Mission Statement
Hudson Cliffs School strives to nurture diverse learners who challenge themselves academically, think critically, and actively participate in their community.
Overview
Parent Orientation/Open School Week
Parents are invited to an orientation meeting at the beginning of each school year. Parents meet their child’s teacher, see their child’s classroom, learn the daily schedule, and are informed of behavioral and academic expectations and aspects of the curriculum. Open School Week is celebrated in November each year. During this time, parents are invited into the school to visit their child’s classes. This is an excellent opportunity for parents to get acquainted with their child’s daily schedule, teachers, school procedures and policies.
School Communications
PS/IS 187 distributes a monthly parent bulletin containing school closing dates, upcoming school events, reports on student achievements, and the school lunch menu. Additional flyers are sent out both by the school and by the Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) to announce other events and activities throughout the year.
Check your child’s backpack daily for important flyers.
Administration speaks to parents at most of the monthly PTO meetings. News from the PTO, the school, and the classrooms also comes to parents through the Parent Coordinator, School Leadership Team (SLT) meetings, PTO
e-blasts, Class Parent Representatives (K-4), Grade Parent Representatives (5-8), and the PTO website: www.187pto.org.
Teachers, administration, and staff send notes home and/or make phone calls if they need to speak directly with a parent. At the beginning of the year, teachers inform parents of the best times and way to reach them (e.g. notes, phone calls, or early morning appointments). Parents also have the opportunity to speak with teachers twice a year during Parent-Teacher Conferences.
Transportation
New York City's Office of Pupil Transportation (OPT) is responsible for making sure that eligible students receive transportation to and from school on yellow school buses, vans, or by using a Metro Card for buses and subways. In addition to daily operations during the school year, OPT also facilitates all city-wide field trips and transportation for the summer school session.
The OPT website (www.opt-osfns.org/opt) provides various transportation-related forms to download, and can answer many of your questions concerning: eligibility requirements, school bus routes, student Metro Cards, safety drills, and summer school.
For questions or more information about transportation, please contact OPT's Customer Service Hotline at (718) 392-8855, or the teacher in charge of transportation at school.
Transportation Eligibility Requirements
The transportation regulations contained herein provide students who are New York City residents with pupil transportation to and from school by contract bus or common carrier service according to grade, distance, and program. The mode of transportation (yellow school bus or Metro Card) is determined by OPT:
If your student Metro Card gets lost or stolen, have your parent write a note, and bring it to the main office (they will replace it as soon as possible. If you can supply the card’s number, it will help to trace it.
Parents are invited to an orientation meeting at the beginning of each school year. Parents meet their child’s teacher, see their child’s classroom, learn the daily schedule, and are informed of behavioral and academic expectations and aspects of the curriculum. Open School Week is celebrated in November each year. During this time, parents are invited into the school to visit their child’s classes. This is an excellent opportunity for parents to get acquainted with their child’s daily schedule, teachers, school procedures and policies.
School Communications
PS/IS 187 distributes a monthly parent bulletin containing school closing dates, upcoming school events, reports on student achievements, and the school lunch menu. Additional flyers are sent out both by the school and by the Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) to announce other events and activities throughout the year.
Check your child’s backpack daily for important flyers.
Administration speaks to parents at most of the monthly PTO meetings. News from the PTO, the school, and the classrooms also comes to parents through the Parent Coordinator, School Leadership Team (SLT) meetings, PTO
e-blasts, Class Parent Representatives (K-4), Grade Parent Representatives (5-8), and the PTO website: www.187pto.org.
Teachers, administration, and staff send notes home and/or make phone calls if they need to speak directly with a parent. At the beginning of the year, teachers inform parents of the best times and way to reach them (e.g. notes, phone calls, or early morning appointments). Parents also have the opportunity to speak with teachers twice a year during Parent-Teacher Conferences.
Transportation
New York City's Office of Pupil Transportation (OPT) is responsible for making sure that eligible students receive transportation to and from school on yellow school buses, vans, or by using a Metro Card for buses and subways. In addition to daily operations during the school year, OPT also facilitates all city-wide field trips and transportation for the summer school session.
