PS 398Q Principal Erica Urena is Removed From the School

P.S. 398Q principal Erica Ureña poses for a portait in her office. Credit: ps398queens.org

Thanks to the parents of students at PS398Q, Principal Erica Urena leaves the school on December 6, 2023.

The issue is safety of all students. From the news, it appears that a second-grader brought a knife to school and threatened to harm a classmate. The news reports have cited several student witnesses to this little boy saying what he was going to do, but at this point no one knows what actually happened.

Nevertheless, Principal Urena did not explain anything to parents for several days, while rumors flew through PS 398Q. This was not a proper way to deal with the situation, and Urena has to leave her post. This incident is not the first time she has done something that angered parents and staff, but it will be her last.

‘Hostile’ Environment in Jackson Heights School Prompts Teacher Exodus and Parent Concern

PS 398, named after the late labor leader Hector Figueroa, is roiled by a battle between its staff and principal.

When staff are united and choose facts to remove a principal, all benefit. See my post on this blog and on ADVOCATZ.com about Heather Jansen and her Student Rat Pack:

Former Principal of PS 46 Heather Jansen and Her Student Rat Pack

NYC Rubber Room Reporter, Sept. 4, 2023

The Student Rat Pack of PS 46

Advocatz.com

 

Betsy Combier

betsy@advocatz.com

Editor, ADVOCATZ.com

Editor, ADVOCATZ Blog

Editor, NYC Rubber Room Reporter
Editor, Parentadvocates.org
Editor, New York Court Corruption
Editor, National Public Voice
Editor, NYC Public Voice
Editor, Inside 3020-a Teacher Trials

Elementary School Principal Who ‘Covered Up’ After Student Brought Knife to Attack a Classmate Steps Down

Teachers had been complaining since last summer about the “hostile” environment founding principal Erica Ureña-Thus had created at the public school in Jackson Heights.

by Claudia Irizarry Aponte, The City, December 4, 2023

The embattled principal of P.S. 398Q in Jackson Heights announced on Friday she would step down, weeks after parents mounted a campaign for her ouster over her botched handling of an incident where a second-grader brought a knife to school allegedly with a plan to attack a fellow student.

Erica Ureña-Thus, founding principal of The Héctor Figueroa School, wrote in a letter to the school community on Friday that “it is with mixed emotions that I announce my decision to leave PS 398Q.” She added that her departure would be effective December 6.

Ureña-Thus did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and neither did her union, the Council of School Supervisors and Administrators. A spokesperson for the Department of Education did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 

Parent and teacher concerns about Ureña-Thus had already been percolating for months before multiple students said a second-grader brought a knife to school Nov. 1, telling students he intended to use it on another second-grader at lunch time.

Parents were only informed about that on Nov. 4, in an online post from Ureña-Thus reporting “nothing untoward was found.” In the days that followed, DOE higher-ups privately discussed in a series of email exchanges keeping additional “detail/context” about the incident private, THE CITY first reported. 

“It was covered up, no one knew,” the aunt of the boy who was allegedly targeted told THE CITY last month, which previously reported that the boy, who’d remained in the school, later threatened students who’d witnessed him with the knife.

(THE CITY is withholding the names of the students, who are all second graders, to respect their privacy. THE CITY was not able to contact the parents of the boy who allegedly brought the knife and made the threats, because he has not been named by the school.)

In a note to parents on Nov. 10, District 30 superintendent Lisa Hidalgo finally acknowledged “a lack of timely communication to families from the school” that she said “resulted in speculation that led to fear and misinformation circulating within the school community.”

By the following week, hundreds of parents had signed a petition calling for Ureña-Thus’ removal.

This summer, teachers had also spoken out about the ‘hostile’ environment at the school, including allegedly retaliating against teachers who signed on to a grievance complaint alleging anti-union actions by Ureña-Thus.

