
P.S. 315K
The School of Performing Arts
"It's Cool To Be Smart & It's Cool To Care"

Principal’s Vision Statement
PS 315K envisions a school as a diverse educational community of collaborative learners where all members are engaged in the educational process. Staff, parents, and students are all focused and working toward getting our students college and career ready to meet the challenges of an ever changing technological 21st century society. Students will develop through an academically rigorous curriculum important decision making, critical thinking and technological skills enhanced through the fine arts and fostering the ability to communicate effectively.
All members of the school community will share accountability for creating a positive, supportive, nurturing,
and respectful school environment, and for achieving successful student outcomes through a high quality,
standards driven curriculum where the arts are celebrated and diversity embraced.
Our Mission Statement
The mission of PS 315K is to promote a safe and respectful learning environment where students are educated to be college and career ready. PS 315K strives to serve the needs of its students, parents, and the entire learning community. We envision a school environment which celebrates diversity and enables all constituents to learn from the past and be ready to face the challenges and technologies of the future. We believe that the performing arts, combined with standards-driven instruction , will serve as an integral part of our academic program, which will build self-esteem and further increase the academic achievement of our students. While the primary goal is the improvement of student performance in keeping with the New York State Next Generation Standards, we hope that through the emergence of the arts, our children will be afforded the opportunity to make valuable contributions to the community.
By June 2023, practices related to Social Emotional Support will improve four percentage points, from 94 percentage points to 98 percentage points, as measured by positive New York City Survey responses, resulting in Collaborative and Trusting relationships.
By June 2023, to strengthen the quality and implementation of IEPs for all Students with Disabilities, we will improve movement to the least restrictive environment by 10 percentage points from 40 percentage points to 50 percentage points as measured by students’ success in meeting their IEP goals.
By June 2023, English Language Arts scores for all students will increase 6 percentage points from 49 percentage points to 55 percentage points of students performing art or above grade level as measured by Teachers’ College Reading and Writing Benchmark Assessment.
By June, 2023, Math scores for all students will increase 10 percentage points from 43.3 percentage points to 53.3 percentage points as measured by EnVisions Math Benchmark Assessments.
2022-2023
CEP Goals
2022-2023
Instructional Focus
Improve teacher effectiveness in classroom practice centered around academic and social-emotional learning by scaffolding instruction based on data, through rigorous, instructional project-based tasks, leading to increased student outcomes in ELA and Math.
September, 2022
Dear Parents/Guardians/Caregivers:
Welcome to the 2022-23 school year! I hope that you and your child had a very relaxing and rewarding summer vacation. Now that the school year is beginning, I hope your child is ready to learn new and exciting things at P.S. 315. A new school year is always exciting. This past year has continued to be a year unlike any other. However, we are moving toward a new normal as all students have been participating in school through in person instruction despite the challenges that the Covid-19 pandemic still presents.
Our focus at PS 315K will be to provide each child with new learning challenges that will enrich learning as we continue to fill in the learning gaps that may have arisen because of the COVID 19 Pandemic. Academic emphasis will focus on the Next Generation Priority Standards in ELA and Math, as well as Science and Social Studies with a literacy emphasis. We have planned a challenging curriculum for your child this year. Project Based Learning will be a focus for our students which will tap into our students’ interests and build upon their critical thinking skills. We will continue to integrate the Arts into our Core Curriculum areas to help facilitate the opportunity to develop your child’s interests and skills. We will be continuing our violin and clarinet programs and will be looking to implement a chorus as part of our music program. We are also encouraging our children to become lifelong lovers of reading. Children will still be required to read at least 20 minutes each night utilizing their Reading Contracts. The importance of these Reading Contracts is paramount to student success in reading.
We are looking forward to a productive partnership with you to ensure our students can reach their highest potential. We recognize that the home-school connection is critical to our students’ success in school. We ask that you guide and support your child’s learning by ensuring that he/she:
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Attend school daily and arrive on time for school each morning. School begins promptly at 8:00AM and ends at 2:00 for Pre-K, Kindergarten and Grade 1 students, 2:10 for students in grades 2 and 3, and 2:20 for students in grades 4 and 5. A letter regarding arrival and dismissal protocols will be sent to you outlining these protocols.
