Park Avenue Post

In the coming days, we will be sending home bright yellow PICKUP/REUNIFICATION CARDS (see photo above) to all families at Park Avenue Elementary. When you receive these yellow cards, there are THREE duplicate cards on one sheet of paper. Please cut them into three separate cards. One can be kept by each parent/guardian, one can be shared with a babysitter or grandparent doing pickup, and one should be saved at home for an emergency.

While many teachers may have already learned your faces, there could be instances where there is a substitute teacher or other adult who is not familiar with the adults doing pickup so it is always helpful to bring these cards to afternoon dismissal. If there is ever a situation where the staff member handling dismissal is unsure of who they should be releasing to, I've directed them to hold the child and check with our front security or the main office before releasing. This is done out of an abundance of caution and to ensure that your children are kept safe. If you have these cards with you, it will assist greatly in the dismissal process. Also, sometimes we have situations where babysitters are picking up many students from various families. These adults should be given one of these yellow cards.

The cards will also serve a second VERY IMPORTANT use. In an emergency, these cards would be used to help us to reunify students with their families. Please keep one of the yellow cards at home in a safe space. In an emergency such as a lockdown, fire, or other event, we would ask parents to bring these cards to help streamline the release of students to their trusted adults.

Please join us for our Halloween Dance on Friday October 24th

Location: Park Avenue School Gymnasium

Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grade dance is from 5:30-7:00 pm

Grades 3, 4, and 5 dance is from 7:30 - 9:00 pm.

We will be holding our Halloween Parade and parties at Park Avenue School on October 31!!! The plan is for students to get dressed in their costumes starting at around 1:15pm. Class parents (ONLY) will come to the school to help students get into their costumes along with teachers. The goal will be to start the parade around 1:45pm with grades K-2 leading the parade. The viewing time of the parade will be between 1:45-2:00pm so please don't be late as it will be quick.

Please consider these guidelines for costumes:

• It is ok for your child to wear a base layer of their costume, or the full costume, to school in the morning, as long as it does not get in the way of learning. This means costumes that are going to be very hot, bulky, inflatable, or uncomfortable to wear all day should be reserved to be put on for the party in the afternoon. Please consider sending a change of clothes if needed.

Here are some rules for costumes:

• ABSOLUTELY NO MASKS / FACE PAINTING
• NO WEAPONS, OR ANYTHING RESEMBLING A WEAPON, OF ANY SORT
• PLEASE KEEP COSTUMES APPROPRIATE FOR AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. PLEASE AVOID REVEALING OR VERY SCARY COSTUMES. INFLATABLE COSTUMES ALSO PRESENT CHALLENGES AS THEY RESTRICT MOVEMENT. (If you have questions, please call us in advance)
• COSTUMES MUST BE EASY TO PUT ON AS THE ADULTS WILL HAVE TO HELP UPWARDS OF 20 STUDENTS TO GET DRESSED IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.

Parents will be welcome to join us for the parade on the front lawn only. To attend, please be aware that there will be NO PARKING on Park Avenue during the event. We will have two police officers providing us support this day with traffic and security. Parents may not stop the parade or pull their children out of the parade at any time. The parade will begin on our back playground, exit on the College Avenue side of the school, follow the sidewalk around and in front of the school on Park Avenue and then students will re-enter the school on the Columbus Avenue side of the school. We ask that parents join us in front of the school on the grass (NOT BLOCKING THE SIDEWALK).

Please be reassured that any students/families that do not celebrate Halloween or do not wish to participate will be offered other activities that respects their wishes.

Park Avenue will continue its Veteran's Day celebration tradition this year. Our 5th graders will be hosting a Veteran’s Day Remembrance Ceremony as part of their service learning project. This ceremony will honor Veterans and Active Military connected to our Park Avenue School families. We will invite these heroes to participate in a tribute to their bravery and service. Each Veteran or Active Military person will be recognized with a medal of honor. Also History books for the Park Avenue Library will also be dedicated to recent Veterans who have passed on. Please join us!

*If you have a family member or friend who is a veteran or active please invite them to our ceremony. Your child will escort your family member or friend to the flagpole to be honored at a reception. Refreshments offered afterward.

Who: Veterans or Active Military and Park Ave. family members

Date: Monday, November 10

Place: Park Avenue Flagpole

Time: 9:30am

PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR A LETTER OF INVITATION IN ENGLISH/SPANISH

PLEASE CLICK HERE for the Virtual Principal Coffee schedule and link. All are welcome!

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.

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

• Here are some upcoming highlights:
• • Tuesday, October 14 - PTO MEETING
  • Sunday, October 19 - Columbus Day Parade (11am) and Trunk or Treat (4-6pm)
  • Friday, 10/24 - Halloween Dance
  • Tuesday, 10/28 - Astronomy Night
  • Monday, 11/3 - Park Ave Central Hall Art Show
  • Tuesday, November 4 - Election Day (Supt Conference Day - STAFF ONLY)
  • Monday, November 10 - Veteran's Day Celebration (9:30am)
  • Tuesday, November 11 - Veteran's Day (SCHOOL CLOSED)

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