Parent and Student

Handbook

Whether you are already familiar with Gateway or just joining our community, this

Parent and Student Handbook is for you. It contains all the important information you

need to know about Gateway; information about our routines, policies, and

expectations for parents and students; plus, whom to contact with questions or for

help.

After reading this handbook, the most important thing for you to do is to complete all

the required forms in the online My BackPack portal. These forms are mandatory, and

your child will not be able to start school in the fall without them submitted in advance.

Finally, please anticipate joining us for the Back to School Cocktail Reception which

will be held in the fall. This event is the first opportunity of the school year to meet with

the entire school community, and I hope to see you all there.

If you are unsure of any school policies or procedures, this handbook serves as your

first “go to” resource. More than likely, the answer will be contained here. You can

always access this handbook through My BackPack or print it out at home.

I look forward to seeing you at school!

Head of School

TABLE OF CONTENTS

THE GATEWAY SCHOOL MISSION.......................................................................... 5

NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY ............................................................................. 5

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION, & BELONGING ................................................. 5

FINANCIAL AID ....................................................................................................... 5

THE SCHOOL DAY ................................................................................................... 6

COMMUNICATION ................................................................................................. 24

CODE OF CONDUCT ............................................................................................... 34

ACCEPTABLE USE OF TECHNOLOGY POLICY ...................................................... 37

FUNDRAISING AT GATEWAY ................................................................................48

PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS ....................................................................... 49

ADMINISTRATION, FACULTY, AND STAFF DIRECTORY...................................... 49

SCHOOL CALENDAR .............................................................................................. 49

PARENTS ASSOCIATION ....................................................................................... 49

regarding the safety and well-being of the children enrolled in Gateway. The information in this

handbook is confidential and is intended for the private use of Gateway families. It is forbidden

to share, reprint, or use this for charitable or other solicitations or to allow other people or

Gateway, our students become skilled, strategic learners and confident self-advocates.

Relying on direct, multisensory instruction and guided by an integrated curriculum,

expert faculty teach students the language, literacy, and critical thinking skills that are

the foundations for success in mainstream educational settings and beyond. Gateway

believes a close relationship between the school and parents provides essential support

as students grow and seek to realize their potential. In small classes and as members of

a diverse and inclusive community, Gateway students experience academic and social

success, recognize their strengths, and are empowered to become independent

learners.

The Gateway School does not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race,

creed, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, age, gender, gender identity, disability,

marital status, partnership status, sexual orientation, citizenship status, or any other

characteristic protected by law in any of its educational policies or programs,

admissions, hiring, financial aid, or any other school administered activities or

an ever-evolving topic. Ultimately, we strive to build a safe, respectful, responsive

ensure consideration for an award the following year. Requests submitted after that date

Transit Metro cards are available for certain children. Please contact Bridget Morgan

promptly at 8:00 a.m. Students will be noted as tardy starting at 8:20 a.m. Please

ensure your child is arriving at school on time and ready for classes. If your child is

running late, please submit this on the SchoolPass app as soon as possible. For

students taking DOE buses in the morning, a late bus arrival will not affect your

child’s attendance record. If your child was picked up late by the bus, please report

the late arrival on SchoolPass. This will notify all appropriate teachers and

administrators.

checked in on the SchoolPass app. Once the pick-up person is logged onto the “Carline,”

the school will dismiss the student to meet them outside at the street level door.

Unless you have made prior arrangements for an early pick up, you or your caregiver

will have to wait until at least 3:05 p.m. to retrieve your student. If you want your

student dismissed early, they must be picked up by 2:40 p.m. No student will be

dismissed between 2:40 p.m. and 3:05 p.m.

It is important that all students are picked up on time. This applies both to the end of

the school day and to our After-School Clubhouse and Athletics programs. Being on

Transportation through the New York City Department of Education works best when

prove helpful:

An overview of NYC DOE Transportation, including contact information and

If your child will not be in school for any reason, please submit this information on

the SchoolPass app as soon as possible. If your child travels by bus, you should also

call your child’s bus company.

