Principal's Corner

Principal's Letter to Parents—NOVEMBER 2021

Dear Parents,

As we enter a new month, that reminds us to be giving and thankful, I am thankful to be in partnership with our Parent Community at

P.S. 132! It truly takes a village to raise a child and during our new pandemic norm, we need each other more than anything! As we navigate through life and try to get back to reality, I ask that you take some time to check on your personal wellness whether it be mental, physical, or financial. To be strong for our kids, we must take care of yourselves!

Parent Teacher Conferences / Half Day: On Thursday , November 4th, 2021 the Ralph Bunche School will host Teacher/Family Conference for the Fall Session. As a school community we understand that student progress is a shared responsibility. To this end, school members eagerly anticipate your support and participation in these conferences. During conferences please share your questions and concerns regarding your child's academic growth and socio-emotional well being as it pertains to their learning experiences.

For your convenience the following websites are being provided to you in order to guide and support the productivity of these conferences:

https://www.schools.nyc.gov/get-involved/families/parent-teacher-conferences https://www.pta.org/home/family-resources/Parents-Guides-to-Student-Success

Please be advised that a half– day schedule will be in effect on Thursday, November 4th, 2021. Dismissal will be at 11:30 am prompt. Parents are encouraged to plan accordingly.

Virtual Parent/Teacher Conferences: On Thursday, November 4th, 2021 from 1:00pm-3pm and then again 4:30pm—7pm, the Ralph Bunche school will host the virtual Fall session for Teacher/ Family conferences. However, to ensure that all parents have a relaxed and uninterrupted conference experience, specific meeting times have been arranged for each parent by their child's classroom teacher on Bloomz. Please make every effort to log on at your personalized appointment time. However, if you have to reschedule, kindly notify your child's teacher so that a mutually convenient appointment can be arranged. Report cards will be distributed on Thursday, November 4th and families will have digital access on the NY Schools Account site https://www.schoolsaccount.nyc/.

Special Education Recovery Services

Every DOE school will offer an after-school or Saturday program (or a combination of the two) to deliver Special Education Recovery Services. Special Education Recovery Services are specialized instruction and related services, targeted to each student's individual needs. These services will be provided to students with IEPs in addition to their regular school day. They offer the opportunity for your child to receive additional services as soon as possible, without any need for you to make a request or wait through an administrative process. Parents of eligible students were notified and have the option to accept or opt out of this service. This dedicated after-school program will begin on Tuesday, November 9th, and will take place Tuesday, Wednesdays, and Thursdays: 3pm-4pm until further notice.

School Attendance

Please be reminded that attendance is one of many criteria that will determine your child's promotion eligibility. Students whose attendance rates fall below 90% may jeopardize their promotion to the next grade level. Accordingly, if your child is absent please make sure that you write a letter to your child's teacher immediately and provide the necessary documentation (i.e. doctor's note, etc.) for the absence.

Breakfast and Lunch Menus—The citywide breakfast and lunch menus from the office of school food and nutrition services are available online. If you would like to download these menus please visit: https://www.schools.nyc.gov/school-life/food/menus or Download the School Food App for Android(Open external link) and iOS(Open external link).

Student Attendance Days— Kindly be advised of the following school holidays in which students will not be in attendance or working remotely from home:

Election Day, November 2nd, 2021—Remote Instructional Day for students Veteran's Day, November 11th, 2021 (No School for Students)

Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 25th, and Friday, November 26th 2021 (No School for Students) Educationally yours,

Mr. Baptiste