between 8:20 am and 9:00 am to answer questions or address concerns. If the door is locked and you have something to leave, please utilize the locked mailbox to the left of the door. Call us at (718) 965-1190 or e-mail us at pta@ps10.org. with any questions/concerns.
What we do
Our activities fall into 3 main categories: fundraising, community building and in-school enrichment. Every event we do is 100% volunteer and we welcome and need your help! We also run the PS10 PTA Extended Day Program to provide a safe place for our kids to interact and grow after school.
Contacting us
Come find us in Room 107 in the Cafeteria; call us at (718) 965-1190 ; or email us at the general PTA address, pta@ps10.org.
Donating to the PTA
Visit our website and click the “Give to PS10” icon to make an online donation. Please consider making a recurring monthly online donation. Even a small amount every month adds up and helps us fund vital programming for the students at PS10! You may also make out a check payable to ‘PS10 PTA’ and drop it off in the PTA mailbox located to the left of the PTA Office door. All contributions are tax deductible.
PTA Executive Board
The PTA Executive Board is an all-volunteer group, elected yearly in May. The Board meets monthly to coordinate with the Principal, examine the budget and track the goals of the PTA. All are welcome to observe without prior notice, and anyone is welcome to speak after first contacting the Board and asking to be placed on that month’s agenda. See the School Calendar for meeting dates. Please contact us at pta@ps10.org, or reach out to any individual Board Member, with questions, comments or suggestions.
2018-2019 PS10 PTA Executive Board
PRESIDENT
Heather Volik heather.volik@gmail.com
CO-VICE PRESIDENTS
Alex Flannery alexandraelectric@gmail.com
Amy Miller-Krezelak amy.nichole.krezelak@gmail.com
CO-SECRETARIES
Melody Aberg melodyaberg@gmail.com
Amanda Desroches desroches.ae@gmail.com
CO-TREASURERS
Jenn Cribbs jennmillercribbs@gmail.com
Christine Sneva christinesneva@gmail.com
CO-TRANSLATORS
Velia Jurado Velia322@gmail.com
Araceli Ortiz chelly5252.Ao@gmail.com
PARENT LIAISONS
AnnMarie Anderson annmariehanderson@gmail.com
Dania Ahmad dahmadpr@gmail.com
Laura Garnett laura.garnett@multivu.com
Kelli Hardiman kelliersing@hotmail.com
Erica Nieves-Negron erica.nieves@corcoran.com
Christie O'Brien christie.p.obrien@gmail.com
Carly Thomas carly.thomas.usf@gmail.com
EXTENDED DAY TREASURER
Alex Low afhlow@gmail.com
Monthly Meetings
PTA general meetings take place on the 3rd Thursday of each month, alternating evenings at 6:00 pm and mornings at 8:30 am. The PTA provides free pizza and childcare for PS10 students during evening meetings. All parents are welcome at these meetings, where Principal Laura Scott addresses the group, and the PTA Executive Board presents upcoming events and activities, discusses how to spend PTA funds, and facilitates voting when necessary. Meeting dates are listed in the online School Calendar on Konstella and at ps10.org.
PS10 PTA Extended Day
Extended Day was created and is operated by our PTA and is a legal 501(c)3 nonprofit subsidiary of the PS10 PTA. It provides a service to PS10 families who need organized child care beyond the regular school day. Its mission is to give students an opportunity to learn a craft, develop a talent or enjoy a hobby in the safe, nurturing environment of our PS10 community. Students are separated into age-appropriate groups and are in the continuous care of PS10 teachers, co-teachers or outside teaching artists until they are picked up by their guardian. Visit the Extended Day tab on ps10.org for schedules & registration; stop by the PTA/Extended Day office in Room 107; or contact Extended Day Director Qushema Johnson at (347) 946-5767 or extended.day@ps10.org.
Volunteering
The PTA sponsors a a robust selection of fundraising and community-building events, workshops, festivals, parties and talks each year. PTA monies raised during these events support PS10 for special enrichment programs such as partnerships with Met Opera and Off the Page; for in-kind supplies; for push-in teachers, and much more. Producing these events, and keeping parents engaged and informed, takes the work of many volunteers. The PTA encourages and welcomes all help. No contribution of time or talent is too small. The PTA is always in need of writers, graphic designers, event planners, web developers, photographers, and even just extra hands to help sort and distribute flyers to teacher mailboxes. Email pta@ps10.org if you would like to volunteer.
