GCA Executive Director's Newsletter

Dear Parents,

Happy New Year to all of our wonderful parents and students! I hope you had a restful and enjoyable recess, and that you are feeling rejuvenated as we begin the second half of the school year.

As we return to school, it's time for students in grades 3 through 8 to get ready for the New York State testing program. Let's work together to help all students achieve their best!

This month, we are excited to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Chinese New Year. It's a time to reflect on the values of equality, kindness, and cultural appreciation.

Please note that on January 30th, there will be no After School. Instead, we invite all parents to meet with us between 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM to discuss student progress and note the subjects that our students require additional support to reach their potential.

It is basketball season in the Charter network. We play our first two games on Friday, January 10th at GCA and an away game on Saturday, January 11, 2024. Join me in wishing them good luck. Thanks to Coach K. and Mr. Best for preparing our team for success.

Looking forward to a successful and inspiring second half of the year!

Please see below and attached for revised calendar dates.

School Hours for All Students K-8: 7:55 AM– 3:45 PM. Students will be marked late at 8:10AM.

Breakfast will be served from 7:45AM-8:15AM. Please be mindful that school doors will not be opened until 7:45am.

After School Hours 3:45PM - 5:45PM - Applications received at this point will be placed on the waitlist.

Thank you for supporting our school, our students and our staff.

Warm Regards,

Ira K. Victor

Executive Director

COVID-19 is still a risk, but together we can stop the spread. Please follow CDC guidelines to remain safe and healthy. We encourage all staff and students to wear a proper -fitting mask that covers your nose and mouth. practice social distancing and wash hands regularly with soap and water. If your child has any cold or flu-like symptoms, please keep them home and have them examined by a doctor. Test kits are available in the school. We encourage families to get tested!

Mark your calendars. Attached please find January's monthly calendar and a tentative 2024-2025 school year calendar.

Looking Ahead:

1/13- Regular school day- NO Afterschool

1/17- Grade 8 Hosts Annual Winter Carnival K-2

1/19- No School- MLK Day

1/22- Nextera Mandated CBT ELA Practice Test Gr. 4, 5, 6, & 8

1/23- Nextera Mandated CBT Math Practice Test Gr. 4, 5, 6, & 8

1/24- Nextera Mandated CBT Science Practice Test Gr. 5 & 8

1/27- Nextera Make-Up Exams

1/30- Half Day- Parent Meetings 12-5pm (Promotion in Doubt/At Risk)- Progress Reports Distributed

GCA Open House for NEW families- 1/16, 2/13, & 3/13 at 5PM.

Grand Concourse Academy is now accepting applications for admissions for the 2025-2026 school year. Admissions is open for all students in grades K-8. Application deadline is April 4, 2025 at 5pm. Lottery drawing date: April 9th, 2025 at 5pm in person GCA cafeteria.

Please use the link below to create an account and submit an application for NEW students only. Only one application per student is allowed. Duplicates will be discarded. GCA families please feel free to share the link below to prospective families. Paper copies are available in the main office or online at www.gcacs.org.

https://nyccharterschools.schoolmint.net/signin

gxsgh

Important Dates:

November 25- Senior Class Picture- Complete school uniform

March 6- Cap and Gown Pictures

June 6- Senior Trip to Lake Compounce

June 13- Prom at The Pines 5-9pm

June 23- Graduation

Senior Dues:

Yearbook $29

Prom $85

Senior Trip- $40

Transportation to trip-$50

Cap and Gown-$35

If you have any question, please contact Ms. Velez at 917-647-9925.

As excited as we are about bringing sports to the school, we must remember that academics come first and hold the most importance to the students. It is important for us to establish certain rules that will make students eligible or ineligible to participate in sports.

These rules include:

· Must maintain a 2.5 or higher average

· Cannot have a failing grade in a class

· Must have good attendance and minimal lateness

· Cannot have missing assignments

· Must wear proper dress code to school everyday

· Must always exhibit good behavior

· Must have an updated athletic physical on file

· Must attend every practice

· Must be on time to practices and games

· Weekly Check Log for teacher sign off

· Must be available for Saturday games.

