PS 38 George Cromwell School

October 2022

Dear Families,

Happy autumn! 

The leaves are beginning to change color and the days are getting cooler. During the short time, your children have been in school, much has taken place. September’s Welcome Back to School launched our school-wide initiative to foster a “Welcoming and Affirming” environment for ALL students with an emphasis on “Building Relationships and Trust.”  Classroom teachers and staff have been getting to know your children: what their interests are, and how they learn best.   Each day begins with a warm welcome, grab and go breakfast, and students are immediately engaged in Social Emotional Learning (SEL) the first period upon arrival. We use Harmony, a research based SEL Curriculum approved by the NYC Department of Education and we integrate Advanced Literacy into these sessions.

In order to move all children forward in the learning continuum, we must meet every child where they are at and understand how they learn best.  Consistent routines and clear expectations have been set in all learning environments as they provide the necessary structure students need to succeed. Teachers have been administering comprehensive assessments and screeners to every student social emotionally, in reading, writing, and math.  

Staff continually assess students throughout the year in regular cycles to better monitor student progress and performance.  We keep open lines of communication with families and we focus on the “whole child,” (socially, emotionally, areas of strength, areas requiring more support, interests, etc).  “One size does not fit all”…therefore, our instruction utilizes a variety of strategies and approaches to similar tasks providing multiple entry points for our diverse learners.

Attendance/Lateness:  Morning arrival is at 7:45 a.m. and all doors close promptly at 7:55 as our instructional day begins. Students who arrive after that will be marked late. 

Parents please make sure your child arrives on time. When students arrive late this interrupts learning and instruction for them.  

We ask that you also ensure your child is dressed appropriately for the weather as the days are beginning to get colder.

Safety Drills:  To ensure the safety and welfare of all students and staff we will conduct various safety lessons and drills.  These lessons/drills show students what to do in the event of an emergency and include, fire drills, evacuation drills, shelter in drills, and bus drills.  Bus drills are done three times a year to ensure students are familiar with how to evacuate and bus safety nuances.

 Conflict Resolution:  We are taking a proactive stance to support ALL children who exhibit or experience conflict. Children may forget how to manage and regulate feelings as well as how to deal with conflict.  This is a part of our social emotional focus this year and we are working collaboratively with our support teams, teachers, and families to resolve any concerns in a positive manner in which ALL children can learn and grow from.  Please remain patient and flexible, as this work does not happen overnight and remember that they are all children learning and developing.  We will work collaboratively with you to provide students with strategies for coping, regulating, and dealing with behaviors and ask that you continue to work with us.

 Our next virtual PTA meeting will be on October 18 at 2:30 pm. This will be our Title I meeting and will provide families with information regarding how Title I budget is used. Google Code:  ps38rpta

Support the Cause/Support Our Children:

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month:  Every Friday PS 38 Goes Pink in recognition and support of Breast Cancer Awareness. Please continue to join us in building awareness to this cause by dressing your child in pink. Students will also have an opportunity to purchase small awareness items each Friday.   We are empowering students to do the greater good as change agents and all Breast Cancer proceeds will go to a Breast Cancer Organization of our 5^th grade student’s choice as they will be researching several organizations to pay it forward and make a difference.

Monday October 31 is a School Spirit Day: 

On October 31 we will host our annual “Autumn Harvest/Halloween Costume Parade” where we will be marching for a cause.  “Breast Cancer Awareness” is our cause for the greater good and we will be collecting $1.00 donations  on this day from all children and families who would like to participate.  If you would like to contribute to our cause, please send $1.00 in a sealed envelope with your child’s name on it and their teacher will collect them that morning.  Together we can make a difference!

Students in grades 3-5 will march around the perimeter of the school and students in pre-K-2 will march inside our schoolyard.  All costumes must be school appropriate (no weapons). A flier will come home shortly.

 All instructional activities this day will focus around an Autumn Harvest/Halloween theme.  Note that teachers are prepared to modify lessons and activities for your child if you do not celebrate Halloween so feel free to communicate with a note in your child’s folder.

We are thrilled to share that our PTA will also host our annual “Pumpkin Patch” on the front lawn (weather permitting/Inside the building should it rain).  All students will have the opportunity to visit our pumpkin patch and pick a pumpkin. They will all also receive a juice box and a cupcake.

Each week we will be selling Pretzels from Philly Pretzel Factory at lunchtime for $1.00 every Thursday to students.

We will also be selling Rich’s Ice cream on Tuesdays for $ 2.00 each.  Ice cream is produced in an allergen free/nut free facility. We have several varieties students can choose from which include some gluten free varieties.  All Proceeds will go back to the students in some way.

November 3 is Parent Teacher Conference Afternoon and Evening.  All PTCs will be virtual by appointment and students will attend school for half a day. A letter will go home soon with early dismissal times.

November 8 is Election Day and a non-attendance day for students. 

Family Engagement Tuesdays take place from 2:15 to 3:20.  This time is used to keep open lines of communication with families, engage parents in informative workshops/information sessions, and to schedule one-to-one student progress meetings between parents and teachers around how their child is learning.  Your child’s data and work samples drive these conversations, students’ strengths and areas in need of support are discussed, and strategies to support your child at home are shared. 

Parent engagement plays a critical role in student achievement and our goal is to continue to build trusting relationships with our families through consistent open lines of communication.   Please remember to visit our school website:  www.ps38.org, which houses a wealth of important information, announcements, and resources.  We also communicate via phone blast, and notices, which go home with your child. Should you have any questions or concerns Mrs. Kimberly Bottalico is our Parent Coordinator and can be reached at:  718-351-1225 or via email: kbottalico@schools.nyc.gov.

Throughout the year, we will survey parent interests and needs and host informative workshops. We are a “professional learning community” and our goal is to work in collaboration with all stakeholders (students, staff, families, and organizations) to ensure a successful and memorable elementary school experience for your children.

Once again, we look forward to a year filled with inspiring rich learning experiences with your children. 

~Thank you for entrusting your children to us.

  “Partners with Families…Partners In Learning”

Believing In Children...

Inspiring Young Minds,

 Nancy Murillo

Principal

Mrs. Murillo's Family Letter October