This Week at Seely Place
August 2026
Dear Seely Place Families,
We hope you had a wonderful August and are looking forward to September and the start of school! If you have driven or walked by Seely Place this summer, you may have noticed quite a bit of construction happening across our campus. We are excited about the many improvements underway, including a new emergency access road, an updated lunchroom, and a brand-new STEAM space!
We can’t wait to welcome your children back to Seely Place on Wednesday, September 2. In the meantime, check out our Meet the Seely Place Team video below, along with everything you need to know as you prepare for the start of the 2026–2027 school year!
Seely Place Website
Family Coffee Talk
Join us on September 2 from 8:45–9:15 a.m. in the lunchroom for our first “Coffee Talk”! Stop by to meet members of the Seely Place team, connect with other families, and get to know members of our PTA. We hope you’ll join us for a cup of coffee and conversation as we kick off the new school year together!
Arrival and Dismissal
Please read our arrival and dismissal procedures carefully.
- School Dismissal Manager (SDM): Seely Place will use School Dismissal Manager to help us keep dismissal safe, organized, and efficient. Beginning September 2, 2026, families should use SDM to report dismissal changes, absences, early dismissals, late arrivals, carpools, and recurring after-school arrangements. An email will be sent shortly with instructions for setting up your account. Once you receive it, please take a few minutes to log in and, most importantly, review your child’s default dismissal plan to ensure it is correct. Same-day dismissal changes must be entered by 2:00 p.m. on regular school days and 10:30 a.m. on early release days. If you have any questions, please contact Nancy Giglio at ngiglio@edgemont.org.
- Permission to Walk Home: At Seely Place students in grades 3-6 are allowed to walk home alone. If you would like to give your child permission to walk home, please complete this form.
- Car Dismissal Sign: A pickup sign with your child’s name and teacher must be displayed in your passenger window during dismissal. A template for the sign can be found here. We will also have signs available for pickup in the front vestibule.
Smartwatches and Cell Phones at Seely Place
Smartwatches and cell phones are not permitted in schools! Last year, the Board of Education has adopted a new policy on student use of internet-enabled devices during the school day, as required by New York State Education Law §2803. Please note that cell phones and smartwatches are not permitted for use in school. If brought to Seely Place, these items must remain in backpacks and may only be used after dismissal. Please be aware that the school cannot assume responsibility for lost or stolen items. For more details, please review this document.
Evacuation Drills
During the first week of school, we will conduct our first evacuation drill (formerly known as fire drills). During this drill, students will accompany their teacher and class to a designated location. New York State requires that we complete 12 evacuation drills throughout the year, and we are committed to notifying families in advance of any planned drills. You can learn more about the different types of drills on our safety pamphlet that you can find here and that is attached to this email.
Safeguarding the Rights of Immigrant Students
New York State has provided information regarding the rights and protections available to immigrant students and families. Please review the attached one-page resource, Safeguarding the Rights of Immigrant Students, for additional information and resources.
Update on Lunch at Seely Place
Construction on the new warming kitchen will extend into the start of the school year. As a result, food service at Seely Place will not be available through at least the end of September. Please plan to send your child with a snack and lunch each day during the month of September, beginning on the first day of school. We anticipate that the food service, including access to free meals through the NYS Universal Free Meals program will begin in the month of October, with the first date to be determined as we come closer to project completion. We appreciate your patience as construction work continues to prepare the new lunchroom warming area for service.
Back-to-School Communication List
For school supplies lists and other Back-to-School information, please visit out Back-to-School Communication List.
Also coming up is our annual Coffee Night, which will be held on Thursday, September 10, beginning at 5:30 p.m. This special adults-only evening is an opportunity to visit your child’s classroom, meet their teachers, and learn more about what to expect in the year ahead. We will share additional details about Coffee Night in the coming week.
🍎Principal's Corner
We hope that you enjoyed this new format for our Family Newsletter! We look forward to seeing you and your children on Wednesday, September 2.
Warm regards,
Eve Feuerstein, Principal
Jordyn Margolis, Assistant Principal