If your child has a contagious illness, please let our School Nurse know immediately in

order to help us maintain a healthy school environment ([email protected]rg).

If your child is out of school for three days or longer, we require a doctor’s note upon

the fever subsides before sending them back to school and follow current COVID-19

guidelines. If you have any questions, please speak with the School Nurse, at ext. 812.

For all doctor appointments, please schedule appointments after school hours.

See Additional Policies on p. 15 for the Homework Policy when a student is absent due

to illness.

School is occasionally open during religious holidays. If your family will be observing a

religious holiday and your child will be absent from school, please alert the Main Desk

so that they may be excused from school. Please see p. 15 for the Homework Policy

Homeroom/Advisory begins promptly at 8:00 a.m. Consistent lateness will impact a

Some families find it very beneficial to set a specific homework schedule

easily. Good locations around the home are the wall or bulletin board by

their workplace, on the kitchen refrigerator door, on the dresser, or on

bathroom mirrors.

that is brief and does not disrupt the routine.

the first step in the homework routine. It helps the students set a plan

and get themselves organized. Creating a checklist or to do list is another

strategy to support time management and self-monitoring.

Set and maintain clear expectations to guide your student as they learn to study and

Homework that the student can complete independently is the best support for our

instructional program. Therefore, we discourage the use of outside tutors for homework

and content areas. Often, tutors are unfamiliar with the instructional programs and

approaches used by the school and do not understand how content is taught in the

service of skills and strategies. As a result, they may work at cross-purposes, and

students become confused. However, if the school believes that outside support would

be helpful for a specific reason, we will recommend it to the family. Parents should

speak to the Division Director for help with recommendations. Parents seeking tutors

for ISEE testing should contact Heather Ironside or Danielle Tandet in Admissions at

and report cards, we ask that families share this information with the outside service

provider. Should additional communication with the service provider be deemed

necessary, the Division Director will make the necessary arrangements. This may

include a conversation with a teacher but will not include sharing Gateway’s

proprietary curriculum.

The Clubhouse: Through the Clubhouse, Gateway offers a variety of after-school

programs. Gateway’s faculty and outside professionals teach these classes from 3:30 to

teams include soccer, basketball, and softball. The Lions of Gateway play

instruction. This may include simply walking to a park or observing areas of the

community for an art project. One or more teachers will always escort students.

The Gateway School has carefully planned and practiced evacuation routes in the event

of an emergency in the building. As required by New York State and the City of New

York, at least twelve emergency drills are completed during the school year. Several of

these take place early in the school year to familiarize employees and students with our

procedures.

emergency procedures before, during, and after drills and on an ongoing basis to

maximize the safety and well-being of its entire community.

The daily dress code reminds students of the distinction between the focused nature

of the school day and the more relaxed atmosphere of after-school activities and

home. It also supports their enthusiasm for and sense of belonging to The Gateway

School community. Gateway’s dress code is simple and straightforward.

A long-sleeved T-shirt may be worn underneath the polo shirt or dress. This top

must conform to the guidelines for clothing worn on Dress Down Days detailed

below.

these clothing items must be solid navy blue and plain. No other writing, graphic or

Pictured below are examples of the sweaters, fleeces, sweatshirts, and vests that

conform to our dress code.

Sneakers or rubber-soled shoes are strongly recommended and required for

students’ participation in Recess, Movement, and P.E. If your child wears footwear

other than sneakers or rubber-soled shoes to school, be sure to keep a pair of

sneakers suitable for active play at school.

Students may wear outerwear (coats, jackets, etc.) of their own choosing during arrival

and dismissal and while traveling to/from an off-campus location, but not during the

school day. Students are encouraged to keep a dress code compliant sweater or fleece

at school for those occasions when they are cold (see examples on p. 19).

