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For a recent update from the Office of Family and Community Empowerment, click the FACE logo above.

The next General PTA meeting will be a video conference held on

Tuesday January 19th, 6:00 PM

Meeting Agenda Includes:

New Principal Search with Dr. Kristi de la Cruz, our District 4 Superintendent

Please join us and have your voice heard! 

Watch your email for the Zoom link!

A Year in Review
This has been one of the strangest, longest, and most challenging years that many of us have encountered. We’ve learned to live virtually and have experienced the thrills and defeats of remote learning and working. We have missed weddings, parties, live sports, concerts, and singing in our choirs.
 
And yet, even faced with the ever-changing circumstances of the pandemic, we have much to be grateful for. We came together as a community to support the families and children of New York City and accomplished wonderful things together.
 
FACELab
Thank you to our parents, teachers, principals and superintendents from Districts 7, 16, and 29, for all of your amazing work with FACELab. FACE, our partners, Makeosity, Inc., Robofun and ReLearning Curve were able to create a curriculum that allows students and parent volunteers to be introduced to electrical engineering while working from home. During the 12-week program, over 75 students created electrical circuits and a model airport with a runway, control tower, hanger, and airplane by using electrical components and real engineering tools with the assistance from our mentors and trained parent volunteers.

We are grateful for our partners, Karen Kaun of Makeosity Inc, Laura Hart and her team at Robofun and Josephine Imbimbo of ReLearning Curve.

Thank you to the students, staff, and parents of PS 156 (29Q156), Concourse Village (07X359), Brooklyn Brownstone (16K628), Brighter Choice (16K627), PS 26 (16K026). Special thanks to Karen Hymes of the Office of Family and Community Engagement at the New York State Education Department for her support and mentorship of the My Brother’s Keeper (MBK) grant that funded our program.

Please check out our students’ AMAZING work at the  Make Everything Possible Website.
 
Parent University
FACE launched Parent University in November of 2020. Parent University is a course registration and management system where NYC families can find free trainings on a wide range of topics. Parent University serves all families, from early childho-od through adulthood, and seeks to educate and empower them as partners and advocates through free courses, resources, events, and activities.
 
As of this date, there are 158 courses on Parent University, with 23,000+ users and 78,000 views. 
 
Public Meetings and Parent Leader Supports
FACE, in close collaboration with DOE partners has hosted, managed, or supported:
 
·         17 Citywide listening tours, information sessions and office hours to an audience of over 100,000
·         1110+ weekly check ins with Citywide and Community Education members
·         1140+ weekly check ins with President’s Council members
·         400+ CCEC Business and Calendar meetings
·         300+ Presidents’ Council Meetings
·         13 CEC Town Halls with the Chancellor
·         30+ weekly briefings with Adrienne Austin and ECC’s steering committee and CPAC’s executive board
·         30+ FACE End of Week Wrap Up Newsletters to 6,000+ family facing DOE staff and elected parent leaders
 
Provided Professional Development and Training:
·         10 CEC Trainings for Citywide, Community Education members and Administrative Assistants
·         36 Trainings for PA/PTA/SLT members
·         38 Staff Professional Development sessions, ranging from technology supports at home to mental health supports for families 

We did all this with you as partners every step of the way, and we know that you have also done so much as well!
 
A huge thank you to all our parent teacher and parent association members and officers, Presidents Councils members, Chancellor’s Parent Advisory Council (CPAC) members, community and citywide education council members, Education Council Consortium (ECC) members, administrative assistants, advocates, parent coordinators, family leadership coordinators, family support coordinators and educators who have kept our schools and city running. Your care and compassion for our children and their families as been the shining light in dark times. We are so grateful for all that you do!
 
NEW POLICY
Screened Middle Schools and High School Enrollment September 2021
 
Today, the Mayor and Chancellor announced the elimination of the academic screens in Middle School admissions and the elimination of geographic screens/priorities in High School admissions.  Thank you to all of our parent leaders and community partners who provided ideas and recommendations on how to ensure a fairer and more equitable admissions process for next year.  We will be following-up with more details in the coming weeks:
 
Middle School:
·         All middle school screens will be paused for this year. This includes academic screens, school-based assessments, composite scores, and auditions. Students will be admitted through a lottery-based system.
·         District and geographic priorities, as well as Diversity in Admissions priorities, will still apply for those middle schools that have them.
·         The middle school application will open the week of January 11.
 
High Schools:
·         Geographic priority for admissions will be eliminated over a 2-year period, beginning with the immediate elimination of district priority, followed by other geographic priorities in the next admissions cycle.
·         In consultation with their school communities, screened high schools can choose to remove their screens, utilize the Educational Option admissions method, or maintain academic screening. For those that maintain academic screening, we encourage schools to implement a Diversity in Admissions priority.
·         Schools that choose to maintain academic screening will be able to use a combination of students’ 2018-2019 state tests and grades, and the grades from the first part of last year for their screening criteria. Schools that have used their own assessments may continue to do so as long as those assessments can be administered equitably, fairly, and safely.
·         Arts high schools will move to a common virtual audition system that will allow students to submit their audition materials online. Students will only need to create one audition that can be submitted for all schools that require it.
·         The high school application will open the week of January 18.
·         Additionally, we are required by State law to administer the Specialized High School Admissions Test (SHSAT). To ensure health and safety of our staff and students, the exam will be administered in students’ own middle schools to reduce travel and different cohorts of students intermixing. Test registration will open in myschools.nyc on Monday, December 21, 2020.
 