Each month Grand Concourse Academy congratulates our scholarly students for their outstanding achievements. We recognize students who display excellent character, outstanding behavior, a positive attitude towards others and learning, and good citizenship throughout the year. Students are also recognized for demonstrating responsibility, being respectful to their peers and teachers and for following classroom and school rules and expectations.

Arrival Procedures:

Grades K- Students will enter through the basketball courts around to the back entry.

Grade 1-2- Students will enter through the side door of the school building in the parking lot.

Grades 3-5- Students will enter through the side black gate in the parking lot through the playground on Randall Avenue.

Grades 6-8- Students will enter through the main school doors.

Dismissal Procedures:

Kindergarten- Parents will enter through the playground gate around to the back entry and meet the teachers at the classroom doors for pick up.

Grade 1- Parents may enter the side building in the parking lot and meet the teacher at the classroom door for pick up.

Grades 2- Parents will pick up their child in the back playground through the parking lot on Randall Avenue.

Grades 3-5- Parents will pick up their child in the outdoor basketball court.

Grades 6-8- Students will be dismissed through the main entrance.

• G.C.A communicates via MESSENGER. You will receive messages via text, email, and phone call. New parents who have not registered with Messenger need to Text “Y” to 67587 to receive our notices. We keep parents informed of important information, notices, and events through this platform. These automated messages will serve as the primary means of communication to parents. It is very important for parents to keep their contact information always updated. If you need to update your phone number, email, and/or address (require proof of new address) please email Ms. Gloria with the updated information and your child’s name and class at gmateo@gcacs.org.

• Parents will be able to view all subject grades and test scores on JUPITER. Pls see the attachment below on how to set up your account.

• Our WEBSITE contains all the important information for parents. (www.gcacs.org)

• Our Executive Director’s Newsletter is a must read bi-weekly.

• Parents are welcome to attend Mr. Victor’s Daily Town Hall Meeting via Zoom at 8:15AM daily.

Attached please find the supply list for each grade level. All supplies are recommended. If you have any concerns, please contact your child's teacher or grade level assistant principal.

The after school program is available until 5:45pm for working parents. In an effort to provide a smooth and safe dismissal from afterschool, there will be no parent pick-ups after 5:15pm. We will begin to dismiss the student walkers at 5:35pm then open the doors for parent pickup.

All applications received at this point will be placed on a waitlist.

Happy Birthday to our January Birthdays....

1/7- Ms. Myles

1/10- Ms. C. Scott

1/15- Coach T

1/19- Mr. Kolessar

1/28- Ms. J. Jones

The following supervisors are available to support you and your child(ren):

Ms. Cruz: Grades Kinder- Grade 2 (ncruz@gcacs.org)

Mrs. Nohavicka: Grades 3-5 (knohavicka@gcacs.org)

Ms. Velez: Grades 6-8 (evelez@gcacs.org)

1. NYC DOE, Office of Pupil Transportation will provide yellow school bus service to those students who qualify and meet the distance requirements as per OPT. You will be notified in writing of when the service will begin and the estimated times of arrival. All returning students from Grades 1 through 6, who previously had a bus stop assigned will be able to board the bus on the first day of school according to their bus stop from last year. Please be at the bus stop 10-15 minutes before the given estimated scheduled time. Newly registered Kindergarten through Grade 6 must wait the required 48 hours before bus service commences. Facial masks are currently optional on the school bus.

2. All G.C.A. students who do not qualify for bus transportation, will be provided with a metro-card. ALL students in Grades 7- 8 will automatically be given a Metro-card in the first week of school since DOE does not provide bus service for students in those grades. Please provide your child with a wallet or a safe place to keep the card in as we do have a limited number of cards for replacements throughout the year.

All N.Y.C. students are eligible for free meals at school. Students will receive both breakfast and lunch at school. · Parents are still required to complete an application online at www.myschoolapps.com. These applications help determine funding for our school and to better support your child(ren).

