Message From Our Principal

August 2022

Dear PS/IS 229K Families,
I would like to take this opportunity to welcome our new students and to welcome back returning students. We are excited for another full year of learning in 2022-23!

To make for as smooth an opening as possible, I would like to share the following information:
  • A virtual kindergarten orientation for families will take place via Zoom on Wednesday, September 7th from 10:00-11:00 AM. A virtual orientation for our incoming grade 6 families will take place via Zoom on Wednesday, September 7th from 1:00-2:00 PM. More details including login will be on our website.
  • School begins for students on Thursday, September 8, 2022. The regular school day will begin at 8:10 AM, so we highly recommend having your child arrive by 8:05 AM. Doors for early drop-off will open at 7:45 AM.
  • Face coverings are still optional but recommended when indoors. The daily health screening is no longer required to enter school buildings. However, vaccination is still required for all visitors.
  • Pre-K ONLY: Thursday, 9/8 and Friday, 9/9 will meet your child’s teacher in the classroom (157 or 159), Last Names A – K 9:30-11:00 AM Last Names L – Z 12:00-1:30 PM
On Monday, 9/12, all Pre-K students will have a half-day from 9:00 – 11:00 AM. Parents or guardians are responsible for picking up their children at 11:00 AM on this day.
Starting Tuesday, 9/13 Pre-K starts 8:10 AM and dismissed 2:15 PM from Exit #1 (main).
  • Kindergarten ONLY: Thursday, September 8th is a full day for all kindergarten students. We are asking one parent/guardian to accompany the child on the first day and arrive at 8:30 AM (after regular arrival) through Exit #10 on 14th Avenue. There will be a Welcome Session where you will have the opportunity to meet your child’s teacher, get important information, and see your child’s classroom. Beginning Friday, 9/9, Kindergarten starts at 8:10 AM. They will enter through Exit #10 (14th Avenue) no earlier than 7:45 AM. They will be offered a grab & go breakfast and their teachers will meet them in the multi-purpose room at 8:10 AM. Classes K-3 and K-5 dismissed from Exit #2 at 2:20 PM. Classes K-1, K-2 and K-4 dismissed from Exit #3 at 2:20 PM.
  • Grades 1 and 2 students enter through Exit #10 (14th Avenue) and teachers will meet them at 8:10 AM in the multi-purpose room. They will be offered a grab & go breakfast.
  • Grades 3-5 students will enter through the schoolyard on the 14th Avenue side of the building. Please do not let these students enter the schoolyard before 7:45 AM, as there will be no supervising staff. Teachers will meet these classes in the gymnasium at 8:10 AM. They will be offered a grab & go breakfast. In cases of inclement weather, grades 3-5 students will be supervised in the gymnasium from 7:50 – 8:10 AM.
  • Grades 6-8 students will enter through Exit #3 (Bay 7th Street) and proceed down to the cafeteria, where they will be offered grab & go breakfast. They will remain in the cafeteria until 8:10 AM, when they proceed to their period 1 classroom. Doors close promptly at 8:10 AM, except for Exit 1 (main).
  • Dismissal will occur according to the following schedule:
  1. Grade 1 at 2:28 PM – Classes 101, 102, 103 and 104 from Exit #2 (through schoolyard); Class 106 (K/1) from Exit #1 (main) at 2:24 PM.
  2. Grade 2 at 2:20 PM – Classes 203, 204 and 205 from Exit #6; Classes 201 and 202 from Exit #8.
  3. Grade 3 at 2:28 PM – Classes 303 and 304 from Exit #6; Classes 301 and 302 from Exit #8; Class 306 (2/3) from Exit #1 (main) at 2:24 PM.
  4. Grade 4 at 2:24 PM – Classes 401, 402, 403, 404 and 405 from Exit # 7 (Benson Avenue).
  5. Grade 5 at 2:24 PM – Classes 501, 502, 502, 504, 505 and 506 from the schoolyard (Exit #5).
  6. ALL Grades 6-8 Classes at 2:30 PM from Exit #3 (Bay 7th Street).

Sincerely,
William S. Kirk
Principal

2022/2023 Calendar

The 2022-23 school year will begin for students on September 8, 2022. You can view and download printable files of the calendar for the full 2022-23 school year in multiple languages at schools.nyc.gov/calendar. Here’s some important information for the coming school year:
  • On November 3, Election Day, students will not attend school nor participate in remote learning on this day.
  • On “snow days”—or other days when school buildings are closed due to severe weather or other emergency conditions—all students and families should plan to participate in remote learning.
Please reach out to your school with any questions about the school calendar.

