May 3, 2021
 
Dear PS/IS 229K Parents/Guardians,
 
We will have students in Grades 3-8, whose families opted-in, taking the New York State Math Tests this week. We will be following the adjusted schedules below.
 
If your child was opted-in and will be taking a New York State Math Test this week, you MUST fill out and send with your child the attached Notice of Dismissal.
 
TUESDAY, May 4th:  Grades 3 and 4 opted-in students take the NYS Math Test

• ALL In-Person students enter through Exit 3 at 8:40 AM.
• Grades 3 and 4 Remote students taking the Math Test enter through Exit 3 at 9:00 AM.
• ALL IN-PERSON STUDENTS IN GRADES PRE-K – GRADE 8 THAT ARE NOT TAKING THE EXAM WILL HAVE A REGULARLY SCHEDULED SCHOOL DAY. In-person grade 3 and grade 4 students taking the test WILL return to their regular classrooms after testing.
• Grades 3 and 4 Remote students must have the dismissal slip completed and be picked up by parent/guardian  at 11:30 AM. They will leave through Exit 5 (schoolyard). Busses will continue for In-Person students.

 
WEDNESDAY, May 5th:  Grades 5 and 6 opted-in students take the NYS Math Test

• Students in grades 6-8 will be remote on this day. Asynchronous work will be posted for all remote students that are not taking the NYS Math test.
• Grades Pre-K – Grade 5 in-person students will have a regularly scheduled school day. Busses will continue for In-Person students.
• All Grades 5 and 6 In-Person students taking the Math Test enter at 8:40 AM.
• Grades 5 and 6 Remote students taking the Math Test enter through Exit 3 at 9:00 AM.
• In-person grade 5 students taking the test WILL return to their regular classrooms after testing.
• Grade 6 students taking the Math Test must have the dismissal slip completed and be picked up by parent/guardian at 11:30 AM. They will leave through Exit 5 (schoolyard).

 
THURSDAY, May 6th:  Grades 7 and 8 opted-in students take the NYS Math Test

• Students in grades 6-8 will be remote on this day. Asynchronous work will be posted for all remote students that are not taking the Math test.
• Grades Pre-K – Grade 5 in-person students will have a regularly scheduled school day. Busses will continue for In-Person students.
• All Grades 7 and 8 In-Person students taking the Math Test enter at 8:40 AM.
• Grades 7 and 8 Remote students taking the Math Test enter through Exit 3 at 9:00 AM.
• Grades 7 and 8 students taking the Math Test must have the dismissal slip completed and be picked up by parent/guardian at 11:30 AM. They will leave through Exit 5 (schoolyard).

ALL students entering the school building must complete the Daily Health Screening, available at:
https://healthscreening.schools.nyc/ or for a printable copy at: https://healthscreening.schools.nyc/docs/DOE_Health_Screening_Questionnaire_04_01_21.pdf
 
Sincerely,
 
William S. Kirk
Principal

Good afternoon PS/IS 229K Community,

The 3 feet of social distancing in instructional spaces for grades PreK - Grade 5 has been agreed upon and we have a plan. The 6 feet will remain in effect in middle school classrooms, public spaces, and between adults. We conducted a walkthrough with our Building Response Team and UFT representative yesterday to ensure our plan will maintain all necessary health & safety measures. The Superintendent's Office has approved our plan. 

I am writing to you today to announce that:
1) Our newly opted-in grades K-5 students will be coming into the school building 4 days per week (Tuesday-Friday) beginning Tuesday, April 27th. 

2) We will bring ALL grades 6-8 blended students (including those newly opted-in) into the school building 4 days per week (Tuesday-Friday) beginning Tuesday, May 4th. 

All students in grades 1 - 8 must provide consent for in-school COVID-19 testing by their first scheduled in-person learning day in order to participate in the in-person instructional activities. The consent form can be found in multiple languages on the School-Based COVID-19 Testing page on the InfoHub at: https://infohub.nyced.org/school-year-2020-21/return-to-school-2020/health-and-safety/school-based-testing .
Families are encouraged to complete the consent form immediately via the NYSCA portal at: https://mystudent.nyc/ .

