Park Avenue Post

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL START TIME...

Kindergarten 9:00 AM- 2:50 AM (No breakfast for K students)

Grades 1&2 Full day, 8:30 AM-2:50 PM

Grades 3-5 Full day, 8:30 AM-2:55 PM

Wednesday, September 3, 2024 - Normal Day. Everyone arrives by 8:30am.

Please DO NOT send all of your child's school supplies with them on the first day. Our teachers are not expecting them to have all supplies for day one. We want our students to have a stress free welcome back to school. My advice to parents is to send only as many school supplies as can fit into the backpack WITHOUT BEING TOO HEAVY. Send the supplies little by little over the first week and hopefully by Monday, September 8, all supplies will be at the school. This advice especially applies to our younger students in K-2 who can't carry as much.

Also, please ensure that you write your child's name on EVERYTHING in a permanent marker. Names should be put on notebooks, pencil cases, and other individual items and should also be placed on the backpacks and bags used to send the materials in to school. We don't want the items that you so lovingly bought to go missing.

2025-2026 Grade Level Lists

(Can also be found on our website - CLICK HERE)

Kindergarten

First Grade

Second Grade

Third Grade

Fourth Grade

Fifth Grade

Mrs. Mojica's Supply List

Ms. Miandoabi's Supply List

Ms. Remy's Supply List

Ms. Rodriguez's Supply List

Starting this September on day one of school, New York is requiring statewide, bell-to-bell restrictions on smartphones and electronic devices in K-12 schools. Governor Hochul developed and enacted this initiative based on feedback from teachers, parents and students. Under the new regulations taking effect this school year, school districts across New York developed their own policy for restricting smartphones.

PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR THE PORT CHESTER SCHOOL DISTRICT POLICY

Here are some basic highlights of the policy:

• Bringing devices: Elementary students are highly discouraged from bringing personal electronic devices (cell phones, smartwatches, tablets, headphones, etc.) to school.
• If a device is brought:
  • It must be silenced and turned off.
  • All devices must be stored in THE CHILD'S BACKPACK. This includes cell phones, headphones and smartwatches.
  • The school and staff cannot take responsibility for stored electronics. Please leave them home if at all possible.
• Communication during the school day:
  • Parents who need to reach their child should call the school office - 914-934-7895.
  • Students who need to call parents can do so from the school office, nurse's office, and other professionals' offices.
• Exceptions (allowed with approval):
  • If required by an IEP/504 plan.
  • If medically necessary (doctor’s note required).
• Consequences if rules are broken:
  • The device will be taken to the office and held until the end of the day.
  • A parent/guardian must pick it up.
  • Repeated issues will lead to stricter consequences as outlined in the school’s Code of Conduct.
• Testing:
  • Students are never allowed to bring cell phones or electronic devices into classrooms during state or district tests.

I am asking for your cooperation and understanding that this is now NYS law and in the best interests of our children. Together, as the Park Avenue Owls, we will rise to this challenge with grit and determination. By working as one community, we can create the distraction-free environment our children deserve.

The district website houses our breakfast and lunch menus. Please bookmark the links below and check regularly so you can be aware of the food offerings at Park Avenue.

CLICK HERE FOR THE BREAKFAST AND LUNCH MENUS

WE HAVE A FREE BREAKFAST PROGRAM AT PARK AVENUE FROM 7:50-8:20AM.

BREAKFAST AND LUNCH ARE STILL FREE FOR ALL STUDENTS!!! CLICK HERE FOR LETTER

However, we still need parents to complete these forms for us to continue to qualify for the free breakfast and lunch program. We will send these forms home in backpack mail soon.

CLICK HERE FOR ENGLISH FORM

CLICK HERE FOR SPANISH FORM

If your child will be eating breakfast, please try to arrive at 7:50am. If you will not be participating in the breakfast program, please do not drop off your child until 8:10-8:25am.

PLEASE TRY TO HAVE YOUR CHILD ARRIVE AT SCHOOL BETWEEN 7:50 AND 8:25AM.