Last Wednesday, parents testifying before the Panel for Education Policy pleaded with city officials to remove and replace her, Gothamist reported. Deputy Chancellor Dan Weisberg told parents that investigations were underway, and he expected them “to be resolved soon.”

“It was heartbreaking to watch,” panel member Tom Sheppard told Gothamist. “These people have been shouting from the rooftops … and nobody’s been listening to them.”

In her note to the school community on Friday, Ureña-Thus referenced the challenges of founding a brand-new school during the pandemic and her own health struggles after surviving a stroke in 2021. 

“From our modest beginnings with a mere nine staff members to navigating a two-year pandemic and teacher shortages, our close-knit community ensured our children never bore the brunt of these adversities,” she wrote, adding that “[d]espite grappling with health conditions, I returned to continue fostering our exceptional staff and striving to provide a safe and quality education.”

“Serving in the community where I grew up has been an endless source of gratitude, and I am thankful for the opportunity to have nurtured your children.”

Ureña-Thus wrote that she would “transition to a new role” effective her departure, but did not specify what it would be.

The Alleged "HEPA purifiers" and The NYC Department of Education Misinformation

 

The students at Townsend Harris High School at Queens College are to be commended for their work on the "HEPA " purifiers in NYC schools. 

Betsy Combier

betsy.combier@gmail.com

Editor, ADVOCATZ.com

Editor, ADVOCATZ Blog

Editor, NYC Rubber Room Reporter
Editor, Parentadvocates.org
Editor, New York Court Corruption
Editor, National Public Voice
Editor, NYC Public Voice
Editor, Inside 3020-a Teacher Trials

The DOE calls the air purifiers that will be in NYC classrooms “HEPA purifiers.” The Classic asked the CDC if that’s accurate. Here’s how the CDC responded
The Classic, August 31, 2021

By Jasmine Palma and Ryan Eng, Editors-in-Chief

Given that aerosolized particles with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, can remain suspended in the air for long stretches of time, ventilation and air purification represent key preventative strategies. In its guide to opening schools, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends schools consider adding portable air purifier units with high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters to “enhance air cleaning wherever possible.” The CDC’s FAQ on ventilation notes, “Portable HEPA filtration units that combine a HEPA filter with a powered fan system are a preferred option for auxiliary air cleaning.” 

An investigation by The Classic has found that, though it has told the public that two “HEPA Purifiers” will be in each classroom this fall, the New York City Department of Education (DOE) will be providing devices (Intellipure compact air purifiers) that do not match that description. The DOE has repeatedly referred to the Intellipure units as “HEPA purifiers” on its website, in a “DOE Homecoming Health and Safety Guide,” and in statements to The Classic. Multiple experts have told The Classic that to be a “HEPA Purifier” the units should have within them an actual HEPA filter, but they do not.

When asked by The Classic to comment on the accuracy of the DOE’s decision to describe the Intellipure units as “HEPA purifiers,” DOE spokesperson Nathaniel Styer said, “We never said that the units had HEPA filters. We said that they met the standard for HEPA filtration. That they are HEPA purifiers.”

On Twitter, Mr. Styer claimed that HEPA refers to a rating that could be applied to “different types of machines” that filter particles at the level of HEPA filters. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the designation HEPA is specifically applied to “a type of pleated mechanical air filter” tested to a standard level of efficiency. Citing the CDC, Mr. Styer said that because Intellipure’s process as a whole can filter at HEPA filter levels, it is a HEPA purifier. The Classic contacted the CDC, however, and a representative said the two technologies are distinct. 

“The distinction between an air cleaner using a true high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter and one that does not should be clear,” said Dr. Steve Martin, an engineer and expert on ventilation at the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, a branch of the CDC, in an email to The Classic. 

Dr. Martin said that while “it is certainly possible for other air cleaners to use a combination of filtration technologies that can perform at ‘HEPA-equivalent’ levels (and maybe even higher),” the Intellipure air purifiers are not true HEPA devices. “The distinction should be clear between true HEPA air cleaners and others,” he said. 