I will be conducting my rescheduled Town Hall Meeting for Parents and Families via Zoom on Monday, April 26th at 6:00 PM.  I will be addressing items for the remainder of this school year, the summer, and looking ahead. 

William Kirk is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Principal Kirk's Town Hall Meeting for PS/IS 229K Parents and Families
Time: Apr 26, 2021 06:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84476734553?pwd=d2M1dkgrODhlS3JyODhGZHViM1M5UT09
Meeting ID: 844 7673 4553
Passcode: 016305
One tap mobile
+16465588656,,84476734553#,,,,*016305# US (New York)
+13126266799,,84476734553#,,,,*016305# US (Chicago)
Dial by your location
        +1 646 558 8656 US (New York)
        +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
        +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
        +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
        +1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose)
        +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
Meeting ID: 844 7673 4553
Passcode: 016305
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kfD4axpT8
Thank you for your continued support during this challenging year!

Sincerely,
William S. Kirk
Principal
P.S./I.S. 229K

Dear Grade 8 Parents/Guardians and Students,

As I am sure you are aware, the NYCDOE is having eighth-grade students take the Specialized High Schools Admissions Test (SHSAT) in their home middle schools (including K-8 schools).

If your grade 8 child is taking the SHSAT on Wednesday, January 27th, s/he must arrive at the school at 8:10 AM. These students will enter at this time through ENTRANCE #5, from the schoolyard. Daily Health Screenings (required for all staff, students and visitors to enter a DOE building) will be collected and/or conducted before entry. To access and complete it at home before arrival:  https://healthscreening.schools.nyc/
​
Standard administration time is 180 minutes to complete the test. We expect that the standard end time for our test site will be approximately 11:45 AM. Students may only leave as directed by the proctor, and under no circumstances may students be dismissed prior to the end of the 180-minute testing period.

We have less than ten students that receive a testing accommodation of extended time (2x). Students with an extended time accommodation may leave at any time after the standard 180-minute testing period and after they have finished working on the test. Before the student leaves, s/he will have to sign the Extended Time Student Sign-Out Sheet.

Please use the attached permission form to allow your child to be dismissed at the conclusion of the SHSAT testing period.

For other questions you might have please check the FAQ document here:  https://www.schools.nyc.gov/SHSAT2021FAQ

William S. Kirk
Principal
P.S./I.S. 229K
1400 Benson Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11228
(718) 236-5447

Please see a description of the sessions below: 

• Thursday, July 23 - 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM - Know Your Rights 1. Learn more about the Rights for Parents of English Learners
• Tuesday, July 28 - 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM  - Know Your Rights 2. Learn more about the Identification of ELLs/Commissioner's Regulation Part 154
• Wednesday, July 29 - 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM  - Know Your Rights 3. Geared towards Undocumented families and online/offline resources for immigrant families
• Tuesday, August 4 - 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM  - Bilingual Programs
• Thursday, August  6 - 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM  -  College Planning​

​https://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/5686649/2020-ELL-Virtual-Summer-Institute-Registration

Families will receive the information to log in one-day before the event 

The 60-minute English sessions will be interpreted in Arabic, Chinese Mandarin, Haitian Creole.

The 30-minute group sessions will be led in Albanian, Arabic, Chinese Mandarin and Chinese Cantonese, Haitian Creole, Polish, Uzbek, by our partners in Citywide Council for English Language Learners. 

Dear Families,

I hope you are having a restful summer so far, and staying healthy and safe. I am writing today to share important information about the fall, when school will start up again for the 2020-2021 school year. At the conclusion of this note you will find this information organized by topic, including school scheduling, health and safety protocols, and more. Please bookmark schools.nyc.gov/returntoschool2020, where more information is available, and which will be regularly updated as we get closer to reopening.

Our commitment to health and safety drives everything that we do. It drove the transition to remote learning this past March, when we knew that closing school buildings was essential to flattening the curve of COVID-19 infection across New York City. It was profoundly challenging, but you and your children handled it with unbelievable grace and effort, and school communities came together to make it work in historic fashion.