In the morning, kindergarten, first and second graders should normally arrive between 7:50am and 8:25am. ALL STUDENTS ENTER THROUGH THE MAIN ENTRANCE on Park Avenue. K-2 students gather in the gymnasium.

(ON THE FIRST DAY ONLY, KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS WILL ARRIVE AT 9AM THROUGH THE MAIN ENTRANCE. PARENTS CANNOT ENTER THE BUILDING WITH THE KIDS.)

Students in third, fourth and fifth grades will also enter through the MAIN ENTRANCE between 7:50am and 8:25 am. They will then go down to the cafeteria to be picked up by their teachers. If the weather is nice, they may be directed outside onto the back playground.

PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR A VISUAL OF MORNING DROP OFF ROUTINES FOR STUDENTS IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH.

Morning Drop Off Guidelines:

• Drop off lane is the lane closest to the curb. Please pull up as far as possible and my staff will help students get out of the car. Please stay in your car.

• If you need to do a quick drop off in the morning before 8am, please pull forward towards College Avenue and pull over to the curb before letting your child out.

• Please do not stop or drop off from the through lane of traffic.

• There are no u-turns allowed in front of the school at ANY time.

Guías para dejar a los estudiantes por la mañana:

• El carril para dejar a los estudiantes es el carril más cercano a la acera. Por favor, avance lo más posible y mi personal ayudará a los estudiantes a salir del coche. Por favor, permanezca en su coche.

• Si necesita dejar a su hijo rápidamente, por favor, avance hacia College Avenue y deténgase junto a la acera antes de dejar salir a su hijo.

• Por favor, no se detenga ni deje a su hijo en el carril de circulación.

• No se permiten giros en U frente a la escuela en NINGÚN momento.

CLICK HERE FOR AN IMPORTANT TRAFFIC UPDATE

PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR OUR PARK AVENUE DISMISSAL PLAN FORM FOR PARENTS.

This was sent home on green paper in our summer mailing and will be sent home in backpack mail to any students who don't return it on day one. Please return this letter fully completed ASAP, but no later than Friday, September 5 so that we can ensure the safety of all of our students at dismissal.

At dismissal, we use several exit doors for dismissal. PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR A VISUAL OF THE AFTERNOON DISMISSAL PLAN. Please meet your child at the appropriate door for dismissal.

• First, Third, Fourth and Fifth grades exit from the three doors in the front of the building.
• Second grade comes out the side door on Columbus Avenue.
• Kindergarten comes out the back door off the playground behind the school.
• Any students who are picked up from Carver afterschool activities exit from the main door.

Please make every effort to arrive promptly at 2:50 or 2:55pm when your child is dismissed from school. To ensure safety of our children, please do not double park cars for any reason during dismissal and do not block crosswalks around the school.

Afternoon Pickup Guidelines:

• Please do not double and triple park in front of the school.

• If you need to park and leave your car, you MUST be in the lane closest to the curb. Parking is allowed in this lane only.

• You may stop and wait in the second lane but you must stay in your car so that you can move your car if necessary.

• Please NEVER leave your car running and unattended.

• There are no u-turns allowed in front of the school at ANY time.

Guías para la recogida de estudiantes por la tarde:

• Por favor, no estacione en doble o triple fila frente a la escuela.

• Si necesita estacionarse y dejar su auto, DEBE estar en el carril más cercano a la acera. Solo se permite estacionar en este carril.

• Puede detenerse y esperar en el segundo carril, pero debe permanecer en su auto para poder moverlo si es necesario.

• Por favor, NUNCA deje su auto encendido y sin supervisión.

• No se permiten giros en U frente a la escuela en NINGÚN momento.

PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR AN IMPORTANT TRAFFIC UPDATE

ParentSquare is the primary way we communicate with our families. If you have not already done so, you will need to verify your information to setup your account. Please be on the lookout for an invite from ParentSquare by email or text in the coming days. Our technology department will be sending an email similar to the one copied below to all Park families in the coming days. Thank you!

Good Afternoon Parents and Guardians,

As you may be aware, Port Chester School District's system for mass communication with families is changing to a software called ParentSquare.