The difference between a true HEPA filter and a HEPA-equivalent device can be significant, according to Dr. Martin. “The biggest concern with air cleaners claiming ‘HEPA-equivalent’ performance is how they perform over time. As a true HEPA filter loads with particles over time, the overall filtration efficiency will only increase.  The same can not necessarily be said for other technologies,” he said. 

Other experts spoke to The Classic about whether it was accurate for the DOE to describe the Intellipure units as HEPA purifiers to the public.

“HEPA refers to having a specific type of filter… so a product should have one of those filters in it to be a HEPA purifier,” said Dr. Delphine Farmer, an atmospheric chemist with a research focus in air pollution from Colorado State University, in an email to The Classic. 

According to an email from Dr. Donna Green, an associate professor at the University of New South Wales, Australia and a founding member of the Climate Change Research Centre, “[Intellipure] uses a different process, which may meet or exceed the filtration standards of a HEPA, but that only makes it HEPA like, not true HEPA.”

The HEPA filter level of efficiency is set by the United States Department of Energy, but manufacturers do not receive certification for their filters from the government. Dr. Martin said, “HEPA filters are tested and certified by their manufacturers according to consensus standards.” The consensus testing standards he referenced come from the Institute of Environmental Sciences and Technology, a nonprofit membership organization.

Intellipure does not refer to its devices as HEPA purifiers. The Classic spoke to Isaac Mulvihill, the senior vice president of Delos, the company that procured the Intellipure units on contract for the city. “As it relates to claims being made by school systems that have purchased the Intellipure Compact devices, we stand by any statement or representation made that these devices meet or exceed the HEPA efficiency standard,” he said in an email.

The name the DOE uses to describe the devices to the public matters for a number of reasons. First, the department’s declaration that a non-HEPA product is in fact a HEPA product obscures the fact that the devices now in schools are not what the CDC recommends for schools (“portable air cleaners that use high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters”).

Second, according to reporting by Chalkbeat New York, purifiers containing actual HEPA filters can be less expensive than the Intellipure devices and other units had better clean air delivery rates, a metric that experts say is essential in keeping rooms supplied with fresh air and less likely to be carrying the COVID virus. 

Third, while the Intellipure devices use a total filtration system to reach or exceed the standards of the HEPA filter, the level of peer-reviewed, independent testing of the Intellipure system pales in comparison to the mountain of testing done on the industry-standard HEPA filters since the 1940s, when the filters were created for the Manhattan Project to filter out radioactive toxins.

In an interview about air purifiers with the MedCram YouTube channel, Dr. Joseph Allen, an associate professor at Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health, said, “If you’re looking for a portable air cleaner, look for a HEPA filter and nothing else. You don’t want any of these bells and whistles.”

It is, however, the ‘bells and whistles’ that bring the Intellipure devices up to HEPA-level standards. 

Different features might make non-HEPA devices vulnerable to further problems, Dr. Allen told MedCram. “So you want to be careful that we’re not solving one problem and creating others, and importantly, there’s something else that’s actually less expensive that will do the job the same or even better,” he said.

The Intellipure process

Delos maintains that the efficiency of a filter in an overall unit is less important than how the unit functions as a whole. Mr. Mulvihill said it’s essential to validate a system’s overall performance “instead of relying solely on a HEPA rating for the filters inside. Every Intellipure Compact device produced from the factory line is individually tested for efficiency at the total device level to meet or exceed the HEPA efficiency standard.” 

Citing a Delos fact sheet on Intellipure in NYC schools, Mr. Styer of the DOE told The Classic that “These devices were purchased for the entire unit’s ability to provide HEPA-level filtration. It would be misleading to report otherwise.”

