The Clove Valley School is located at 60 Foote Ave, Staten Island, NY 10301 and is part of the New York City Public School District 31. Grade levels range from Kindergarten to the fifth grade, servicing about 375 students.
Administration and Support Staff
The Clove Valley School has a large, professional staff working to support and help the students and school. The staff includes:
- The principal: Mrs. Melissa Garofalo, hosts in-house professional development sessions to meet and reflect on different teaching approaches to construct differentiating instruction to meet the needs of every student at the school, helping to create a healthy and positive school environment.
- Secretary: Marilyn Giordano.
- School Aides: Lena Capraro, Suzanne Burt, Marisa Medina.
- Parent Coordinator: Peggy Feminella.
- Guidance: Lauren Rodriguez.
- Custodial Staff: Charles Pansarasa, David Parmegiani.
- Psychologist: Pat Calvo.
- Social Worker: Felicia Gravitch.
- Safety Officer: Robert Raisley.
- School Nurse: Deborah Duffy.
Parent Communication
At P.S. 35 parents are welcome to visit and participate in school events and activities, through their open door policy and the PTA. The Open Door Policy allows parents to visit their child's classroom for observational purposes for no more than 50 minutes. Appointments are not necessary and these visits are highly encouraged. Parents can also offer support during lunch periods, and those looking to volunteer are expected to attend orientation with the principal. Additionally, the PTA organization at P.S. 35 holds monthly meetings in order to update and inform parents on important issues and events. They also are instrumental in fundraising for the school as well as chairing many of the social events during the school year for our students and families.
Academics and Extracurriculars
Students attending The Clove Valley School are provided with a strong academic program which abides by the NYC Common Core Standards, as well as numerous extracurricular activities allowing them to branch out their interests and hobbies.
The math program followed by the school is Eureka Math which is aligned to Engage New York which aims to produce students who are not merely literate, but fluent, in mathematics. In addition, the school offers test sophistication classes for students grades 3-5. The goal of this class is to make students comfortable with the format of state tests; this program runs from January to April and teaches students test-taking strategies. Students whose first language is not English are required to take The New York State Identification Test for English Language Learners. This test is administered to identify English Language Learners (ELL) who are then allowed to take ESL services led by Mrs. Aristide.
There is also a Hall of Fame at P.S. 35 for which a student is selected each month from each class and is awarded a certificate at the monthly PTA meeting. Students are chosen by classroom teachers based on a set of criteria which students work to meet each month. During the Monthly Hall of Fame Ceremony, a brief description is read of the student’s accomplishments.
Additionally, there are many extracurricular activities in which the students are given the opportunity to participate such as the school newspaper, The Buzz, which is available to fourth and fifth graders. Also, there is a Student Government in which students in grades 3-5 can participate and run for the position of President, the Vice President, the Treasurer, the Secretary and two 3rd Grade Representatives. These students closely work with the principal and the rest of the students.
For children who are musically inclined, P.S. 35 offers a great Band and Violin Program. Students in grades 3-5 have the ability to take a basic music aptitude test in early September in order to join the program. It is run by Ms. Stephanie Carapreso and there are practices every Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays.
After school, for children children whose parents are working are able to enter the North Shore YMCA program offered at The Clove Valley School.
Additional Information
- At P.S. 35 all students are offered free breakfast which begins at 7:50 a.m. Monday through Friday; and lunch is from 11:40-12:30 for Grades 1,2,4 and 12:30-1:20 for grades K,3, and 5.
- Students attending P.S. 35 are required to wear a uniform, and several times per year there are Dress Up, Dress Down, and Theme Days.
- Fifth graders begin their middle school selection process in the fall, which includes fairs, tours, and informational sessions scheduled to inform families. In October directories are distributed informing students and their families about the application process in December.
We here at Tom Crimmins Realty aim to work with our customers and local residents to discover the beauty of their Staten Island neighborhood. There are hundreds of outstanding elementary schools in New York City and if this school caught your attention then we can help you find the perfect home for you around the Sunnyside area. Visit our Tom Crimmins Realty Office at 304 Manor Rd, or contact us at 718-370-3200, or check out our website here to get the advice of experienced agents on the home buying and selling process.
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