Sr. Patrice Owens
September, 2011
Dear Parents,
Welcome to a new school year! As you know Immaculate has a proud past, an exciting present and a promising future! You are so important to the exciting present and to making this school year a successful one for your children. Home and school working together will make a tremendous difference in the school life of your child. We have so much to share with you at our Open House. Grades 4-8 parents are scheduled for Sept.20th and Grades PreK -3 for Sept. 21st at 6:30 PM. Your child expects you to be there!
This summer the PreK and Kindergarten classrooms were renovated and painted thanks to a grant we received from the Endowment for Inner City Schools. We are grateful to our benefactors and supporters who make it possible to upgrade our facility and give it a fresh new look! Every classroom now has a SMART Board which will provide engaging instructional and technological opportunities for all students.
We have some staff changes this year. Ms. Jimenez will be moving to 7-309 and teaching Science to Grades 7 and 8. Mr. Seoage will be teaching in 6-313. Mr. Santana will be part time teaching Physical Education to all grades. We welcome Mr. John Rodier, our new Development Director who is replacing Ms. Gabrielle Kaminsky. We are blessed to have our literacy coach, Mrs. Judy Brodsky and our Science coach, Ms. Jasmine Maldonado returning to ICS this year.
We welcome back our dedicated and caring staff this year. As the Immaculate team we will do our best to provide a quality Catholic education for your children. We trust that you will reinforce the school policies and help your children to realize the importance of being on time for school, doing homework every night, respecting the teacher’s authority, doing quality work, wearing the proper uniform, etc. It is only when we work together that your children get the most benefit out of the education you are paying for! WE NEED YOUR HELP!!
Please take time to read the Parent/Student Handbook that is included in the new calendar which your child should be bringing home today. Post it in a place where you and your child will see it and can refer to it on a daily basis. The last page has a sign-off sheet which should be signed and returned to school with your child.
As we did last year we will be using the school website to communicate with you. (www.icsfamily.org) The monthly newsletter, menu and other notices will only be sent home via electronic mail and not as a paper copy. There will also be forms posted that you can submit online now. The first form you need to fill out and submit is the Emergency Contact Information Form. Go to the website and find the form on the left side. Click on it, fill it out and hit submit when you finish. If you do not have a working computer you can fill it out when you come for Open House when we will have some computers available for you. Be sure to check the Class pages where your child’s teacher will post important information for you as well as the daily homework.
Here are some important points for the opening of school:
Dismissal will be at 11:30 for the first week of school (Sept. 7,8, and 9)
Dismissal for PreK, K, Grades 1 & 2 is from the middle doors, Grades 3, 7, & 8 from theCourtlandt Ave.doors and grades 4,5,& 6 from theMelrose Ave.doors.
STUDENTS ARE CONSIDERED LATE IF THEY ARRIVE AFTER 8:00 AM. It is very important that you get your child to school on time since lateness is recorded on their official school record. If a child is absent call the receptionist to report it by 9 AM and send in a note with your child the day he or she returns to school. If a child is absent more than 3 days a doctor’s note must be submitted
Our Stationery store (in the basement) will be open for parents during the first week of school from 11:30-1:30. Gym uniforms must be purchased from the Uniform Company, Flynn and O’Hara. They can be reached at 1-800-441-4122. Girls in Gr. 6, 7, 8 MUST wear the uniform slacks instead of the skirt with the vest and they must be purchased from the uniform company. Boys in Grades 6-8 must wear the blue sweater vest with the white shirt and tie. Check the dress code in the handbook on page 7.
Afterschool registration will be on Sept.7, 8, and 9th after dismissal in the cafeteria. Information will be available on the table across from the office. We will begin on Monday, Sept. 12th.
TUITION POLICY –. It was a difficult year financially for many as well as for the school. We finished the year with a significant deficit. Ttition needs to be paid on time so that I can make the payroll on the 15th and 30th of each month. Students whose parents are 2 months behind will not be allowed to attend class. Extenuating circumstances must be discussed with me. Any family that is able to pay for the entire year by September 15th will receive a $100 discount.
Cell phone policy – Students are NOT permitted to have a cell phone on them in the building during school hours. If they bring a cell phone to school it must be turned off and kept in a locked back pack. The school will not be liable for lost or stolen cell phones. If a cell phone is found on a student, in their desk or turned on during school hours it will be taken away and a parent must pick it up. The student will then not be allowed to bring a phone to school at all. This policy applies to i-pods or any electronic devices. The school is not responsible for these.
Fundraising – We still need the Christmas fund raiser to help subsidize tuition. Brochures will be sent home. Please ask friends, relatives and neighbors to contribute to your child’s school.
Office hours are from 8:15-12:00, 12:30-2:10 and 2:35-3:00. If you need to drop something off in the morning please put it in the maildrop in the main office door or leave it at the Reception Desk by the main doors. If you need to speak to a teacher regarding your child send in a note, call or email asking for an appointment at a mutually convenient time. Parents are not permitted upstairs during school hours. Thank you for your cooperation.
Let us work TOGETHER to enable our children to have a productive and successful school year. God bless you and your families!
Gratefully,
Sister Patrice Owens
Principal