PTA Committees, Events, and Annual Fundraisers
There is always something happening at the school! There are so many ways to help. Our events, committees and fundraisers are listed below. For more information or to volunteer for a particular event, click on the Konstella committees tab or email pta@ps10.org to have your information forwarded to the appropriate event chair/coordinator.
PTA Committees
To join any of these committees contact the PTA at pta@ps10.org. or any board member of the PTA.
........................ ¿Hablas español? Si su hijo o hija estudia en PS 10 y necesita alguna información en español, llame a Maddie Siede al (718) 965-1190.
Auction Committee
This committee oversees one of the biggest PTA fundraising events of the year. The annual auction is an amazing adult-only evening for our parents and other community members who want to support our school while enjoying delicious food and drinks and bidding on fantastic donated items and experiences. This committee starts preparing in July, and the event is typically held in the late fall.
Audio Visual Committee:
Helps with AV needs for events, including movie nights, music events (DJing), and more!
Bake Sale/Concessions Committee
Organizes bake sales throughout the year, especially during local elections (when the school is used as a polling place) and during Tenstock, on Valentine’s Day, during STEAM Fair, and at the school science fair. Members of this committee solicit donations of baked goods and run the sales at events.
Barnes & Noble Book Fair
Organizes a one-day fundraiser in early December at our local branch of Barnes & Noble on 7th Avenue. Parents and community members who shop at the store on the day of the event help raise funds to support PS 10 and the PTA.
Chess Committee
Assists the PS 10 Chess Club & Team in building the chess program at PS10, including in classroom teaching, hosting tournaments, and promoting chess at PTA events. The PS 10 Chess Club & Team is an afterschool program that meets every Wednesday to prepare for local city, state, and national competitions. With beginner, advanced, and team groupings, the goal of the team is for all PS 10 players to experience the joy and social/educational benefits of learning and playing chess. Those interested in the program can sign up at PS10chess.com.
Class Parent Committee
Each class has one or more parent volunteers who help teachers communicate with the other families in the class and help plan in-class events. The class parents act as liaisons between parents and the PTA, passing on important information, and help recruit volunteers to assist with Teacher Appreciation Feasts held on parent-teacher conference days.
Communications Committee:
Produces the PTA’s email Newsflash, assists with marketing PS10 events in print and social media, and keeps the website up to date. We are looking for writers, graphic designers, web designers, and photographers. Graphic designers are especially needed!
Development, Grant Writing and Fundraising Committee
Spearheads the PTA’s direct appeal efforts to raise funds from parents and from corporate sponsors in the community. Works with the administration to identify the school’s needs and to write grant applications.
Equity, Inclusion & Diversity Committee
Educates the PS10 Community about the rich cultural diversity that exists in our school and neighborhood. In addition, this committee oversees Community Service and Diversity Education activities and plans the annual International Potluck Dinner, which is usually held in January.
Facelab Committee
FaceLab trains parent volunteers in K–8 schools to help teachers lead hands-on robotics and technology activities. FaceLab’s goal is to create opportunities for teachers to work with parents to enrich students’ Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) education. The program also gives parents an opportunity to develop new skills.
Fifth Grade Committee
Led by the PS10 administration, the Fifth Grade Committee helps raise funds for fifth grade events, including a dinner dance, moving up ceremony, a senior trip, graduation and a yearbook.
Flower Sale Committee
Organizes the annual spring flower sale, where students can buy reasonably priced flowers and plants for the special people in their lives.
Grandparents Day Committee
Organizes an event in May when grandparents and other special adults are invited to join the PS10 family for breakfast, an art auction, music, and a visit to their grandchild’s classroom. Flowers are sold at drop off and pick up.
Harvest Day/Food Drive Committee
Plans a fun, PTA-sponsored in-school event that celebrates autumn with a live band in the lunchroom and games in the playground. This event coincides with a food drive for The Center for Family Life in Sunset Park.
