Arrival/Dismissal

ARRIVAL

Effective use of time is an important priority at P.S. 317. All students are expected to consistently arrive at school by 8:00 am.  All students must enter the school from the Parks Department yard in the back of the school facing Beach 108th Street.  Ms. Quiles, our parent coordinator, will be there to greet you and your child and to ensure that they enter the school safely.  The door will be opened at 7:30 and at that time, your child can have the option of eating breakfast.  Breakfast time is from 7:30-7:50 and pick up of classes from the auditorium (K-5) will be at 8:00AM.  
PreK children should be brought to their classrooms by parents/caregivers through the backyard attached to the Pre-K classrooms.  Breakfast for our Pre-K students begins at 7:30 am.  At this time, the doors to the small yard will be open for children to enter. 
Since reading is normally the first period each day, parents need to help their children develop the habit of arriving at school on time even if it means revamping a hectic morning by starting earlier or eating breakfast while you’re walking to school. Late children miss important instruction and morning routines, and disrupt these activities for others. Lateness is recorded and becomes part of the student’s permanent record. Research shows that students who come to school on time every day meet standards more successfully than those who are late or absent.
After 8:00, students are considered late. If children arrive late, they must enter through the main lobby and obtain a late pass from the Main Office. If your child is late, they must not be dropped off or allowed to walk to the back yard, where all doors will be locked. Parents may not accompany children to the classroom except during Family First Fridaysthe first Friday of every month.  If you are bringing your child to school late, such as after a doctor’s appointment, please go to the main office for a late pass.

DISMISSAL

Dismissal is at 2:20 in the small yard attached to the school. Teachers always escort their classes at dismissal. Please be sure your child’s teacher knows whether your student is met at dismissal, and by whom or whether s/he goes to after school classes or other meeting places in 317.

All students  are required to “touch base” with the teacher before they leave by saying “I see my parent,” or with a wave, handshake or other signal. Please discuss this with your child, especially if someone other than the usual pick-up person will be meeting them. At all times, if a person other than the usual designated person is meeting your child, the primary caregiver must send a written, signed note to the teacher.

In any case when a child is unsure of pick up arrangements (due to a change in schedule or circumstances) they should go to the Main Office, where a staff member will help them. Please tell children that school is the safest place for them if they do not know where to go, and school personnel will help make phone calls. This is where up-to-date numbers on the Blue Card become really important.

It is imperative that children be picked up promptly at dismissal. Teachers and staff have other commitments that prevent them from staying late. If children are not picked up on time, they are brought to the main lobby to be supervised by a staff member. A long wait in this situation can be very upsetting to children. Telephone calls are made beginning at about 2:30 if the child is still waiting. For younger children who go to after school both in and out of the building, you should inform their classroom teacher of their schedule. The children are sometimes confused the first couple of weeks of a program that is new to them and they should be encouraged to touch base with school personnel, so that they can be properly directed. It is recommended that a parent meet the child on the first day of a new session of an afterschool class or program so that that everyone knows everyone’s face, name and whereabouts

Because there are many students dismissed at the same time each day, wheels of all kinds are banned from the playground and ball playing is prohibited until after the yard empties. We are not trying to spoil their fun, but we are trying to prevent injuries during dismissal by flying balls and wheels. If older children have your permission to skate, board, scoot or unicycle home, please be sure they are wearing safety gear. It IS cool.

If you need to pick up your child at a time other than dismissal, you need to sign in at the Security Desk in the lobby, then go to the Main Office where you must sign your child out in a book.