PS 340 - The Sixth Avenue Elementary School

Breakfast - 8:00 AM

You may drop your child off for school breakfast at the front door of the school at, and no later than 8:00 a.m. The doors close after the children enter at 8:00 am, so that they will have enough time to eat, and do not open again until 8:20 am. Students who come later, will need to wait for the school doors to open for arrival to enter. Parents do not stay with children during breakfast. 

Arrival - 8:20 AM

Pre-K 

• Caregivers and students line up outside the main doors (to the left while facing the doors) towards Fifth Avenue
• Please line up against the building to allow room on the sidewalk. 
• The doors open at 8:20 am. 
• Children proceed to the Dance Studio on the first floor where they sit with their classmates. The Pre-K teachers will be in the lobby to greet the students and direct them to the Dance Studio where they will be supervised by staff until the teacher brings them up to their classrooms via the elevators.
• On the first day of school, caregivers will accompany the Pre-K students to the classroom. 

Kindergarten

• Caregivers and students line up with Pre-K outside the main doors (to the left while facing the doors) towards Fifth Avenue.
• Please line up against the building to allow room on the sidewalk. 
• The doors open at 8:20 am. 
• Staff members will be in the lobby and on the second floor landing to guide kindergarteners to their classrooms.

First through Fifth Grade 

• Caregivers and students line up outside the main doors (to the right while facing the doors) toward Sixth Avenue and around the corner. 
• Please line up against the building to allow room on the sidewalk. 
• The doors open at 8:20 am. 
• Staff members will be in the lobby and on stairway landings to help students. 

Fairness

Kids are very attuned to fairness, particularly when it comes to lining up. They are well aware of their place in line. Families need to go to the end of the line when they arrive at school and not “cut the line” to stand with their friends or your friends. It also creates congestion on the sidewalk. Please be a good role model for your child!

Safety 

We have a narrow, congested sidewalk and a busy street. Please follow our procedures to keep everyone safe 

• Families may not stand in the front of the school waiting for the line to enter. Please walk to the end of the line when you arrive. 
• Do not block the sidewalk. Please stand against the building with your child. 
• There is no room within the school building or classroom closets for scooters. Please consider whether your child absolutely needs to bring one to school in the morning. 
• We know that strollers are necessary for younger siblings; however, if you can leave them home, it will help with the congestion. 
• Strollers are not permitted in the foyer, lobby or school per FDNY regulations. 

Lateness 

• Students should be on line by 8:20 am in order to be marked “on time”. Once the entire line enters through the front doors (whatever the time), we close the  doors, and those who come later sign in at the desk, take a late pass up to their classrooms and are marked late.  
• Staff members will escort the younger students to their classrooms.
• We believe it is important for all children to begin the day together as a community of learners. Children who arrive even a few minutes late can feel out of step with their classmates. It is, therefore, important that your child is not late to school. 

Cars 

Please keep in mind that the front of the school is intended for the many buses used by P94:The Spectrum School, who share our building. Please do not double park your car right in front of the school, and please move it if you see buses approaching or are requested to do so. 

Dismissal  

Dismissal Procedures 

• Classes are dismissed outside  by their teachers in a predetermined order and spot. Adults stand by the curb behind the yellow line. 
• Students stand up against the building and wait for a signal (tap on the head, high five, etc) from their teacher to go to their adult. 
• Teachers will dismiss the students in the order they see fit
• Please be patient, and do not call or motion to your child before the teacher has released him or her.  
• Teachers will become aware if there are siblings that need to be picked up at the same time, so there is no need to rush. 
• Please be on time. Teachers will bring late children to the front doors, and then to the  main office and you will need to wait until dismissal is over to go up and sign them out. If you are going to be late, please call the main office. 
• Fourth and fifth graders are permitted to leave school on their own with previous written permission from parents. Blanket permission must be given, i.e., permission to leave any day on their own throughout the year, not on a case-by-case basis. 
• Keep your child in your sight at all times. The sidewalk is very congested during dismissal and it is very easy for them to wander off. 
• We ask adults to leave the area right away after picking up your child to ease the congestion. 
• Children may not use scooters or bicycles on the street in front of the school. Wait until you are away from the school to give your child a scooter, put on a helmet, etc. 

Cars 

Please keep in mind that the front of the school is intended for the many buses used by P94:The Spectrum School, who share our building. Please do not double park your car right in front of the school, and please move it if you see buses approaching or are requested to do so. 

Early Pickup

• Please do not pick your child up early unless it is absolutely necessary. Tracking down individual children during the school day is disruptive for staff and students.  Routine doctor and dentist visits should be scheduled after school. 
• We fully understand that there are times you need to get your child early, but children should not regularly leave early on any given day, e.g., summer Fridays, Wednesday for swimming lessons. 
• If you need to pick up your child early, come to the Main Office after signing in at the Security Desk in the lobby, and we will call up to the classroom.
• The end of the day is a busy time in school buildings; therefore early pickup must be completed by 2:00 pm, after which you will need to wait until dismissal at 2:40 pm to pick up your child. 

Authorized Child Pickup 

Release Form - Your child’s teacher will give you a form to identify people who are authorized to pick up your child. If an organization e.g., the YMCA,  is picking up your child, you will include the name of that group on the pickup form and staff from the organization will come to where your child is dismissed and pick them up. Please be advised, teachers may ask for an organization ID.

Blue Emergency Card – is kept in the main office and lists people who can respond in an emergency if the school is not able to reach you.

We will not release a child to anyone  not listed on one of these cards, even if the person is known to us. This policy applies to relatives, babysitters and playdates with other children. If you would like someone else to pick up your child, you must notify your child’s teacher in writing. 

Change in Pick-up Plans 

• If your pick-up plans change, send a note to the teacher specifying the name of the person picking up your child (not “Billy’s nanny”, but Elise Jones.) 
• If your pick-up plans change during the day, or you have an emergency, please call the main office. At that point, we will ask for written permission.  Do not count on your child’s teacher seeing the email during the day.