This Family Update provides important information about Summer Rising enrollment, and free Summer

Meals.

Summer Rising Enrollment

We are happy to say that approximately 94,000 students have been matched with a Summer Rising seat so far, with the remainder set aside for students required to attend summer academic instruction. A select number of seats may become available over the coming weeks. Enrollment for these open seats will be broken into two stages.

Stage 1 (existing applicants):

An initial list of Summer Rising sites with available seats along with the corresponding Community Based Organization (CBO) contact information will be available at nyc.gov/SummerRising beginning Friday, June 16. Placement priority for these seats are as follows:

• Priority 1: Siblings that were placed in a different program or did not get a seat

• Priority 2: Students connected to the CBO and school

• Priority 3: All other students

Families for whom a seat becomes available will be contacted directly about stage 1 by CBOs via the email they provided during the initial enrollment period beginning June 16.

Stage 2:

Any available seats following stage 1 will be posted on nyc.gov/SummerRising on Friday, June 23.

• For families who did not apply to Summer Rising in April NYCPS will reopen the enrollment portal (available through nyc.gov/SummerRising) for sites with availability on Friday, June 23.

• Families will be able to apply for the remaining seats.

• CBOs will inform families of their acceptance to a CBO/Summer Rising program and the necessary forms for enrollment.

If you have any questions, please reach out to your student's school, Summer Rising CBO, or email summer@schools.nyc.gov for assistance.

Summer Meals Begins June 28

Summer Meals service begins Wednesday, June 28! NYC Public Schools’ Summer Meals program provides free, nutritious breakfast and lunch meals to anyone ages 18 years and under throughout New York City. Meals will be available at designated public schools, community pool centers, parks, and food trucks. No registration, documentation, or ID is necessary.

Important Dates

• The Summer Meals program runs June 28 through September 1, 2023

• Select locations will be open Wednesday, June 28 (Eid al-Adha). All citywide locations are open for service Thursday, June 29, 2023.

• There will be no Summer Meals service on Tuesday, July 4, 2023 (Fourth of July)

Please visit schools.nyc.gov/summermeals to learn more and for all the latest information.

Hello families,

Technology device returns will be done as follows:

Dates: June 19, 2023 to June 27, 2023 from 9am to 3pm

Chromebooks with the chargers must be returned to PS 109 by the following groups of students:

• All 5th Grade students who are leaving PS 109 (teachers will message this out to all families this applies to)

• Any student who was given a Chromebook or iPad who will not be returning to PS 109 in September must return the Chromebook or iPad and its charger.

We will make note of any missing item that is not returned with the device.

iPads with their accessories (case, usb cable and usb charger) must be returned to PS 109 by the following groups of students:

• Any student who is not attending a NYC DOE school on September 2023. This includes students leaving NYC schools or transferring to charter or parochial schools (non-DOE schools).

We will make note of any missing item that is not returned with the device.

Who can remain with their device until September?

• Students returning to PS 109 next year can remain with their Chromebooks and iPads until next school year. Please make sure these are stored or kept safe if you remain with it for the summer.

• Students going to another NYC DOE school in September can remain with their NYC DOE central-issued iPad (DOE-COV, DOE-R2CV, DOE-ABCF is listed on the sticker on the back of the iPad) as these transition with the student to the new NYC DOE school. This does not apply to school-issued iPads (DOE-AP is listed on the sticker on the back of the iPad), which are school property and remain with PS 109.

Our Chromebooks do not transition with students to their new school as these are PS 109 devices.

If a family prefers to leave the device (Chromebook or iPad) with us over the summer break for safety reason, please bring it in during the collection days above. We will store these at the school safely over the summer. If you choose this, please make sure to bring the charger for Chromebooks and the accessories for the iPad (case, usb cable and usb charger). We will make note of any missing item that is not returned with the device.

Devices deemed to have been needed to be returned to the school will be blocked from future use, until it is returned to PS 109.

Respectfully,

Mr. Pleitez

Dear Families,

Today we find ourselves in the heartbreaking position of having to process, once again, the senseless and devastating murder of students and teachers. We have endured so much these last few years and our school communities have shown incredible resilience in the face of unprecedented challenges. What they should not have to worry about is the threat of gun violence in their own classrooms. No parent should have to worry about the safety of their child when they drop them off for school every morning. No teacher or principal should feel fear when the door of a classroom or school building opens throughout the day. No child should have to a light candle for lost friends and classmates. 

In these times, it is important that we all pull together and do what our city does best: support one another. School staff members are willing and able to provide support and assistance. Remind your child that their school is a safe place and encourage them to discuss their feelings. Please do not hesitate to share your child’s concerns with school staff members so we can provide appropriate supports. 

I want to reassure all members of our school community that we are focused on safety every day. The NYC Department of Education will continue to work closely with the New York Police Department and partner city agencies to provide support and information during major incidents that impact our school communities. All New York City public schools follow strict safety protocols designed to keep your children safe at all times, especially in the event of an emergency. You can find information about the protocols we follow to keep children safe on our website at schools.nyc.gov/school-life/safeschools/emergency-readiness. 

Please make sure your school has current emergency contact information for your family. In addition, you can register for Notify NYC (a858-nycnotify.nyc.gov) and create an NYC Schools Account (schoolsaccount.nyc) to ensure you receive up-to-date information on emergency events. 

The health and safety of our students continues to be our highest priority and we are here to help you during this challenging time. 

Soaring high,

David C. Banks

New York City Schools Chancellor

Dear Families,

Due to recent increases in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in New York City, the city is now at a COVID-19 high (orange) alert level. This means there is significant spread of COVID-19 in the city.

We urge you to take the following proven precautions to protect your family and our communities:

• Wear a mask. We recommend that everyone age 2 and older wear a well-fitting mask in all public indoor settings, including at school and early childhood education (ECE) programs, even if not required. Encourage your child to wear a mask while at school or ECE program and when gathering with friends. Your child’s school has masks available.

• Get vaccinated and boosted. Everyone age 5 and older should get vaccinated against COVID-19, including getting a booster shot when eligible. Vaccines have saved countless lives and are our best defense against the virus. Find a vaccination site at nyc.gov/vaccinefinder or by calling 877-VAX-4NYC (877-829-4692). You can get vaccinated for free, regardless of immigration or insurance status.

• Stay home when sick. Everyone should stay home if they are sick or test positive for COVID-19 and follow all guidance, including wearing a well-fitting face mask for 10 days.

• Get tested. Everyone should get tested if they have COVID-19 symptoms, were recently with someone who has COVID-19, recently traveled or were at a large event. Schools are giving each child four at-home tests per week and testing is available throughout the city. To find a testing site, visit nyc.gov/covidtest. Testing is free at many sites.

• Consider other precautions, such as avoiding crowds, limiting gatherings to a small number of people, increasing ventilation, and wearing a higher quality mask. This is especially important for people who are at increased risk due to age, underlying medical condition, or because they are unvaccinated.

If you or your child tests positive for COVID-19, call your health care provider or 212-COVID19 (212-268-4319) to ask about treatment options for people age 12 and older. To learn more, including about who is eligible, visit nyc.gov/health/covidtreatments. If your child tests positive, please inform their school or ECE program. Children who test positive or are home with symptoms can receive free online learning and office hours while out sick.

If we all do our part, we can beat this COVID-19 wave and enjoy a safe and healthy spring and summer.

In partnership,

David C. Banks

New York City Schools Chancellor

Dear Families,

We hope you had a restful holiday and were able to spend time with your loved ones. As we welcome students back into our classrooms from a well-deserved winter break, our highest priority continues to be the health and safety of our students, families, and staff. To this end, we are putting additional health and safety measures in place to ensure students and staff are safe and that our schools can continue to be open.

The following updates were made in partnership with our City and State public health colleagues and are based on federal and scientific guidance.

Home Test Kits

• Beginning January 3, schools will distribute free, take-home COVID-19 rapid test kits to any student or staff who exhibit COVID-like symptoms or have been in a classroom where a positive case has been identified.

  • If your child was exposed to COVID-19 at school, please help your child take the first test on the day they receive the home test and help your child take the second test five days after exposure or at the first indication of symptoms.

  • Your child may continue to attend school as long as your child receives negative test results and does not experience any symptoms of COVID-19.

  • If your child has COVID-like symptoms or feels ill before the fifth day, please have your child isolate and take the second home test immediately.

  • If your child tests positive on either home test, your child must isolate for 10 days following the first positive result. Please contact your child’s school immediately to inform them and for further guidance.

• If your child had symptoms of COVID-19 at school, please help your child take the first test immediately and help your child take the second test 24 hours later.

  • Your child may not attend school until they receive negative results on both of these home tests taken within 24 hours of each other and have been fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication OR if your child receives a negative test result from a PCR COVID test.

  • If your child tests positive on either home test, your child must isolate for 10 days following the first positive result. Please contact your child’s school immediately and report the test results.

• Any student who tests positive on a take-home test should immediately report it to the school and begin isolating. Students who test positive must isolate for 10 days and can return to school on Day 11. No negative test is required to return to school.

• As a reminder, all students, staff and visitors must pass the DOE health screener in order to enter school buildings. Additional questions will be added to the health screeners for those students and staff who receive at-home rapid test kits to share their negative result. No other proof of a negative result is required in order for these students to enter the school building.

New Quarantine Policy

Our goal is to ensure that students safely remain in school as much as possible, and we have updated our policies to ensure we meet this goal. This means that if there is a positive case in a classroom:

For students in kindergarten through grade 12, unvaccinated or not yet fully-vaccinated students who were in close proximity to a positive case will no longer have to quarantine and will continue attending school if they do not have symptoms and do not have a positive test result from a COVID test. Instead, all students and adults in that classroom will receive a take-home rapid test kit and take two tests over the course of five days.

For students in 3-K and Pre-K, the quarantine policy will remain the same, meaning that any 3-K or pre-K student who was in close proximity to a positive case will still have to quarantine for 10 days.

Increased In-School Surveillance Testing

To further ensure the safety of our students, families, and staff, the in-school surveillance testing program is expanding to double the number of individuals tested in each school, including both vaccinated and unvaccinated students, in grades 1 and up. The random in-school surveillance program continues to provide public health experts with an accurate look at the prevalence of COVID-19 in schools. We encourage all families who have not yet submitted consent, regardless of whether their child is vaccinated, to consent to in-school testing through their NYC Schools Account (schoolsaccount.nyc) or return a signed paper form to the school. Additional information on testing for students and the printable version of the consent form in multiple languages can be found on our COVID-19 Testing for Students page.

Testing is a critical part of keeping schools open and communities safe. Thank you to those families who have already consented to testing, and for your cooperation by participating in our in-school testing program!

COVID-19 Testing Sites

The Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) continues to open new testing sites throughout the five boroughs. We strongly encourage that all students get tested for COVID-19, through a PCR, lab-based rapid test, or a home test kit on a continuous basis, regardless of vaccination status. For a list of testing sites, including sites with at-home rapid tests, call 212-COVID19, visit nyc.gov/covidtest, text "COVID TEST" to 855-48, or call 311 to find a nearby testing site.

Additionally, many pharmacies and doctors’ offices are offering COVID-19 testing. Please check with your pediatrician’s office or local pharmacy to see if you can schedule a test.

We know that nothing is more important to you than keeping your children in school, learning in healthy and safe environments. The changes we are announcing today aim to keep students in our classrooms with the least amount of disruption as possible, while putting their safety front and center.

We will continue to update you as the situation changes and hear your feedback on these updated policies and procedures. We thank you in advance for partnering with us to keep our children and staff safe in school.

In partnership,

David C. Banks

New York City Schools Chancellor

Dear Families,

When I became Chancellor this March, I was deeply moved to have the honor of leading the school system that I grew up in as a student, sent my children to as a parent, and served throughout my entire career. We are not only the largest system in the country by far, but also the most extraordinary, thanks to the remarkable diversity and dedication of our students, families, and educators. I see that especially now, families across the city are doing all they can to keep communities safe from Omicron.

From day one, we shared the important goal of fully opening our school buildings in September to all students. That long-awaited homecoming welcomed students back with new support systems to address their social and emotional needs, a curriculum that reflects their lived experiences, and technology that builds on the lessons we learned during the pandemic.

As we head into the holiday season and I transition out of my role at the end of this year, I want to thank you for doing so much to make our homecoming and the first months of this school year safe and successful for everyone in our schools. This continues to be an extraordinarily challenging time, but your partnership has enabled our students to thrive as they returned to the community of the classroom, where they learn best. I could not be more proud or grateful for what we have accomplished together.

I am heartened that my former colleague and friend David Banks will be carrying the torch from me as your new Chancellor, and know that he will further build on the progress we made for our students.

On my final tour of schools last week, a student said to me, “Thank you for helping me out as a young Black girl. You set a great example of success as the first Black woman Chancellor, and that gives me more hope than ever before.” I will always remember the people I met in this role, from that young woman to our incredible educators and our steadfast support staff who make New York City public schools possible.

I am proud of what we accomplished together for our students and I am hopeful that children like that young woman are empowered to follow in our footsteps and find success in chasing their dreams.

Happy Holidays and much gratitude to you all!

In partnership,

Meisha Porter

New York City Schools Chancellor

Dear Families,

We are well into the second month of our school homecoming, and I am so pleased that we have been able to get back into full swing while keeping our school communities healthy with minimal disruptions. Thanks to our multilayered health and safety protocols, our schools continue to be among the safest places in New York City. 