You will be receiving an email from ParentSquare that says "Port Chester-Rye Union Free School District invites you to ParentSquare". Once you open the email, click the green box that says, Activate your account. Once the website opens, create a password for your ParentSquare account and click Register. Once registered, click, Confirm, for your phone number/email address. A verification code will be sent to your phone number or email address. Please enter the verification code. Once the code is verified, you are enrolled in ParentSquare.

If there are any issues with your ParentSquare account, please reach out to Michael Ritacco, the district Director of Technology, at mritacco@portchesterschools.org.

Last week, Dr. Henriquez and I toured Park Avenue and reflected on the exciting progress happening across our school. From construction and beautification projects to exciting academic and student centered projects.

I want to share with you how deeply grateful I am for her steadfast support. Over the past year, the district leadership team has consistently removed barriers and opened doors that allowed us to bring so many of these ideas to life.

It’s important to recognize that much of what we celebrate at Park has been made possible through the overwhelming support of Dr. Henriquez, Dr. Carroll, Juan Sanchez, Dr. Wilson and Phil Silano. Their commitment to our school has truly made the difference, and the exciting improvements you see in motion at Park Avenue are a direct result of their partnership and belief in our community.

Este boletín se puede traducir a casi cualquier idioma:

En un laptop computadora, haga clic en la opción TRADUCCIÓN en ACCESIBILIDAD. También puedes agrandar la fuente para que se vea más fácilmente.

En su teléfono celular/iPAD, hay una barra en la parte superior de la pantalla con un ícono de traducción (ver imagen). Este es el ICONO DE ACCESIBILIDAD. Haga clic en ese icono y luego elija traducir.

This newsletter can be translated into most any language:

On a desktop, click the TRANSLATION option under ACCESSIBILITY. You can also make the font larger to be more easily seen.

On your cell phone / IPAD - there is a bar at the top of the screen with a translate icon (see picture). This is the ACCESSIBILITY ICON. Click that icon and then choose translate.

Your Voice Matters!

As part of our commitment to listening, we’ve created a short, confidential form for students/families. If there’s something you wish your teacher or school knew—whether it’s about your learning, your life, or what helps you thrive—please share it with us here:

👉 PLEASE CLICK HERE

Responses are reviewed thoughtfully by staff, and your insights help us make this a better place for everyone.

This summer, our wonderfully talented art teacher, Ms. Temple, completed various murals around the school (the pictures above are just a few of the murals recently painted around the school). The project was part of the PAS Kindness project funded by the Tamarack Tower Foundation last year. The goal of this ongoing project is to transform our school into a living canvas of kindness and inspiration. With each artistic creation, we hope to create an environment where the walls speak to our children—celebrating who they are, uplifting who they can become, and reminding them daily that greatness begins with compassion, courage, and a belief in themselves. We can't wait for you to see them at Back to School Night!!

We will be kicking off our new year with our first SPIRIT WEEK - START WITH HELLO...

Start with hello week raises awareness about social isolation and educates students and the community on how to prevent it by reaching out to others who may feel left out, lonely or invisible. Our goal is that all students at Park feel a sense of belonging and celebrate spreading kindness to all.

In this new section of my newsletter, I will be highlighting some of the greatness among our staff here at Park Avenue! In this way, we build pride in our school and tell the story of excellence that marks Park Avenue Elementary!

This summer, Ms. DiGiacomo (DL Grade 2) went to Midawe village in Tanzania to volunteer in a school. She traveled with two teacher friends and stayed for 2 weeks working with kids in the 1st and 2nd grade at the Ikirwa School (Ikirwaschool.org). Ms. DiGiacomo reports that she was so impressed by the rigor of the curriculum and the dedication of the teachers and staff. Her students were so eager to hear all about America and Park Avenue! She taught second graders introduction to fractions and division, as well as working on English comprehension. She even taught them a bit of Spanish! She shared with me that, “In the end, the students and the experience impacted her far more than she ever could have hoped to impact them. She realized she had learned more from them and from the journey than she ever could have imagined.”

