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Announcements

• September 2021 Newsletter

  Check out this months Newsletter.  

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• NYC DOE Back-to-School Family Forums

  The NYC Department of Education will be hosting a series of virtual Back-to-School Family Forums led by the borough leaders and featuring Chancellor Meisha Porter, DOE Leadership, and the NYC Department of Health.

  Back to School Family Forum - September 2nd, 2021 - 6:00pm to 7:30pm (Bronx)

  For more information about how to participate and interpretation services, visit learndoe.org/FACE

  Interpretation available in Spanish, French, Bangla

  • BTS2021_FamilyForum_Flyer_English_FinalB.pdf

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• Virtual Town Hall Meeting - September 3

  We welcome you to join us in this upcoming virtual Town Hall meeting to share information about our Back-to-School Plans for the 2021-2022 School Year

  Friday September 3rd English 12 pm -1 pm / Spanish 1 pm - 2 pm

  Join Meeting: Zoom Link

  Meeting ID: 917 7459 2973

  Passcode: 413481

  Dial by your location: +1 646 558-8656

  • September 3 TownHall.pdf

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• Summer in the City – Family Edition

  A guide for NYC families to get outdoors – stay safe, stay active, earn some cash and stay informed this summer. 

  It may look a little different this year, but it can still feel like summer! Get the most of our summer in the city with your family. Explore:

  • Free or low-cost short-term programs (such as camps, sports clinics, STEM, coding, etc.);
  • Free events and activities happening throughout the summer;
  • City venues that are open such as pools, beaches, gardens, museums, etc.;
  • Volunteer, work experience, and other opportunities for youth
  • Other supports including COVID-19 updates, how to get free food, childcare, mental health & emotional support, and more.

  For more information please visit Summer in the City- Family edition

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• Letter to Families from Chancellor Porter: Fall 2021 Academic Recovery Plan. "Healing and Learning in Every School".

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           July 8, 2021
  Dear Families,

  We made it! I hope you are all having a restful start to the summer. As you relax and reflect on the past year, we have been hard at work planning the year to come. The past year has presented us with unimaginable challenges, but also incredible opportunities for big change. 

  I’ve been a DOE educator for more than 20 years, and I know that turning these opportunities into real change is the work of a whole community! So we talked to principals, teachers, central office staff, families, and students who shared their experiences over the last year—and their hopes for how we move forward.

  Your voices were clear: We have a chance to make key changes to some very important parts of teaching and learning, in every grade. Right now, we can break down stubborn inequities and make sure that no matter what school your child enters, they are warmly welcomed, and met with the highest academic expectations—and that we are ready to help them achieve.

  This year, healing will happen alongside rigorous academics. I want to share just a little bit about what will change this coming year, thanks to a $635 million investment in our academic comeback for our one million students. 

  Before I do, I want to acknowledge that not every family feels the same way about returning to school in person. Many families are excited and ready for full-time reconnection for their children. Others feel anxious, or unsure about potential risks. I can promise you that your child’s health is our number one priority, now and always. We are opening full time for every student because we know we can protect their health and safety—and yours. And we know that being in school is critically important for your child’s growth and success. 

  Our Academic Recovery Plan below explains some of how we are seizing this moment so your child can learn, heal, and thrive. More information will be posted on schools.nyc.gov this summer. 

  I am so excited for our homecoming on September 13 for every student—more excited than I’ve ever been in my two decades at the DOE. I am honored to share this journey with you and your child, and look forward to reconnecting as we approach the beginning of the school year. 

  In partnership,
  Meisha Porter
  New York City Schools Chancellor

  NYC Public Schools: What you will see in September

  Your Child Will Feel Welcomed, and Helped to Heal from the Past Year 

  Children in every community are carrying trauma caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. A successful academic recovery can only happen when the emotional and mental health needs of students are also addressed. 

  • We will hire over 500 new social workers and other mental health support staff so that your child’s school has at least one social worker or school-based mental health clinic. 
  • We will begin adding over 130 new community schools to provide expanded social, emotional, academic, and extracurricular services in communities where they’re most needed. 

  Your Child’s Literacy Skills Will Be a Priority 

  Literacy and reading are absolutely fundamental to children’s ability to reach important milestones all along the educational journey. Our goal is to have every student reading on grade level by the end of 2nd grade. 

  • If you have a child in kindergarten through grade 2, their teachers will use a tool to identify strengths and challenges at the beginning of the year, and develop support plans tailored to their specific needs. 
  • Thousands of teachers in these grades will receive extra training to support literacy. 
  • 140 more teachers will be hired to reduce class sizes at 72 elementary schools with the specific goal of improving reading proficiency. 
  • We will bring the number of reading coaches in our successful Universal Literacy coaching program to 500 so every early childhood and K-2 classroom has one. 
  • In addition, we will give schools funding for targeted supports for students, such as, extended day and enrichment activities.