Please label all student clothing in case it gets lost. Students in the Placement process

will be exempt from the dress code on days when they are interviewing at other

schools.

discreetly. The best way to ensure that your child will not feel uncomfortable about

Parents are required to acknowledge in My BackPack that they have read,

occur with children coping with learning differences, so parents should strive for

inclusion whenever possible. If a party will include a significant number of children,

include everyone in the class or grade. If a party will be very small, use your best

judgment—schedule it for a weekend and not immediately after school, and avoid

posting to social media and using text messages. Guard against hurt feelings in a way

that takes into account the modern digital age.

We report on student progress in several ways and throughout the school year. The

dates are posted on the school calendar far in advance. These meetings bring together

all members of your child’s teaching team will be present. Only parents who are legally

responsible for their child’s education are invited to Parent-Teacher Conferences.

Report cards are posted in My BackPack soon after each academic semester has ended.

Each Lower School student’s report card will include a specific report on skills and a

brief overview of curricula for Reading, Writing, Mathematics, Social Studies, Science,

Arts, and Physical Education. Each Middle School student’s report card will include a

specific report on skills and a brief overview of curricula for ELA (Reading and Writing),

of that year. This testing focuses on skill development in Reading and Math and is

diagnostic, which means the test highlights deficiencies in skill acquisition. Together

with the results of our ongoing assessments, the information gleaned from these tests

helps the administrators better understand each student and informs the focus and

instruction of our skill-based groupings. We administer diagnostic testing as follows:

many steps in this Placement process, initiating the conversation in the spring

overall learning profile and development, administrators and faculty may also identify

younger students (non-8th graders) ready to transition out of Gateway. In these cases,

the Division Director will typically initiate a conversation with the family, but any

parent interested in learning more about their child’s readiness to transition to a

mainstream setting is encouraged to contact the Division Director. Questions about a

Lower School student transitioning to Middle School should be directed to the Director

of Lower School.

A list of schools to which Gateway students have been accepted in recent years can be

found in the “Academics/Placement” section of the website.

Meetings. These meetings are announced throughout the school year and reminders

Gateway communicates with its parents and the larger community in several ways and

with specific goals:

My BackPack is an online portal for parents and should be your first stop for personal

profile information, school forms, and documents. To access My BackPack, visit

www.gatewayschool.org, and click on the “Parent Login” button in the top-right corner.

The username and password are the same as what you used for your enrollment

contract (if you are a new parent) or your re-enrollment contract (if you are a returning

parent).

5966 ext. 0 to speak with the Main Desk.

For the school to contact parents, it is essential that we have parents’ daytime

telephone numbers, cell phone numbers, and email addresses. This applies to each

and every parent. To supply this information, fill out the “My Profile” section of My

BackPack prior to the start of the school year.

If any of your contact information changes during the school year, please log back into

My BackPack and enter the changes in the “My Profile” section as soon as possible. The

successful delivery of information is dependent upon accurate contact information for

an emergency. School personnel will remain on site until all students have departed

safely.

If an emergency requires medical attention, The Gateway School sends students to

Mount Sinai West Hospital. The emergency entrance is located at 1000 10th Avenue

(at 59th Street), New York, NY 10019. We notify parents immediately when an

incident occurs. The emergency department’s direct line is 212-523-4000.

In the event that the school population must evacuate the building and cannot

return, Gateway has made arrangements with The Professional Children’s School,

and/or email message to parents with important information about school closings,

keep your child at home. Use the following list of symptoms as mandatory guidelines

Please notify the School Nurse at nurse@gatewayschool.org if your child is diagnosed

with any contagious illness. Any child absent for three consecutive days must be cleared

by their doctor and provide the school with a note from that doctor prior to being

readmitted to school.

Since illness and accidents do happen during the school day, we

The following Food Policy applies to all students at all times. Parents are required to

acknowledge in My BackPack that they have read, understand, and agree to abide by

the Food Policy by September 1, 2023 and before your child can be served any food

items or snacks at Gateway.

It is the parents’ responsibility to notify Gateway of any and all dietary restrictions

(allergies in addition to peanuts and nuts, sensitivities, intolerances, religious

prohibitions). If you have questions about dietary restrictions or need more specific

make every effort to provide a peanut-safe environment. Gateway does not permit

peanuts or peanut-containing products in school for individual or shared

consumption.