I’m pleased to introduce you to our new orchestra teacher at Park Avenue Elementary - Ms. Taylor Rakovic. Ms. Rakovic will be teaching in our 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade orchestras this year. She holds a BM and MM in Music Education from Fredonia State University. As a violist with strong skill on violin, cello, and double bass, she brings both a deep performance background and a passion for guiding students toward their musical potential.

In her teaching journey, she has worked as a substitute teacher in the Dunkirk City Schools and Brentwood Schools, a private lesson instructor serving students of all ages around Long Island, early childhood music instructor, and a student teacher in both middle and high school orchestra programs. Whether directing rehearsals, managing performance events, or fostering community within a program, she is committed to contributing to a vibrant, collaborative school culture. She looks forward to working closely with students, families, and colleagues to ensure our music program continues to thrive and inspire.

PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR HER LETTER OF INTRODUCTION

I’m pleased to introduce you to our new School Counselor at Park Avenue Elementary - Ms. Samantha Perez. Ms. Perez will be working with our students to learn and develop their social skills, ability to understand their emotions, and to explore possible college and career aspirations. Prior to that, she worked with the middle and high school students in the Port Chester school district. Samantha holds a BA in Psychology from Mercy College and a Masters in Bilingual School Counseling from Lehman College.

Ms. Perez is bilingual in Spanish and English and has worked closely with the ELL population of our district in the past two years. Her approach focuses on helping students identify their strengths, identify their interests, and focus on being solution oriented. She prioritizes communication with families and teachers to best support her students. Ms. Perez is really looking forward to working with everyone and helping her students learn the foundations to being successful socially, emotionally, and academically.

Please join me in recognizing our incredible Park Avenue parents who are leading our Parent/Teacher Organization (PTO) this year again:

Laura Ianello & Samantha Goyburu, Co-Presidents

Kelly Castro, Vice President

Tracy Tamucci, Treasurer

Noemi Sagastizado, Secretary

Your partnership as parents is what makes the PTO a success. Please consider joining and supporting their efforts.

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE PTO.

FOR YOUR FUTURE PLANNING:

• Grades K,1,2 Back to School Night
• Tuesday, September 9 @ 6pm.

• Grades 3,4,5 Back to School Night
• Wednesday, September 10 @ 6pm.

There are a lot of great things coming up! Please mark your calendars:

Here are some upcoming highlights:

• Kindergarten Orientation & Social: Thursday, August 28 (1:30-3:30pm)
• First Day of School: Tuesday, September 2, 2025

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL START TIME..

Kindergarten 9:00 AM- 2:50 AM (No breakfast for K students)

Grades 1&2 Full day, 8:30 AM-2:50 PM

Grades 3-5 Full day, 8:30 AM-2:55 PM

• RAMNATION Back to School Bash @PCMS - Thursday, September 4 @ 4pm
• Back-to-School Night for grades K,1,2: Tuesday, September 9 at 6:00 PM
• Back-to-School Night for grades 3,4,5: Wednesday, September 10 at 6:00 PM
• Park Avenue Back to School Picnic - Friday, September 12 from 5:30-7:30pm
• PTO MEETING - Tuesday, September 16
• Park Avenue Fall Book fair - Wednesday, September 17-Friday, September 19
• Rosh Hashanah (NO SCHOOL) - Tuesday, September 23 and Wednesday, September 24
• Yom Kippur (NO SCHOOL) - Thursday, October 2
• PTO WALK/RIDE YOUR BIKE TO SCHOOL DAY - Wednesday, October 8

The Port Chester School District's mission is to develop responsible and self-sufficient citizens who value cultural diversity, are creative and adaptable, and have the skills to think critically, communicate effectively, and continue growing individually.

The district's vision is "SUCCESS FOR EVERY STUDENT".

• Email: cdreves@portchesterschools.org
• Website: https://www.portchesterschools.org/pas/home
• Location: Park Avenue, Port Chester, NY 10573
• Phone: 914-934-7895
• Twitter: @craigdreves