Health and Wellness Committee
Focuses on the health and wellness of the school community. This committee hosts yoga nights for families, supports the school health center (which offers free flu shots to all students), and helps organize the PTA Fun Run— a 5K in Prospect Park sponsored by city councilmember Brad Lander that benefits the schools in our community (a percentage of the proceeds raised come back to our school). A subcommittee runs the school mindfulness program, which in past years has included in-class mindfulness instruction for students and a weekly mindfulness meetup for parents.
Merchandise Committee
This committee sources and sells PS10-branded merchandise to the community at events throughout the school year. Items vary each year and have included sweatshirts, T-shirts, tote bags, hats, and water bottles.
Parent Action Committee
Organizes political actions related to education and PS10.
Photography Committee
Documents the events, people, and adventures at PS10 through photography. This committee helps plan and run school photo day, a PTA fundraiser held in the early fall. Each student has an individual portrait and class photo taken. Volunteers are needed to help with readying the students for photos and keeping the classes organized.
Progressive Dinner Committee
Plans an adults-only progressive dinner in the homes of PS 10 families. The fun progresses throughout the night as guests move from appetizers to dinner to drinks and dessert! This fun event is a great way to meet other parents and raise money to support the school.
PS10 Community Safety
This committee shares ideas that can help support initiatives in and around the PS10 community, including those advocating for safer city streets.
PS10’s Got Talent Committee
Plans the annual school talent show, where students in grades 3-5 have the opportunity to share their unique talents with their peers in a supportive environment. This is an all-inclusive showcase, not a competition. The event usually takes place in March.
PTA Extended Day Committee
This committee meets monthly to create classes and programming, set guidelines, and manage procedures and policies for the Extended Day program.
Raffle Auction Committee
Plans and builds beautiful, creative themed raffle gift baskets for various fundraising events such as the auction and holiday performances. Bring your glue gun and your creativity!
Read-a-Thon Committee
Works with the PS 10 administration and teachers to plan the school’s annual read-a-thon, a month-long PTA fundraiser that takes place in February. Students are asked to read daily at home, either with their families or on their own, and they are also encouraged to raise money to support the school. This committee also plans “Reading Under the Stars,” a fun, free community-building event for families that takes place during the read-a-thon.
Recess Committee
This committee coordinates volunteers to help the school staff supervise students on the playground and in the cafeteria during lunchtime and recess. Please join if you’d like to help create solutions for student engagement during recess, especially during inclement weather.
STEAM Fair Committee
Plans PS 10’s annual S.T.E.A.M (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) Fair, a community event for exhibitors, makers, and inventors. Planning begins in the fall, and the event typically takes place in the spring. For more info, email ps10steam@gmail.com.
Sustainability Committee
Works closely with teachers, staff, and students to increase recycling at the school and to increase awareness of environmental issues in general.
Teacher Appreciation Feast Committee
On parent-teacher conference days, this committee organizes direct donations in the form of meals from each classroom. Volunteers decorate the teachers’ lounge and lunchroom and run an all-day feast. Conferences are such a long and hard day for the school, and the meals and treats offered go a long way and really show how much we value our amazing team of teachers, administrators, and staff.
Technology Committee
Keeps our website up-to-date and running smoothly while integrating new technologies to facilitate communications between the school, PTA, and the parent community. This committee also assists with events and in classrooms.
Tenstock Committee
Plans and organizes Tenstock, PS10’s autumn celebration of community, crafts, food and music! Students, teachers, parents and neighborhood friends join together to celebrate the beginning of the year in the school yard. This fantastic, fun day is open to the neighborhood community. Committee members plan the event and recruit attendees and parent volunteers to help set up, oversee craft and activity tables, sell food, and clean up.
Translation Committee
Helps translate documents and announcements for the PTA. Members translate many languages represented in the PS10 community including Spanish, Japanese, Korean, Russian and Hebrew.
Visiting Author Committee
Coordinates in-school visits by published authors for students in every grade. Last year’s authors included Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen, Joshua David Stein, Javaka Steptoe, Tracey Baptiste, Melissa Walker, George O’Connor, and R.J. Palacio. This committee also plans and hosts an annual weekend author event that is open to all and serves as a PTA fundraiser.
