Dear MS 447 Families,
I hope this August email finds you all well, enjoying warm weather (but not so hot!) and maybe some relaxation or adventure! We have been doing a lot of relaxing, and are now in gear to get school ready to open! Please read this email in its entirety for some details about the school year:
The first day of school for students is Thursday, September 7. School will begin each day at 8:30 am. Students should plan to arrive before 8:30, because they should be in Pack starting at 8:30.
Cell phones: MS 447 is a phone-free space to improve teaching and learning. We are committed to building an educational and social environment that optimizes our interactions, relationships, and community. Students must turn their cell phones off and put them into their Yondr pouch (distributed during the first few days of school) as they enter school. Please read about Yondr x 447 and our full cell phone policy HERE.
School Communications through Operoo: If you haven’t done so already, please do activate your Operoo account. We will be using Operoo as our primary communication method for sending and collecting information. If you aren’t registered with Operoo, and haven’t gotten an email invite from Operoo over the past few months, please let Amy Sirot, our parent coordinator, know. She can be reached at asirot@ms447.org. It is very fast and easy to open your account and fill out your forms online. The emergency contact form (“blue card”) is in Operoo, as well as other important forms.
Morning Entry: All students enter through 500 Pacific Street, and should arrive with enough time to be in their pack classroom by 8:30. Students may go to the morning sports club or the cafeteria starting at 8:10am. All students may have free breakfast each morning.
Dismissal: Dismissal for students not staying for Office Hours or after school programs is at 2:50. 6th grade students will dismiss on Dean Street, close to 3rd Avenue. 7th and 8th grade students will exit at 500 Pacific Street. Students may not leave on their own before the end of the school day. If they need to leave early, a parent or someone on the emergency contact card must come to the office to sign them out.
Daily Pack Meeting and class assignments/schedules: We have daily small-group pack meeting each morning upon entry. Your child’s pack leader will contact you a day or two prior to the first day of school to introduce themselves. Students will receive their class schedule during Welcome Days. Please note that you should not expect to learn your child’s official class prior to their pack leader introducing themselves.
Welcome Days: The first two days of school are our Welcome Days, to ease the middle school transition. We will not follow a typical schedule on these days; instead, students will meet their teachers, get to know their classmates, set up their locker and email, and learn their way around the building.
Meals: Breakfasts and lunches are free and available to all students.
Lockers: Now is also a good time to start practicing how to open your combination lock! Students will share a locker with a classmate. We will provide locks to students if they do not bring their own.
Supplies: We have minimized our supply list so that none of our families feel pressure to buy supplies. Please review this list; however all items are suggested and we will provide what is needed.
6-Day Schedule: We are excited to return to the 6-day schedule. MS 447 will rotate through an A-F schedule, which has many advantages in terms of programming. While it may seem confusing at first, past experience has told us that kids catch on quickly. NOTE: We do not have school on the weekends! 🙂
Attendance: Our pupil accounting secretary, Ms. Diaz, handles attendance and transportation. She can be reached at 718-330-9328 or attendance@ms447.org.
Visitors: Except when noted, all parents enter the school through 345 Dean Street. You will be asked for photo identification when you enter. Please then report to our main office, Room 340, in the main building.
Office Hours: There will be optional office hours with teachers from 2:50-3:30 on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Office Hours will begin the second week of school.
After School Programs: There is free, optional afterschool for all students. It is 5 days a week, and your child does not need to come every day or stay for the entire time. To enroll, search for our program (“The Math and Science Exploratory School)” on the DYCD SONYC site and register. If you need assistance, contact leap@ms447.org.
(6th GRADE ONLY) Busing: If you haven’t already done so, please make sure to complete the transportation survey in Operoo to tell us your preference for a stop-to-school bus route or a student MetroCard, depending on your eligibility. For those of you who are eligible and planning to ride the stop-to-school yellow bus, we ask you to indicate the stop you prefer, though the stops are subject to change by the DOE. If you choose to receive a MetroCard instead of taking a yellow bus, your child will receive the card in the first few days of school. Please be patient, as there are often kinks with busing that get worked out over the first few weeks of school. We suggest having back-up plans for transportation at the start of the year.
New 447 families: All new families (all grades), please join me, some other school staff, and the MS 447 PTA for a morning meet-and-great breakfast in the yard on the first day of school, September 7, at 8:30 am.
Please stay tuned! We will continue to send you updated information from school through Operoo. If you haven’t received any Operoo emails, please contact Amy at asirot@ms447.org.
Enjoy the rest of summer and see you soon!
~Arin
Arin M. Rusch
Principal