The Intellipure compact air purifier units use a technology called a Disinfection Filtration System (DFS), which relies on a process of electrostatic precipitation to effectively capture particles. The airstream passes through a prefilter and into an ionization field. The particles are charged, which “forces those remaining particles to agglomerate to one another, thus enhancing the filtration capabilities of the downstream mechanical filter (the main filter),” according to Mr. Mulvihill.

In other words, the unit enhances the main filter through ionization to combine smaller particles so they can get captured by the filter. According to Mr. Mulvihill, the units use a series of filters. The main filter makes it difficult for ions to escape, and an additional grounding grid captures ions that are not sequestered by the media filter, “ensuring ions do not disseminate outside the device.”

Explaining the purchase

The New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services acquired the Intellipure compact filter units for NYC public schools, including Townsend Harris, in a two-contract $43.3 million dollar deal. Two air purifier units will be placed in each classroom all across the NYC school system for the new school year. 

According to a representative from the DOE, “The most important consideration in our choice of a purifier was the level of filtration it provides. The units we chose use a technology that filters to .007 microns, which is beyond the HEPA standard of 0.3 microns.”

In a Twitter thread responding to Chalkbeat’s report, DOE Press Secretary Danielle Filson linked to Intellipure’s website and wrote, “We are providing MORE protection than a HEPA filter.” 

The Intellipure web page that Filson linked to reads, “HEPA is theoretically supposed to capture particles down to 0.3 (µm). As air passes through the filter, large particles get trapped, but anything smaller than 0.3 (µm) can get through and [be] released back out into the air. Many harmful pollutants like certain chemicals, bacteria, allergens, and airborne viruses are much smaller than 0.3(µm).” 

However, Dr. Martin of the CDC said that claims that HEPA filters are only efficient “down to” 0.3 microns “show a fundamental misunderstanding of how HEPA filters truly work, and they simply are not true.” 

In fact, HEPA filters are highly efficient at trapping particles smaller than 0.3 microns. This happens because at such small scales the particles move erratically in a phenomenon called Brownian motion, which allows them to be trapped in the mesh of the filter. 

In a statement to The Classic, Mr. Styer said, “New York City Schools are the gold standard for health and safety. Our HEPA purifiers clean air particles at .007 microns – far beyond traditional HEPA filters.”

Dr. Martin, on the other hand, said HEPA filters can “filter down to 0.007 micrometer particles… To control diseases spread through the air, there is no practical reason to be ‘beyond HEPA.’”

In an email to The Classic, Mr. Mulvihill of Delos reiterated his claim that Intellipure’s efficiency standard is more reliable because the company tests how its overall unit functions. He said that many devices which use HEPA filters can and do perform below HEPA efficiency levels when the overall device containing the HEPA filter is tested. 

“Intellipure’s products evidently ‘surpass HEPA filter standards,’ but, how much does that matter if the difference is between 99.97% efficient and 99.99%? … So, as long as the efficiency is high, I recommend not getting hung up on exactly how high,” said Dr. William Bahnfleth, an affiliate researcher and professor of architectural engineering at Penn State, as well as a presidential member of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). “What I wonder about is whether New York could have acquired actual HEPA/activated carbon filter units that would provide the same uncontaminated air delivery rate for a significantly lower cost.”

Functionality and safety after long-term usage

A general consensus among the experts The Classic spoke to is that maintenance is an important factor when selecting an air purifier, particularly with electrostatic precipitation, which can be effective but requires attention.

Dr. Martin said that electrostatic precipitators become covered in layers of dust as they capture particles, and their efficiency can diminish over time. 

“It is unclear how efficient the overall air cleaner will be when this happens,” he said. “This decreased efficiency can be limited with careful, routine cleaning and maintenance of the air cleaner, but it will likely require more frequent maintenance and a more time-consuming process [than] that [of] a true HEPA air cleaner.”