You, our families, deserve enormous credit as well for doing your part in protecting your school communities: checking your children’s temperatures every morning, encouraging safe practices like physical distancing and handwashing, and making sure they are wearing their masks before they head off to school. Thank you so much for being our partners in prioritizing their health and safety, and keep up the great work!

One very important way we are keeping our schools safe is weekly random testing of unvaccinated students (grades 1 and above) for COVID-19. This kind of regular testing to track community spread is most effective when we can test as many students as possible, but to do that we need you to submit a consent form if you haven’t already done so. Thank you to those families that have already submitted.

You can fill out the testing consent form using your NYC Schools Account (NYCSA): schoolsaccount.nyc or download the form online at COVID-19 Testing for Students and bring the completed version to your school. Testing is safe, quick, and easy. We urge you to provide this consent to help keep your child and our school communities safe. You can learn more about the in-school COVID-19 testing program and watch a video showing what your child can expect at COVID-19 Testing for Students. 

If you have a child age 12 or over, the other major step you can take for their health is to get them vaccinated if you have not done so already. The vaccines are playing a huge role in reducing infection rates across the city, and are safe, free, and available regardless of immigration status. I strongly urge you to look for a nearby location where your child can receive the approved Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine by visiting vaccinefinder.nyc.gov or calling 877-VAX-4-NYC (877-829-4692). If your child is already vaccinated, please upload that information to the DOE Covid-19 Vaccination Portal at vaccine.schools.nyc.

Thanks to your partnership, we have fully reopened our schools safely. The more families that provide consent for COVID-19 testing in schools and have their eligible children vaccinated, the greater the progress we can continue to make in protecting everyone across our City and in our schools.

In partnership,

Meisha Porter

New York City Schools Chancellor

Dear PS 109 families, 

I hope this letter finds you and your families safe and well. Unfortunately, today we had our first classroom closure for the 2021/2022 school year. I know that this closure comes as a surprise to all, especially in light of how hard we have been working to keep our staff, students and families safe by complying with all health and safety guidelines. We want you to know, however, that this closure is in keeping with our efforts to ensure that we keep our students safe. This closure reminds us of the fact that we are still living in a pandemic. To that end, I realize that many of you have received unclear or perhaps conflicting information regarding the closure.  The purpose of this letter is to provide clarity on the new health and safety guidelines surrounding positive cases.  

On Sunday, October 10, 2021, we reported a positive case to the NYC Department of Education Situation Room and NYC Contact Tracing. The Situation Room handles confirmed and suspected COVID-19 cases in all NYC DOE schools. The positive case learned of their status on Saturday, October 9, 2021. However, many of you may have received calls stating that your child was a close contact between October 6th and October 8th.  This is because CDC guidelines state that the infectious period is 3 days before a confirmed positive test result. This essentially means that some students may have been a close contact on any of the days mentioned above. This means that the school or the positive case were not aware of their positive status before October 9th.  

In following CDC guidelines and the NYC Department of Education policy, full classroom closures occur if the students in the class were close contacts. You should have received a letter stating that your child’s 10 day quarantine will end on Monday, October 18th and he/she will return to school on Tuesday, October 19th.  

However, please note that the guidance also states that if an “unvaccinated student'' is considered a close contact, they may test out of quarantine to return to their classrooms after the seventh day. In order to do so, individuals should take a COVID- 19 test on or after their fifth day of quarantine to re-enter the classroom on the eight day if they receive a negative test result. This means that if you choose to test your child after the fifth day of quarantine, that would be on October 14th. If you receive a negative test result, then your child could return on Saturday, October 16th which falls on a weekend. Therefore, your child could return on Monday, October 18th. If you choose to not test your child, we will see him/her in person on Tuesday, October 19th. 

Please note that if you have another child in a class that has not been impacted by the closure, that child is not considered a close contact and must attend school. 

While we know that these closures can cause a major disruption to our families, we want to remind you that it is in the best interest of our entire school community. Taking quick action and adhering closely to these guidelines will keep our school community safe. Your child has already been invited to her/his google classroom and so it is expected that learning will continue. If you are having any difficulty accessing google classroom or any of the other digital platforms, reach out to your child’s teacher. In rare cases, where you cannot access the digital classroom, we will be here to provide work packets. If you are in need of a device, please complete the survey on this link: bit.ly/ps109device

Our first goal is safety so that our children can continue to learn in person. I thank you for your understanding during this frustrating time.  

Educationally yours, 

Josette Claudio

Principal 

jclaudi@schools.nyc.gov 

Dear Families,

It was so exciting to welcome students back in our classrooms last week, seeing the joy on their faces as they all could finally return to learn in-person with their teachers and classmates! This is a very special time, and we are doing everything possible to make sure everyone in our schools remains safe and healthy.

I invite you to share the amazing experience of that first week of school with me through this video (Link to video https://vimeo.com/609642752/70f8506d67) capturing our homecoming experience across the city.

In addition to the extensive health and safety measures summarized on School Year 2021-22 webpage (Link to webpage https://schools.nyc.gov/homecoming), we are making two important adjustments to COVID-19 protocols in our schools:

• Weekly testing. Starting Monday, September 27, the DOE will increase random COVID-19 testing in all elementary, middle, and high schools for students in grades 1-12 from biweekly to weekly. We can only test students whose parents have provided an updated testing consent form to their school. You are encouraged to provide this consent for your child if you have not done so. If you have already submitted a testing consent form for the 2021-22 school year, that consent form remains in effect. If you have not yet submitted your consent, you can do so one of two ways:

  • Fill out the form using your NYC Schools Account (NYCSA): schoolsaccount.nyc or 

  • Download the form online at schools.nyc.gov/covidtesting and bring the completed form to your child’s school. 

• Updated quarantine policy. Also starting Monday, September 27, in accordance with the latest guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), we will no longer close an entire classroom when there is a positive case in the classroom. Unvaccinated students who are masked and at least three feet distanced from a student who tests positive are not considered close contacts under CDC guidelines and will not have to quarantine. This new policy applies to all students in any grade.

Vaccination is the most important step that we can take to protect our families and our communities against COVID-19. To protect your children and school communities, we have mandated that all DOE school staff be vaccinated against COVID-19—by September 27, all employees will have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. To schedule a vaccination appointment for yourself or your eligible student aged 12 and older, please visit vaccinefinder.nyc.gov.

We will continue to share everything we are doing to keep your children safe. Our school year back together again is already off to a fantastic start, and I look forward to seeing your students thrive and grow this year as they learn alongside their peers. 

In partnership,

Meisha Porter

New York City Schools Chancellor

Back-to-School Family Forums

You’re invited to attend virtual Back-to-School Family Forums to learn about our preparations for the first day of the 2021–2022 school year! In the forums, you will hear directly from Chancellor Meisha Porter and a public health expert from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. In addition, executive superintendents will review the DOE’s protocols for a safe re-opening, followed by a live Q&A.

You can sign up for the forums at learndoe.org/face and you’re welcome to attend any of the events. If you missed a session, feel free to attend another of your choice or watch a forum later at learndoe.org/face/recording. Interpretation will be provided in the top languages spoken in each borough. American Sign Language (ASL) will be available at all sessions.

• September 1: Brooklyn, 6:00–7:30 p.m. (Spanish, Mandarin, Arabic)

• September 1: Queens, 8:00–9:30 p.m. (Spanish, Mandarin, Bengali)

• September 2: Bronx, 6:00–7:30 p.m. (Spanish, French, Arabic)

• September 2: Staten Island, 8:00–9:30 p.m. (Spanish, Mandarin, Russian)

• September 9: Manhattan, 8:00–9:30 p.m. (Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese)

Updated Health and Safety Guidance

As you prepare for the first day of school, we hope your first stop will be the DOE’s website for school year 2021–22: schools.nyc.gov/homecoming. There you will find the most up-to-date information on how we’re working to keep students and staff healthy and safe this school year.

In addition, Mayor Bill de Blasio and Chancellor Porter have released the DOE Homecoming 2021 Health and Safety Guide. The guide includes updates about vaccination, health screenings, quarantine protocols, and other important information. It is available in multiple languages on the School Year 2021-22 page on our website.

Attendance and Grading

Attendance

Regular school attendance is crucial to learning successfully. Here are attendance policies for the 2021-22 school year:

In-person: To be marked “present,” your child must be physically present in the classroom or school learning environment for at least one instructional period during the school day.

Remote: When students must be remote (for example, when they are quarantining or their school buildings are closed in whole or in part), they must be virtually present for synchronous or asynchronous instruction during the scheduled program day.

Grading

Grades provide you and your student important feedback about how they are progressing in their learning. Here is what you need to know about grading for 2021–22:

• Schools will continue to select their own grading scales—as they did prior to the pandemic and again beginning last school year. Grading options include the 1–4 scale, alphabetic scale (A –F), and the 100-point scale. “Course in progress” (NX) is available to individual students in exceptional circumstances.

• Middle and high school parents will continue the policy adopted last year to choose to replace any passing final grade with a grade of “CR” or “P,” indicating earning course credit or passing. 

• Schools will not factor attendance into grades at all, continuing the policy adopted last school year. Your student’s grade will be based primarily on their academic progress.

Transportation

School buses transporting students will follow guidelines outlined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and New York State. Buses will take the following steps:

• Where practical and weather permitting, windows will remain open and the air system on the bus will run in the non-recirculating mode during transit; please dress your child appropriately.

• Everyone in a school bus must wear face coverings (masks) at all times regardless of vaccination status, unless they have an approved medical exemption from the mask requirements

• Students should maintain physical distance when possible.

Update Your Contact Information

Stay up to date on important announcements from the DOE, including school closures and events happening in your district or citywide! With a New York City Schools Account (NYCSA) account, you can update your contact information, fill out important school forms online, see your child’s grades, schedules, test scores, assigned transportation, attendance and more. You can sign up for an account today with just your name and contact information! To connect an account to your child’s school records, please contact your school to confirm your information.

Vaccination Reminder

Vaccination is the most important step you can take to protect you and your family from COVID-19, and all New Yorkers ages 12 and older are now eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. If you have a child who is at least 12 years old and not yet fully vaccinated, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and the DOE strongly encourage you to make a vaccination appointment for them as soon as possible by visiting vaccinefinder.nyc.gov. For the latest DOE vaccination information, visit the COVID-19 on our website.

Final Day of Community Meals Service

The last day of community meal service at NYC schools will be Friday, September 10. Starting Monday, September 13, please visit your local food pantry, soup kitchen, green market, or call 311 to assist in finding a location near you. Additional information can be found at nyc.gov/getfood.

Please note that the NYC Department of Education continues to offer free breakfast, lunch, and afterschool meals to all NYC public school students during the school year. We look forward to welcoming our students back and serving them a fresh and nutritious meal.

Hello families,

Technology device returns will be done as follows:

Dates: June 21, 2021 to June 25, 2021 from 9am to 3pm

Chromebooks with the chargers must be returned to PS 109 by the following groups of students:

• All 5th Grade students who are leaving PS 109 (teachers will message this out to all families this applies to)

• Any student who was given a Chromebook from March 2020 until now who will not be returning to PS 109 in September must return the Chromebook and its charger.

• Current 3K or PK students who did not apply and accept a position at PS 109 for the 2021-22 school year. If there is a pending, waitlist, or there is no application for your child for PK or Kindergarten, then the Chromebook and its charger must be returned

We will make note of any missing item that is not returned with the device.

iPads with their accessories (case, usb cable and usb charger) must be returned to PS 109 by the following groups of students:

• Any student who is not attending a NYC DOE school on September 2021. This includes students leaving NYC schools or transferring to charter or parochial schools (non-DOE schools).

We will make note of any missing item that is not returned with the device.

Who can remain with their device until September?

• Students returning to PS 109 next year can remain with their Chromebooks and iPads until next school year. Please make sure these are stored or kept safe if you remain with it for the summer.

• Students going to another NYC DOE school in September can remain with their NYC DOE iPad as these transition with the student to the new NYC DOE school. 

Our Chromebooks do not transition with students to their new school as these are PS 109 devices.

If a family prefers to leave the device (Chromebook or iPad) with us over the summer break for safety reason, please bring it in during the collection days above. We will store these at the school safely over the summer. If you choose this, please make sure to bring the charger for Chromebooks and the accessories for the iPad (case, usb cable and usb charger). We will make note of any missing item that is not returned with the device.

Additionally, you will receive a paper acknowledging that you returned a device to PS 109, including any accessory that is returned or missing from the device.

Devices deemed to have been needed to be returned to the school will be blocked from future use, until it is returned.

Respectfully,

Mr. Pleitez

Dear Families, 

Link to American Sign Language (video)

COVID-19 Vaccines for Children Ages 12 and Older

We are excited to share that all New Yorkers age 12 and older are now eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. If you have a child who is at least 12 years old, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene strongly encourages you to make a vaccination appointment for them as soon as possible by visiting vaccinefinder.nyc.gov. You can also call 877-VAX-4-NYC (877-829-4692) for help making an appointment at a City-run vaccination site. Many sites now have walk-in appointments.

Vaccination is the most important step you can take to protect you and your family from COVID-19. It is especially important for those with an underlying health condition that increases the risk of severe COVID-19 illness, such as asthma, obesity, or diabetes. The same is true for people who live with someone 65 or older or with an underlying health condition that increases the risk of severe COVID-19 illness. Vaccination is free and available regardless of immigration status.