Students will have the option of purchasing lunch through the school's contracted

lunch program. These lunches will be peanut-free, healthy, balanced, and minimally

sugared. The food vendor will make every effort to ensure nut and allergy safety but

does not guarantee a peanut- or nut-free facility.

must be in disposable packaging. Students will need to bring a reusable or disposable

Halloween, and Valentine’s Day.

While Gateway faculty and staff appreciate the thoughtfulness of gifts of food, our

Food Policy does not allow homemade baked goods to be accepted. Any purchased

baked goods, for any purpose, can only be provided by the class parent representative

or the Parents Association and must be chosen from the approved nut-safe products.

The Gateway School supports and values an inclusive school environment and

providing them with the foundations for becoming independent learners who are self-

aware and who respect the differences between and among themselves and others.

The Code of Conduct outlined below was created with these goals in mind.

By establishing a Code of Conduct, Gateway seeks to: (1) ensure our school is a safe,

inclusive, orderly environment in which teaching and learning can take place; (2)

reinforce positive behaviors and provide students with opportunities to

continuously develop appropriate behaviors and social skills; (3) create a consistent

set of expectations for behavior from all students; and (4) specify the interventions

and consequences for students who engage in inappropriate conduct.

including understanding and managing emotions, developing care and concern for

Education, during or en route to school functions or activities occurring outside the

community (e.g., cyber-bullying). The following standards of behavior are expected

of all Gateway students and are also expected to be supported by their parents,

guardians, and other caregivers. An overview of Gateway’s Community Guidelines

(the “Community Agreement”) is available at this link.

Responsible behavior by each student supports the goals set forth by the Code of

Conduct. Students have a responsibility to:

In general, disciplinary action is handled privately between the school, the relevant

students and families, and outside services (if applicable). The school may or may not

communicate with anyone else, in general terms, about an incident and the

consequences imposed. The school reserves the right to include disciplinary action in a

student’s Education Record, as defined starting on page 28 of this handbook.

Parents and students are required to acknowledge in My BackPack that they have read,

Access to information technologies is integral to the educational mission and purpose of

our institution. We utilize technology in nearly every facet of instruction, activity, and

operation of The Gateway School (hereinafter referred to as “Gateway” or the “school”).

This policy provides expectations for the use of technology as it affects our school and

educational community. The school’s information technology resources (“IT Resources”)

are provided for limited educational purposes, not as a public access service.

Due to the evolutionary nature of technology, it is imperative for students to realize

that our policies regarding the use of technology in our community will also be

technologies provided by the school and personally-owned technological devices.

Resources on campus, at home, or at any other location.

Parents and students are required to acknowledge in My BackPack that they have read,

understand, and agree to abide by the Acceptable Use of Technology Policy by

September 1, 2023 before they can utilize school technology. School technology

resources will not be issued to a student until this acknowledgment has been

completed.

Gateway maintains a 1:1 Lenovo Chromebook program. The device and associated

accessories (stylus/pen device, charger, and protective case) that students receive

belong to The Gateway School and are loaned for the school year to the student and

are to be used for academic purposes, both on and off campus. If a stylus, charger or

protective case is lost or damaged, the family of the student is required to purchase a

replacement. A WiFi Internet connection will be required for the majority of

Chromebook use; however, some applications can be used while not connected to the

Internet. Students, and their caregivers, have the responsibility of taking good care of

the device and accessories.

unattended/unsecured. During the school day, students must have their devices with

majority of student work will be stored in Google Drive and can be accessed from any

computer with an Internet connection and most mobile Internet devices. Some files

may be stored on the Chromebook’s hard drive. The school will not be responsible for

the loss of any student work.

A Technology Help Desk is maintained on campus. The Help Desk is provided during

school hours to help students with technical problems associated with Gateway devices,

accessories, and authorized programs and platforms. A student must seek help as soon

as a device problem surfaces by reporting the issue to their teacher. Unresolved

If a device is left at the IT Help Desk for repair, a loaner may be issued, and all

policies set forth in this AUP shall apply to the loaner. The loaner device may not be

the same make and model as the student was previously using.

