Effective May 21, 2020 the tennis courts and the track around the contest field at JJHS will be open. Please visit this page for more details.
All other outdoor facilities remain closed while our schools are closed.
Dear Meadow Pond Families,
In order to insure the safety of all our students as they travel to and from school, efficient, sustainable bus routes have been established. However, if for some reason you need to drive your child to school, or pick your child up from school, please familiarize yourself with our procedures, drop-off loop, pick-up location and parking areas.
The drop-off and dismissal procedures shared here were developed collaboratively. Please read carefully as we have made some changes based on parent feedback.
If you are dropping off your child for school, proceed up the driveway and make the first right. Stay to the far right and then loop to your left to pull close to the sidewalk of the drop-off loop. Cars must remain in a single file and the child must exit on the passenger side only. Your child should be ready to exit your car when you are in one of the two spaces at the loop. Please do not get out of your car. Once your child has exited onto the sidewalk, please move forward toward the driveway exit so that others can move into the drop-off loop. (If you need to get out of the car to assist your child, please park in the designated parking areas and walk your child to the sidewalk.)
If you are coming to pick up your child at dismissal, drive straight up the driveway into the parking lot. Do not turn right when you first enter as cars are not permitted to drive behind buses. You may park in the spaces on the right side of the lane as you are driving straight in. You can also continue until you reach the far end of the parking lot where you will turn right and then turn left into the parking area adjacent to the gymnasium. Parking is available there, as well as behind the gym, for families picking up their child or children. You may not park in the spaces that are directly behind the buses or in the spaces on the side of the school adjacent to Rte.123.
Adults will be admitted to the building through the gymnasium door beginning at 3:35 p.m. Once there, you will be asked to sign a dismissal pick-up sheet. You may also be asked to show identification. You will then walk through the gym, pair up with your child/children and continue toward the back exit of the gym where you will be greeted by another staff member who will check off your child/children’s names. Then, you will exit the building from the rear gym door and return to your car. Following this process will insure that all our students are safely dismissed. Your cooperation is very much appreciated.
Remember that a written note must be brought into school by the student in order to change from bus to pick-up and vice-versa. The PTA has a handy form letter available for your convenience. Phone calls will not be accepted. In emergency cases, a letter/note must be faxed to the school indicating the change.
If students need to be picked up earlier in the day, they must have a note and must be picked up in the main office before 3:15 p.m. Otherwise, they will remain in school until the regular dismissal. Again, your cooperation is necessary and very much appreciated.
For the safety of all students, families, staff and visitors, we respectfully request that you refrain from speaking on cellphones, even hands free while dropping off or picking up your child/children. Please drive slowly and cautiously while on school grounds.
If you have any questions, please contact the main office.
Sincerely,
Carolann Castellano Dawn Pomeroy Monica DiMatteo
Principal Assistant Principal PTA President
To report an absent student, please call the attendance office at (914) 763-7950. Remember to send a note upon your child's return to school.
Field Day was amazing!
June 11, 2020
Dear Meadow Pond Families,
As a school community, we wanted to reach out to acknowledge not just the global health crisis, but also the social justice crisis taking place across our country. We realize that the disturbing murder of George Floyd and the current climate in our country has impacted you and your child/ren. We are here to support all of you, and we affirm our commitment to being an inclusive community where people of all backgrounds are respected and racism is condemned.
We acknowledge the inequities in our society, both individually and systemic, and realize that we need to continue to provide professional development to our staff and re-examine our curriculum such as classroom libraries, units of study, school traditions and events, programs, practices, policies, and beliefs so that all community members feel safe, supported, and valued.
We value our partnership with all of you, our families, the PTO, and local agencies, and our honest communication with each other about our feelings, beliefs, and values is more important than ever as we teach our children about diversity, empathy, and respecting differences.
We are not experts and we certainly do not have all the answers, but we have reviewed the resources (links) below, including some that have been recommended to us by other educators and advocates of change, and we have found them most helpful in our conversations with each other, our students, and our own children.
Tips for teaching and talking to kids about race
Explaining Racism/Protest to kids
https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/01/health/protests-racism-talk-to-children-wellness/index.html
If you need additional support in communicating with your child/ren, please reach out to our school Social Worker, Mrs. Milone bmilone@klschools.org or school Psychologist, Dr. Monasch lmonasch@klschools.org who will provide you with guidance and support during this difficult time.
Be well,
Carolann Castellano Dawn Pomeroy
Principal Assistant Principal
