Policies & Expectations

As part of our effort to build (an even more) responsive learning environment, we  introduced our updated Community Engagement Matrix.  Students are using the language and acting in the spirit of the Matrix every day.

Lateness

School begins promptly each morning at 9:00 AM. It is important that all students arrive in time to participate in the morning homeroom period from 9:00 to 9:20 AM, as this is where important announcements are given, notices are collected, record-keeping takes place, and students engage in independent reading. Any student arriving after 9:09 AM must report to the school office before going to class and will be officially marked late. Parents will be notified when students arrive very late or when a pattern of lateness develops.

Absences

If your child is going to be absent from school for any reason, we ask that you send a note with your child the next day stating the reason for the absence, or email the CS Attendance. As per Chancellor’s Regulations, a note from a doctor or healthcare professional should be provided in cases of extended or frequent absence due to illness. As a general rule, students are responsible for completing all assignments missed due to absence, subject to the discretion of individual teachers. The only time an absence is erased from a student’s attendance record is when the student is either visiting another DOE school (and provides documentation) or is out because of religious observance.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your child’s attendance, please call Ms. Johnson in the Main Office at 917-441-1236.

Explanation of an “excused” or "documented" absence

An “excused” absence means that the parent/guardian is aware of his/her child’s absence and has notified the school. An “excused” absence does not remove the absence from the student’s attendance record.

Students who tour high school during the school day must return to school with a note from the high school visited. This note must be given to his/her homeroom teacher for attendance purposes. Attendance can only be changed to reflect a tour (non-absence) if the student provides us with documentation. A students' name and the date of the school visit MUST be on the note.

Any questions, please contact the Main Office at 917-441-1236.

Emergency BLUE CARDS are no longer sent home with students during the first week of school. We sent out an electronic form for you to fill out, or we can send you a paper form to fill out. Parents must keep the school informed of any changes to the original information that was entered. When a child becomes ill or injured, it is very important that the school have the current address and phone numbers in order to contact parents or guardians.

From the information you enter, we print out BLUE CARDS; they are kept on file in the Main Office and with the School Nurse. Your privacy is respected and no information is given out from this card without the Principal’s knowledge and consent. Your child will only be released to a parent/guardian or authorized adult specified on the BLUE CARD.

Please update contact information whenever necessary with the Main Office. For an official address change to take place, please bring a copy of your Con Edison bill or a copy of your lease.

Any questions, please contact the Main Office at 917-441-1236.

If your address needs to be updated, please notify the school immediately so that we can ensure that the proper documentation is on file. Please bring a copy of your Con Edison bill or a copy of your lease to the Main Office.

Per DOE regulations, address changes can only be honored with the proper documentation. Any questions, please contact the Main Office at 917-441-1236.

OMNY cards are granted to students based on the distance of their home from the school as per the Office of Pupil Transportation. Your child will automatically be issued a pass within the first few days of school if s/he qualifies.

If your child loses a OMNY:
He/she/they should report this immediately to Ms. Margie DeJesus in the Main Office, room 326. Here are the steps to take: 
1. Ask to visit the Main Office during homeroom.
2. Sign the OMNY Book on Margie's desk or just ask her about a new card.
3. Check back with her later in the day, or the following day, to retrieve your new OMNY card.
In most cases, lost passes are replaced promptly. However, this is based on availability.

If your address needs to be updated, please notify us immediately so that we can ensure that the proper documentation is on file. Address changes will only be honored if you provide the school with a copy of your Con Edison bill or copy of your lease.

GUIDELINES FOR OMNY CARDS

Below are links to the DOE website explaining the guidelines for Metrocards. 

OMNY Eligibility Chart

http://www.optnyc.org/ServicesAndEligibility/getransportation.htm

Please refer to the following web page for an explanation of student eligibility.

http://www.optnyc.org/ServicesAndEligibility/metrocards.htm

If you need a letter stating that your child is enrolled at CS (with your address listed on the letter), please call Margie DeJesus or Ms. Johnson in the Main Office at 917.441.1236 or 917.441.0873. You may also write to Ms. Johnson at [email protected]. 

Students should rarely need to leave before the end of the school day. When students leave school early, it is disruptive to the educational process, both for the student and for others. As such, parents should make every effort to minimize the need for students to leave early.

In the event that a student needs to leave the building before the end of the school day, a parent, guardian, or authorized adult must come to the school to pick the student up. Students may NOT leave the school building on their own, even with written permission. NO EXCEPTIONS!