In the U.S., the Pfizer vaccine is currently the only vaccine authorized by the Food and Drug Administration for children ages 12 to 17. The Pfizer vaccine has been shown to be very safe and effective at protecting people from severe COVID-19 illness, hospitalization, and death. Your child cannot get COVID-19 from the vaccine.

To find a site offering the Pfizer vaccine, make an appointment, or locate a walk-in site, visit vaccinefinder.nyc.gov. You can also check with your child’s healthcare provider to see if they are offering the Pfizer vaccine.

For answers to frequently asked questions, visit nyc.gov/vaccinefacts.

Chancellor Family Engagement Forums

Chancellor Meisha Porter has launched a five-borough family engagement tour to hear directly from school communities about their top priorities for next school year. These virtual forums are an opportunity for families, teachers, school administrators, and staff to provide Department of Education leadership with their thoughts on the types of resources and support they need as we move towards a full reopening in September. 

The remaining three forums will be held from 6:30–8:00 p.m. on these dates: 

• Queens—Thursday, May 27 

• Brooklyn—Monday, June 7 

• Bronx—Wednesday, June 9 

How to register:

Families can register for the forums at learndoe.org/chancellor. When you register, you will be asked if you want to ask a question or provide a comment during the event about topics, including health and safety, special education, fall 2021 school reopening, social-emotional learning, and more.

Each forum will be recorded and posted at learndoe.org/chancellor so you may access them at any time. Interpretation services will be available at every forum.

Update on Regents Exams

We want to remind families of high school students that the New York State Regents exams will be administered in person from June 17–24 for English Language Arts, Living Environment, Physical Setting/Earth Science, and Algebra I. All other subject exams have been cancelled for June, as well as all August Regents exams.

Due to these cancellations, certain students are eligible for Regents exam waivers, including for the four exams still being offered in June. Your child’s school will contact you to share information about the waivers and determine your interest in having your child participate in the Regents exams. Students receiving fully remote instruction are not expected to come to school to take the Regents; however, if they would like to participate, they may attend the in-person administration.

Halal Meal Expansion

We are pleased to announce that an additional 11 schools are being certified to serve halal take-out meals, for a total of 43 schools citywide. The additional schools serve students and members of the public in Spanish Harlem, Harlem, Jamaica, Jackson Heights, and Soundview. A full list of schools serving halal meals is available at the Community Meals on our website.

This expansion reflects the DOE’s commitment to respecting the religious identity of all students and to ensuring that children can eat consistent with their dietary needs. All the menus were reviewed by a panel of imams. Each school offering the halal options was inspected and certified by imams, and kitchen staff were trained to prepare food in compliance with halal rules.

This initiative was launched in partnership with the New York City Council to provide meals in the schools and neighborhoods with high demand for halal meals.

School Survey Reminder

The 15th annual NYC School Survey is underway! We encourage all families and teachers in grades 3K through 12, and students in grades 6–12 to visit nycschoolsurvey.org by June 11 to share your thoughts on your school experience this year. Make your voice heard to help make your school a better place to learn! 

Sincerely,

Meisha Porter

New York City Schools Chancellor

For more information, please see Messages to Families webpage: Link to NYC Department of Education messages to families webpage

Dear Families, 

First, thank you. I know the past year has required resiliency, determination, flexibility, and sacrifices from all of us, and from you in particular. You have taken on new roles that many of you never imagined you’d have to take on, and have balanced so much while coping with losses and the many life challenges that COVID-19 brought to us over the past year.

As we close out this school year, I am looking forward to the opportunity that lies before us to reimagine what school is and means for your children. We know that we have to welcome our students back to a warm, welcoming, and affirming learning environment that challenges them academically while lifting them up when they need support.

As our schools work hard on re-imagining how we educate our children, I am excited to share with you our re-opening plans for fall 2021. Based on available health indicators, we will return to full-time, in-person learning this September. This means that all students in grades 3-K through 12 will be learning in-person this fall.

All teachers and staff will also be returning to in-person instruction this fall. We are very grateful for the dedication of all our principals, teachers and school staff and recognize the hard work they have done during this challenging year, and we’re excited for your children to re-connect with their beloved teachers and school staff, in addition to their peers, this fall.

As we prepare for your children, as well as teachers and staff, to return to schools, we will continue our commitment to prioritize health and safety first. With a current rolling 7-day COVID positivity rate of 0.16% and a consistently low transmission rate, our schools have a proven track record of being safe. We will meet whatever the CDC social distancing requirements are in September, and we expect that the city’s continuously improving health metrics may allow for more flexibility by the fall. Finally, in our commitment to keep health and safety a top priority, we plan to adhere to the many health and safety measures we had in place this past school year, including the following:

• Masks will continue to be a requirement in all of our school buildings 

• Individuals with COVID-19 symptoms will continue to be required to stay at home 

• Students, teachers and staff will continue to complete the daily health screener at home 

• Every school building will continue to have a nurse 

• Every classroom will have working ventilation systems 

• On-site COVID-19 testing will continue in school buildings as recommended by the latest health guidance 

• The Situation Room will continue to support schools with next steps if there are positive cases 

We know that many of our students have not attended school in-person since March of 2020, and that returning to school in-person this fall will be an adjustment. We promise to do everything we can to welcome your children back and provide the supports needed to ensure a positive homecoming. We’ve already made investments to hire more teachers and social workers, and will have academic and social-emotional learning programs available to support our students. Here are some ways that we are supporting with the transition now, and we encourage you and your children to participate:

Chancellor’s Borough-Wide Family Forums

I am hosting borough-wide family town halls to hear more from you about this fall, and how we can use our resources to ensure a positive homecoming for your children and provide an enriching and challenging academic experience that integrates social-emotional learning.

• Learn more and register!

School Open Houses

Starting in June and throughout the summer, every school will host open houses for families to visit, take a tour, and learn about the health and safety precautions in place that have kept our schools safe over the last year.

• Your child’s school will be in touch with you about when these will be scheduled, and we encourage you to participate to learn more.

Summer Rising 

In partnership with the Department of Youth and Community Development, we are so excited to provide an enriching, fun and joyful summer camp experience for any interested student. We encourage your child to join us - to be welcomed back into their school communities, re-connect with teachers and staff, and get ready for fall while having fun!

• Families can sign up now! 

Thank you for your partnership, your engagement, and your dedication to your children’s education over the last year. I am in awe of how our communities came together to lift each other up to ensure our children had the best experience possible despite enormous challenges. I am looking forward to partnering with you, learning from you, and leveraging all we‘ve done together over the last year to create a new normal starting in September - one that is warm and welcoming, affirming and enriching, and exciting and challenging - for each one of your children. 

Sincerely,

Meisha Porter

New York City Schools Chancellor

For more information, please see Messages to Families webpage: Link to NYC Department of Education messages to families webpage

Dear Families, 

We just reopened high school buildings for in-person learning for the first time since November 2020, and I have to say that the joy on our students’ faces as they entered their school buildings was amazing. We are thrilled to see students of all ages safely learning in physical classrooms.

That is why I am very pleased to let you know that all our remote families will now have one more opportunity to transition to blended learning this school year. This means that if your child is currently learning remotely every day, they will be able to opt in to learning in person in the school building at least part of the week for the remainder of the school year. We will make every effort to provide as many days of in-person learning as possible. 

When and How to Opt In to Blended Learning 

• Beginning this Wednesday, March 24, you can visit the Learning Preference Survey at nycenet.edu/surveys/learningpreference

•  to select blended learning for your child.

• Families can also call 311.

• You can change to blended learning until Wednesday, April 7.

When Your Student Can Return to the School Building 

• Students in district 3-K, Pre-K, and grades K-5, including students in District 75, who opt into blended learning during this opt-in window will return to buildings in April.

• Students in grades 6-12 who opt into blended learning during this opt-in window will return at a later date, and we will communicate more details as soon as possible.

• Updates will be posted at COVID-19 Information and Updates.

Requirements for Returning to the School Building 

Please note that if you select blended learning for your child, you must submit the consent form for random COVID-19 testing by the first day your child begins in-person learning. You can submit your consent for testing one of two ways: 

• Through your New York City Schools Account (NYCSA) under ‘Manage Account’, or 

• Complete and sign the consent form available at COVID-19 Testing and bring it to your child’s school on the first day they are back in the school building.

Families that select blended learning are expected to have their child attend in person on days they are scheduled to do so.

Please note that if your child is currently learning fully remotely and you do not complete the survey indicating a preference for blended learning, your student(s) will remain fully remote.

We are able to offer this additional chance for fully remote students to opt in to learning in buildings because the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has updated its guidance, allowing us to safely accommodate more students in a classroom. As always, our focus is on the health and safety of your children, the dedicated staff who serve them, and you—their family. That has been our priority since day one, and will continue to guide everything we do.

Thanks to our strong health and safety practices—including wearing masks, hand hygiene, weekly random testing for COVID-19, physical distancing, and more—our school buildings are among the safest places in the whole city.

Thank you, as always, for your faith and partnership. We continue to show the nation what is possible in terms of safely educating our one million students—and we couldn’t do it without you. I thank you for your commitment and, in turn, I promise you that our commitment to your child is unwavering. 

Sincerely,

Meisha Porter

New York City Schools Chancellor

For more information, please see Messages to Families webpage: Link to NYC Department of Education messages to families webpage

Dear Families, 

This was my first week as your new Chancellor, and I couldn’t be more excited to take on this role. Not only because I am a New Yorker born and bred, but because education is in my blood. Both my mom and auntie were teachers and I became a New York City public school English teacher because of them, and the amazing educators I had as a student myself growing up in Queens.

Since I started at the DOE 21 years ago, I have also worked as an assistant principal, and then principal. More recently, I served our school communities as a superintendent and Bronx executive superintendent.

And now it is my honor and privilege to lead our schools citywide. I have spent much of this week seeing our brilliant students and educators from every borough in action, in-person and remotely. I saw pre-k students learn about the water cycle, joined sixth graders in learning ratios by mixing just the right ratio of food coloring into frosting, and joined seventh-graders in sharing special objects that reveal something about who we are. Despite all the changes and challenges we’ve faced this past year, our school communities are still joyful, vibrant places of learning. 

As I reflect on this week’s visits, I am also heartened by the beautiful diversity of our classrooms, communities, and our City as a whole. In our schools, “respect for all” is not just a slogan, but a way of life. We value every student, staff member, and family for who they are. We ensure everyone feels welcomed. This is at our very core.

But the horrific anti-Asian hate crimes we’ve been seeing citywide and this week in Atlanta make it clear that we must work harder to end systemic racism. Justice and inclusivity have been pillars of my career as an educator. As Chancellor, I promise to continue to advance equity and dismantle any biases in our school system. And I want to make it clear: there is no room for racism or discrimination of any kind at the Department of Education or in any of our schools. Just this week, we provided our educators with updated resources to combat hate crimes in our schools and provide our students with social and emotional supports. You can find resources for discussing racism and hate crimes with your children at schools.nyc.gov/togetherforjustice.

Creating environments that encourage all students to be who they are will be on my mind on March 22, when all our public high schools will begin welcoming students back to in-person and blended learning. Like elementary and middle schools, as well as our District 75 programs, high schools will follow the strong practices we have established to help keep school communities healthy and safe. This includes weekly random testing of students and staff for COVID-19, physical distancing, masks, and nightly deep cleaning. In the meantime, I’m excited about this important milestone in the city’s recovery. And I’m proud to lead a school system that has set the standard for the nation in reopening efforts.

This is such a hopeful and historic time for our schools and our city, and I want to thank you for all you have done to support our students and schools. In the coming weeks, there will be opportunities for us to meet and talk. I promise to hear and include your voices as we finish out this school year and plan for the next. 

Let’s go. Let’s do this. We’re ready. 

Sincerely,

Meisha Porter

New York City Schools Chancellor

For more information, please see Messages to Families webpage: Link to NYC Department of Education messages to families webpage

Dear Families, 

I hope you and your families are keeping safe and healthy. I’m writing today with some important news.

After three years leading the DOE, I will be stepping down as Chancellor in March.

I am full of mixed emotions to leave the DOE family. It has been the honor of my career to serve you, and help your child’s school and our whole system get closer to reaching its full potential. The strength and resilience of your children—our 1 million students—is awe-inspiring. It is what drove me through this unprecedented crisis, and it is what I take with me as I leave this post. The commitment and support you have shown to your children, and to your school communities, is incredible.

Throughout my career, my guiding light has been the belief that public education is the most powerful equalizer for children. Public education anchors communities. Public education makes it possible for a child who is poor, or who lives in temporary housing, or—in my own case—who doesn’t speak English when they enter the public school system to develop their dreams, and then to chase them. Truly, it is public education that expresses the highest ideals of our democracy. My time in New York City has only strengthened this belief, as I have seen it play out time and again, in schools all across the boroughs.

And together, we have seen proof. Our seniors kept breaking their own records as graduation rates and college enrollment kept rising higher, and the dropout rate kept getting lower.

We also made true progress in dismantling the structures and policies that are the products of decades of entrenched racism in the city and country. We have worked to undo segregation and turn “equity” from an esoteric concept to a reality. Every school that no longer screens children for admission, and every district that uses DOE resources to create more space for low-income students, or English language learners, is making this mission real.

We finally brought the mental health of our children into the spotlight and made it a major priority so that every child can feel welcomed, comfortable, and safe in their classroom and school community—especially now, when so many of our students are dealing with unforeseeable trauma.

And, of course, at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic we transformed the nation’s largest school system overnight in order to protect the health of our students, staff, families, and communities. We have reinvented what it means to teach and learn in New York City public schools.

