Policies and FAQs

How can I enroll my child?
Families of elementary school children living in our school zone may contact the school directly to register. Please see our Admissions page for more information. Middle school students must be enrolled through the District 2 Family Welcome Center.

What is your school zone?

Our school is located in District 2 in Lower Manhattan. Our zone is south of Liberty Street, from the west side of Broadway to the Hudson River. Please note, 276 is considered a "zoned school" (priority given to those who live in the zone) for the lower school only; our middle school is not considered a zoned school.

Meals
“Grab and Go” breakfast is available for all students each morning in the lobby. Students may take breakfast with them to class and eat at the start of the day.

Lunch is available to all students free of charge. Students may bring lunch from home if they prefer.

What is your homework policy?
Homework has multiple purposes. It provides students with additional independent practice of what they have been learning in school, it can be used to teach organizational skills and time management, and it gives parents an insight into what students are doing in school. Homework should be developmentally appropriate, not stressful, and not busy work. That said, it is expected that all students read independently at home each evening. The books and the amount of time spent with books are obviously going to be different at different grade levels. In kindergarten, parents are going to be more involved. Homework in kindergarten is most likely going to involve parents and children looking at books together. Before homework like this is assigned, parents will be informed of expectations for reading and the various ways parents can help. As students advance through the grades, the homework policy will be modified. Families will be provided with guidelines for types of homework and suggested amounts of time that should be spent on homework.

After-School Program
Manhattan Youth coordinates our after-school program. Students get a healthy snack, participate in clubs, have homework time, and have free playtime. Each day, a variety of clubs are offered. The choices always include something athletic, something creative, and something academic. Most classes are in the 276 building (swim class attendees are taken by bus to Manhattan Youth). For more information, visit Manhattan Youth's website.

Absences
Every absence is considered a significant loss of instruction. Please notify the office by 8:30 am if your child will be absent from school by calling 212-266-5800, ext. 1030. Voicemail will record calls regarding student absences before and after school hours. Or, you may email our Attendance Coordinator, Daniel Fanelli, at daniel.fanelli@bpcschool.org.

When a student returns after an absence, they MUST bring a written explanation, signed by a parent or guardian, to their homeroom teacher. The office will record on the daily attendance sheet if the student has brought in a note. Students are responsible for making up all work missed while absent.

Time Off
If your child is taking off more than 3 days due to travel, please send a copy of your itinerary to your homeroom teacher and our Attendance Coordinator, Daniel Fanelli, at daniel.fanelli@bpcschool.org.

Discharging
If you are (or might be) leaving PS/IS 276, please advise the Pupil Accountant, Sabrina Raza-Wiese (sabrina.razawiese@bpcschool.org) and your teacher and complete the Discharge Form provided by Sabrina.

Address Changes
Please email Sabrina Raza-Wiese (sabrina.razawiese@bpcschool.org) proof of your new address so we can update your child’s biographical information in the Department of Education system.

School Cell Phone Policy
It is a school policy that students are not permitted to use cell phones during the day. PLEASE! Do not call or text your child during the school day. If your child needs to be in touch with you, they may ask to use the school phones.

Arrival time is 8:25 am for students in kindergarten through 8th grade. Students should arrive in time to make their way to their classrooms by 8:30 am. Students arriving to their classrooms after 8:40 am will be marked tardy.

Students should be on time. Important work and routines at the beginning of each day set children up for success, and being on time helps children feel comfortable and secure.

All students and families of PS/IS 276 must enter through the main school entrance at the corner of Battery Place and First Place. The North Entrance (on Second Place) is used by P94M, the school with which we share our building, for arrival and dismissal. Please do not try to enter through the North Entrance. You will be told to go to the front of the building.

Lateness
Students arriving after 8:40 am are considered late and must get a late pass in the main office before going to their classrooms. Lateness is recorded in the Department of Education’s electronic record-keeping system and on your child’s report card. If your child is late and does not check-in at the office, it is possible that the lateness will be marked as an absence.

Driving to School
If driving to school or taking a taxi, please DO NOT drop children off on Battery Place. We have noticed children getting out of cars and crossing in the middle of the block or walking down the center of the road. This is especially dangerous as other drivers attempt to pass the cars that are double-parked to drop off students.

Drivers: Drive up Little West Street (in front of the Wagner Hotel), turn left on 1st Place, and drop off on 1st Place. 

Taxis: Instruct taxi drivers to not stop on Battery Place between 1st and 2nd Place.

Lower School Dismissal

Lower school teachers dismiss each class outside at the designated spot in fair and inclement weather.

Please look for your child’s class number in the windows. Students will be escorted from their classrooms by their teachers to the front of the building. Students need to be dismissed by their teachers before they can be released to you. Please be patient with that process and teach your child the importance of saying goodbye to their teacher and pointing out who has come to pick them up. Please don’t be late for pick up. 

*5th graders may leave the school unescorted if a parent or guardian returns a completed Permission to Walk Home Alone form to their teacher. Additionally, with a completed permission form, siblings in grades 5 and up may pick up younger siblings. Reach out to the office to request these forms.

Middle School Dismissal

6th through 8th grades dismiss at 2:50 pm. These students self-dismiss.

Once dismissed, middle school students are expected to leave school or go to Manhattan Youth after-school programming. They are not allowed to remain at school unless they are attending after-school programming.

Dismissal Change Requests
If your child is going home with a friend after school, or is being picked up by a friend’s parent or caregiver, WRITTEN PERMISSION is required in advance from both families.

Remind your children that they will not be able to call home during the school day in order to make after school arrangements to visit a friend. Likewise, parent phone requests for last-minute changes at the end of the day cannot be accommodated.

Emails to teachers throughout the day requesting a change of plans cannot be accommodated.  Absolute emergency pick up changes must be made by calling and sending an email to the office as we must have these changes in writing.

Early Departure
The following procedures are followed to assure the safety of children who are released during the day. Please note, students leaving early must be picked up before 2PM and MUST BE SIGNED OUT BY AN ADULT (18+). 

• Written notification should be sent to the teacher stating the time of release.
• Only individuals identified on the student's emergency contact card (or “blue card”) will be allowed to pick up the child from school.
• The parent or guardian (or other named adult in the note) must SEE THE SAFETY AGENTS, SIGN FOR THE CHILD, AND BE PREPARED TO SHOW THE SAFETY AGENTS IDENTIFICATION. All children must be signed out at the front desk. Children will remain in the classroom with their teacher until notified by the office staff that an adult has arrived to pick them up.
• Students are not allowed to leave the building during school hours unaccompanied by an adult. Adults must come into the building to sign children out during the school day. This is due to legal liability and we are unable to be flexible on this point.
• If you are planning to have your middle schooler leave for out-lunch and then not return to school, they MUST BE SIGNED OUT BY AN ADULT.