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All students should complete all homework assignments given by the teachers as this reinforces the learning they are doing in class.
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Have your child read daily and complete the reading contract to develop a love of reading and to improve reading stamina and literacy skills critical to successful reading.
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Inform the school if you feel your child needs more support in any subject area. We will be having AIS support programs to facilitate student mastery of ELA and Math.
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Please make sure to inform the school if your child is going to be absent. Make sure to have a doctor’s note to substantiate the absence.
Please consider joining our PTA to become more involved in your child’s education. We greatly benefit from your input and and look to have parent involvement in our school community. We will be offering a wide range of parent workshops to keep you abreast of the curriculum and other school wide initiatives. Please attend these workshops so you have clear expectations of what your child is learning. I encourage you to join us at school activities to establish strong foundations and positive role models for your children.
Please address all concerns to my Parent Coordinator, Angela Gonzalez. She can be reached at 718 421-9560 x2175. Her email is Agonzalez2@schools.nyc.gov. Ms. Gonzalez is the liaison between the home and school. She will bring all your concerns to my attention and will arrange a meeting, if necessary.
As we begin the 202-23 school year, please be aware of the following:
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Make sure to fill out the daily health screening pertaining to COVID 19.
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If your child is feeling sick and demonstrates symptoms of COVID 19 or even a cold or flu, please keep your child home from school.
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Please be prompt when dropping off and picking up your children. The students will not be allowed in the building before 8:00 and must be picked up promptly by 2:20.
We are a “Respect for All” school which advocates a bully free environment and a respect for all attitude for all stakeholders in the PS 315K Learning Community. Our cell phone policy specifies that students may bring cell phones to school but they must be turned off during the school day and are to be used only in emergencies. Please make sure your children abide by this policy.
It is my promise that the staff at PS 315K will provide your child the most nurturing academic environment possible.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to me. I look forward to working with you and your children throughout the school year to provide a productive and safe learning environment.
Respectfully,
Judith Ranft-Quartana, Principal
School of the Performing Arts @ 315
Principal's Message to P.S.315
Admin & Main Office Staff:
Principal: J. Ranft-Quartana
Email: JRanft@schools.nyc.gov
Assistant Principal: D. Ellman
Email: DEllman@schools.nyc.gov
Parent Coordinator: A. Gonzalez
Email: AGonzalez2@schools.nyc.gov
Payroll/ Purchasing Secretary: E. Glasheen
Email: EGlasheen@schools.nyc.gov
Pupil Accounting Secretary: D. McAuliffe-Avvento
Email: DMcAuliffe2@schools.nyc.gov
School Base Support Team (SBST):
IEP/SETSS: C. Patterson