All throughout, I have been proud to prioritize what’s best for kids over what’s politically popular. I have never been afraid of hard conversations. I have always believed that we need to set a high bar for every student—and then do what it takes to help them meet it.

You, your children, and the dedicated staff who serve you deserve both continuity and courageous leadership from your next Chancellor. You need someone who knows firsthand the reality on the ground at our schools, and has the talent and leadership to finish the school year out strong and drive towards bringing every child back to buildings in September.

That is why I am so proud that one of the most important leaders in this work will take on the privilege and responsibility of being your next Chancellor: Meisha Porter.

Meisha is a 20-year veteran of New York City public schools, and currently serves as Bronx Executive Superintendent. In this role, she leads community school districts 7-12, covering the entire borough and its 361 schools and 235,000 students. She is a lifelong New Yorker and product of our public schools who first joined the Department of Education as a teacher at the Bronx School for Law, Government, and Justice—a school she helped conceive. After 18 years at the school, where she became Principal, Meisha spent three years as Superintendent of District 11, serving the Pelham Parkway, Eastchester, and Woodlawn neighborhoods of the Bronx. She has been Executive Superintendent since 2018, and in that time, the students of the Bronx have achieved significant academic gains, and schools have gotten stronger and stronger.

Meisha is an unparalleled warrior for our students and our schools. She attended them, she taught in them, she led them, and now she will be Chancellor for ALL of them. None of the last several Chancellors—myself included—have been actively working with our schools, day in and day out, at the time they were appointed. Meisha will break the mold, bringing all her experience, past and present, to support you and your children. You will be hearing much more from Meisha soon, and I will be working with her over the next several weeks to ensure a smooth and productive transition.

More than anything, I am proud to have served you, and so proud of the strides we have made. I don’t know what’s next for me, but I know I will take the spirit and richness of New York City with me anywhere and everywhere I go.

It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve as your Chancellor. I am grateful to each and every one of you.

Sincerely,

Richard A. Carranza

Chancellor

Department of Education

For more information, please see Messages to Families webpage: Link to NYC Department of Education messages to families webpage

All NYC public school buildings will be closed February 1-2, all instruction will take place remotely

Posted 9:30 AM EST, Sunday January 31, 2021 Updated 10:51 AM EST, Monday February 1, 2021

Due to expected severe weather conditions, all New York City public school buildings will are closed today, Monday, February 2, 2021 and will remain closed tomorrow, Tuesday, February 2, 2021. All instruction will take place remotely.  

• Learning Bridges and Learning Labs, after-school programs, adult education, and YABC programs are cancelled tomorrow. 

• Food distribution sites are closed.

• For safety reasons, yellow bus service for charter and non-public school students will not operate tomorrow.

The Situation Room will be open tomorrow and can be reached at (212) 393-2780 or rts@buildings.nyc.gov. In-school COVID-19 testing will not take place tomorrow, and will resume next week for those schools that were scheduled for tomorrow.

DOE central and field offices will remain open. Non-school-based staff who are working remotely should continue to do so; those who have been reporting in person should consult with their supervisor as to whether their work can be done remotely tomorrow should conditions prevent safe travel. We urge staff to exercise caution when going outside and to use public transportation whenever possible. 

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for tomorrow and NYC Emergency Management has also issued a Hazardous Travel Advisory beginning tonight through tomorrow afternoon.

• Snow is anticipated to begin tonight and continue until as late as noon tomorrow.

• We are working in close communication with DOT and NYC Emergency Management (NYCEM) throughout the next 24 hours.

• Safety is of the utmost importance. New Yorkers are encouraged to use public transportation during storm conditions and use caution when walking, biking and driving and allow for additional travel time.

1/22/2021

Dear P.S. 109 - BRONX at 1771 POPHAM AVENUE Families:

I’m writing to inform you that following an initial 24 hour closure of our school building, the NYC Test + Trace Corps (T2) and the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) have determined that for the health and safety of our school community, the building must remain closed through 1/30/2021.

Below you will find information on next steps. The guidance below reflects the expertise of the DOHMH, T2, and the New York City Department of Education (DOE).

What Happens Now?

●      The school building will remain closed through 1/30/2021, and all teaching and learning will continue remotely.

●      Anyone with a positive COVID-19 test will not return to the school until they are no longer infectious.

●      Close contacts of the person who tested positive have been notified and will continue their 10-day quarantine period. If additional close contacts are identified, they will also be instructed to quarantine for 10 days.

●  To help New Yorkers quarantine, the NYC Test + Trace Corps partners with community-based organizations to connect individuals to resources like food, medicine, and health care.  To connect with resources, you can call 212-COVID19 (212-268-4319).

How Do We Stay Healthy?

Please remember to follow the “Core Four” actions to prevent COVID-19 transmission:  

1. Stay home if sick (except to get essential medical care, including COVID-19 testing).

2. Practice social distancing: Stay at least 6 feet away from people who are not members of your household.

3. Wear a face covering to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

4. Practice healthy hand hygiene: Wash your hands often or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer; avoid touching your face; and cover your cough or sneeze with your arm, not your hands.

How can I stay updated?

We will continue to closely follow directions from public health experts, and stay in close contact about any measures we are taking. To ensure we can reach you via text and email, please create a New York City Schools Account (NYCSA) as soon as possible by visiting schools.nyc.gov/nycsa.

For additional information on COVID-19, visit schools.nyc.gov/coronavirus or call 311. 

 Sincerely,

Josette Claudio

PS 109 The Sedgwick School 

1771 Popham Avenue 

Bronx, New York 10453 

(718) 583-8878 

 1/21/2021

Dear P.S. 109 - BRONX at 1771 POPHAM AVENUE Families:

I’m writing to inform you that following an initial 24 hour closure of our school building, the NYC Test + Trace Corps (T2) and the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) have determined that for the health and safety of our school community, the building must remain closed through 1/22/2021.

Below you will find information on next steps. The guidance below reflects the expertise of the DOHMH, T2, and the New York City Department of Education (DOE).

What Happens Now?

●      The school building will remain closed through 1/22/2021, and all teaching and learning will continue remotely.

●      Anyone with a positive COVID-19 test will not return to the school until they are no longer infectious.

●      Close contacts of the person who tested positive have been notified and will continue their 10-day quarantine period. If additional close contacts are identified, they will also be instructed to quarantine for 10 days.

●  To help New Yorkers quarantine, the NYC Test + Trace Corps partners with community-based organizations to connect individuals to resources like food, medicine, and health care.  To connect with resources, you can call 212-COVID19 (212-268-4319).

How Do We Stay Healthy?

Please remember to follow the “Core Four” actions to prevent COVID-19 transmission:  

1. Stay home if sick (except to get essential medical care, including COVID-19 testing).

2. Practice social distancing: Stay at least 6 feet away from people who are not members of your household.

3. Wear a face covering to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

4. Practice healthy hand hygiene: Wash your hands often or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer; avoid touching your face; and cover your cough or sneeze with your arm, not your hands.

How can I stay updated?

We will continue to closely follow directions from public health experts, and stay in close contact about any measures we are taking. To ensure we can reach you via text and email, please create a New York City Schools Account (NYCSA) as soon as possible by visiting schools.nyc.gov/nycsa.

For additional information on COVID-19, visit schools.nyc.gov/coronavirus or call 311. 

 Sincerely,

Josette Claudio

PS 109 The Sedgwick School 

1771 Popham Avenue 

Bronx, New York 10453 

(718) 583-8878 

1/20/2021  

Subject: 24 Hour School Building Closure

Dear P.S. 109 - BRONX - X109 at 1771 POPHAM AVENUE Families:

 The NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) and the NYC Test + Trace Corps (T2) determined that two or more members of our school community have tested positive for COVID-19 within seven days of each other. As a result, the school building will close for an initial 24 hours to investigate the source(s) of transmission.

Below you will find information on next steps to protect the health of you, your child, and the school community. This guidance reflects the expertise of DOHMH, T2, and the New York City Department of Education (DOE).

What Happens Now?

●        Effective 1/21/2021, the school building will close for an initial 24 hours. All students will transition to fully remote learning for this period. During this time, T2 and DOHMH will complete their investigation and the school will be cleaned and disinfected.

●        All students and staff in the affected room(s) with the individual who tested positive are considered “close contacts” and have been notified of the need to quarantine for 10 days from their last contact with the person who tested positive. These students and staff will transition to fully remote teaching and learning for this period.

●        Anyone with a positive COVID-19 test will not return to the building until they are no longer infectious.

●        T2 and DOHMH will identify and notify any other close contacts in the building, who will also need to quarantine for 10 days.

●        Based on the status of the investigation, I will communicate with you each night about the status of opening the next morning for everyone who is not a close contact.

How do we stay healthy?

Please remember to follow these important “Core Four” actions to prevent COVID-19 transmission:  

1. Stay home if sick (except to get essential medical care, including COVID-19 testing).

2. Practice social distancing: Stay at least 6 feet away from people who are not members of your household.

3. Wear a face covering to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

4. Practice healthy hand hygiene: Wash your hands often or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer; avoid touching your face; and cover your cough or sneeze with your arm, not your hands.

How can I stay updated?

We will continue to closely follow directions from public health experts and proactively update you on any measures we are taking. To ensure we can reach you via text and email, please create a New York City Schools Account (NYCSA) as soon as possible by visiting schools.nyc.gov/nycsa.

To help New Yorkers quarantine, the NYC Test + Trace Corps partners with community-based organizations to connect individuals to resources like food, medicine, and health care.  To connect with these resources, you can call 1-212-COVID19 (212-268-4319).

For additional information on COVID-19, visit schools.nyc.gov/coronavirus or call 311.  

Sincerely,

Josette Claudio

PS 109 The Sedgwick School 

1771 Popham Avenue 

Bronx, New York 10453 

(718) 583-8878 

Dear Families, 

Before we part for Winter Recess, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for all you have done to keep the learning going during this unforgettable year.

Our families and educators are the hearts and souls of our school communities, and everything we have gotten right this year, we owe to you. To the sacrifices you have made to ensure your children thrive in an era of blended and remote learning. To your trust in our public schools. To your personal feedback to me—whether positive or negative, it has helped me and everyone at the DOE better serve you and your children.

Although the holidays will look very different this year, there is still much to celebrate. I hope you take time to rejoice, relax, connect with loved ones near and far—and reflect on the acts of kindness and compassion that have lifted your lives these past 12 months.

As we look ahead to the rest of the school year, we are unwavering in our focus to deliver the highest-quality education possible to each of your children. We do this to prepare them for a successful, productive life, empowered with the skills they need to chase their dreams. To that end, last week we announced changes to the middle and high school admissions process, which will open in January. Beginning next year, our middle schools will not use academic records, auditions, or other screens or assessments to evaluate or admit students, and high schools will phase out geographic priorities. This will result in a fairer process for all New York City public school families. To learn more, please visit our pages on Middle School or High School admissions .

We know there’s more to do, and we are united in our mission to make sure your child—and every one of their 1.1 million peers—receives the best education possible in the greatest city in the world.

On behalf of all of us at the Department of Education, I wish you and your loved ones a beautiful holiday season and a happy new year. Please stay safe and well, and we look forward to seeing you in 2021!

Sincerely,

Richard A. Carranza

Chancellor

Department of Education

For more information, please see Messages to Families webpage: Link to NYC Department of Education messages to families webpage

12/21/2020

Subject: 14 Day Bldg Closure Due to Multiple Confirmed Cases

Dear P.S. 109 - BRONX at 1771 POPHAM AVENUE Families:

I’m writing to inform you that following an initial 24 hour closure of our school building, the NYC Test + Trace Corps (T2) and the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) have determined that ​the building must remain closed through 1/3/2021​.

Below you will find guidance that reflects the expertise of the DOHMH, the New York City Department of Education (DOE) and T2.

What Happens Now?

• The school building will remain closed through ​1/3/2021​, and all teaching and learning will continue remotely. Staff and students may return to school on ​1/4/2021​.

• Anyone with a positive COVID-19 test will not return to the school until they are no longer infectious.

• Close contacts of the person who tested positive have been notified, and will continue their 14-day quarantine period. If additional close contacts are identified, they will also be instructed to quarantine for 14 days.

How Do We Stay Healthy?

Please remember to follow these important “Core Four” actions to prevent COVID-19 transmission:

1. Stay home if sick ​(except to get essential medical care, including COVID-19 testing).

2. Practice social distancing​: Stay at least 6 feet away from people who are not members of your household.

3. Wear a face covering​ to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

4. Practice healthy hand hygiene​: Wash your hands often or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer; avoid touching your face; and cover your cough or sneeze with your arm, not your hands.

How can I stay updated?

We will continue to closely follow directions from public health experts, and proactively update you on any measures we are taking. ​To ensure we can reach you via text and email, please create a New York City Schools Account (NYCSA) as soon as possible by visiting schools.nyc.gov/nycsa.

To help New Yorkers quarantine, the NYC Test + Trace Corps partners with community-based organizations to connect individuals to resources like food, medicine, and health care. To connect with resources, you can call ​1-212-COVID19 (212-268-4319).

For additional information on COVID-19, visit ​schools.nyc.gov/coronavirus​ or call 311.

