The minutes from the February PTA meeting are posted now here. Jainnie Hackman, our new parent coordinator, has followed up with answers to some questions raised at the meeting. If you have further questions, about these or other matters, please contact Ms. Hackman at JHackman@schools.nyc.gov or call her at the school, 718-459-1358.
1. About hiring: Will fourth-grade be taught by teachers new to the school next year? Not necessarily. There are slots for two new pre-K teachers, two new kindergarten teachers and two new fourth-grade teachers to start in the fall. Those slots will be filled with appropriate candidates. Current teachers may shift around from the grades they teach now, and nothing is final until school starts.
2. Some students told their families that teachers were wearing coats, but students were not allowed to, during a recent fire drill in cold weather. Why? The mentioned fire drill wasn’t a drill, but an actual alarm went off. As per safety protocol, the priority is to get everyone out of the building safely and quickly. It is suggested that students dress in layers, especially in the colder months. Children are allowed to place sweatshirts on the backs of their chairs, so in cases when it is still cold, they can quickly grab that layer off their chairs as they exit.
3. More photos of students are now being posted on AEA’s social media accounts, which are open to the public, unlike the password-protected Shutterfly sites. What if a family doesn’t want their student included? One of the forms parents signed at the start of school was a photography waiver. Any parent who does not want a student’s photos on public sites (which includes the DOE website, Facebook, Twitter, etc.) can rescind their permission by writing a note to the office. Parents must understand this means that their children will not be included in any photos taken in class, on trips or school events, such as performances. Ms. Hackman is also looking into other options the school can use for electronic communications.
4. Will parents be able to tour the new building before it opens? No, not until the meet-the-teacher night at the start of the school year. It’s possible some volunteers will be needed for the move; more info will be distributed as needed.
Congrats to all the second- and third-graders who auditioned for this year’s production on Monday. You are already stars!
Midwinter recess is next week, Feb. 18 to 21. School is closed.