For more information and details about middle and high school enrollment, please visit the DOE’s website.
 
EVENTS FOR PARENTS AND FAMILIES
 
Parent University is ALWAYS Open
 
Parent University is for all parents and family members and is always open! Parent University is a course registration and management system where NYC families can find free trainings on a wide range of topics. Parent University serves all families, from early childhood through adulthood, and seeks to educate and empower them as partners and advocates through free courses, resources, events, and activities.
 
Check out some of our upcoming featured live courses:
·         Post Secondary Funding Options - 1/6/2021 @ 6:00 pm
·         Job Retention and Self Advocacy in the Workplace – 1/6/2021 @ 6:00 pm
·         Work Based Learning for Families – 2/3/2021
 
Or check out our on-demand offerings, such as Google Classroom, How to Use Text to Understand Unknown Words or Phrases, Tweens, Teens, Tech and Mental Health, and so much more!
 
You can check out the site here:  https://parentu.schools.nyc/
 
For more information, including flyers in different languages please visit the DOE’s Family Empowerment site.
 
Virtual Elementary Admissions Event
Learn about 3-K, pre-K, and kindergarten admissions. Find out what to expect and how to apply. All New York City families are welcome to attend.

Sessions will be held on:
·         Wednesday, January 6 at 6pm
·         Thursday, January 7 at 6pm (Spanish only)
·         Tuesday, January 12 at 2pm
Click here to register—please register for just one event. When you register, be sure to indicate your language preference; interpretation services will be provided according to demand.

We are here to support you throughout the admissions process!  If you have questions, you can:
·         Call us at 718-935-2009 or
·         Email us at ESEnrollment@schools.nyc.gov
 
Celebrar & Elevar
Workshop to Support Remote Learning with Spanish-Speaking Families
The DOE, in partnership with Ramapo for Children, is offering “Celebrar & Elevar,” a workshop in Spanish about strategies for families to strengthen their connection when they are learning remotely. Families may attend any of the following sessions:
 
·         January 6, from 5:30-6:30PM
 
Please share this workshop and flyer with your Spanish-speaking students and families. Participants may register for any of these sessions here: https://rb.gy/l9jzej.
 
PA/PTA Financial Reporting Training
Tuesday, January 12th, 2020 10:00 am
FACE has been hosting a series of trainings for parent leaders and DOE colleagues. The next virtual training will be on PA/PTA Financial Reporting and will demonstrate how to complete financial reports for PA/PTAs.
 
Join us at 10 am on January 12th:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83195079224?pwd=RjVLNitqQ0R0bmdyc3R5dEdtU0ZhZz09
Or Telephone: Dial 646 558 8656 
Webinar ID: 831 9507 9224
Passcode: 035287
 
New Annual School Leadership Team (SLT) Webinar
 
We are excited to announce the new Annual School Leadership Team (SLT) webinar!  The video is kicked off by DOE, UFT, CSA, DC37, and Parent Leaders, as a united front in support of SLTs.  The webinar covers topics such as SLT/DLT membership roles and responsibilities, CEP development and school-based budgeting, related requirements for Title I schools, best practices, resources, and support for effective SLT/DLT operations. Collective viewing of the pre-recorded webinar will count towards the required annual SLT training for SLT member remuneration purposes (see this Remuneration Form). 
 
This webinar must be viewed by all SLT members, as well as BCO and superintendent teams.  Please support schools regarding required activities summarized below:
·         Principals and SLT members must view the pre-recorded webinar together and discuss these sample guiding questions during their December or January SLT meeting. See this Top 10 SLT FAQ to support the discussion.
·         Principals must complete this survey to confirm the date of their December or January SLT meeting and identify the SLT members who attend, by February 1.
·         Ongoing support for SLTs will be provided by BCO/superintendent/FACE/DLTs. 

For SLT resources, visit the SLT support site and reach out to the FACE school based liaison or the BCO-assigned director of state and federal program implementation (DSFP).
 
Shelf Help at the New York Public LibraryDiscover The New York Public Library’s (NYPL) new personalized book selection service!While browsing is limited, NYPL offers a friendly, adventurous alternative. Tell them your reading interests and they’ll pick five books for you!Get Shelf Help now!
The New York Public Library offers a personalized book selection service through Shelf Help. Fill out the online form, call Ask NYPL, or drop off a request form at your local branch to receive new reads handpicked for you based on your interests. Await their signal then pick up a book bundle of five recommended reads.
While many branches of the Library have reopened for grab-and-go service—and have welcomed back thousands of patrons—browsing remains limited at this time. To recreate the experience of discovery that patrons love, the Library is pleased to offer Shelf Help to anyone with an NYPL Library card. 
Get a digital library card through NYPL's app, SimplyE.There are three ways to request Shelf Help:1.      Tell us about your reading interests here.
2.      Call Ask NYPL (917-ASK-NYPL or 917-275-6975) to connect with a member of our team, Monday to Friday, 12 PM to 5 PM. For TTY service (Text Telephone for patrons who are deaf or hard of hearing), dial 212-930-0020. We’ll ask you about your interests and take it from there.