If children bring lunch from home, please place it in a plastic disposable bag. Parents may send a healthy snack.

Below is the information you need to log onto Jupiter so you can track your child’s grades and assignments on a daily basis.

Grand Concourse Academy Charter School is committed to making sure our parents are the most engaged and communicated within all of New York City.

Jupiter is a great addition to the phone calls, emails and GCA Principal Newsletters that the school already uses to communicate with you.

https://login.jupitered.com/login/

If you have not setup your account or need your passcode reset, please click "Help Me Login" and follow the prompt to reset information.

Attached is the DRAFT of the G.C.A. Parent/Student Handbook for the 2024-2025 academic school year. It is the expectation that all parents and students read the handbook in its entirety and sign the acknowledgment form that is at the end of the handbook and will be sent home in September.

Students are required to wear full uniform, outlined below, every day including gym days unless otherwise directed.

Please see the flyers attached for K-8 uniforms and ordering information.

Students may NOT wear Crocs, leggings, jeans, sweatpants, shorts, hoodies, hats or hoop earrings larger than a quarter in diameter.

Parents may purchase any burgundy polo shirt or khaki pants from their local stores.

Please have your child dress accordingly. Failure to wear the uniform will be considered a violation of the Grand Concourse Academy Charter School’s Discipline Policy and will result in disciplinary action including a conference with the parent(s)/guardian(s) and school administration.

Thank you in advance for your support of our policies here at Grand Concourse Academy Charter School. If you are having difficulties meeting any of our requests, please reach out to our Parent Liaison, Mrs. Esonia Knight.

If you feel that your child needs someone to speak to, please send an email to Ms. Ormsby, our School Counselor for Mandated Counseling to sormsby@gcacs.org or Mr. Barzey, our School at-risk Counselor at rbarzey@gcacs.org and they will arrange appropriate support for your child(ren).

As a reminder, every student must have an updated physical on file each school year. ALL students must have up-to-date immunization records and a physical exam form completed each school year. For those students that require an inhaler, or other medications such as an epipen, to be administered in school require a medical administration form. For convenience, all forms are attached below.

Mr. Ira Victor, Executive Director, ivictor@gcacs.org

Ms. Natalia Castro Cruz, Assistant Principal, Grades K-2 Supervisor, ncruz@gcacs.org

Ms. Kim Nohavicka, Assistant Principal, Grades 3-5 Supervisor, knohavicka@gcacs.org

Ms. Evelyn Velez, Assistant Principal , Grades 6-8 Supervisor, evelez@gcacs.org

Mrs. Laura Rizzi, Administrator of Special Education, ENL, and Enrichment, lrizzi@gcacs.org

Ms. Maureen Howard, Director of Compliance, Testing, and Professional Development, mhoward@gcacs.org

Mrs. Esonia Knight, Parent Liaison, eknight@gcacs.org

Mr. Michael Simonetti, Senior Director of Business and Operations, msimonetti@gcacs.org

Email: ncruz@gcacs.org
Website: https://www.gcacs.org/
Location: 625 Bolton Avenue, The Bronx, NY, USA
Phone: 718-684-6505

The mission of the Grand Concourse Academy Charter School is to create a challenging learning environment that addresses and meets the needs of students in New York City, especially those at-risk of academic failure. In a concentrated effort to prepare our students for entry into the very best high schools of New York City, the Academy will seek to foster a sense of strong character, ethics, and personal responsibility, as well as high expectations and academic success.

The Academy will place a strong emphasis on Reading, Math, Science, and Social Studies, and will diligently seek to prepare students to meet and/or exceed NYS performance standards in ELA, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies.

The Academy will support and encourage professional development opportunities aligned to the instructional program, and will diligently seek and encourage active parental involvement and participation in the academic goals of the students. In addition, the school will seek to involve and engage a variety of community organizations and community leaders as partners to enhance the academic success of every student.