Welcome to P.S. 236

Week October 14, 2024

Dear 236 Families,

I would like to extend my heartfelt wishes to all our Veterans for a very Happy Veterans Day! Your dedication and service to our country are deeply appreciated, and we honor your sacrifices.

A special thank you goes out to Ms. Labella and all the parent volunteers who organized our Book Fair. It was delightful to see the students eagerly selecting their books, and the highlight was undoubtedly watching them guess the number of Hershey Kisses in the candy jar!

We recently held parent-teacher conferences on Thursday. If you were unable to attend or need additional time to discuss your child’s progress, please feel free to schedule a meeting during parent engagement time. Our teachers are always available to support your child’s educational journey.

Although it doesn’t quite feel like November yet, colder weather is on the horizon. Please ensure that all jackets and accessories are labeled with your child’s name. We already have a significant number of items in the lost and found. If you believe your child’s belongings might be there, please contact Ms. Labella for assistance.

It’s important to note that if your child is absent for more than 10% of the school year, it is considered chronic absenteeism. Regular attendance is crucial for your child’s academic success. Missing school frequently can lead to gaps in learning and make it challenging for students to keep up with their peers. Let’s work together to encourage consistent attendance and support our children’s education.

Wishing you all a fantastic weekend, and let’s hope the Jets go on a winning streak!

Sincerely, 

Mr. Paingankar

December 10 Kindergarten/Kindergarten Gifted and Talented Application Opens

This year, children born in 2020 are eligible to apply to kindergarten for the 2025-2026 school year. The elementary school admissions team is here to support you through the process.  Here are some key dates you should be aware of as you move through the process: 

Tuesday, December 10th, 2024: Kindergarten Application Opened 

Friday, January 24, 2025: Kindergarten Application Closes 

Wednesday, April 2, 2025: Kindergarten Offer Release

These dates are subject to change.  Any changes will be announced and communicated to families.

Set up your MySchools account. No code or ID necessary, just your email address.If you already have a MySchools account, be sure to log in and review your child’s profile information.  If you do not see your child on your dashboard, please create a new profile for them by clicking “Add a child”. Use the MySchools directory to start exploring schools and programs. Visit schools! Check our MySchools events page or contact schools directly to learn if they will be hosting virtual or in-person events. You can also visit a schools’ website to learn more; each school’s website is listed on its MySchools page.  Visiting schools online or in person is a great way to imagine what it’s like to go there.   All NYC families with children born in 2020 are encouraged to apply including students learning English, students with disabilities, and students in temporary housing. Submitting an application will not impact your application to a non-DOE program like charter or parochial school. Every child is guaranteed a kindergarten seat in a NYC Public School. Want to learn more? Visit our kindergarten admissions website and watch our video playlist, featuring several MySchools tutorials. Still have questions? Call us at 718-935-2009 or visit your local Family Welcome Center.

Important Information Regarding the Middle School Application

October 15: Middle School Applications Opened in MySchools

Explore middle school options in MySchools directory. 

Save programs of interest by clicking the stars next to their school names. 

Visit the Middle School Information page (opens in a new window) to learn more about virtual information sessions, how students get offers, your application choices, seats and demand, priority groups, etc. 

Cafeteria Offerings Survey

We want to hear from you!

Students and families are asked to provide their feedback regarding cafeteria offerings via this survey (opens in a new window) It is available in all 9 DOE languages.

Note that the survey takes approximately five minutes to complete and will be open until December 13.

Learn more about our menus. (opens in a new window)

We follow the Breakfast Express menu for our grab-n-go and the PreK-8 lunch

Introducing the NYC Bus App the city's new way to track your child's bus rides to and from school (opens in a new window)

PEBT Card replenishment/Important information

P-EBT cards from 2020 have been replenished again.

If you still have your card, check it out.  

To get your P-EBT card number you can call the P-EBT center at 844 673-7328 Monday - Friday 8 am - 5 pm.  

Remember you had to have a child registered in Kindergarten and up during the 2020 school year. 

Health Guidance and Resources for Families — Tips for Staying Healthy (opens in a new window)

1. Stay up to date on all vaccines 

2. Stay Home When Sick 

3. Cover Your Cough 

4. Wash Hands Often 

5. See a Health Care Provider Regularly 

6. Health Insurance 

P.S. 236 has a FREE after-school program housed in the school

The Community Based Organization (CBO) that runs the program is Millennium Development.

The Director of the program is Ms. Stacey Dunn, PS236 Compass Director

The program hours are:

2:20pm - 5:30pm

Monday - Friday

Proper footwear for recess

All students go outside during the school day either for recess or gym.

It is important to make sure your child has proper footwear on everyday.

Please do not send your child in flipflops, sandals without back straps, crocs without back straps,

shoes with heels or boots.   The best footwear is rubber bottom shoes or sneakers.

We want all students to enjoy their time outside safely.

This is the way for you to stay connected to your student’s education and more in the new NYC Schools Account (NYCSA) Portal. 

One sign-in will allow you to:

• See your students grades, test scores and more in My Student

• Take classes in Parent University

• Report bullying

• Access forms for your child

• Reset your child's DOE account password

• If you already have an account, simply click "Forgot My Password" to reset

I understand that many of you have given your child a cellphone or a Smart Watch, especially in grades 4 and 5. I understand that many children go to afterschool programs, take public transportation, or walk home and need to have one for safety and communication. 

After consulting with the School Leadership Team, we have come up with the following cellphone/smart watch policy: 

• Students may wear a Smart watch but may not use it to take pictures or call, text or communicate with anyone including parents during the school day. If your child needs to call you they will go to the main office and we will make the call. 

• Students that have a cellphone must keep their phone in their backpacks for the whole day. They may not bring the cellphone to lunch, walk around hallways or the bathrooms. 

• Students are not allowed to take pictures, videos, post on social media sites, make calls, play games and text during the school day. 

• Students are not allowed to pick up the phone during the school day, even from a parent. If you need to tell your child something please call the school or Parent Square the teacher. 

If a student violates the cellphone policy we will follow are consequences according the NYCDOE Discipline code and implement the following depending on the violation. 

• The teacher will take the phone away and return to the student at the end of the day. The teacher will also notify the parent/guardian. • The teacher will take the phone away and a parent/guardian must pick up the phone. 

• The student will have to give their phone to the main office everyday and pick it up at the end of the day. • The student will be banned from bringing in their device for a period of time depending of the violation. 

Please monitor your child’s phone. Check their browsing history and monitor group chats. Please note that we take all threats/bullying on a device very seriously and will call the police. Together we can ensure the safety of your child. Thank you for your cooperation. If you have any questions please contact Ms. LaBella. alabella@schools.nyc.gov 

Sincerely, 

Mr. Paingankar