The OPT website (www.opt-osfns.org/opt) provides various transportation-related forms to download, and can answer many of your questions concerning: eligibility requirements, school bus routes, student Metro Cards, safety drills, and summer school.
For questions or more information about transportation, please contact OPT's Customer Service Hotline at (718) 392-8855, or the teacher in charge of transportation at school.
Transportation Eligibility Requirements
The transportation regulations contained herein provide students who are New York City residents with pupil transportation to and from school by contract bus or common carrier service according to grade, distance, and program. The mode of transportation (yellow school bus or Metro Card) is determined by OPT:
- If your child is in grades K through 2 and resides less than ½ mile from school, he or she is eligible for half fare on Public Transportation.
- If your child is in grades K through 2 and resides ½ mile or more from school, he or she is eligible for General Education Transportation (Yellow School Bus) or free fare on Public Transportation.
- If your child is in grades 3 through 6 and resides at least ½ mile and less than one mile from their school, he or she is eligible for half fare on Public Transportation.
- If your child is in grades 3 through 6 and resides 1 mile or more from school, he or she is eligible for General Education Transportation (Yellow School Bus) or free fare on Public Transportation. If your child is in grades 7 through 12 and resides between ½ and 1½ miles from school, he or she is eligible for half fare on Public Transportation.
If your student Metro Card gets lost or stolen, have your parent write a note, and bring it to the main office (they will replace it as soon as possible. If you can supply the card’s number, it will help to trace it.
Curriculum
PS/IS 187’s curricula, based on New York State’s learning standards, is both child-centered and academically rigorous. In addition to the core curricula, we provide students with enrichment classes throughout their education. Students in grades K-8 receive instruction in the following areas: Literacy, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Music, Art, and Physical Education. In the Elementary School, students also have a scheduled Library period once a week. In the Intermediate school, Health Education is also taught to the eighth graders.
For information on the New York State Learning Standards, visit this page:
http://www.p12.nysed.gov/ciai/standards.html
For information on the NYS Learning Standards and Core Curriculum, this one:
http://www.p12.nysed.gov/ciai/cores.html
Parent-Teacher Conferences
Parent-Teacher Conferences are held twice a year. Afternoon and evening appointments are available to meet the needs of all parents. Your child’s teacher will schedule your appointment based on your preference. Here are some sample questions that parents may want to ask during their conference:
• What specifically will my child be learning in school this year?
• What affects grades and promotion in your classroom?
• How do you handle students who learn at different paces?
• What kind of additional help is available?
• How can I stay informed about my child’s progress and what is going on in the classroom?
• What is the best way to contact you with questions or concerns?
• What types of activities can I do with my child outside of school to help him/her learn?
For each question, decide (alone or with your child’s teacher) what concrete things you can do to help your child succeed. In addition, tell the teacher about your child’s interests, talents, and challenges. Sharing them can help the teacher help your child learn.
Homework
Each grade receives daily homework assignments. We believe that establishing good study skills in the early grades will lay the foundation for a child’s success in school. Many teachers ask that each homework assignment be signed by a parent.
For information on the New York State Learning Standards, visit this page:
http://www.p12.nysed.gov/ciai/standards.html
For information on the NYS Learning Standards and Core Curriculum, this one:
http://www.p12.nysed.gov/ciai/cores.html
Parent-Teacher Conferences
Parent-Teacher Conferences are held twice a year. Afternoon and evening appointments are available to meet the needs of all parents. Your child’s teacher will schedule your appointment based on your preference. Here are some sample questions that parents may want to ask during their conference:
• What specifically will my child be learning in school this year?
• What affects grades and promotion in your classroom?
• How do you handle students who learn at different paces?
• What kind of additional help is available?
• How can I stay informed about my child’s progress and what is going on in the classroom?
• What is the best way to contact you with questions or concerns?
• What types of activities can I do with my child outside of school to help him/her learn?
For each question, decide (alone or with your child’s teacher) what concrete things you can do to help your child succeed. In addition, tell the teacher about your child’s interests, talents, and challenges. Sharing them can help the teacher help your child learn.
Homework
Each grade receives daily homework assignments. We believe that establishing good study skills in the early grades will lay the foundation for a child’s success in school. Many teachers ask that each homework assignment be signed by a parent.