1. Pick up a request form at one of our grab-and-go locations, or download one here, and return it to the Library on your next visit.

 
Job Opportunity at the City Parks Foundation
The Catalyst Grant Project Manager will report to the Director of the Catalyst program and track all goals and grant deliverables. The Project Manager will support a team of four Catalyst Organizers who lead Catalyst’s community engagement efforts in up to 16 high need communities and parks.  The full job posting can be found here.

Application must be received by December 21st.CONTACTInterested parties should email a cover letter and resume to: TEnoch@cityparksfoundation.org.  Put “Catalyst Grant Project Manager” in subject header.
 
City Parks Foundation is an equal opportunity employer. Only potential candidates will be contacted. No calls, please.
 
Students in Temporary Housing Supports
    
Benefits Navigator
We’re pleased to announce that the Office of Community Schools’ Students in Temporary Housing Team has just published their Benefits Navigator tool - a simple way for families to access a wide array of publicly available benefits and resources from the DOE and other city agency partners.
 
UPDATES
 
Community Meal Service
There will be no food service available on the following dates. December 25th (Christmas Day) and January 1st (New Year’s Day).
 
There will be food service available on the following dates from 12pm to 3pm only. December 24th (Christmas Eve) and December 28th-31st (Including New Year’s Eve).
 
For more information about meals in New York City, check the Community Meals section on the DOE website.
 
 
Chancellor’s Regulations
 
Presidents' Council Election Certification Forms
Presidents’ Councils are organizations of PA/PTA presidents (or designees) that represent the interests of parents within the respective district. Each community school district is required to have a Presidents' Council. Each borough is required to have a Presidents' Council for its high schools. Citywide Special Education (District 75) has a citywide Presidents' Council.
Presidents' councils who have already completed their elections should send their certification form signed by the Superintendent/Designee to  FACE@schools.nyc.gov.
 
If the President will not be able to attend the Chancellor's Parent Advisory Council (CPAC) Meetings, please make sure the name of the designee who will represent the council on CPAC is indicated in the last section of the form.
 
To support CPAC in establishing their council we ask that you send in election certification forms as soon as elections are completed. The link for certification forms can be accessed here or here.
 
In Case You Missed It (ICYMI)
It’s Our MoneyYoung people vote and decide on how to spend $100,000 to address their needs in this moment.The Civic Engagement Commission (CEC) is running a participatory budgeting process designed by youth, for youth, in partnership with the Coro New York Leadership Center PB Youth Fellowship Program. The goal of the project is to engage and empower young people to decide how to spend $100,000 of expense funding on projects that meet their needs, address their interests, and strengthen youth engagement across the city.
 
Youth provider organizations will be invited to submit proposals that directly address the ideas and needs youth identify in the first stage of the project. Youth votes will determine the projects awarded.
 
If you are a young person between the ages of 9-24, you are eligible to participate by submitting ideas and voting on projects that quality for an award.
 
If you are an organization serving young people in the following communities (insert link), you can submit a proposal for up to 20K in funding.
 
Visit https://www.participate.nyc.gov/processes/itsourmoney to learn more!
 
Waiver to Chancellor’s Regulation A-660
On December 11, 2020, Chancellor Carranza signed a Waiver of Sections of Chancellor’s Regulation A-660. The full text is here, below is a summary of key provisions.
 
·         PA/PTAs who were unable to hold elections of their mandatory officers between 4.2.2020 and 10.31.2020 pursuant to the waiver issues on 5.5.2020 may request an extension to December 31, 2020 by submitting a request to FACE at FACE@schools.nyc.gov.
·         If a request to extend an extension of elections to December 31st has been granted, the terms of the PA/PTA officers can also be extended to December 31st, but no later than that date.
·         Presidents’ Councils who were unable to hold elections of their mandatory officers between 4.2.2020 and 10.31.2020 pursuant to the waiver issues on 5.5.2020 may request an extension to December 31, 2020 by submitting a request to FACE at FACE@schools.nyc.gov.
·         If a request to extend an extension of elections to December 31st has been granted, the terms of the Presidents’ Councils can also be extended to December 31st, but no later than that date.
·         PA/PTA meetings can be held virtually until September 2021.
·         PA/PTA’s deadline to submit the Annual Financial Report (extended to October 31st by the May 5th, 2020 waiver) was extended to November 16th, 2020.
 
 
Chancellor’s Regulations -D-Regulations
The DOE has proposed changes to Chancellor’s Regulations D-140, D-150, D-160 and D-170. These regulations address the process for the nomination and selection of the members of Community Education Councils (CR D-140), the Citywide Council on Special Education and the Citywide Council for District 75; the Citywide Council on High Schools (CR D-160) and the Citywide Council on English Language Learners (CR D-170). These proposed changes will be voted on by the Panel for Education Policy (PEP) at its January 27th, 2021 meeting.
 