Sincerely,

Josette Claudio, Principal

PS 109 The Sedgwick School

1771 Popham Avenue

Bronx, New York 10453

(718) 583-8878

12/18/2020 

Subject: 24 Hour School Building Closure

Dear P.S. 109 - BRONX - X109 at 1771 POPHAM AVENUE Families:

As a result of determinations made by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) and The NYC Test + Trace Corps (T2), two or more members of our school community have tested positive for COVID-19 within seven days of each other. As a result, the school building will close for an initial 24 hours so that the NYC Department of Health & Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) may investigate the source(s) of transmission.

Below you will find guidance that reflects the expertise of the DOHMH, the New York City Department of Education (DOE) and the NYC Test & Trace Corps (T2).

What Happens Now? 

• Effective 12/21/2020, the school building will close for an initial 24 hours. All students will transition to fully remote learning for this period. During this time, T2 and DOHMH will complete their investigation and the school will be cleaned and disinfected.

• All students and staff in the affected class(es) with the individual who tested positive are considered “close contacts” and have been notified of the need to quarantine for 14 days from their last contact with the person who tested positive. These students and staff will transition to fully remote teaching and learning for this period.

• Anyone with a positive COVID-19 test will not return to the building until they are no longer infectious. 

• T2 and DOHMH will complete their investigation to identify and notify any other close contacts in the building, who will also need to quarantine for 14 days.

• Based on the status of the investigation, I will communicate with you each night about the status of opening the next morning for everyone who is not a close contact.

How do we stay healthy? 

Please remember to follow these important “Core Four” actions to prevent COVID-19 transmission:   

1. Stay home if sick (except to get essential medical care, including COVID-19 testing).

2. Practice social distancing: Stay at least 6 feet away from people who are not members of your household. 

3. Wear a face covering to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

4. Practice healthy hand hygiene: Wash your hands often or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer; avoid touching your face; and cover your cough or sneeze with your arm, not your hands. 

How can I stay updated? 

We will continue to closely follow directions from public health experts and proactively update you on any measures we are taking. To ensure we can reach you via text and email, please create a New York City Schools Account (NYCSA) as soon as possible by visiting schools.nyc.gov/nycsa. 

To help New Yorkers quarantine, the NYC Test + Trace Corps partners with community-based organizations to connect individuals to resources like food, medicine, and health care.  To connect with these resources, you can call 1-212-COVID19 (212-268-4319).

For additional information on COVID-19, visit schools.nyc.gov/coronavirus or call 311.  

Sincerely,

Josette Claudio

PS 109 The Sedgwick School 

1771 Popham Avenue 

Bronx, New York 10453 

(718) 583-8878 

Dear Families, 

I hope you are safe and well.

As we head into winter, it’s likely we will have inclement weather that in an ordinary year would cause all schools to close for teaching and learning. This year, if a snowstorm or other weather demands that school buildings close, all schools will still conduct remote learning on that day. All students will be expected to log on and engage with their work from home as they do on other days when they learn remotely. Middle and high school students who are already learning remotely every day are expected to attend school remotely, regardless of the weather.

The ability to teach and learn remotely across the system allows us to continue learning despite inclement weather closures. You will still be notified as usual when we are closing buildings due to weather, but these will not be days off from learning. 

Your school will stay in close communication with you regarding the upcoming snowstorm predicted to affect New York City beginning the evening of Wednesday, December 16. Please note that extra meals will be available on Tuesday, December 15 and Wednesday, December 16 to take home.

Please do not hesitate to contact your principal if you have any questions. 

Sincerely,

Richard A. Carranza

Chancellor

Department of Education

For more information, please see Messages to Families webpage: Link to NYC Department of Education messages to families webpage

Systemwide Building Closure

Dear Families,

I hope you and your loved ones are safe and healthy. 

All of us at the Department of Education have been so proud to witness the joy of students and educators reuniting and learning together this year. We have been the only major school district in the nation to reopen our buildings. The benefit to hundreds of thousands of students is incredible, as school communities have reconnected in person for learning, growing, and supporting one another. 

 All along, we have kept health and safety at the forefront of everything we do. That includes carefully monitoring COVID-19 transmission rates across the city and, when necessary in response to infections, temporarily closing our school buildings and transitioning students to fully remote learning. 

Given recent increases in transmission, we have reached a point in our City’s infection rate that requires all students to transition to remote learning. Beginning Thursday, November 19, all school buildings will be closed, and all learning will proceed remotely for all students, until further notice. You will hear from your principal shortly about next steps for you and your student. Please note that this is a temporary closure, and school buildings will reopen as soon as it is safe to do so. 

I am sure you have many questions, and below you can find some important guidance to provide some answers. As always, we are committed to academic excellence, community-building, and social-emotional support for your child—no matter where they are learning. 

Devices for Remote Learning 

Do you need a device, need technical support or to fix a broken device, or are dealing with a lost or stolen device? Call DOE’s IT Help desk at 718-935-5100 and press 5 to get assistance. 

 You can also get quick help online: 

• Browse tech support topics: schools.nyc.gov/technicaltools 

• File a tech support ticket: schools.nyc.gov/techsupport 

• Request a device: schools.nyc.gov/devices

• Get support with a DOE-issued iPad: schools.nyc.gov/ipadfixes 

• Issues with your Internet connection: schools.nyc.gov/internet

We are committed to ensuring every student is learning 5 days a week. Your child’s school will support you in remote learning if you currently don’t have a device by providing paper-based work. Contact your school for more info. 

Free Meals for Students and Families 

All families and students can continue to go to any school building between 9:00 a.m. and noon on weekdays to pick up three free grab-and-go meals. No identification or registration is necessary. Halal and kosher meals are available at some sites, which are listed at schools.nyc.gov/freemeals. 

From 3-5 p.m., New Yorkers of all ages can pick up free meals at 260 Community Meals sites across the city. For a list of sites, please visit schools.nyc.gov/freemeals. 

Learning Bridges 

Learning Bridges, the City’s free childcare program for children in 3-K through 8th grade, will continue to serve families enrolled in blended learning. We will continue to give priority to children of essential workers, as well as students in temporary housing or residing in NYCHA developments, children in foster care or receiving child welfare services, and students with disabilities. Families can learn more and apply at schools.nyc.gov/learningbridges, and new offers will be made to families weekly as seats are available. 

Early Childhood Education 

3-K and Pre-K classrooms in district schools and DOE Pre-K Centers will be closed. If your child attends a program in a community-based center that is not located in a public school, or attends a family childcare program that is part of a DOE network, it will remain open. If you are not sure which type of program your child attends or have questions about your child’s services, please contact your program directly. Strong supports are in place to ensure that these sites can continue operating safely. 

Although we are temporarily shifting to fully remote teaching and learning for all students, if you have recently elected to enroll your child in blended learning, your child will be able to begin in-person learning after we reopen. I know that for many of you, this decision to temporarily close school buildings that we recently opened up will be disappointing, and I understand. But by confronting these challenges together, we can continue to fight back against COVID-19. And I am confident that before long, we will be able to safely reopen our school buildings again. 

Please remember the “Core Four”: wash your hands, wear a face covering, keep six feet of distance from others, and stay home if you’re feeling sick. These are critically important steps that all of us can take every day.

We will continue to provide updates, supporting you and everyone in the DOE family as this public health crisis continues to evolve. In the meantime, please do not hesitate to reach out to your child’s school with any questions or concerns. We are grateful for your partnership and all you do for our city.

Sincerely,

Richard A. Carranza

Chancellor

Department of Education

For more information, please see Messages to Families webpage: Link to NYC Department of Education messages to families webpage

Learning Bridges

As the New York City Department of Education resumes in-person schooling this fall, most schools and early childhood programs will operate on a blended learning model. This means that each week, students will have some school days in person, and some school days remotely. Learning Bridges is a new program that will provide free child care options for children from 3-K through 8th grade on days when they are scheduled for remote learning. 

How to Apply

• If you are interested in the Learning Bridges program, please complete this application: Link to Learning Bridges online application

• Need help completing the online application? Call 311 for assistance.

• If you already filled out the expression of interest form, you do not need to complete another application.

Programming and Safety

The Learning Bridges programs will: 

• Be operated by community-based organizations and other partners 

• Provide opportunities for children to connect to their remote learning activities 

• Include time for art, recreation, and other age-appropriate activities 

• Follow the same rigorous health and safety precautions as schools

Eligibility and Enrollment

Learning Bridges is open to 3-K through 8th grade students enrolled in a DOE school or contracted early childhood program. This includes District 75, 4410 programs, 853 programs, contracted 3-K, Pre-K, and EarlyLearn programs, and DOE elementary and middle schools. 

Currently, Learning Bridges is not available for families that have opted for a 100% remote schedule.

Priority for placement will be given to:

• Families in temporary housing, including shelters and hotels

• Children of NYCDOE school and program staff, including staff of Learning Bridges sites and other contracted early childhood providers

• Families residing in NYCHA developments

• Children in family foster care or receiving other child welfare services

• Students with disabilities

• Children whose parent/guardian is an essential worker or was previously enrolled in a Regional Enrichment Center (REC)

Learning Bridges sites will be paired with DOE schools and contracted early childhood programs so that students will be interacting with a similar cohort of students even between sites.

Where placements are available, families will receive a letter from the DOE detailing their Learning Bridges site and next steps to enroll their child. Seats will continue to be added throughout the fall on a rolling basis.

Link to PDF flyer of this information

Link to PDF flyer of this information,  in other languages

School-based Testing

Keeping school buildings open depends upon awareness of and immediate action on any COVID-19 concerns in our buildings. To do this, we need students and staff in our buildings to get tested! That’s why we’re bringing testing directly into schools beginning in October 2020. Our testing partners will come to district schools, every month, and test a randomly selected group of staff and students from grades 1-12. The number of people to be tested will depend on the size of the school.

This testing initiative is organized by our partners at NYC Health + Hospitals, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), and the NYC Test & Trace Corps. In addition to the random monthly testing, we are also working hard to offer in-school testing later this year for students who are showing symptoms of COVID-19, or are a confirmed close contact of someone in the school who has tested positive. The test is easy, quick, and safe. Instead of the “long swab” that goes in the back of the nose, this test is a short, small swab (like a Q-Tip) that goes just in the front of the nose.. Later this school year, it is possible that tests will be administered by collecting a small amount of saliva (spit). The whole test will take about two minutes.

• In order for us to administer a COVID-19 test to your child, we need your consent. We strongly encourage you to sign and return the consent form as soon as you receive it from your school.

Link to COVID-19 Testing information page including Testing Consent forms

Link to downloadable PDF of testing consent form

While consent to testing is not mandatory, providing our testing partners with a sufficient monthly sample size to identify the prevalence of COVID-19 is critical in our ongoing fight against this virus and to ensure we can keep school communities in school buildings for in-person learning. For the safety of our school community, students who do not have consent forms on file may be required to learn remotely if we do not receive forms from enough students in the school. 

We want to assure you that if your child is selected for testing but is uncomfortable or unable to be tested, we will not test your child and will work with you to address any concerns so that they can participate in future testing. We are focused on making this a brief, and gentle experience for our students, led by trained testers.

If your child is tested, we will let you know they were tested and when and how you will receive the results, which will typically be provided within 48-72 hours.

Dear Families, 

We are so excited to welcome you back into our school building! As we begin this new school year, the health and safety of all students and staff remains our top concern. That’s why many things in our school buildings will look different this year, from face masks to physical distancing in every classroom to disinfecting every school, every night. We are taking all of these steps to ensure that our schools remain safe, our students and staff stay healthy, and that you feel confident sending your children for in-person learning.

Today we are writing to ask for your help with another important element of our health and safety work: testing our students and staff for COVID-19. Keeping school buildings open depends on helping us stay aware of and take immediate action to address COVID-19 concerns in our buildings. That’s why we have partnered with NYC Health + Hospitals, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, and the NYC Test & Trace Corps to arrange for testing of NYC DOE students and staff for COVID-19 infection.

Our testing partners will test a randomly selected group of staff and students in schools once per month. The number of children and staff to be tested each month will depend on the size of the school population. In addition to the random monthly testing, we are also working hard to offer in-school testing later this year for students who are showing symptoms of COVID-19, or are a confirmed close contact of someone in the school who has tested positive. The test is easy, quick, and safe. Instead of the “long swab” that goes in the back of the nose, this test is a short, small swab (like a Q-Tip) that goes just in the front of the nose. Later this school year, it is possible that tests will be administered by collecting a small amount of saliva (spit). 

In order for us to administer a COVID-19 test to your child, we need your consent. We strongly encourage you to sign and return the consent form, available on the Covid-19 Testing page, as soon as possible.

Monthly testing of randomly selected staff and students is a vital part of our efforts to prevent COVID-19 transmission in our buildings, because it helps identify positive COVID-19 cases when symptoms are not present. As with other health and safety measures we are requiring to keep our staff and students safe, the success of this testing initiative relies on the partnership and cooperation of staff and students.  

While consent to testing is not mandatory, providing our testing partners with a sufficient monthly sample size to identify the prevalence of COVID-19 is critical in our ongoing fight against this virus and to ensure we can keep school communities in school buildings for in-person learning. For the safety of our school community, students who do not have consent forms on file may be required to learn remotely if we do not receive forms from enough students in the school. 

We want to assure you that if your child is selected for testing but is uncomfortable or unable to be tested, we will not test your child and will work with you to address any concerns so that they can participate in future testing. We are focused on making this a brief, and gentle experience for our students, led by trained testers. 

• If your child is tested, we will let you know they were tested and when and how you will receive the results, which will typically be provided within 48-72 hours.

• We know you likely have questions, and we are sharing more information on the Frequently Asked Questions page. Please review this with your child.