Now, almost four months later, our commitment to health and safety will drive us into the new school year. We have been through so much together, and as we look ahead to September, we see the big picture: the continuing rise in cases across the country; current guidance from City, State, and Federal health authorities; and the knowledge that as the trajectory of the virus continues to evolve, the guidance we must follow will also evolve. When it does, we have to be ready, and prepared to adapt. We’ve also received over 400,000 responses from families and students to a survey asking about preferences and concerns for the upcoming year, and your input has been critical in our planning.

Taken together, this picture demands we begin the 2020-21 school year in an unprecedented way—including new health protocols, physical distancing, and more. Make no mistake: New York City students will still be learning 5 days a week. A major difference is that we are preparing to deliver their education through a blended learning model. Blended learning means students will be taught on-site in school for part of the week, and will attend school remotely on the other days of the week.
​
Any family can also choose all-remote learning, for any reason. But we know that the majority of families want as much in-person instruction as is safely possible, and we will work to maximize it at every turn, consistent with health and safety requirements. We will continue to lead with the lens of equity and excellence, giving your child what they need to excel—and recognizing the ways that will be different from each of their classmates, especially in a time of crisis. We will not look away from the ways this virus has further magnified the effects of systemic racism in our communities. We will continue to explore opportunities to directly correct structural inequities—like closing the digital divide.

Our plans must be nimble so we can adjust and update as needed, as the public health landscape continues to evolve. We are also awaiting guidance from the State of New York, and we will be closely coordinating with them once it is released. All of the most up-to-date information will be available at schools.nyc.gov/returntoschool2020, and at the end of this letter are the most important takeaways for you at this moment. Please remember that this guidance may change as public health conditions evolve.

In closing, I want to say that I’m excited, and I’m anxious—just like you. I know that blending in-person and remote learning feels like an improvement over the all-remote experience of the last three months, but still comes with many questions and concerns. We will work with you every step of the way to answer questions around sibling scheduling, transportation, what happens if there’s a confirmed case in a school, and more. I’m committed to doing everything I can to make this easy for you—and I will not compromise on health and safety.

I always say that New York City has the best students, families, and staff in the world—and that nothing will ever change that. A safe return to schools in the fall, and the broader safety of our whole city, will require we consistently work together as partners—DOE staff, families, and students. Together we can ensure that the 1.1 million students—your children—in the NYC public school system get the education they deserve in the safest, most supportive environments possible.

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

Overall Guidance

• The 2020-21 school year will start in September 2020. We will announce details about the first day of school in the coming weeks.
• NYC students will be learning 5 days a week, whether in-person in school buildings or remotely at home.
• We are maximizing in-person instruction as much as possible given health and safety guidance, which includes social distancing. Students will return in either a blended learning model (a combination of remote learning from home, and in-person instruction in school buildings), or a fully remote learning model from home, if you so choose.
• Health officials have made clear that following basic safety protocols are key to reducing the spread of COVID-19: social distancing, face coverings (masks), handwashing, and staying home when sick.

Developing Your Child’s Schedule
As of now, given current health and safety guidance, we will not be able to have 100% of students present in a school building on any given day. You should expect to hear from your school in August regarding your child’s specific schedule.

Under the blended learning model, students will be taught on-site in school buildings for part of the week, and will learn remotely from home on the other days of the week.

• Schools will choose a schedule from a limited number of models that take into account the space constraints of their school buildings, and that prioritize consistency for parents and students in their scheduling.
• You can expect your child or children to be in school one to two consistent days per week, with additional in-person days on a rotating schedule based on groups or cohorts of students.
• Schools will make every effort to safely conduct as much instruction in-person as possible, and your principal will communicate your child’s schedule with you in August.

We know that there are families who may not feel comfortable going back into school buildings in the fall. You can elect to choose all-remote learning for your child; a web form will be shared with you on July 15 that will allow you to select that preference by August 7. Families who have chosen fully remote learning at the beginning of the school year will be allowed to transition back into in-person instruction on a quarterly basis. Once the school year begins, families can choose to go fully remote at any time.

New Health and Safety Protocols

• All people (including students and adults) in a school building should remain at least 6 feet apart at all times, including in classrooms, common areas, and during lunch periods.
  