The device loaned to you is covered by a limited warranty that covers accidental

damage as long as all of the pieces of the damaged item are returned with the device.

This warranty does not cover attempts to "repair" or "alter" the device in any way or as

a result of intentional misuse.

Resources no matter the location. We will also investigate any reports of inappropriate

devices on school property or at school events is subject to this acceptable use policy.

Access to the Internet is filtered and monitored. The school will monitor activities

that utilize school-owned technology. By filtering Internet access, we intend to block

offensive, obscene, and inappropriate images and content, including pornography. If

information is filtered that is needed for an educational purpose, the student should

discuss the information needed with the classroom teacher. The student and teacher

together should then seek approval from the Head of School for the IT Administrator

to remove the filter. The IT Administrator will be responsible for resetting the filter

additional rules, restrictions, and guidelines at any time.

Upon graduation or other termination of a child’s official status as a student at our

institution, the student will no longer have access to the school IT Resources or network

or any files stored on the school network or through school IT Resources.

For the purposes of this policy, the following terms are defined below as:

and those who receive it may make it public or send it along to others, despite your

people. Save all contacts from known or unknown people who are repeatedly contacting

or harassing you. These saved messages will help authorities track, locate, and

prosecute cyberstalkers and cyberbullies. Do not communicate with strangers online.

Let your parents or guardians know if you are contacted by someone you do not know.

Passwords: Do not share your passwords with your friends. When creating a password,

do not make it anything obvious such as your pet’s name or favorite sports team. Also

remember to include both letters and numbers in your password if possible.

Downloads and Attachments: Do not open or run files on your computer from

update high privacy settings on social networking sites.

The Annual Fund is a collective undertaking by the community to meet the annual

operating needs of the school, since tuition does not fully cover the cost of educating a

Gateway student. Gifts to the Annual Fund help pay for everything from school

supplies and professional development to field trips and technology upgrades.

Moreover, the Annual Fund is a symbol of our community members’ shared

commitment to this generation of Gateway students and helping each one of them

support the school’s operating needs and help us invest in the continued enhancement

following professional organizations:

Education Records Bureau (ERB)

Independent Schools Admissions Association of Greater New York (ISAAGNY)

International Dyslexia Association (IDA)

Learning Disabilities Association (LDA)

National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS)

National Business Officers Association (NBOA)

New York Guild of Independent Schools

New York State Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS)

A complete directory of email addresses and telephone extensions is available on

www.gatewayschool.org/about-us/faculty-staff-directory/.

The most up-to-date school calendar is available on www.gatewayschool.org/school-

The Gateway Parents Association seeks to:

PA general meetings are held three times a year at Gateway, and all parents are

encouraged to attend. These meetings provide opportunities for school

administrators to talk informally with parents about current activities in the school

and for parents to plan upcoming events, share resources with one another, and

discuss topics that can benefit the entire community (e.g., the January meeting

features a discussion on summer camps). The general meetings are truly collaborative

and open and allow parents to meet one another.

Class Representatives build community among parents in the school. Generally,

two Class Representatives are designated for each class in the Lower School and each

encouraging parent participation in Gateway and PA events, communicating PA and

school information to your class, serving on one special committee, and designing a

class yearbook ad. Parents who have questions or concerns about school can contact

their Class Representative for advice about whom to contact at school.

Volunteer opportunities encompass a variety of ways to support the school and local

community, such as helping at an event, sharing a talent or expertise, donating goods or

a service, serving on a special committee such as the Welcome, Community Service, or

Gala Committee. Volunteer opportunities are frequently posted in the Weekly Blast.

Parents can also sign up by completing the PA Volunteer Form, or by contacting the PA

directly at gatewa[email protected]rg. All are welcome!

Bowling and Ice-Skating Parties. There also are parent-only events and programs, as