Irwin Altman Middle School 172 81-14 257th Street Floral Park, New York 11004 Phone: 718-831-4000 Fax: 718-831-4008 Mr. Jeffrey D. Slivko, Principal Ms. Mary Tully Alarcon, Assistant Principal Mr. Myles Nash, Assistant Principal Ms. Maritza Soto, Assistant Principal Ms. Danielle Giunta Community Superintendent District 26 District 26.org NYC Discipline Code Free Meals for All School starts promptly at 8:00 am every morning; the late bell rings at 8:05. Absence and lateness are reported on the high school application. Please remember, 90% attendance is a promotional criterion. All school information is on-line at MS 172.org January 2020 Happy New Year! Dear Parents/Guardians: January is named after the Greek god, Janus, a god with two heads- one to look back and another to look forward. At the beginning of the New Year, January is a time to bring from the past all that is right and good and to give to the future the best that we have to offer. I am pleased to share with the MS 172 community that the MS 172 Student Organization once again collected food items (an amazing 2000 pounds,) for the City Harvest Food Drive and also collected gifts for the MS 172 Toy Drive campaign which were presented to Assemblyman David Weprin by the S.O. for inclusion in his office’s Holiday Toy Drive. After school and Saturday AIS classes in English Language Arts and Math which began in November, will continue through March / April until just before the NYS ELA and Math tests. As these classes provide additional support for students toward meeting the ELA and Math standards, it is important that students attend all scheduled classes. Please check with Ms. Alarcon if your child is / should be attending AIS classes. Our TAG program, which began in December provides enrichment for MS 172 students through classes in Digital Photography, SHSAT Prep, Scrabble, Grizzly Gazette (school newspaper,) Crochet, Storytelling, Trading Cards and Recycling Arts. Registration for the spring cycle will take place in February. (There are still some openings in the Winter cycle classes- check with the main office.) The morning CHAMPS Fitness program, SAYA! Girls Leadership, the Math Team and the Debate Team are also continuing. One of our most popular evening events, Fitness Night, will take place on Wednesday January 8, from 6:30-8:00pm under the supervision of our physical education instructors, Mr. Neilly, Ms. Walsh and Mr. Sabesan. Parents and students are invited to participate in a Volleyball Marathon Tournament. Put on your sneakers and comfortable clothing and come and join us for a most enjoyable evening of healthful wellness. The second marking period will end on Friday, January 17 and report cards will be distributed on Thursday, January 30. Please review your child’s 2nd marking period Progress Report (distributed in December,) and current grades on PupilPath. Teachers are available on Tuesdays from 2:20-3:00pm to meet with parents to discuss your child’s work and any concerns. (Please make an appointment by sending a note to the teacher.) Our picture make-up day will take place on Friday, January 10. Students who were absent for pictures in November or who wish to have their pictures redone, will have this additional opportunity to take individual pictures. Class pictures will not be redone. (Students must return their original pictures to get a make-up picture.) School starts at 8:00 a.m. With winter inclement weather, please allow extra time to get your child to school on time, which means leaving home a little earlier. Lateness is reported on your child’s academic record and on the high school application. I also want to remind parents who drive their children to school that we must all be mindful of traffic safety. Only let your child out of the car at the curb. Please remember: NO cars are allowed on 257 Street at dismissal in the afternoon for the safety of students. Additionally, students may NEVER cross between school buses at dismissal, even if accompanied by a parent- it is just too dangerous! The January PTA meeting will take place on Wednesday, January 15 at 7pm. As at every PTA meeting, students who have been selected to be Irwin Altman Rising Stars will be honored (for December - for Citizenship.) The PTA will also be holding a Bake Sale on January 16 and the PTA Book Club, now in its 7th year, will meet again on January 9 at 8:30am. Chancellor Richard Carranza, our NYC Department of Education Leader, will be holding a Town Hall Meeting at MS 74 on Thursday, January 16 at 6:00pm. Come early-parking will be challenging. Please note: February Mid-Winter Recess is February 17-21. Spring Recess will be April 9-17 (Students return to school on Monday, April 20) Please plan all vacations around the school