• Face coverings will be required for all students, staff, and visitors while inside buildings. Disposable face coverings will be provided to students and staff who need them.
• Exceptions will be made for those who cannot wear masks for developmental reasons, including based on their age.
• Students and staff will have increased access to handwashing and sanitizer. Schools will be supplied with additional cleaning supplies, including hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes.
• All schools will identify a space to be equipped as an Isolation Room in the event a student or staff member becomes ill while at school.
• Our buildings will be deep-cleaned on a nightly basis with electrostatic disinfectant sprayers, and HVAC systems are being upgraded to ensure better ventilation.

Equity and Excellence: Our Continued Commitment
Our vision of educational equity and excellence for all students persists even during this time of crisis. We are laser focused on helping your child achieve academic excellence by providing key academic, social-emotional, and other supports to unlock their full potential to learn—no matter who they are. We remain focused on high-quality, tailored instruction for every student. In addition, here is some of what we will do to help our children reach their highest potential:

• We will allow time for students to readjust to being in school buildings, and to adapt to changes.
• We will integrate social-emotional learning and trauma-informed care into core academic instruction, and all New York City public schools will prioritize access to mental health supports throughout the 2020-2021 school year.
• For students with IEPs, this fall we will continue to offer in-person services to all who opt to receive in-person services to the greatest extent possible.
• Multilingual learners will receive an instructional program that will ensure continued progress in both their language development and content area knowledge.

Keeping You Informed
As we finalize plans for a school year like no other in our history, we know how important it is that our students, families, and staff have the information they need to prepare. We know that for each piece of information we are providing, more questions can emerge. Please visit the Return to School 2020 webpage at schools.nyc.gov/returntoschool2020 on a regular basis for the latest updates.
Throughout the summer we will continue to engage with families, students, and community leaders—both centrally through the DOE and within each school community.

• Centrally, the DOE will host a series of online Family & Student Information Sessions to answer any questions or concerns that families may have. The first of these will be held on July 16. More details and a full calendar will be available at schools.nyc.gov/returntoschool2020.
• We will be convening community and advocate roundtable meetings, briefings with elected officials and Community Education Council leaders, and more.
• Specific guidance will be coming soon for families with children enrolled in CBO-based early childhood programs.

Report Cards will be available through your NYC Schools Account. Please see below for additional information regarding these accounts.

NYC Schools Account Overview 
NYCSA offers families access to key information about their student(s) attending NYC DOE public schools. Access NYCSA online at this link: https://mystudent.nyc 

On this sign-in page, users can either: 1. Use the temporary password provided by the school when the custodial and/or non-custodial parent(s) created an account. 2. Use the Account Creation Code that was sent home on a letter with the student to register for an account. 3. Reset password if the user has already completed the account creation process and set up their security questions.

This application can be accessed through any Internet-connected device (such as a computer or smartphone).

Dear Parents,
The District 20 Community Education Council (CEC) is collecting input from parents of students in District 20 schools related to remote learning to better understand the educational experiences of our students and parents. We would like to hear your thoughts and concerns about the remote learning experience. 

If you are a parent with a child enrolled in a District 20 school, please use the link below to complete the survey by Wednesday, July 15, 2020.  This is a confidential and anonymous survey meant only for parents with children enrolled in District 20 schools.  

Please complete one survey for each child you have enrolled in a District 20 school (i.e., if you have two children please complete the survey twice) so we can capture information about each child’s remote learning experience. This is a survey specifically focused on the learning experience of children in grades K through 8.  If you would like to provide information related to your teen’s high school experience, you can also submit a separate survey. 

The collective results of this survey will be shared with the community, but individual surveys will remain confidential. If you would like to submit additional information or raise other concerns, you can contact the CEC directly at cec20@schools.nyc.gov. 

Please share this message with other parents in District 20 so we can hear from as many voices as possible.

 English: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScS2T8ksoKDLvXWp5CIkMFewfbgOvyK-TEd3KWby1ypeHNJhA/viewform?usp=sf_link

Thank you for your time and input,
District 20 CEC

________________________________________________________________________

Queridos padres,

El Consejo de Educación de la Comunidad del Distrito 20 (CEC) está recolectando información de los padres de los estudiantes en las escuelas del Distrito 20 relacionadas con el aprendizaje remoto para comprender mejor las experiencias educativas de nuestros estudiantes y padres. Nos gustaría escuchar sus pensamientos y preocupaciones sobre la experiencia de aprendizaje remoto.