The proposed changes will be posted for public comment on the DOE’s website here: 
 
https://www.schools.nyc.gov/about-us/leadership/panel-for-education-policy
 
The public comment period will be open until January 26 at 6:00pm. We encourage you to review them and give us your feedback.
 
Electronic Devices for Students
Whether they’re learning in-person or remote, we are committed to equipping every student with the resources they need to access a high-quality education, and we’ve delivered 62,000 new internet-enabled iPads to schools in the past four weeks. We’re working hard to get the remaining devices into the hands of students before winter break and will continue coordinating with schools to ensure their families’ device needs are met.
 
We’re working aggressively to distribute the new batch of 100,00 internet-enabled iPads to schools, of which 62,000 have been delivered.
 
Kindergarten Application Period Open
Beginning Thursday, December 10th, children born in 2016 can apply to kindergarten for the 2021-22 school year. The application deadline is Tuesday, January 19, 2021. All families who apply by the deadline will receive a kindergarten offer in April.
All families should participate in kindergarten admissions, including children currently attending pre-K, students with disabilities, English Language Learners, and students with accessibility needs.
 
MySchools.nyc includes an online directory tool that allows families to explore program choices, save programs of interest and submit their application, all on the same site.
 
Families can apply to Kindergarten in two ways, online at MySchools and over the phone by calling 718-935-2009.
 
Announcement on Renewed Academic Priorities
On Thursday, December 10th, Mayor Bill de Blasio, and Chancellor Richard A. Carranza shared their 2021 Student Achievement Plan.
 
The key principles are:
·         Leveraging the innovative work educators have done over the last eight months and making the best digital curricula available to all schools
·         Implementing diagnostic assessments to understand where students are and help teachers target instruction and accelerate learning gains
·         Phasing in a learning management system that enables a one-stop shop for all digital components of learning
·         Increasing professional learning 
·         Expanding Parent University to bring family support into the home through digital courses in different languages
 
COVID-19 Testing Report for Schools
The DOE’s  website  has been updated to include the results of COVID-19 testing at individual public schools. Mandatory in-school testing is part of the Department of Education’s comprehensive effort to keep school communities healthy and safe and ensure our school buildings remain open. You can find citywide and borough-wide testing data below, as well as information for specific schools. The DOE testing site shows results from as recent as Monday, December 7, 2020.
For more information visit the DOE Website at https://www.schools.nyc.gov/school-year-20-21/return-to-school-2020/health-and-safety/covid-19-testing/covid-testing-results
 
Big Apple Awards
The New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE) is excited to announce the nomination period for the ninth annual Big Apple Awards. We encourage you to celebrate outstanding educators in your community bynominating them for the Big Apple Awards by January 10th.
 
We need your help to highlight some of our city’s best teachers and celebrate the dedicated educators who serve our 1.1 million students. We hope you will help spread the word—and consider making a nomination yourself!
 
To make a nomination, visit http://schools.nyc.gov/bigappleawards.
Nominations accepted through Sunday, January 10
Click here for more information.
 
IT Help Desk and Resources for Remote Learning for Families
The DOE’s IT HELP DESK AND RESOURCES FOR REMOTE LEARNING in English, Spanish and Chinese, Arabic, Bengla/Bengali, French, Russian, Urdu, Korean and Haitian-Creole are here. This document outlines resources that are available to our families to support remote learning.

This has been a challenging week. We had to make the difficult decision to close schools given the increasing infection rate of COVID 19 in the city.  No-one wants to be in this situation – we know that. But we also know that we must make difficult decisions in order to reduce transmission and keep as many New Yorkers safe and healthy as we can. 

We also know so much more than we did this time in March.  We are better at teaching, working, and living remotely than we were when all this first began.  Many of you have developed outstanding and innovative strategies for serving and supporting families during these times from watch parties, check ins, online trainings and phone calls. We’ve all become expert at Zoom, Google, Webex, and FaceTime.  We will get through this closure, and this pandemic, and hopefully, be better and stronger for the experience.

Please know that during this time of reflection before the Thanksgiving holiday that we are so immensely grateful for the strength, compassion and energy that you all bring every day.
 
EVENTS FOR PARENTS
Building Relationships and Engaging your Membership for Parent Leaders
December 1st, 2020 at 10:00 am
​
Please join us as FACE host a workshop where we share best practices to help you, as parent leaders, engage with your school community. Come ready to share and grow as we learn together how to build relationships and community, develop future leaders and create partnerships to support the parents and students in your schools and districts!

When: Tuesday, December 1st, 2020 @ 10am
Where: Zoom Webinar - https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87592084920?pwd=aHA3THVWRFlsMWxzWEtneStOenpDUT09
Dial-in number: US: +1 646 558 8656
Webinar ID: 875 9208 4920 Passcode: 201835
 
Family and Student Information Session
Missed the November 12th or 19th Family and Student Information Session?
You can view the recording here: https://learndoe.org/face/recordings/
 
For MLL/ELL students and families
City University of New York Admissions Events
Monday November 23rd and Tuesday November 24th - 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
For all families, especially junior and senior MLLs/ELLs
 
CUNY Application Support – 11.23 and 11.24
Receive hands-on support in starting and completing an application to CUNY colleges.
 
