"We answer to an even higher authority......."

So as  time passes, I hope you're becoming more comfortable with the routine.  Just when we get started, here comes a three day weekend-Columbus Day Monday, Oct. 14th, followed  soon thereafter by a half day for professional development-Wednesday, Oct. 23rd (noon pickup).

Sooo, just as said routine gets going, now you're suddenly scrambling for pickup or childcare.

Fact: PTA afterschool will do a double session Oct. 23rd, so you can pickup at 3pm or 6pm.Get in touch with them! They will waive the registration fee for that day if needed. Thank you Charles, Marvin, Velma, Deb and anyone else who made the choice to solve the problem that so many families must contend with. Brilliant.

Some of you were wondering about lost instructional hours.You need not worry about any lost time. If you go to public school, you are always provided with 180 days of instruction.

 From the Chancellor Regulations:
 Provide a school year program calendar that is the equivalent of one hundred eighty

(180) days for each school year. A minimum of

four (4) days shall be for professional

development day for staff. The four (4)

professional development days may be non-

attendance days for students. Providers will

not be reimbursed for services provided

on Saturday, Sunday and on the following legal school district holidays:

Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans’ Day, Thanksgiving Day,

Christmas Day, New Year’s Day, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day

and Memorial Day.

Now, parents sometimes wonder why we can't have longer recess or add newly suggested programs to the kids daily schedule.

Each grade has a** 'Curriculum Map' to follow, structured by state and city guidelines that comply with NCLB standards for education in America.For ELA, Math, Social Studies, Science, and Phys Ed there are set requirements completed by 12th grade, that make up a Regents Diploma. Take a breath....... simply,we gotta do what we gotta do. But wait, it's not all bad news.....we add arts and enrichments.
Then again, there's always NYC. Our kids are enriched just by walking down the street. You're raising New Yorkers, culture is everywhere. Best backdrop ever.


** Check it out:
http://schools.nyc.gov/Academics/CommonCoreLibrary/ForFamilies/UnderstandingCC/default.htm