Mr. Mulvihill said that Intellipure does use electrostatic precipitation but not in the same way as traditional electrostatic precipitators, which use collection plates to gather particles. Such plates, Mr. Mulvihill said, need to be managed regularly, but Intellipure instead uses “a synthetic filtration media” to capture ions along with a “grounding mechanism” opposite the main filter designed to capture ions that may pass through. He says that this distinction ensures “the purification efficiency over the lifetime of the installed filter is significantly enhanced.”

Delos maintains that the Intellipure unit is safe and has been tested to ensure that it does not release harmful byproducts into the air, noting the device is California Air Resources Board (CARB) and UL2998 (Zero Ozone Emissions from Air Cleaners) certified. 

“It sounds like the manufacturer has done testing to determine that no reactive byproducts are produced – while the information is short on details, this is important to know,” said Dr. Charles Haas, a professor of environmental engineering and the head of the environmental engineering program at Drexel University.

Mr. Mulvihill said that Intellipure units require maintenance, a process shown in this video tutorial, but are not different from other units requiring filter replacements and the removal of dust buildup. He added that Intellipure units also require “the simple removal of any dust present on the metal grid ahead of the main filter – taking only a few more seconds of cleaning.”

Some experts, however, said that the school environment might make maintenance difficult.

“Electrostatic precipitators, such as this system, properly designed and maintained can be an excellent solution… The big challenge in public schools is facilities maintenance,” said Dr. Donald Milton, a professor of Environmental Health at the University of Maryland School of Public Health. “So, while I’m confident that at the start of the school year, these devices will work very well, it will require vigilance to ensure that they continue to work and don’t emit hazardous chemicals (ozone and its reaction products) into the classrooms.”

Dr. Green, from the Climate Change Research Centre, said “Given that [the Intellipure units] are not likely to be as carefully maintained (two in each classroom with already overworked staff), my preference would be to use true HEPA to reduce the likelihood of accidental release of products that can be harmful to health.”

As made evident by the multiple perspectives garnered by The Classic, purifiers operating at HEPA-equivalent levels of efficiency and units using true HEPA filters are different technologies. Delos provided timely, detailed answers to every inquiry The Classic sent, and these responses demonstrated there are many distinctions between their units and units containing HEPA filters. Parents, students, school administrators, and teachers deserve full and clear information about the Intellipure devices so they can ask legitimate questions surrounding the safety of schools as the upcoming academic year approaches. 

Additional reporting done by Elsa Oreen and Jocelyn Wang, Science and Technology Editors

Photo by Matthew Merino, Accuracy Editor

Teachers and Parents Must Leave the NYC Department of Education, Schools Are Not Safe

Parents and teachers are leaving the New York City Department of Education, with good reason.

Nearly 3,700 substitute teachers needed in NYC ahead of vaccine deadline

Kindergarten ICT classes have 22+ students and one teacher, with a paraprofessional. The law requires a limit of 18 children in kindergarten, and that all ICT classes have two certified teachers - one in special education and the other in general education - in all core academic subjects. Classes all the way up through 12 grade are 35+ students, many unmasked, not 3-feet apart, with one teacher. Hallways between classes are stuffed, everyone shoulder-to-shoulder, masked and unmasked, and not a school safety officer in sight.

Violence occurs every day.

These are facts as I know them. The truth could be a lot worse or better, depending on the school and location. If you try to speak to a principal, forget it. Principals have to hide any overcrowding and violent incidents because this harms the school's standing in the community and ends up taking needed funds from the resource bank. 

Principals can, and do, hide academic progress as well:

Are you sure your kid can read? All too many US public schools won’t tell you the truth

In my opinion, leave now if you are a parent of a child in grades pre-k to 8. Parents of high schools should remain vigilant, visit the school, drop off your child in the morning, visit the classroom, ask many questions. Listen to your child. Each child's safety matters. Get to know the Dean or the person responsible for the supervision of the kids during the school day, inside the classrooms and hallways. Don't forget the stairwells.

Teachers - do not resign without a 30-day notice, but look at other schools outside of the NYC DOE now, join the crowd. Your safety matters.