• Testing in schools will begin in October. You can reach out to your school at any time with any questions or concerns.

• We deeply appreciate your partnership and your commitment to keeping your school community safe and healthy.

Letter signed by:

• Dave A. Chokshi, MD, MSc Commissioner, NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene

• Ted Long, MD, MHS Executive Director, NYC Test & Trace Corps

• Richard A. Carranza, Chancellor, New York City Department of Education

Link to the PDF downloadable version of this letter

Link to the this letter available in other languages

As our buildings reopen and your child reconnects with their school community, we are reminded of how much it takes from all of us to operate the largest school system in the nation. Serving each of our 1.1 million students takes an immense amount of resources, and right now the federal government isn’t coming through with the funds that our city desperately needs.

You can make a huge difference by filling out the 2020 United States Census. While the Census deadline has been temporarily extended, I still encourage families to complete it today as the final deadline has yet to be determined. It’s a short online survey to count all New Yorkers, and it only happens once every ten years. Filling it out ensures our city gets the money, power, and respect we deserve from the federal government.

Without an accurate population count, our City will lose out on billions of dollars in federal funding for our schools, but also healthcare, roads, hospitals, public transportation, and more. New York could even lose two seats in Congress.

How to Fill Out the United States Census

• Go online to my2020census.gov

• Filling it out takes five minutes or less.

• The Census is available online in 15 languages.

• In addition, you can complete your census over the phone by calling 844-330-2020.
  
  

The Census is Safe and Private

• The Census counts all residents, regardless of citizenship or immigration status—therefore, the Census does not include a citizenship question.

• Even if you are undocumented, filling out the Census will not put you or your family at risk.

• Census responses are private, protected by federal law, kept strictly confidential, and can never be used against you by a court, government agency, law enforcement authorities, or third parties like a business or your landlord.

Too much is at stake for us to be undercounted, so please fill out the Census if you have not already done so, and encourage your friends and family members to do so as well! 

Making sure that all New Yorkers are counted is so important to guarantee a bright future for our city and our children.

For more information, please see this message on the DOE website. 

LInk to DOE website regarding US Census

Cancel the CrowdStrike app download

Your internet connection may be stalled by the app, CrowdStrike, trying to download. You will know it’s trying to download because it will be grayed out. 

1. Locate the CrowdStrike app. It’s red with a white falcon.

2. If the app is grayed out, tap and hold the CrowdStrike app icon.

3. A menu will appear.

4. Tap Cancel Download.

5. Canceling the download will prompt other apps to update.

6. Allow all other apps to update.

7. Check your internet connection again by going to schools.nyc.gov 

Turn Wi-Fi off

1. Go to the Settings app.

2. Locate the Wi-Fi menu on the left.

3. Tap the Wi-Fi button to turn it off (it should be gray).

4. Open your browser and go to google.com

5. If you can connect to google.com, you are connected to the internet.

6. Turn Wi-Fi back on.

Toggle Airplane mode on for 15 seconds

Turning on Airplane Mode and then turning it off again will reset your internet connection.

1. Tap the Settings app.

2. Find the Airplane Mode button.

3. Turn Airplane Mode on (the button will turn green) and leave it on for 15 seconds.

4. Turn Airplane Mode off and wait until the iPad reconnects to the internet (you will see the connected icon in the top right of your home screen).

5. Test your connection by opening your browser and going to schools.nyc.gov 

Open the Zscaler app

All DOE iPads come with Zscaler, a content-filtering app that ensures you use the iPad safely and in compliance with DOE policy. There are several websites that you may not be able to access if Zscaler is not connected on your iPad. To connect Zscaler:

1. Tap the Zscaler icon.

2. You will be automatically signed in to the app.

3. Service Status will say “Connecting…”

4. Wait until Service Status changes to “ON”. This may take a few minutes.

5. Close Zscaler.

6. Test your internet connection by going to www.schools.nyc.gov

Please note that the DOE does not allow certain websites to be visited at any time. If you believe you are being blocked from a website in error, submit a ticket for technical support.

Reset your iPad (Erase all content and settings)

Important: do not erase your data plan (if you see that prompt) 

If you have tried all the above troubleshooting steps and still cannot connect your iPad to the internet, you will need to reset your iPad. Here’s how to do this:

1. Open the Settings app.

2. Tap General, located on the left hand side of the Settings menu.

3. Tap Reset.

4. Tap Erase All Content and Settings.

5. Allow your iPad to reset.

After your iPad has been reset

Once your iPad is reset, you will be prompted to set it up again. When following the prompts:

1. Select your language and country (you must select the United States).

2. Choose Set up Manually.

3. Select a WiFi network (if you don’t have WiFi, scroll to the bottom of the list and tap Use Cellular Connection).

4. Give the iPad a few minutes to activate and configure.

5. The screen will say Remote Management. When this happens, tap Next in the upper right corner.

6. You will see a message saying Installing Configuration from the NYC Department of Education.

7. Allow 30-40 minutes for all applications to download and refresh.

8. Test your internet connection by going to schools.nyc.gov 

If this still does not work, then request technical support

If you tried all of the above steps and your iPad still won't connect to the internet, email technical support at support@ps109x.org . 

Good Evening PS 109 Families, 

Please join us this Friday, August 14th @ 12 pm for our 2nd Town Hall Meeting. During this meeting, we will be sharing the school programming model chosen for our school community. We look forward to connecting with on Friday during our meeting. 

Dear Families,

I hope you are staying safe and healthy. We are heading towards the end of the school year, soon to close the chapter on an experience none of us could have imagined.

But while we are thinking about concluding one chapter, we are focused on the beginning of another: what the future of our schools will look like, and how we will come back in September for the 2020-21 school year. I am writing today with an important update and an opportunity to lend your voice to the planning for this fall.

You, your children, and all the staff at DOE have done an extraordinary job adjusting to a total transformation of education in the nation’s largest public school system. We must continue to center health and safety and be prepared to follow guidance issued by health experts and other important authorities as autumn approaches. Since we don’t know what the state of the coronavirus will be at that time, we must be ready for a number of options for teaching and learning. In addition to the risks posed by COVID-19 directly, we are acutely aware of the emergence of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C), a condition related to COVID-19 that has affected children in New York City as well as across the country and the world.

What Might Fall 2020 Look Like? 

We have not yet made any firm decisions for what this fall will look like as we start the 2020-2021 school year. However, we believe that all options will need to take into account social distancing. We know that for many students, nothing can quite match full-time teaching and learning in a school building. Given the ongoing health risks related to COVID-19, we also need to prepare for a variety of educational models and approaches, including what I call blended learning. Blended learning means combining in-person and remote instruction to create a powerful educational experience where each mode of learning supports the other. Throughout it all, the goal remains to provide as much in-person learning as possible, and give every child the academic support they need while keeping them safe.

Lend Your Voice Through the Return to School 2020 Survey 

There are many ways blended learning can operate, and we know every student and family has experienced remote learning differently. We want to hear from you about your preferences and concerns as we head into the 2020-2021 school year. We have created a short survey for both families and students—please take a moment to fill it out and share your thoughts by Monday, June 22. The survey is anonymous and should take about 7 minutes to complete. It’s available in 9 languages at schools.nyc.gov/returntoschool2020, and those without the ability to complete it online can do so by calling 311. Thank you in advance for taking the time to again give us your feedback: it will help us to better serve you.

Working together, we will build a strong, just, safe, and successful future for our schools and our City.

Sincerely,

Richard A. Carranza

Chancellor

Department of Education

For more information and resources, please use:

Link to Return to School 2020 page

Dear Families,

It is hard to recall another time as gut-wrenching and heartbreaking as these recent days have been. George Floyd’s murder at the hands of police officers last week was horrifying. I am sickened. But, like many of you, I am not surprised. We have seen this abominable disregard for Black lives so many times before, including multiple times in recent weeks. It is truly agonizing to witness; it is nothing short of another pandemic presenting itself on the streets of America.

The New York City Department of Education condemns police brutality and this brutal loss of life. My heart breaks to know that yet another Black family has lost a son, a father, a brother. I stand in solidarity with Black New Yorkers and Americans, and with everyone who is mourning yet another senseless loss. Pain ripples and resonates across communities all over the City. I am with all of you as we individually and collectively reckon with this tragic injustice. The demonstrations happening in the five boroughs and in nearly 140 cities across the country are a reflection of this anguish, and the desire for a better world.

It is incredibly difficult to be a parent or caregiver right now: grappling with emotions, seeking actions that both feel of service and of the magnitude needed in this moment, and thinking through ways to begin or deepen conversations with children and families about recent horrific incidents and the systemic racism from which they spring—all at the same time. The pain and struggle are very real.

For communities of color, nothing about this pain is new. It’s been in the bodies, minds, and hearts of millions of New Yorkers and Americans for generations—because racist violence has been perpetrated for that long.

Racism also causes new harm in other ways, every day, because it is systemic—woven deeply into the fabric of our institutions, our economy, and the systems that make up our shared community. That is true in New York City, as progressive and forward-thinking as we are, including in our public school system.

At the DOE we have said, and we will continue to say: no more.

We must answer the call to be actively anti-racist and work every day to undo these systems of injustice. We will continue in our resolve to advance equity now. We will honor the dignity and humanity of every student, parent, educator, employee and member of our community every day.

No matter the form teaching and learning takes—in brick-and-mortar classrooms or on a digital device—the goal remains the same: providing an excellent education to every single student. In doing so, we must also continually find ways to dismantle institutional racism and reverse its effects.

That work is underway. It includes implementing restorative practices, training all educators and employees on implicit bias, providing mental health supports to school communities, and more. This work creates a lifelong effect in children and has the potential to transform our society in ways that make that the world safer, more just, and better for everyone.

When, for example, children learn from books featuring protagonists and lessons featuring stories from people of different races, abilities, genders, ethnicities, languages, and more, they learn also to value difference and diversity. When students experiencing anger or resentment are taught healthy ways to communicate, it’s more likely they won’t react out of unfounded fear.

We will not relent in the work to intensify equity until, student by student and school by school, change comes. We all need this, because racism doesn’t just harm Black, Brown, or Asian families—it harms us all.

Everyone has a role to play. In addition to continuing our work centrally, we are supporting educators with resources to teach episodes from our history and our present, episodes where these same shudders of injustice and outrage, peaceful protest, and also violence and destruction have ripped through our city and society.

At the same time, many of you have already been doing this work at home or are otherwise putting personal resources into these efforts—your time, your energy, your heart, or your voice. We see you, and we are grateful for your powerful commitment. Children see and feel the world around them, and now is an important time to guide them in understanding and engaging with their experiences and those of their friends, families, and fellow New Yorkers.

Below you will find resources to help start, continue, or deepen conversations with children about racism and injustice. We are also sharing resources to help with stress, exhaustion, and self-care. As parents and caregivers, caring for yourself is essential in order to be able to care for others. We will continue to update resources as we move ahead.

I have been reminded of this quote by the writer James Baldwin that resonates so powerfully in this moment: “Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.” These are difficult days of reckoning, but we have the opportunity—and a calling—to go farther in facing injustice.

You are our most important partners in the education of the children of New York City and the building of a better world. We are grateful for you today and every day. 

Sincerely,

Richard A. Carranza

Chancellor

Department of Education

For more information and resources, please use:

Link to New York City Department of Education Together for Justice page

Dear Families,

Thank you for your continued patience and flexibility in response to this ever-evolving crisis. We are writing today to share some important updates and reminders about the end of year school calendar.

We have two days coming up in June that were originally scheduled as times when students would not be in attendance. However, with the ongoing pandemic, students will be expected to participate in remote learning on both of these days:

• Thursday, June 4 was originally scheduled as a non-attendance day for all students in observance of Brooklyn / Queens Day (also known as Anniversary Day).

• Tuesday, June 9 was originally scheduled as a non-attendance day for students in schools serving grades K-8, as well as District 75 schools and programs.

On June 4, all students are expected to complete work independently as staff will be engaged in professional development. Teachers are not expected to engage students on June 4; instead, schools will set students up in advance with independent work for the day.

On June 9, students who attend a school serving grades K-8, or who attend any District 75 school, are expected to complete work independently as staff will be engaged in reorganization work. Teachers in these schools are not expected to engage students on June 9; instead, schools will set students up in advance with independent work for the day.

If you have questions or concerns regarding the school schedule for your student, please contact your school for additional information.

As a reminder, June 26 is the last day of school and a half day for all students. We will issue additional guidance to families about the end of the 2019-20 school year in the coming weeks.

Thank you again for your partnership as we continually navigate unfamiliar terrain. I often say that we have the best students, staff, and families in the world. You and your children continue to prove that, every day. Together, we will continue to weather this storm.

Sincerely,

Richard A. Carranza

Chancellor

Department of Education

PS 109 hosted a virtual town hall for families to discuss:

• • Attendance and Student Engagement

  • Instructional Expectations

  • Grading Policy

  • Virtual Graduation/Celebrations

The meeting was recorded for those who were not able to attend the live event: 

Link to PS 109 Town Hall Meeting on 05/21/2020

Dear Families, 

Earlier this week, we announced our plans for summer learning, to ensure that our students can continue to engage and receive the academic supports they need to be ready for returning to school in the fall. We are writing to you today with an update on the summer calendar, informed by feedback from DOE communities.

• For elementary and middle school students who are required or recommended to attend summer school, the program will start one week earlier and will run from Monday, July 6 – Tuesday, August 11. There is no change to the duration or structure of the program. 