Students being picked up must sign out in our main office (room 326) before meeting their parent downstairs at the Safety Desk.

It may take time to locate an individual student for a host of reasons, such as schedule modifications, local field trips, lunch/recess, substitute teachers, office emergencies, etc. As such, please allow sufficient time for this process.

The Computer School shares the building with two other schools; our School Safety agents and staff are extremely busy. Therefore, we ask you not to drop off items for your child unless it is an emergency (such as house keys, glasses, medication.)

We also want to nurture responsibility and independence in our students. As such, if students forget homework or projects, they can turn them in the following day; if students forget lunch, they can eat in the cafeteria.

Students should bring items for after school activities to school in the morning. If you have any questions or issues regarding forgotten after school items, please contact Mona Williams-Miller, Director of CS After School, at 646.859.9113.

As per the Chancellor’s Regulations, cell phones, ipods, beepers and other communication and electronic devices are prohibited in school.

As of the 2024-2025 school year, students must place their phones and smart watches in a Yondr pouch that we have provided. The pouch is locked magnetically when students arrive to school, and will be unlocked at dismissal.

If a student loses a pouch and needs to buy a new one from us, please speak to Ms. Furr, Assistant Principal.
If a student has a cell phone or smart watch out at school, it will be confiscated and a parent or guardian will be notified to pick it up. 

It is the responsibility of parents to review these procedures with their children and it is the responsibility of students to ensure that their cell phones remain off and safely locked in the Yondr pouch throughout the day. Thank you!

Under the new General Response Protocol (GRP), every school will be conducting specific drills, throughout the year, designed to help prepare all school communities for three different types of response to emergencies that may occur: evacuation, shelter-in, and lockdown.

Student training is grade appropriate and designed to ensure that students understand the importance of these drills without causing unnecessary alarm.

Please review the General Response Protocols that have been given to all students, and discuss these procedures with your child. Many important resources for families are available by visiting https://www.schools.nyc.gov/school-life/support/emergency-readiness .

Citywide emergency conditions or a major storm day:

The Chancellor will make an announcement to all public schools in the city on whether to close schools or delay their opening. This announcement is made in consultation with other City officials and is usually communicated by 6:00 am.

Communication is through the the following media:

• 311 Information Line
• Sign-up for notifications at https://a858-nycnotify.nyc.gov/notifynyc/
• Department of Education website homepage
• Radio stations: WINS (1010 AM), WCBS (880 AM), WLIB (1190 AM), WBLS (107.5 FM), WNYE (91.5 FM)
• Television stations: WCBS (Channel 2), WNBC (Channel 4), WNYW (Fox Channel 5), WABC (Channel 7), WNYE (Channel 25), and “NY 1” (Channel 1 on cable television).

In the case of a school evacuation or emergency:

• Call 311 for information
• Keep copies of emergency contact information both at home and at your workplace. Be aware that in times of emergency, the school telephones may be overwhelmed with calls.
• Ensure that the school has up-to-date information about how to reach you. It is imperative that a current blue emergency card is on file. Please include an email address as well as telephone numbers.

Although we make every attempt to assist families, due to the volume of calls we receive each day, it is often difficult to get messages to students. Please make sure to inform your child if there are any changes in his/her daily schedule before s/he leaves for school.

However, if you need to reach your child in an emergency situation you can call the school or the Parent Coordinator, Sara Sloves at 917-441-1234.

As mentioned above, we employ a strict cell phone policy at The Computer School. At no time is it appropriate to text or call your child’s cellphone during instructional hours.

Should your child have an emergency, s/he should notify a staff member at once. In the event that your child is ill, we will contact you immediately. It is critical that you keep emergency contact information current.

Students each have their own locker that is located in their  homerooms. Students do not need to bring locks; the school supplies locks. For 6th graders, homeroom teachers will review locker use with their students. Students may store their backpacks, books, electronics, hats and other belongings in their lockers throughout the day.

We encourage your child to bring a water bottle to school. This way, students will not have to ask for a hall pass every time they would like to get a drink of water. This will ensure they do not miss important class time and it will help to keep them hydrated.

Please only fill the bottles with water.

For the third year in a row now, we are permitting students to dress up on Halloween! 

No fake weapons are allowed, nor full face mask coverings. We'll share more as we get closer to Halloween!

The Computer School does not require students to wear a uniform. While we do not employ a strict dress code, we encourage the use of good judgment.