Held in the afternoons on November 23-24, and offered in Spanish, Mandarin, Bengali, and Russian. Students wanting to apply to CUNY are welcome.
 
 
City Harvest Food Drive
 
For 38 years, City Harvest and the Daily News have partnered to host the city’s largest food drive, taking place this year from Tuesday, October 20, 2020 through Friday, January 22, 2021. Our goal is to collect one million pounds of nutritious food, which we will deliver, free of charge, to hundreds of soup kitchens, food pantries, and other community food programs across the five boroughs.

Find out how you can get involved this year by visiting City Harvest’s website
 
UPDATES
Parent University is Here!
We’re delighted to let you know that Parent University is live. Parent University is for all parents and family members. Parent University is a course registration and management system where NYC families can find free trainings on a wide range of topics. Parent University serves all families, from early childhood through adulthood, and seeks to educate and empower them as partners and advocates through free courses, resources, events, and activities.
You can check out the site here:  https://parentu.schools.nyc/
 
For more information, including flyers in different languages please visit the DOE’s Family Empowerment site.
 
Schools Temporarily Closed
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.
Here’s a checklist to help parents prepare for this time of remote learning, including translations.

Devices for Remote LearningDo 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(Open external link)

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 FamiliesAll 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 BridgesLearning 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 Education3-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.
 
Citywide and Community Education Council Elections
Elections for Community and Citywide Education Councils will take place between February and May 2021 and this cycle promises to be historic! Thanks to the advocacy of Education Council members, NYS law was changed to allow parents of all NYC public school students to vote in these elections. In addition, voting for the Citywide Education Councils representing Special Education and English Language Learner communities was expanded to include all families of the students in these programs. We are excited about these changes!
Are you ready to Run. Serve. Lead?

As NYC School Account (NYCSA) is becoming a one-stop shop for student records and communications to parents, we have leveraged it to make the application and voting process more user-friendly and encourage maximum participation. Because NYCSA is the entry point for both applying and voting, it is imperative that all parents create an account and link all their children to it.

We urge all Family Leadership Coordinators and Parent Coordinators to find creative ways to increase parent NYCSA sign-ups in their school communities. The Elections Team is available to provide technical assistance and to brainstorm solutions to remove all barriers to NYCSA creation. Details on the NYCSA account and ways to activate it can be found here https://www.schools.nyc.gov/learning/student-journey/nyc-schools-account.

Please invite the Elections Team to your parent events and Parent Coordinator meetings for more in-depth conversations about the elections. We are looking forward to partnering with our families, parent leaders and colleagues to make these elections the most successful yet!
 
ICYMI
Big Apple Awards 2020 Nominations are Now Open!We are now accepting nominations for the Big Apple Awards! Nominations for teachers and college and career counselors will be accepted through January 10, 2021.

Students, families, educators, school staff, and community members can nominate teachers and counselors by visiting the Big Apple Awards website, today through January 10, 2021. Nominees must be current, full-time public school teachers or college counselors in a district school, charter school or early childhood education center in New York City who demonstrate exceptional success in the classroom.
 
PA/PTA Roles and Responsibilities Virtual Training
We would like to share the Roles and Responsibilities for PA/PTA presentation and recording for the virtual training held by FACE on November 10, 2020.  We will be posting on the DOE website over the next few days.  

Access the recording here with Access Passcode: s99?n.gg
https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/N8AmV7_Ha8DJHkXU0TWUprSkHNE0IoedqWKkvBGLFYd7yyNul_VSPAfOPaGg_egW.G1nOXkshpWmasl0m

Today, the Chancellor announced that schools will transition to full remote learning starting tomorrow, Thursday, November 19th.  Below is a letter from our Chancellor to families.

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 

http://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 
New York City Department of Education

The YMCA is offering remote learning  on the days the students are not in person.

Virtual programs will be 
Monday through Friday (fun activities, arts and craft, STEM, arts, interactive online games)
Time: 3:00 pm 

If you are interested, please register online by clicking here.

In order to apply for this program, you must create an account or login. Families click on the link and select After School programs on the right side of the page. After that Families can find TAG by Zip code 10029 and list icon button.

Please make sure the Online link/registration must say:

• For Elementary click on COMPASS Elementary with Andrea Scott 
• For Middle School Click on SONYC Middle School with Kenneth Melendez

Once you are confirmed with online registration we send you zoom link info.

Any questions or concerns please email Mrs. Scott or Mr. Melendez.

The Office of Family and Community Empowerment (FACE) is providing an update of events and resources:
​

Within our schools, we have seen a COVID-19 positivity rate of only .18 percent out of more than 100,000 students and staff tested. This has been a reassuring sign that our schools are safe, and that our families, staff and student are taking all necessary precautions to stay safe and healthy.

However, outside of schools, the signs are not as promising. Two months ago, we pledged to close our buildings and temporarily shift to fully remote teaching and learning if the average weekly positive testing rate, across the city, reached 3%.