• For high school students who are attending summer school, courses will also start one week earlier and will run from Monday, July 6 – Friday, August 14. There is no change to the duration or structure of this program either. 

• For students with 12-month Individualized Education Plan (IEPs) services, there will be no change to the calendar. Our teachers start on Wednesday, July 1 and students are expected to participate from Thursday, July 2–Thursday, August 13.

These changes will help accelerate learning for all students. Beginning summer school earlier—closer to the end of the regular school year—allows for continuous learning for students. Concluding programs earlier also allows more time for continuous rest for your family in the month of August.

We appreciate your ongoing patience and flexibility as we adapt to this crisis in real time. Nothing is more important than the health, safety, and continued academic success of your child: we thank you for your partnership in this important endeavor now more than ever. 

Sincerely,

Richard A. Carranza

Chancellor

Department of Education

Dear Families,

We know that the COVID-19 crisis and the unexpected shift to remote learning in the second half of the school year have presented challenges for many families all across the City. The strength, perseverance, and dedication of our 1.1 million students and the staff and families who support them day after day is amazing. We have continually evolved our policies to meet this unprecedented time, developing and in some cases entirely reinventing them to support our students and families. Today we are writing to share an update on summer school.

In continued adherence to federal, State, and City health guidelines, we are adapting our summer school model for summer 2020. This year, we will offer summer school via remote instruction, allowing us to provide more students than ever before with the academic supports they need and a bridge from this school year to the next. In addition to academic instruction, students participating in these summer school programs will also have opportunities to go on self-paced virtual field trips and engage in daily social-emotional learning activities.

Who in grades 3-8 will attend summer school? 

Students in grades 3–8 who are not promoted in June will be required to attend summer school. They will participate in six weeks of remote instruction from Monday, July 13 – Tuesday, August 18.

Some students in grades 3–8 who are promoted in June may also be recommended by their teacher for additional academic support over the summer. They will participate in six weeks of remote instruction from Monday, July 13 – Tuesday, August 18.

Your school will notify you in June if your child is required or recommended to participate in summer learning programs.

Who in grades 9-12 will attend summer school?

Students in grades 9–12 who receive a grade of Course in Progress, or who need to retake a course they have failed in a prior term, will participate in remote instruction for the course(s) in which they need to earn credit. Remote instruction will run from Monday, July 13 –Friday, August 21.

Your school will notify you in June if your child is required or recommended to participate in summer learning programs.

What about students with 12-month Individualized Education Program (IEP) services?

Students in all grades with 12-month IEPs will participate in remote summer programming from Wednesday, July 1–Thursday, August 13. All students who are receiving or are eligible to receive these services will be contacted by their school shortly.

Your child’s academic success is of utmost importance. To ensure that students across the city receive the support they need this summer, we are dedicating all of our efforts to providing mandatory and recommended summer learning programs, and we will not be operating elective Summer Academy and school-based enrichment programs this year. We will continue to share resources and summer-specific activities on the Summer School 2020 webpage in the coming weeks so that all students can find new and exciting ways to continue their learning this summer. 

We always say that New York City has the best students, staff, and families in the world, and nothing will ever change that. You continue to prove this day after day.

Sincerely,

Richard A. Carranza

Chancellor

Department of Education

Dear Families,

Following up on our letter to you last week about the new health condition appearing in children in New York City and elsewhere, linked below is a Fact Sheet from the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYC Health) that provides additional information.

Per NYC Health, this condition has been renamed Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C)—formerly Pediatric Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome (PMIS). The condition is rare and it is potentially life-threatening, so it is important that you know its signs and symptoms.

NYC Health’s Covid-19 Fact Sheet webpage conveys new information about the syndrome, its symptoms, when to seek medical help, treatments, and preventative steps. Because MIS-C is associated with COVID-19, acting to keep your child from being exposed to COVID-19 continues to be essential.

As a reminder, families should help their children understand the importance of the following measures and ensure their children follow them:

• As per NYS Executive Order 202.17, all people over the age of two who can medically tolerate a face covering must wear one when they are outside their home if they cannot maintain physical distance from others. Free face coverings are available at DOE Meal Hubs in all five boroughs—you can find one on the Free Meal Locations website.

• Physical distancing and good hygiene remain critical, even while wearing a face covering. 

• When outside the home, adults and children must maintain at least 6 feet of distance between themselves and others whenever possible. 

• Parents should remind children of the importance of good hand hygiene and should help ensure that children frequently wash their hands. 

The health and safety of our communities remains our top priority, and we will continue to take all appropriate measures to help keep our students, families, and staff members safe. Please visit New York City Health Department website at any time for the latest information on MIS-C, and do not hesitate to contact 311 with any questions.

Sincerely,

Richard A. Carranza

Chancellor

Department of Education

Wellness Wednesday NYC

Healthier students are better learners. The DOE started Wellness Wednesdays NYC to help students and families learn skills and habits that can promote physical, mental, and emotional well-being. During challenging times, we can take steps to care for ourselves and for others every day. We can try to achieve modest goals to stay healthy, focused, and ready to learn, no matter where learning takes place.

Each Wellness Wednesday will focus on a different theme. Each week, you will find new activities and resources on this page to help you learn about key components of wellness, including:

• the importance of physical activity and good health

• how to care for your mental and emotional health

• how to communicate with fairness and respect

• how to build stronger relationships

We encourage students, parents, caregivers, and household members to do these activities alone or together to help support well-being. Give it your best. Stay active. Stay healthy.

We welcome your feedback and questions: Email DivisionOfSchoolClimateAndWellness@schools.nyc.gov

For more information and other ideas, see the Wellness Wednesday NYC page

Take the Remote Learning Survey: 

Link for information about the survey

Who can take the survey?

• All Parents/guardians of DOE students in any grade

• Students in grades six through twelve

Link to Survey

April 28, 2020 

Dear Families,

This unprecedented time of COVID-19 has presented difficulty and struggles for all New Yorkers, and we recognize that supporting your children in their continued learning in the midst of this crisis has been no small feat. We are amazed by the resilience and resolve that all of you—the families of our 1.1 million students—have shown as we transformed our entire system to remote learning. We are grateful for all that you are doing to support the success of your child as we finish the 2019-2020 school year in remote learning.

This transition would be a challenge at any time, but in the midst of the anxiety and trauma so many of our communities are experiencing due to the pandemic, it could have been insurmountable. Still, you have done it, being there for your children in every way you can to support their learning despite not necessarily knowing where the next meal will be coming from, or dealing with illness or loss in your family or community, or any other number of insecurities this time has brought.

That is why we have continually evolved our policies to meet this moment, developing and in some cases entirely reinventing them to support all of you—our students and families. These policies run the gamut from attendance to class scheduling to technology usage and beyond. Today, we are writing with another important policy update, concerning student grading 

Grades are important for understanding a student’s progress toward meeting learning standards, but they are just one way our educators are measuring and discerning how a student is engaging with schoolwork and making progress. We must ensure that support for our students includes not just academics, but social-emotional learning, health and safety, and physical and mental wellness, and there are relationships in place that affirm and empower our students and families. We are giving our educators the tools and skills they need to understand and support our students socially and emotionally. We will continue to create resources for students and families that elevate these supports within the context of COVID-19. Implementation of the policy by school leaders will be considerate of students who have experienced emotional loss, death, mental health issues, or didn’t have access to a device or connectivity right away. We know that just as you are our partners in learning, we are yours in the emotional support your children may need during this time.

We have heard from students, parents, teachers, school leaders, and many others across the City to inform our revised grading policy. We see you, we hear you, and we believe that the final policy we are issuing emphasizes flexibility and patience for students in these unprecedented times, while also keeping students engaged without penalty for the trauma they may be experiencing. It maintains clear expectations that acknowledge each individual student’s experience, and creates a consistent, equitable system across all schools. The policy seeks to minimize stress on families and students, while still providing next year’s teachers with the information they need about an individual student’s progress toward achieving standards.

What You Need to Know

The grading policy outlined below is in effect for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year only. Teachers will base students’ final grades on a holistic review of their progress before and after we started remote learning. Attendance will not be a factor in students’ grades. No student will receive a failing final grade.

Grade(s) & Grading Policy Summary

3K & Pre-K : No change because students do not receive report cards or grades.

K - 5th : Students receive final grades of either “Meets Standards” (MT) or “Needs Improvement” (N).

6th-8th : Students receive final grades of “Meets Standards” (MT), “Needs Improvement” (MP), or “Course in Progress” (NX).

9th – 12th : Your school’s existing grading scale applies, but no failing grade will be issued. A “Course in Progress” (NX) will be issued instead. After final grades have been issued, students and families have the option to convert any or all passing Spring Semester 2020 final grades to pass (CR will be the symbol used in this case). Any CR grade will not be factored into a students’ GPA.

The DOE is continuing to develop plans for programming and supports over the summer months. More information about summer school will be made available by your school and shared in the upcoming weeks.

If You Have Questions

For elementary and middle schools, principals will generally serve as primary points to answer questions regarding the grading policy for families.

For high schools, school counselors and college counselors will generally serve as primary points to answer questions regarding the grading policy for students and families, along with principals. If you need help identifying the school counselor or college counselor, please contact your principal.

Please also see our Frequently Asked Questions document for additional information. We are committed not only to supporting students in their continued learning through June and beyond, but to supporting you as our primary partner in your child’s education. We know you have had a lot of questions and faced a lot of challenges in this transition; you have had to take on essential, invaluable new roles to keep your child’s education going and become indispensable partners to teachers. There are many resources available on this website, and your student’s school is also standing by to support you.

We always say that New York City has the best students, staff, and families in the world, and nothing will ever change that. You continue to prove this true each and every day. Thank you.

Sincerely, 

Richard A. Carranza 

Chancellor 

Department of Education

April 7, 2020 

Dear Families: 

None of us ever imagined what COVID-19 would bring: the closure of public school buildings, remote teaching and learning from home, and distancing from each other to remain safe. 

This has been hard work that wouldn’t be possible without your efforts and support. We know you and your children are moving mountains to keep learning going during this time, as are the more than 150,000 dedicated educators and staff at the NYC Department of Education. I am so grateful for the support you have provided your children as we all have quickly worked to adapt to this entirely new approach to education. These are disruptive and stressful times that have already come with many challenges and a constantly evolving landscape. But with your help, we are making progress every day. 

In that context, I have important updates and reminders to share with you: 

• School Closures: The State has announced that all schools in New York State will now remain closed through April 29, 2020. 

• Regents Exams: The State has cancelled June 2020 Regents exams. Families of high school students will soon receive additional guidance regarding how this impacts graduation requirements. In short, students who planned to take Regents exams in June 2020 will be exempt from these exams in order to earn their diploma, but they still must complete the required course credits to graduate. Our goal is to make sure that students on track to graduate this year continue to remain on their path toward successful completion of high school. 

• Math and ELA Tests: The State has cancelled math and English Language Arts tests for grades 3 through 8. 

• AP Exams: The College Board has announced that AP exams will not be administered in school buildings, but students will be able to take AP exams at home. We will soon provide guidance to schools and students on how to implement these changes. If you are in need of a device and have not yet done so, we encourage you to complete DOE’s remote learning device survey. 

• Remote Learning Tools: In order to best protect security and privacy, we are requiring schools to transition away from using Zoom as a virtual meeting tool for remote learning. We know this tool is already in use by many schools and we don’t expect it to happen overnight, but we are providing support to educators to help the transition to Google Hangouts Meet or Microsoft Teams—both of which are also in consistent use by many schools. 

I believe that the professionalism and dedication of our educators has never been more apparent than throughout this extraordinary crisis. They have risen to the occasion, fundamentally transforming our learning model while also attending to the altered needs of their own families. 2 

Likewise, your support and partnership have been critical in helping our students cope, remain safe, and learn— even as you have confronted enormous stresses of your own. Thanks to everything you and our educators are doing together, I am confident that our children will continue to meaningfully engage and progress during these times. 

Like our educators during this ordeal, you are truly heroes. We know this is difficult as we all learn to navigate through this unprecedented time together. But we will continue to do everything in our power to support you every step of the way. 

Sincerely, 

Richard A. Carranza 

Chancellor 

Department of Education

Spring Break Announcement 

Dear Families: 

Since closing school buildings and shifting to remote learning last week, all of you, in partnership with our more than 150,000 staff, have shown incredible resilience and fortitude as we leap into a new reality. Together, we have been transforming public education in the nation’s largest school system in ways we never imagined even a few weeks ago. 

Throughout this process, we have approached every decision with the health, safety, and continuous learning of our students at the forefront of our minds. Through it all, I’ve emphasized that we need to operate with flexibility and patience for all our school communities. 

Those values, along with the fact that social distancing remains an imperative for all New Yorkers, means we must take a new approach to Spring Recess, originally scheduled for Thursday, April 9 through Friday April 17, 2020. 

For the health and well-being of all New Yorkers, the City and the State are in agreement that schools must continue to offer remote learning, including during days that were previously scheduled as breaks. As a result, our schools will continue with remote learning through the time originally scheduled for Spring Recess. 

We know that many New Yorkers plan to observe religious holidays on April 9 and 10. Any students and school staff who individually wish to observe those holidays may do so. However, these days will not be considered “days off” for the school system, and remote learning activities will continue for students who are not observing the holidays.

Remote Learning 

We know that Spring Recess is a time of rest and recharging time for our educators and students alike—and we know how hard all of our students and educators have been working to adapt to a new approach to learning. 