Email: CPatterson7@schools.nyc.gov
Psychologist: B. Falik
Email: BFalik@schools.nyc.gov
Guidance Counselor: J. Walpin
Email: JWalpin@schools.nyc.gov
Bilingual Psychologist: A. Melgar
Email: AMelgar2@schools.nyc.gov
Social Worker: M. Maldonado
Email: MMaldonado44@schools.nyc.gov
Family Worker: E. Tsontakis
Email: ETsontakis@schools.nyc.gov
Occupational Therapist: F. Levitsky
Email: FLevitsky2@schools.nyc.gov
Speech Teacher: C. Benlevi
Email: CBenlevi@schools.nyc.gov
Speech Teacher: A. Anzalone
Email: AAnzalone5@schools.nyc.gov
Speech Teacher: D. Policaro
Email: DPolicaro@schools.nyc.gov
Speech Teacher: H. Thomas-Morales
Email: HThomas10@schools.nyc.gov
Cluster Teachers & Support Staff:
Art: F. Cassuto
Email: FCassuto@schools.nyc.gov
Math through Technology: K. Charles
Email: KCharle4@schools.nyc.gov
Physical Education: E. Bergin
Email: EBergin4@schools.nyc.gov
Physical Education: S. Cabrera
Email: SCabrera7@schools.nyc.gov
Music: P. Sokolowski
Email: PSokolowski@schools.nyc.gov
Library: A. DeSouza
Email: ADeSou@schools.nyc.gov
Dance: E. Essner
Email: EEssner2@schools.nyc.gov
ENL Support: M. Wilson
Email: MWilson39@schools.nyc.gov
ENL Support: M. Leopold
Email: MLeopol@schools.nyc.gov
Literacy Coach/Tech Specialist: C. Valic
Email: CValic2@schools.nyc.gov
Math Coach: A. Weber
Email: AWeber5@schools.nyc.gov
Lunchroom Coordinator /AIS: S. Johnson
Email: SJohnso17@schools.nyc.gov
Nurse: K. Francois
Email: KWest3@health.nyc.gov
Family Assistant: C. Dennis
Email: CDennis6@schools.nyc.gov
Classroom Teachers:
Pre-Kindergarten Teacher: B. Wood
Email: BWood2@schools.nyc.gov
Pre-Kindergarten Teacher: L. Bruno
Email: LBruno8@schools.nyc.gov
Kindergarten Teacher: S. McKeever
Email: SMckeever@schools.nyc.gov
Kindergarten Teacher: K. Clarke
Email: KClarke8@schools.nyc.gov
Kindergarten Teacher: N.Wallace
Email: NWallace@schools.nyc.gov
Kindergarten Teacher: I. Lyubarsky
Email: ILyubarsky@schools.nyc.gov
Kindergarten Teacher: P. Murphy
Email: PMurphy12@schools.nyc.gov
Kindergarten/Grade 1 Teacher: T. Taylor
Email: TTaylor20@schools.nyc.gov
Grade 1 Teacher: J. Larson
Email: JLarson@schools.nyc.gov
Grade 1 Teacher: S. Franck
Email: SFranck@schools.nyc.gov
Grade 1 Teacher: L. Cassuto
Email: LCassuto@schools.nyc.gov
Grade 1 Teacher: R. Flit
Email: RFlit@schools.nyc.gov
Grade 1 Teacher: P. Owens
Email: POwens7@schools.nyc.gov
Grade 2 Teacher: K. Martinez
Email: KMartinez2@schools.nyc.gov
Grade 2 Teacher: S. Lopez
Email: SLopez32@schools.nyc.gov
Grade 2 Teacher: M. DePaolo
Email: MDepaolo2@schools.nyc.gov
Grade 2 Teacher: B. Kimmel
Email: BKimmel3@schools.nyc.gov
Grade 2/3/4 Teacher: A. Ferrara-Taylor
Email: AFerrara@schools.nyc.gov
Grade 3 Teacher: R. Feinberg
Email: RFeinberg2@schools.nyc.gov
Grade 3 Teacher: G. Mohabir
Email: GMohabir@schools.nyc.gov
Grade 3 Teacher: L. Ryan
Email: LRyan@schools.nyc.gov
Grade 3 Teacher: D. Petruzzelli
Email: DPetruzzelli@schools.nyc.gov
Grade 3/4 Teacher: C. Ledgin
Email: CLedgin@schools.nyc.gov
Grade 4 Teacher: M. Stone
Email: MStone@schools.nyc.gov
Grade 4 Teacher: S. Warshall
Email: Swarshall@schools.nyc.gov
Grade 4 Teacher: K. Moran
Email: KMoran4@schools.nyc.gov
Grade 4 Teacher: M. Saqlain
Email: MSaqlain@schools.nyc.gov
Grade 5 Teacher: R. Giovaniello
Email: RGiovanniello@schools.nyc.gov
Grade 5 Teacher: L. Orgi
Email: Lorji@schools.nyc.gov
Grade 5 Teacher: R. Sanon
Email: RHairstonSanon@schools.nyc.gov
Grade 5 Teacher: M. Dure
Email: MDure@schools.nyc.gov
Grade 4/5 Teacher: S. Douglas
Email: SDouglas10@schools.nyc.gov