Unfortunately, the rate has been increasing towards 3%, and we may have to temporarily shift back to full-time remote learning for every school in the coming weeks. We have already communicated this to principals and know that you and your colleagues are working hard to prepare for that possibility. This is an outcome that no-one wants, in a set of circumstances that no-one is happy about. However, we do need to be prepared should we have to take this step, and thank you all, as ever, for your continued dedication through these challenging times.
We will keep you closely updated.

Show Your Schoolwork NYC
The DOE is launching “Show Your Schoolwork NYC” series, a year-long virtual celebration of great schoolwork completed by blended and remote-learning students in 3-K– grade 12 throughout the 2020–21 school year. All DOE staff members and families are invited to participate by submitting a brief summary of a student and their work that you would like to highlight via the submission form at any time during the course of the 2020–21 school year. Submitters should also include at least three photos and/or one video with your submission—this could be media featuring the student, their work, your relationship to the work (i.e., did you assign it), and/or any background regarding the assignment (i.e., lessons learned, expected outcomes). The series will be featured on the DOE’s blog The Morning Bell and the DOE’s social media accounts on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
For more information, review the submission form homepage.
 
The Window to Opt Into Blended Learning is Open until November 15
DOE public schools offer blended/in-person learning  (a mix of in-person days at school and remote-learning days at home) and fully remote learning. Learn more about blended/in-person learning and the 2020-2021 school year on our Return to School 2020 web pages. If guardians have any difficulty completing this form online, they can call 311 for help.
Changing Preferences

• At any time, parents can use this form to choose fully remote learning for your child.
• Between November 2 and November 15, 2020, parents can use this form to switch to blended learning (a mix of in-person days at school and remote-learning days at home) for the remainder of this school year.
• Students who switch to blended learning will begin their new schedule sometime the week of November 30 or the week of December 7, 2020.
• Please note that students in blended learning must submit a consent form to participate in random testing for COVID-19, which can be submitted through your New York City Schools Account(NYCSA) or by downloading the form here.

Please note: This form does not apply to charter schools. If a child attends a charter school, please ask the family to reach out to the school directly to discuss remote learning options.
 
Big Apple Awards 2020 Nominations are Now Open!We are now accepting nominations for the Big Apple Awards! Nominations for teachers and college and career counselors will be accepted through January 10, 2021.
Students, families, educators, school staff, and community members can nominate teachers and counselors by visiting the Big Apple Awards website, today through January 10, 2021. Nominees must be current, full-time public school teachers or college counselors in a district school, charter school or early childhood education center in New York City who demonstrate exceptional success in the classroom.
 
PA/PTA Elections and Annual Financial Report (AFR):  
Thank you for all of the work you put into holding PA/PTA elections. Holding elections during a traditional year is challenging work, and the transition to holding elections in a virtual environment has made the challenge even greater.  FACE is in the process of developing a waiver process that will allow PAs/PTAs unable to meet the election deadline to request an extension to December 31, 2020.
SLT Parent Member Elections: Following the PA/PTA election, your school should also have conducted School Leadership Team (SLT) parent-member elections to fill any vacancies on the SLT.
Annual Financial Report (AFR): Your school is required to submit the Annual Financial Report (AFR), including the PA/PTA budget beginning balance, income, expenses, and ending balance. The results of these elections, and the Annual Financial Report (AFR), should be recorded in the School Parent Leader Contact Information (SPLCI) system by you or your parent coordinator by November 16. For step-by-step directions on how to access SPLCI from a remote workspace, or on the DOE network, see this guide.

For more information and resources, see the PA/PTA Resource Folder and SLT Support Site. For questions, email FACE@schools.nyc.gov.
 
PA/PTA Roles and Responsibilities Virtual Training
We would like to share the Roles and Responsibilities for PA/PTA presentation and recording for the virtual training held by FACE on November 10, 2020.  We will be posting on the DOE website over the next few days.  
 
Access the recording here with Access Passcode:
https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/N8AmV7_Ha8DJHkXU0TWUprSkHNE0IoedqWKkvBGLFYd7yyNul_VSPAfOPaGg_egW.G1nOXkshpWmasl0m
 
EVENTS FOR PARENTS
November is Family Empowerment Month
Family Empowerment Month is an opportunity to recognize the importance of school, home and community partnerships, now even more crucial in these times. Family Empowerment Month is collection of activities and events celebrating and supporting families.  We invite you, our colleagues and partners in this work, to join us this month and year in celebrating and supporting our families.  
Save the Date

• Chancellor Town Hall with CEC 32 (11/16)
• Forum for Foster Families (11/18)
• Family and Student Information Session (11/19) 
• Multi-Lingual Mondays:  CTE Pathways for Middle School Students (11/16)

Family Fun (Parent Workshops and Virtual Family Field Trips)

• Parents as Learning Heroes: Tips and Resources for a Different Kind of School Year (11/16)
• Workshop Common Sense Education, Digital Learning and Well-being  All Ages (11/16 7:00pm)

 
Family and Student Information Session
Families across the DOE are invited to attend a virtual “Family and Student Information” session, which will take place from 6:30–8:00 p.m. on November 19. Principals and their parent coordinators/family-facing staff should share the following session flyers (English, Spanish, Chinese) via email to ensure families are aware of this opportunity. The session, hosted by Chancellor Richard A. Carranza, will feature DOE leaders discussing the most up-to-date information about remote and blended learning, grading policies, and health and safety protocols.  Families can join this event by registering via Learn DOE; families can also view the event, without registering, via this livestream on the day/time of the event. 
 