With this in mind, we will offer schools remote learning resources that focus on daily themes and enrichment activities for all students for April 9-17. This will keep students and their teachers meaningfully engaged and connected with each other and ideas happening in the world around them—even as we all remain socially distant at home.

Resources will include “theme” days (e.g., wellness, world language, computer science, college and career readiness) and taking advantage virtually of the unparalleled educational and cultural resources right here in the city (e.g., museums, libraries, and cultural institutions).

More information on these activities will be shared with schools next week. We are confident that continuing remote learning will help ensure that families adhere to social distancing in the coming weeks, which is imperative to slowing the spread of the virus and keeping ourselves and our neighbors safe. 

Regional Enrichment Centers 

Regional Enrichment Centers (RECs) serve the children of first responders, healthcare workers, and other essential employees across the City. The majority of the REC sites will remain open from April 9-17. We will proactively communicate with families who may need to be temporarily reassigned to a REC during that time.

Free Meals 

Meal Hubs offer free meals to any New Yorker who wants them. The majority of our Meal Hub sites will also continue to operate. Find the nearest Meal Hub to you during this period or anytime.

Health Precautions 

We know our families are working hard to stop the spread of coronavirus. People who do not show symptoms may still be able to spread COVID-19, and therefore the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) recommends you wear a face covering or mask whenever you leave home. A face covering will not protect you from infection, but it can help others. A face covering can include anything that covers your nose and mouth, including dust masks, scarves and bandanas. Do not use health care worker masks, as those must be preserved for people in the health care system. Even if you have a face covering, continue to stay home as much as possible and avoid close contact with other people. Please visit nyc.gov/coronavirus for more information and an FAQ on face coverings, as well as other important information on the virus. Read the letter from Chancellor Carranza and Commissioner Barbot. 

We continue to operate with health, safety, and high-quality learning as our top priorities for every child and adult in the DOE community across all five boroughs. Time and time again, you and your children—and all the educators who serve them—are proving that New York City has the best students and staff in the world, and that nothing will ever change that. 

Please call 311 for any questions regarding Spring Break, RECs, Free Meals, and much more. As always, you should reach out to your teacher, principal, and others at your school for continued information about remote learning and your child. 

Richard A. Carranza

Chancellor

Department of Education

Public School 109                                                                  

Josette Claudio, Principal

Diana Castillo, Assistant Principal

Yoli-Ann Barrett, Assistant Principal

PS 109X Parent Expectations for Remote Learning 

While we recognize the stress of the current situation and the needs of your children and families, we want to make you aware of the following expectations for remote learning:

• Attendance will be taken daily. Please ensure that students log-in daily. If your child is unable to log-in due to an illness or for any other reason, please email:

  • 3K-2nd Grade: dcastillo11@schools.nyc.gov 

  • 3rd-5th Grade: ybarrett2@schools.nyc.gov 

• Students should complete instructional activities assigned by teachers within the expected timelines.  Teachers will set the timelines.  

• Students should participate in check-ins, discussions, and other communication mechanisms as expected by the teacher. 

• Students should review teacher feedback and complete any follow-up activities as assigned by the teacher.

• Students and families should proactively notify their teacher or a school administrator with any concerns about progress or additional support if needed:

  • Principal-Josette Claudio- jclaudi@schools.nyc.gov

  • 3K-2nd Grade Assistant Principal-Diana Castillo-dcastillo11@schools.nyc.gov

  • 3rd-5th Grade Assistant Principal-Yoli-Ann Barrett-ybarrett2@schools.nyc.gov

  • Technology Assistance-Herson Pleitez-support@ps109x.org

• Families should support students in being successful by establishing routines and habits that support their success in remote learning.

• Families should ensure that students are adhering to our PRIDE Values for appropriate behavior on web-enabled devices. 

Important Information:

• Families, teachers will be available between the hours of 9 am to 2:40 pm.  As you could imagine, many of our teachers also have families that they too are supporting this new way of learning. We promise that you will receive responses in a timely fashion. 

• NYS ELA and Math have been suspended for students in Grades 3 - 5

• The NYSESLAT assessment has been suspended for students in K - 5th grade

• The Science State Assessment has been suspended for students in 4th grade

• If you have not received a device from P.S. 109x and need a device, you may still be able to obtain one. The DOE is lending Internet-enabled iPads to support remote learning for students. Parents can request a device by filling out this form. We are still waiting to learn how the DOE will get Assistive Technology related devices to students who use them at school. 

 March 22, 2020 

Dear Families, 

Tomorrow, we will all come together to take the first steps of a huge new educational journey as New York City brings remote learning to our 1.1 million students. 

While none of us could have predicted even a few weeks ago that we would launch this dramatic new transition in education, I could not be prouder of the way our educators have come together to ready themselves to teach your children from their own homes. And I could not be more grateful to all of you for your faith in our educators, and all of the hardworking staff at DOE. 

This will not be perfect. Nothing can ever replace a talented teacher in a classroom. We know the challenges and inequities our students face. But over the past week I have seen DOE’s 150,000 staff rise to this challenge in astounding ways. Your faith is them is deserved and earned. 

Things have moved very quickly since Mayor de Blasio and I made the very difficult decision one week ago that school buildings would close for student instruction until at least April 20. Educators citywide created a remote curriculum in days. Every school has been equipped with an online platform. Learning resources, including those for special education and multilingual learners, have been developed and posted on our website—and there is so much more to come. 

All the relevant information you need about engaging in remote learning is on our website at schools.nyc.gov—please visit it frequently for updates. And please check in with your teachers and principals if you have questions: just as they were before last week, they will continue to be your guide to instruction and (virtual) engagement during these unprecedented times. I will share a few key pieces of information here to keep in mind for this week: 

• Remote Learning: Each school has its own online platform, with many schools using Google Classroom. Educators have contacted school communities to let you know what remote learning tool your child’s school will be using. 

  • You can find instructions on DOE student accounts and getting started in Google Classroom and Microsoft Teams at schools.nyc.gov/learnathome. 

  • If you are having additional problems connecting, contact your school directly via email. Our Find a School tool can help you find contact info for your school as well, if you do not already have it: schools.nyc.gov/find-a-school. 

• Electronic Devices: If your child needs a device to participate in remote learning, and you have not yet filled out a device request form, please visit coronavirus.schools.nyc/RemoteLearningDevices. We will help you get a device with internet connection. 

  • Many of you have already received a device on loan from your school. If you have not and you still require a device, please fill out the survey and DOE will reach out to you. 

• Students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs): If your student is recommended for integrated co-teaching, special class, or special education teacher support services, your school will make every effort to arrange for them continue to receive instruction from the same special education teachers and classroom paraprofessionals that usually teach them. Someone from your school will contact you to discuss how instruction will be delivered. 

  • Your child’s IEP meetings will still take place; IEP meetings will be conducted by phone. To make a referral for initial evaluation or reevaluation, you can email your principal or specialeducation@schools.nyc.gov, or call 311. 

  • For more on remote learning for students with IEPs, please visit schools.nyc.gov/learnathome. 

• Free Meals: We will continue offer free meals in the weeks ahead at more than 400 sites across the city. Food hubs will operate Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. through 1:30 p.m., and any student of any age can get 3 meals daily. Visit schools.nyc.gov/freemeals to find a site near you. 

• Regional Enrichment Centers: On Monday, March 23, the City will open Regional Enrichment Centers (RECs) for the children of front-line workers in the fight against COVID-19—including first responders and healthcare workers. If you believe your child may be eligible to attend a REC, please visit schools.nyc.gov/recs. 

• Enrollment and Placement Support: Family Welcome Center staff are available by email, and are prepared to assist with enrollment and placement of new admissions, questions around admissions, information about offers, and waitlists. They do not handle REC enrollment. 

  • Please be aware FWCs are processing a high volume of questions at this time in connection to the recent release of high school admissions offer letters. We ask for your patience, and are aiming to respond to all requests within 48 hours. Here’s how to receive direct support on these topics: 

• Bronx: bronxfwc@schools.nyc.gov 

• Brooklyn: brooklynfwc@schools.nyc.gov 

• Manhattan: manhattanfwc@schools.nyc.gov 

• Queens: queensfwc@schools.nyc.gov 

• Staten Island: statenislandfwc@schools.nyc.gov 

Parents can also call 311 and say “Schools” to be routed to someone who can help with school-related questions. 

If you need help with a problem that cannot be resolved at the school level or wish to report a complaint, please reach out to your district superintendent’s office. Contact information for your district support team can be found here: schools.nyc.gov/about-us/leadership/district-leadership. If you do not know the district in which your child’s school is located, please use the Find A School tool: schools.nyc.gov/find-a-school. 

There will surely be bumps in the road as we all adjust to this new reality, and I want to thank you for the patience that will be demanded of you as we undertake this transformation together. 

In just a few hours, we will all take a great leap together into uncharted territory. We will be successful if we continue to work together as a community of families, educators, and staff. We all share two key goals: a high-quality education for every single one of our 1.1 million students, and protecting health and safety of everyone in our school communities. 

That means that public education in New York City is going to look tremendously different for the foreseeable future. But together, we will chart this path forward, and I have no doubt that we will eventually look back and say this was our finest hour: when we confronted this great challenge and overcame it, in unity, with shared strength and commitment. 

New York City has the greatest students and staff in the world, and nothing will ever change that—today, tomorrow, or ever. I am excited to be on this journey with you. Together, I am confident we will learn and grow with boundless potential. 

Sincerely, 

Richard A. Carranza 

Chancellor 

Department of Education

Link to letter for families from Chancellor Carranza

Public School 109                                                                  

Josette Claudio, Principal

Diana Castillo, Assistant Principal

Yoli-Ann Barrett, Assistant Principal

Dear PS 109 Families, 

This letter is to keep you informed of PS 109’s next steps as we prepare to transition students and families to remote learning.  As Chancellor Carranza shared we are “living through an unprecedented time as we work to keep our communities safe and healthy in the face of the coronavirus”. In an effort to keep our communities safe, Mayor de Blasio announced that “ for the next three and a half weeks, schools would be shifting to a remote learning model, with a projected reopening of school buildings the week of April 20, 2020.”   

Starting Friday, March 20th, PS 109 will be closed for learning along with any other New York Department of Education buildings.  However, the building will be open daily for a grab and go breakfast from 7:30 am to 1:30 pm.  

On Thursday, March 19, 2020, we will be inviting families to pick up instructional packets, student workbooks, and tools that will help your kids continue learning while they are at home.  Families will be invited to pick up these materials starting at 12pm. The locations/ or entrances of where you could retrieve the items will be sent through by tomorrow morning. In addition, our families with the highest need will be offered a technological device by the school.  Because we have over 500 students and only 175 computers to distribute we will prioritize based on economic need and grade level. Any family that does not receive a device from the school will be asked to complete this survey: 

 https://coronavirus.schools.nyc/RemoteLearningDevices

Please note: Central will work to distribute devices to families that do not receive one from the school. 

On Monday, March 23, 2020, PS 109 will launch remote learning for grades 3k to 5.  Remote learning is when there is no physical classroom and the student and teacher are separated by time and distance.  The learning will usually occur via email, video conferencing, discussion boards, audio conference or video conference. We are currently working with our teachers to set up Google Classrooms.  Your children will receive a NYC DOE email address that ends in nycstudents.net.  We are currently working to set up each of the student’s email accounts. Your children’s email addresses and passwords will be distributed tomorrow. They will need this email address along with a class code that the teachers will distribute to log on to Google Classrooms. Within your child’s Google Classroom, he/she will receive assignments (both digital and written), communicate with their teachers and receive feedback.  Your child’s teacher will at times also teach virtually and/or may record videos of themselves teaching.  If you have more than one child at home, I encourage you to create a schedule for when each child will go online to learn. 

We are all learning this new way of living together. We have all been launched into the 21st century rather quickly.  As such, we have created a packet of instructional materials that your children could work on over this next week while you too become acclimated to our online learning platform. It is important that you help your children know that this is not a vacation, instead we are transitioning to remote (online learning). Their assignments will be monitored and graded and used to make promotional decisions. 

It is important that we remain in contact.  All correspondence to families will be posted on our website www.ps109x.org as well as Class Dojo.  If you are not on Class Dojo yet, it is important that you reach out to your child’s teacher to receive an invitation (code) to do so.  

For our special needs students who have upcoming IEP meetings, teachers and service providers will be in touch regarding scheduling telephone conferences.  

We are committed to supporting all families throughout these next few weeks and beyond.  Don’t hesitate to reach out to the staff if you have further questions. Email will be the best mode of correspondence. You will receive individual letters from your child’s teacher that will include their NYC DOE email address.   Feel free to email me with any questions at jclaudi@schools.nyc.gov. 

Some other important contact information you will need:

Lashanna Cooper, Parent Coordinator- Lcooper7@schools.nyc.gov 

Diana Castillo, Assistant Principal of grades 3k through 2nd - Dcastillo11@schools.nyc.gov

Yoli-Ann Barrett, Assistant Principal of grades 3 through 5- Ybarrett2@schools.nyc.gov

Herson Pleitez, Tech Support- support@ps109x.org

**Please allow 24 to 48 hours for a response as we have been receiving a high demand of questions due to this transition. 

Please tell your children that I will miss them and I look forward to seeing them soon.  

In Unity,                                                          

Principal Claudio

All NYC Schools will be closed until at least Monday, April 20, 2020

• Schools will use a Remote Learning framework to provide education instruction and material to students.

• Please contact your child's teacher using Class Dojo or through Google Classroom.