calendar so that your children do not miss any instructional days. The NYS Tests in ELA and Math for ALL students will take place as follows: ELA: (2 days only) Tuesday and Wednesday, March 25 and 26 Math: (2 days only) Wednesday and Thursday, April 22 & 23 (incorrect on the printed calendar) Sincerely, Jeffrey D. Slivko, Principal Even though lunch is free for all middle school students, every student must have a meal application on file. If you have not yet completed one, please do so immediately. (On-line is preferred.) You may be asked to revise an incomplete or incorrect application- please do so and return it to the school immediately. https://www.applyforlunch.com/Application.) PupilPath Invitation letters have been sent home to all grade 6 parents and are being sent to unregistered parents in grades 7 & 8. If you need your registration code, or assistance, please call Ms. Hochrad at (718) 831-4000, x 1461. Important Information on the Measles from the Department of Education May 7, 2019 Dear Families, The health and well-being of New York City students, families, and staff is a top priority for the Department of Education, and we would like to share important information about two recent measles cases in public school students. These students did not attend school while infectious, and students have not been at risk of contracting measles while at school. We are sharing this information out of an abundance of caution and to remind you of our vaccination policy. Vaccination is the best way to prevent measles. Anyone who has received two doses of the Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccine is highly unlikely to get this infection. At this time, the risk to students in public schools remains extremely low given the high rate of vaccination in students. As a reminder, New York State Public Health Law requires all students, except those with approved exemptions, to be vaccinated or show immunity to measles to attend public school. You can see the school immunization requirements at www.schools.nyc.gov/immunization, or visit www.nyc.gov and search “immunization requirements.” Measles is a viral infection that causes fever and a rash. Complications from this infection include pneumonia, brain swelling, hospitalization, and potentially death. It is highly contagious and anyone who is not vaccinated against the virus can get it at any age. On April 9, the Health Commissioner ordered every adult and child who lives or works in ZIP codes 11205, 11206, 11211, and 11249 and has not received the MMR vaccine to be vaccinated. We encourage you to make sure all family members are vaccinated against measles. If you are unsure about your child’s vaccination history, check with your child’s medical provider to confirm that they are appropriately vaccinated or immune to the measles. For information on where you or your child can be vaccinated, please call 311. Roger Platt, MD Chief Executive Officer Office of School Health NYC Department of Education NYC families can use MySchools to apply to public schools from 3-K to high school. Get started by creating an account. Then explore your children’s personalized school options and get guidance on the admissions process from start to finish. 2019-2020 Physical Education Clothing Requirements are as follows: * All students must wear sneakers. * Students are required to wear either sports shorts (no shorter than one inch above the knee), sweatpants, or track pants, and either a short-sleeve or long-sleeve t-shirt. These articles of clothing may be any color or brand. * In the interest of student safety, no article of clothing worn for physical education can have a collar, buttons, zippers, rips, or holes. * Denim and hoodies are prohibited. Please be reminded that all 6th grade students must have the Tdap vaccine by their 11th birthday and 7th grade students must have the Meningococcal Conjugate vaccine when they enter 7th grade (no age requirement.) Microsoft Office for Free for Students! Parents and Guardians of students can download Microsoft Office software from https://studentoffice.net/, at no cost, on up to five of their family’s computers and five of their family’s tablets, smart phones, or other mobile devices. Please check out the FAQ and help section before reaching out for help with issues. Microsoft is the direct contact for issues: nycdoeO365@microsoft.com Statement on Accessibility: We are working to make this website easier to access for people with disabilities, and will follow the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0. If you need assistance with a particular page or document on our current site, please contact hsohn@schools.nyc.gov to request assistance. |
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