Missed us on November 12th? You can view the recording here: https://learndoe.org/face/recordings/
 
Virtual Workshops on Financial Wellness for Students and Families (English and Spanish)
The DOE is partnering with EverFi and Master Your Card to host two workshops on Financial Wellness, one in English and one in Spanish. The workshops will take place via Zoom on Wednesday, November 18th, with the English workshop taking place from 3:00pm to 4:00pm and the Spanish workshop taking place from 4:30pm to 5:30pm. Please share the information below or the flyers for the English workshop (3:00pm-4:00pm) and the Spanish workshop (4:30pm to 5:30pm) with your communities. For questions, email the Division of Multilingual Learners at DML@schools.nyc.gov.
 
The Power Of Financial Wellness
Date: Wednesday, November 18, 2020
Time: 3:00 P.M.—4:00 P.M.
Location: Online (Zoom)
Registration: https://tinyurl.com/MM1108201
 
Join us for this online session to learn about:

• Tools to manage your money and support you in meeting your financial goals.
• How to gain access to digital financial literacy lessons and resources for learners of all ages.

All students, families, and community partners are welcome. There will also be time to get your questions answered by our partners at EverFi and Master Your Card.
 
Su Bienestar Financiero
Fecha: miércoles es 18 de noviembre de 2020
Hora: 4:30 P.M.–5:30 P.M.
Ubicación: Zoom
Registro: https://tinyurl.com/MM1108201S
 
Acompáñenos a una sesión en línea para aprender:

• Sobre los recursos gratuitos sobre conosimientos financieros. Esta sesión será disponible para estudiantes y sus familias de la ciudad de Nueva York
• Las herramientas y estrategias que pueden ayudarle en el cumplimiento de sus objetivos financieros.
• Esta sesión está abierta a estudiantes, familias, miembros de la comunidad. ¡Todos son bienvenidos! Todos tendrá la oportunidad de que sus preguntas sean respondidas por nuestros socios de EverFi y Master Your Card.

 
For MLL/ELL students and families
If you have a child who is in middle schools and is a Multilingual or English Language Learners, or know someone who does, please  attend an information session that highlights Career & Technical Education programs in NYC schools and the benefits of career related school pathways. The session will take place on November 16th from 5pm - 6pm with translations available in Spanish, Arabic, and Mandarin.
 
City University of New York Admissions Events
Thursday November 19th and Friday November 20th   - 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Monday November 23rd and Tuesday November 24th - 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
For all families, especially junior and senior MLLs/ELLs
 
CUNY Admissions Overview – 11.19 and 11.20
 
Learn more about colleges, majors, and support programs available to new students at the City University of New York (CUNY), and ask any questions you have about applying.
 
Held in the afternoons on November 19-20, and offered in Spanish, Mandarin, Bengali, and Russian. Students and families are welcome.
 
CUNY Application Support – 11.23 and 11.24
 
Receive hands-on support in starting and completing an application to CUNY colleges.
 
Held in the afternoons on November 23-24, and offered in Spanish, Mandarin, Bengali, and Russian. Students wanting to apply to CUNY are welcome.
 
 
City Harvest Food Drive
 
For 38 years, City Harvest and the Daily News have partnered to host the city’s largest food drive, taking place this year from Tuesday, October 20, 2020 through Friday, January 22, 2021. Our goal is to collect one million pounds of nutritious food, which we will deliver, free of charge, to hundreds of soup kitchens, food pantries, and other community food programs across the five boroughs.
Find out how you can get involved this year by visiting City Harvest’s website
 
ICYMI
From Betty A. Rosa, Interim Commissioner New York State Education Department

