COMMUNICATING YOUR CONCERNS

The teacher’s time with the class is very important. Please refrain from lengthy discussions with your child’s teacher at pick-up and drop-off. Should you need to discuss your child with his or her teacher, please make an appointment to allow the teacher time to focus on your concerns. If you have specific concerns about your child’s work in specialty areas (phys. ed., computer, art, academic intervention, etc.), please leave a note for that teacher. If you have spoken to the teacher and the issue has not been resolved to your satisfaction, please take the matter to the Parent Coordinator and she will assist in making an appointment for you to speak to the principal.

If have issues about general school matters and/or policies (i.e., not a matter concerning an individual student or teacher), the PTA or SLT may be able to answer your question. Mailboxes for both the PTA and SLT are in the office. To contact the PTA directly, please email pta_info@ps154.org.

Emergencies

Please be sure you complete the Blue Emergency Card that is filed in the office, and please make sure that your child’s Blue Emergency Card is kept accurate and up-to-date. This is vital. Stop by the office and update/correct as necessary. Information on this card includes: Current Phone Numbers of someone we can speak to in case of an emergency (Beeper or answering machine or service numbers are not acceptable.) Be sure to update this info if you change jobs, emergency contacts. Clear Directions of what is desired in case of an emergency. It is also a good idea to keep in mind that the school may need to reach you, so let your office or your backup know how you can be contacted when there are changes in your regular schedule.

Fire Drills are held on a regular basis per Department of Education regulations.

In case of an emergency, students and staff will be evacuated in keeping with the designated locations in the school safety plan. These locations, where possible will provide shelter to staff and students. They will also provide access for school administrators to communicate with the Regional Operations Center. They will also provide access for school administrators to communicate with their Superintendent’s office and the Emergency Communications/Command Center. Since the Principal might be at the Command Center with the emergency responders, a designee will be responsible for all students and staff at the evacuation site.

PS 154’s designated evacuation sites

Primary Site: Bishop Ford – 500 19th Street – 718-3602510

Alternate Site: St. Joseph the Worker School – 241 Prospect Park West – 718-768-7629

Out of Area Site: P.S. 130 – 70 Ocean Parkway – 718-330-9350

Evacuation Site Designee: Leila Rached, Principal

SCHOOL SECURITY

Parents are welcome in the school. For the safety of the children and staff, however, all visitors must sign in at the security desk. Visitors must use the main entrance on 11th Avenue only. No other school entrances may be used between 8:20am and 2:40pm. Using any side doors compromises the safety of the entire school. Thank you in advance for observing these simple safety rules.

Storm Closings

The Schools Chancellor, in consultation with other City officials, decides whether to close schools or delay their openings. Parents are advised to listen to any of the following radio stations to be informed of a school closing: WINS (1010 AM), WCBS (880AM), WLIB (1190AM), WBLS (107.5FM), WNYE (91.5FM), as well as the following television stations: WCBS (Channel 2), WNBC (Channel 4), WNYW (Fox Channel 5), WABC (Channel 7), WNYE (Channel 25), and “NY1” (Channel 1 on cable television).

You may also sign up for email notification of Breaking News (snow alerts) or other topics on the NYC DOE website.

MESSAGES & CELL PHONES

The school cannot deliver phone messages to children. We urge you to make all after-school plans the night before. Playdate arrangements must be made from home. Children will not be permitted to telephone from the school office to make dates. Please make sure that your child is aware of his/her plans each day. If you need to reach your child during the school day regarding an urgent matter, please call the Main Office at 718.768.0057 to have a message relayed to your child.

Chancellor’s Regulations prohibit the use of cell phones by students during school hours. If your child brings a cell phone to school for use outside of school, please instruct the child to turn the phone off and keep it in his or her backpack or give it to the teacher during the school day. Failure to keep phones off and out of sight will result in the phone being confiscated until the end of the school day.