2015-2016

Dear Parents/Guardians: 

            On behalf of the entire Cunningham school family, welcome to our new 6^th graders and welcome back to our returning 7^th and 8^th graders. We would like to take this opportunity to welcome you to a new school year.  We trust you had an exciting and rewarding summer vacation.

            We are pleased to have you as partners in this educational year.  I am confident that together with my staff, students and you, we will continue to work together to ensure that Cunningham remains the best middle school in New York City.

            It has been said that “Education is the passport to the future.” The future belongs to those who are dedicated and strive for excellence in all that they do.

             Belief is an important element for success.  A strong belief in your child’s abilities and goals, along with a powerful work ethic, will lead to high achievement in all areas.  I am confident that your child will have a successful experience at I.S. 234.

            Please carefully read this letter as it contains important information about the opening of school.

            The school hours are 8:00 a.m.- 2:20 p.m. – Monday through Friday.  Breakfast and lunch are free for all students this year. Breakfast will be served from 7:15am - 8:00am daily. The lunch periods begin at 10:30am for grade six and end at 1:30pm for grade 8.

         Emergency blue cards (2), lunch forms and photo consent will be distributed on the first day of school. Please fill out all forms completely, sign and return them to school by Friday, September 11, 2015.  (Please note, a lunch form must be filled out for every student, even if they are not eating school lunch. The lunch form determines a school’s Title I eligibility. In the past Cunningham received $1,350,000 additional funding for Title I.

          Yellow bus transportation is available for 6^th grade students living at least 1 mile from the school. A letter detailing the bus stops and times was sent home in June and distributed during sixth grade orientation. Additional letters are available in the main office. Students must be registered in order to ride the yellow bus. Students must be at their designated bus stop prior to the pick-up time. Bus drivers will not wait for students to arrive.

          Metro cards will be distributed to all eligible students on the first day of school. In the event your child misplaces his/her metro card, please request a replacement card in writing and have your child bring the letter to room A111 between the hours of 8:30-11:30am. Please be advised that it may take up to two weeks for a replacement card.

          There will be an afterschool preparation course in reading and mathematics beginning Wednesday, September 16, 2015 for those 8^th grade students interested in taking the Specialized High School Test on October 24-25, 2015. Details will follow in a separate letter.

         Our first Parent Teacher Night will take place on Wednesday, September 16, 2015 from 5:00-8:00pm. This parent engagement activity will enable you to meet your child’s teachers, learn about the curriculum and experience “the life in a day,” of your middle school student at Cunningham. Parents will follow their child’s Wednesday schedule. More information will follow.

         The Parents’ Association has planned an emergency meeting for Wednesday, September 23^th at 7:00 p.m.  During this meeting, elections will be held for the 2015-2016 executive board.

          A student’s dress and appearance shall be safe, appropriate and not disrupt or interfere with the educational process. Recognize that extremely brief garments such as tube tops, halter tops, tank tops, spaghetti straps, plunging necklines (front and/or back), revealing low-rise pants, see-through garments and short skirts/shorts are not appropriate. No do-rags, bandanas or any gang affiliated clothing are permitted. Wearing of hats or hoods is also forbidden.  Please refer to the dress code in the students’ handbook.

         Cell phones are not permitted to be used at any time during the school day. Electronic games and music players may only be used during breakfast and lunch in the student’s cafeteria. All cell phones must be secured and turned off. Please refer to the cell phone policy in the student’s handbook.

          Every student in Cunningham will receive a student planner, handbook and parent guide. Both are valuable resources for students and parents. These contain Cunningham’s policies and procedures and also have a number of reference pages with useful information to assist you and your child in their learning.  All students will be required to keep track of their daily and long-term assignments and projects by using their planner.  We encourage you to become actively involved in your child’s school life by reviewing your child’s planner, assignments, notebook, and exams.  In addition, periodically review the calendar to be aware of various school activities.

         You probably know that we have a serious traffic problem along Avenue S between East 16 and East 18 Street and Moore Place between East 16 and East 17 Street. Vehicles are double and triple parking and illegally stopping in the school bus stops along Avenue S and Moore Place.  This makes for a dangerous situation for students who are exiting the school and crossing the street.

In order to reduce the risk of injury to our students and staff, we ask you to adhere to the following:

·         Park away from the school on East 18^th or East 19^th St.

·         No U-Turns

·         Double and triple parking is prohibited on Ave. S and Moore Place

·         Do not park in the school bus stops on Ave. S and Moore Place

·         Always yield to students who are walking.  We are all concerned about our children and their safety.  Please join us in our efforts to protect our students.

        We believe that every child has the potential to succeed here at Cunningham and will facilitate their growth with your support. We are always here to assist and support you. We are a TEAM, and together we can move forward.  As the principal of Cunningham, I am looking forward to meeting each and every one of you on September 16^th as we begin what I expect to be a wonderful school year.

Sincerely,

Susan Schaeffer