  Your Child Will Grow Their Technological Skills 

  This September, we will build on what we have learned about the benefits of technology. Students will develop digital skills to prepare them for the new economy. 

  • We will distribute an additional 175,000 devices so every K-12 student who needs one has access to one. 
  • We will launch an eighth-grade technology project for students to demonstrate their digital literacy skills. 
  • We will train 5,000 K-12 teachers to teach computer science coursework.
  • We will expand Computer Science for All, to support computational thinking, problem-solving, and digital skills for 400,000 students by 2024. 

  More Special Education Support Will Be Available for Students with Disabilities 

  The pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on our students with disabilities. The Academic Recovery Plan will make every resource available to better support students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), from our youngest learners to students preparing for graduation:

  • We will launch afterschool and Saturday programs for students with IEPs to receive additional instruction and related services. 
  • We will add 800 Special Education Pre-K seats and expand Committees on Preschool Special Education to review more IEP requests. 
  • We will provide eligible students ages 21+ with either continued instruction toward their diploma or other credential, or consultation about plans for college and career readiness. 
  • We will also continue to provide family workshops and information sessions through our Beyond Access Series, which supports families of students with disabilities by providing sessions on topics related to special education. 

  More Language Support Will Be Available to Multilingual Learners 

  Multilingual learners (MLs) and immigrant families are valued and supported at DOE. We will provide culturally responsive supports that give students and their families equitable access to resources and opportunities that help students succeed inside and outside the classroom. 

  • We will establish Immigrant Ambassador Programs across 30 high schools to match immigrant DOE students with college students for mentorship. 
  • Schools will be provided resources to purchase print and digital books in students’ home languages, and build home language libraries. 
  • We will provide teachers with training that is specific to the language needs of multilingual learners and immigrant students. 
  • We will conduct wellness checks and deliver social-emotional learning support to multilingual learners, particularly in transitioning to full time in-person learning. 
  • We will expand the Postsecondary Readiness for ELLs Program (PREP), to be facilitated by a select group of school counselors and educators. 

  Your Child Will Get Ready for College and Career

  Especially as our students heal from the pandemic, we need to make sure they are better prepared for the next step in life, whether it’s college or career. 

  • We will deliver free, personalized college counseling for every junior and senior after school so that every student has a post-graduation plan. This includes launching Student Success Centers for 34 high schools. 
  • We will offer Universal College Financial Aid Guidance in multiple languages, to help navigate the application process. 
  • We will add new Advanced Placement or College Now courses so tens of thousands more students have access to college-level coursework. 

  Your Child Will Learn Challenging Material That Reflects Who They Are 

  Children are more engaged in class when they can see themselves in their lessons and materials. We are committed to reflecting the city’s “beautiful mosaic” of cultures and histories in curriculum. 

  • In the fall, your child’s school will receive an infusion of books that reflect the variety of histories, languages, and experiences that make up the city. 
  • The DOE will begin work on universal, rigorous, and inclusive English Language Arts (ELA) and Math curricula that will be shared by New York City’s 1,600 schools and one million students. It will be built on investments in literacy and will challenge students to move beyond their academic comfort zones. 
  • The DOE will begin developing brand new support materials for ELA, Math, Arts and more, developed by New York City educators for New York City students. 

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• School Re-opening Plans for Fall 2021!

  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.

  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! (Open external link) 

  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. 

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• Emergency Broadband Benefit Program to Families

  The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has launched a short-term Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) program, which will provide reduced cost broadband internet service for eligible New York City households during the COVID-19 pandemic. All families with a student enrolled in a DOE school or program are eligible for this benefit, and funds will be allocated on a first-come, first-serve basis until the program has exhausted available funds or six months after the US Department of Health and Human services declares an end to the COVID-19 health emergency.

  Families can find out if they are eligible, apply for the program, and find participating broadband providers via the USAC website. There are two types of benefits available to eligible households:

  • Monthly Benefit: a discount of up to $50/month for broadband service, equipment, and device rentals; or 
  • One-time Device Discount: up to $100 for a laptop, tablet, or desktop computer (with a co-payment of $10 - $50), where available. 

  Families can visit the FCC’s EBB webpage and view this FAQ to learn more about the EBB program. Translated materials are available via the following links: Spanish, Arabic, Amharic, Burmese, Chinese, French, Haitian Creole, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Somali, Tagalog, and Vietnamese. 

  If families have questions or require support with an application, please email EBBHelp@usac.org or call (833) 511-0311.

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