​Dear Parents,
Throughout the pandemic, our priority has been the health and wellbeing of our students and educators. With this in mind, the New York State Education Department (NYSED) determined that the January Regents Exams could not be safely, equitably, and fairly administered across the state given the current status of the pandemic, and we recently announced that the January 2021 administration of the High School Regents Examination Program is cancelled. This cancellation applies to all Regents Examinations that had been scheduled for the January 2021 Regents Examination period.
No decisions have been made regarding the June and August 2021 administrations of Regents Examinations or any of the other state assessment programs. We will continue to monitor applicable data and make decisions about other state assessment programs as the school year progresses, being mindful of the evolving situation.
Protecting children is part of the responsibility of educators, and that includes preventing child sexual abuse. Curriculum resources are now available to help schools and educators implement Erin’s law, which requires public schools to teach child sexual abuse and exploitation prevention in Kindergarten through eighth grade.
NYSED launched an Erin’s law website with materials to help educate students on awareness, skills, self-confidence, and support to prevent child sexual exploitation and child sexual abuse.
These curriculum resources provide schools with caring, grade-appropriate materials to help empower children by letting them know it’s safe to speak up to someone they can trust. We are grateful to our partners in the legislature, Senator Alessandra Biaggi and Assembly member Jeffrey Dinowitz, who advocated for this law and for our students.
NYSED strives to maintain a strong connection with families and communities, and a key aspect of this connection is transparency. We recently launched a Parent Dashboard to increase transparency and make information about school performance and other school-level data easier for parents and the public to access. The Parent Dashboard increases data transparency by providing you, as parents, with valuable information about your child’s school, enabling you to make informed decisions about your child’s education.
NYSED is now gathering additional feedback from parents and stakeholders to guide further enhancements to the Parent Dashboard. We will use this feedback to identify the data that is most useful to parents and the public and to make improvements to the website. We invite you to explore the Parent Dashboard and then provide feedback via an online survey, available in 17 languages. By completing the survey, you will help us determine how the Parent Dashboard can best provide you with information about your child’s education.
All children deserve access to a high-quality education that will allow them to meet their full potential, regardless of their race or religious beliefs. NYSED will hold a series of regional meetings to engage and gather input from stakeholders in the religious and independent school community, as well as their counterparts in public schools, to inform policy decisions related to the substantial equivalence of instruction in nonpublic schools as required by Education Law Section 3204(2).
The outcomes of the stakeholder engagement sessions and the survey of religious and independent schools will be considered by the Board of Regents as it considers next steps in the process to develop regulations for substantially equivalent instruction for nonpublic school students. By engaging our partners in the field, we anticipate constructive and thoughtful discussions to develop an inclusive framework for determining substantial equivalence for the students of New York State.
Thank you, as always, for your continued partnership and dedication to your children's education.
Sincerely,
Betty A. Rosa Interim Commissioner
 
 
Warm Regards,
The FACE Team

Meeting Date: November 17, 2020 (Tuesday)
Meeting Time: 6:00 to 8:00 PM
Meeting Agenda: PTA 2020-2021 Budget Vote
Meeting Location: Virtual Zoom Meeting

View the proposed budget:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/167ZmLZZaWtCnCocgRoShDpHRu2Z2d780/view?usp=sharing

For more information, please contact
Name: John Lee
Email: secretary@tagscholarspta.org

​Fully remote families will soon have the option to opt-in to blended learning, meaning that students will learn in the school building for part of the week, and remotely at home the rest of the week.

From Monday, November 2 through Sunday, November 15, families will be able to fill out a form indicating their wish to change learning preferences. Students who change from remote to blended will begin in-person between the weeks of November 30 and December 7, and will be informed by their school their start date and schedule. Schools will make every effort to accommodate these requests based on programming and space capacity.

DEBATE PROGRAM -
The PTA launched the Debate Program for 5th - 8th grades. Registration has closed.  Please contact the PTA Debate Program if you have any questions or concerns about this program at TAG.
Vendors that TAG PTA has worked with in the past are still offering classes!

​Contact the vendors directly if your child is interested in taking a virtual afterschool class for
Piano, Spanish, Mandarin, French, Chess and other Bridge The Gap Enrichments.
FYI: The French class is a new program being offered by a vendor we have a long-standing relationship with.
The Wisdom Learning program is being offered by a vendor we have a long-standing relationship with as well, offering various "Bridge The Gap Enrichment" courses.

PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE TO CONTACT THE VENDOR DIRECTLY FOR ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PROGRAMS, THEY ARE HAPPY TO ENGAGE IN DISCUSSION WITH ANY OF OUR TAG FAMILY MEMBERS. IT IS NOT TOO LATE TO REGISTER FOR THESE CLASSES, PLEASE EMAIL THE VENDOR DIRECTLY IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.

PIANO - (see flyer for details)
Beehive Music www.beehivemusicacademy.com
Contact - Mirta Gomez: mirta@beehivemusicacademy.com

SPANISH - (see flyer for details)
Espanol Experience www.espanolexperience.com/fall-2020-online.html
Contact - info@espanolexperience.com

MANDARIN -
Registration Information: www.manhattanmandarin.com/fall2020
Contacts - Michelle: michelle@manhattanmandarin.com
Jamie: jamie@manhattanmandarin.com

FRENCH - (see flyer for details)
French Classes www.beehivemusicacademy.com
Contact - Mirta Gomez: mirta@beehivemusicacademy.com

CHESS -
Chess online afterschool offered by NY Chess Kids is open to all students. Information is here:
www.nychesskids.com/online-fall-program

Feel free to register for whatever day works for you, but we suggest Fridays, to keep our program consistent with last year and to have the kids see each other once a week. If you register we would like to ask you if you could also fill this out:
forms.gle/XrKyFWjcNFuDrnGY6
so that we can keep track of which kid is registered and we can communicate to you if there's any news.

If you want to be added to the chess mailing list please email tagchessinfo@gmail.com

Email THE VENDOR Saudin at nychesskids@gmail.com IF YOU HAVE ANY REGISTRATION QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS ABOUT CHESS.

BRIDGE THE GAP ENRICHMENTS -
Wisdom Learning: www.wisdomlearning.us/
for more information contact: info@wisdomlearning.us