Letter from MS 839 Attendance Team, Updated September 18, 2024

Dear MS 839 Families,

Now that the dust has settled and we are fully back at school, we wanted to share (and remind you) of our attendance policy. 

Attendance

Attendance is taken EVERY day by your child’s CREW LEADER during our morning meeting (MM). Morning meeting starts at 8:50 and ends at approximately 9:00 each day. Please note: our doors open for breakfast between 8:00-8:20am and then we let all other students into the building at 8:40 to make their way up to the gymnatorium on the 2nd floor, find their crew, and get comfortable!

Morning meeting includes important announcements and is often a presentation or performance. We set the tone for our community by respecting the MM space we hold together each day, therefore students and even staff members who are NOT in MM by 8:50 sharp are not allowed in. Late arriving students will be held downstairs in the courtyard or lobby until MM dismisses and then students who are late can transition to their 1st period class.

Please note  that when your student is not in MM, and their crew leader doesn’t physically see them, they are marked as absent which triggers the NYC Public School system  to send out an automated email. Although we can reverse attendance the same day – you will still get that email (which can be alarming and frustrating!!). This is why we urge all students to get to school before 8:47 every day to avoid this concern.

If you know your child will be absent for any reason please email your child’s crew leader and  our attendance team at attendance@ms839.org so that we can correctly code your student’s  absence in our system.

If your student arrives LATE to school, after MM dismissal (anytime between 9:00-9:08) they must stop by the main office (4th floor, RM 420) to sign in and be marked present for the day.

If your child has doctor notes regarding their absence, please have them give it to their crew leader or a staff member in our main office.

If you have questions or concerns, we are here to help –  give our attendance team a call in the main office and ask for Adi Guevara or email us at attendance@ms839.org.

Thank you for your support!

Your hardworking attendance team