Si usted es un padre con un niño inscrito en una escuela del Distrito 20, utilice el siguiente enlace para completar la encuesta antes del miércoles 15 de julio de 2020. Esta es una encuesta confidencial y anónima destinada solo a padres con niños inscritos en las escuelas del Distrito 20.

Complete una encuesta por cada niño que se haya matriculado en una escuela del Distrito 20 (es decir, si tiene dos hijos, complete la encuesta dos veces) para que podamos capturar información sobre la experiencia de aprendizaje remoto de cada niño. Esta es una encuesta específicamente enfocada en la experiencia de aprendizaje de niños en los grados K a 8. Si desea proporcionar información relacionada con la experiencia de la escuela secundaria de su hijo adolescente, también puede enviar una encuesta por separado.


Comparta este mensaje con otros padres en el Distrito 20 para que podamos escuchar tantas voces como sea posible.

Español: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSek6accw6Q1RD2ZBupGJrDWFfw6WOAz6bQoEZvHOtuLAUSWHA/viewform?usp=sf_link

Gracias por su tiempo y aporte,
Distrito 20 CEC
____________________________________________________________________________________________

亲爱的父母，

20区社区教育委员会（CEC）正在收集来自20区学校的学生家长的有关远程学习的投入，以更好地了解我们的学生和家长的教育经历。 我们想听听您对远程学习体验的想法和关注。

如果您是父母并有孩子进入20区学校就读，请使用下面的链接在2020年7月15日星期三之前完成调查。这是一项保密且匿名的调查，仅适用于有孩子在20区学校就读的父母。

请为您在第20区学校注册的每个孩子填写一份调查（即，如果您有两个孩子，请完成两次调查），以便我们获取有关每个孩子的远程学习体验的信息。 这项调查专门针对K至8年级儿童的学习经历。如果您想提供与青少年的高中经历有关的信息，还可以提交单独的调查。

请与20区的其他父母分享此消息，以便我们听到尽可能多的声音。

中文: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd7-93Em6DIloms6xs3fr4tTl30Cgzab7cLu06t9Z0z0333bg/viewform?usp=sf_link

感谢您的时间和投入，
CEC 20区

____________________________________________________________________________________________
الآباء الأعزاء،

يقوم مجلس التعليم المجتمعي للمنطقة 20 (CEC) بجمع المدخلات من أولياء أمور الطلاب في مدارس المنطقة 20 المتعلقة بالتعلم عن بُعد لفهم التجارب التعليمية لطلابنا وأولياء الأمور بشكل أفضل. نود أن نسمع أفكارك ومخاوفك حول تجربة التعلم عن بعد.

إذا كنت والدًا ولديك طفل مسجل في مدرسة المقاطعة 20 ، فيرجى استخدام الرابط أدناه لإكمال الاستطلاع بحلول الأربعاء 15 يوليو 2020. هذا استطلاع سري ومجهول مخصص فقط للآباء والأمهات الذين لديهم أطفال مسجلين في مدارس المنطقة 20

يُرجى إكمال استطلاع واحد لكل طفل قمت بتسجيله في مدرسة المقاطعة 20 (أي إذا كان لديك طفلان ، فيرجى إكمال الاستبيان مرتين) حتى نتمكن من التقاط معلومات حول تجربة التعلم عن بعد لكل طفل. يركز هذا الاستبيان بشكل خاص على تجربة التعلم للأطفال في الصفوف من K إلى 8. 
إذا كنت ترغب في تقديم معلومات تتعلق بتجربة المدرسة الثانوية للمراهق ، فيمكنك أيضًا إرسال استبيان منفصل.

يرجى مشاركة هذه الرسالة مع الآباء الآخرين في المقاطعة 20 حتى نتمكن من الاستماع إلى أكبر عدد ممكن من الأصوات.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfa-6T8NrdA4yp6NcS-dkA1VeB6w3bpqmqVjZWHs_ANntXIqQ/viewform?usp=sf_link :عربى
​
شكلرا لك على وقتك والمدخله،
المنطقة 20 CEC