DOE Student Accounts

Every New York City public school student has a DOE account. It is created automatically when you enroll in school. Your DOE account stays the same the entire time you are in school, and with it you can access all DOE technology platforms.

​FREE ADULT EDUCATIONAL CLASSES

English as a Second Language (ESL) Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 4:30p.m. – 8:30p.m. @P.S. 69

​DOE Fall 2022 COVID-19 Guidance

This guidance provides best practice considerations for schools for the 2022-2023 school year to help prevent the transmission of COVID-19 among students and staff.
  • Vaccination: Vaccination is the best way to reduce COVID-19 risk. Encourage up to date COVID-19 vaccination for everyone six months or older.
    • Visit the Vaccine Finder page(Open external link) or call 877-829-4692 to find a location near you.
    • Up to date includes boosters for everyone who is eligible and additional primary shots for some immunocompromised people. See At-A-Glance COVID-19 Vaccination Schedules (cdc.gov)(Open external link).
    • Vaccination Requirements:
      • Vaccination is still required for all visitors entering school buildings
      • Vaccination is still required for all DOE employees
      • Vaccination is still required for other individuals who work in DOE buildings
      • Vaccinations is still required to participate in high-risk extracurricular activities including high-risk PSAL sports 
  • Daily Health Screener:
    • No longer required to enter school buildings 
  • Stay home if sick: Students and staff should stay home if they show any symptoms of COVID-19 or other illnesses and get tested for COVID-19. 
  • Isolate if COVID-19 positive: Students and staff who test positive for COVID-19 must isolate for 5 days and can return to school on day 6 if they have no symptoms or symptoms are improving. They must wear mask until day 10 after symptom onset or date of positive test, whichever is earlier.
    • These cases should be reported to their school so they can be report into the sit room for exposure notifications.
  • Get tested if exposed to COVID-19: Students and staff who are exposed to COVID-19 should get tested.
    • These individuals should receive home tests from their school and take two tests, at least 24 hours apart on day 4 and day 5 of their exposure. All exposed individuals should monitor for fever and other COVID-19 symptoms for 10 days after their exposure. If symptoms begin, they should not attend school and should isolate and get tested for COVID-19 again right away. 
  • Testing:
    • Starting the first day of school, schools will offer home test kits to those with a potential in-school exposure and those with symptoms
    • In addition, each staff and student will receive 4 tests per month to take home. These tests can be used by school families for testing due to symptoms, exposures, high-risk activity (such as travel and large gatherings), and can give staff and students immediate results.
    • In-school PCR surveillance testing will not be a part of the 2022-23 school year.
  • Situation Room:
    • Schools will be required to report positive cases of COVID-19 to the situation room
    • The Situation Room will provide schools with standardized communications for their communities and will notify school communities of cases in their schools through daily email and the Daily COVID map.
    • The Situation Room will answer questions from schools and district personnel related to COVID protocols by phone and email and will escalate concerns from schools.
    • The situation room will run Monday-Friday, 7:00 am - 5:00 pm
      • Subject to change with caseload as determined by CH and DOE leadership.
    • Refer to the Situation Room page of the infohub for the most up-to-date information. 
  • Masking- Face coverings are strongly recommended to be worn when indoors. Masks will be made available at the school for all those who need/want them.
    • Students and staff, regardless of vaccination status, are required to wear a mask when:
      • Returning to school on the sixth day after testing positive for COVID-19, through day 10 after symptom onset or date of positive test, whichever is earlier, including when traveling on a school bus.
      • Entering the school medical room, nurse’s office, or school-based health center.
      • Exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 at school.
    • Students and staff, regardless of vaccination status, are strongly recommended to wear a mask:
      • When they were exposed to someone with COVID-19, whether the exposure occurred in school or outside of school. The person should wear a mask for 10 days after their last day of exposure and get tested at least 24 hours apart on day 4 and day 5 of their exposure.
      • When they are moderately-to-severely immunocompromised, and masking is recommended by their healthcare provider.
      • In crowded indoor settings 
  • Ventilation:
    • 160K+ air purifiers distributed to schools – at least two in every classroom
    • Monitoring ventilation in buildings on a daily basis and perform any required work in a timely manner.
    • HVAC upgrades in alignment with CDC guidance, including 110,000 MERV-13 filters installed .
  • School Building Cleaning:
    • Routine cleaning of surfaces will be maintained.
  • Staff:
    • Staff may be returning to service from an approved leave of absence provided they submit proof of vaccination.
    • Staff that have an approved exemption will be returned to school or office assignment.
    • Staff may apply for a reasonable accommodation through normal process.
1400 Benson Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11228
(718) 236-5447
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