People count.

Betsy Combier

betsy.combier@gmail.com
Editor, Advocatz.com
Editor, NYC Rubber Room Reporter
Editor, Parentadvocates.org
Editor, New York Court Corruption
Editor, National Public Voice
Editor, NYC Public Voice
Editor, Inside 3020-a Teacher Trials

Making our schools truly COVID safe

By Catherine Vail, October 1, 2021

On Wednesday, I made a child cry. That morning, a teacher brought her to my fifth-grade classroom, explaining she was on my roster, and I panicked. No, she can’t come in. I already had 25 kids in front of me. No.

Twenty minutes later, my assistant principal appeared at my door, same child. Again I said, No.

I was told I had no choice. The little girl sobbed. My heart lurched. I went inside my room and grabbed Rosita the red bear. Here, sweetheart, she will comfort you, I said as I whispered a yarn in her ear about Rosita’s wayward brother, which made her giggle.

I put an arm around her shoulders and said, welcome honey, welcome to our class.

That’s when I decided I had to leave. I’d been teaching for three days this year, my 18th year on the job. It will be my last.

My school, in Brownsville, Brooklyn, cannot keep me — or my students — safe. Class lineup in the morning takes place with 200 plus kids in an unventilated gym. Teachers wait for up to a half-hour for their fourth and fifth graders who slowly trickle in after their morning health screenings downstairs. I have to drop off and pick up my class every afternoon in the lunchroom, where 120 plus kids are eating, so many of the children are unmasked and not socially distanced.

Twenty-six kids, most in ill-fitting masks drooping below their noses, were in my small classroom barely a foot apart — nowhere near the three feet recommended by the CDC. Deep cleaning? The week before classes began, my sister and I spent six hours scrubbing the classroom. Workbooks, projects, book reports, from March 2020 looked as if they had been preserved in amber, and were covered in a layer of grime. PPE? It wasn’t until that Wednesday, after I had been asking for days, that I was given a half-dozen children and adult masks, a box of gloves, and a container of disinfecting wipes.

The mayor insists schools are safe. They were last year when most kids were remote and in-school classes were organized in pods with five to 10 kids who did not leave their rooms. That is not the case this year. We are in a social experiment that frightens me. Yes, I believe it’s best for kids to be in school.

But has the DOE implemented competent plans to keep the students and staff safe? Maybe in Park Slope, but certainly not in Brownsville. According to the latest data on the Department of Health’s website, only 49% of the people in the zip code where I teach (11212) are fully vaccinated, way below the city average. In my opinion, schools in communities with low vaccination rates need to take additional safety measures to keep their kids and staff safe. I didn’t see that happening.

On Thursday, I filed for a medical accommodation following the guidelines the UFT reached with arbitrators. I’ve been using accumulated sick days ever since. I will not return to my building, to my kids. I have been fully vaccinated since Feb. 13, but I have underlying medical conditions that make me vulnerable if I were to get a breakthrough infection.

The DOE denied my initial application. Did they even read it? I was denied because my medical condition didn’t warrant an exemption for refusal to be vaccinated. But I am vaxxed, for pete’s sake. I filed an appeal and am still waiting for the decision. I have little faith I will be granted the accommodation. In the meantime, my school sent out a notice of a positive case last Friday. I found out later that the positive case came from my fifth-grade classroom — just what I had feared. Today, I found out that a fourth-grade classroom has also been quarantined for 10 days because of a positive case.

I was 46 when I became a New York City Teaching Fellow. I asked to teach in Brownsville, and I have been there for 18 years. I had planned to get to 20. I was with two busloads of kids on a freezing January to celebrate Barack Obama’s inauguration. I campaigned at subway stops with my fourth-grade political action committee. I had to hit the sidewalk one morning when gunshots rang out on my way down Sutter Ave. But I have never been scared; I have never been so afraid that I made a child cry.

Friday, I should have been marching down the hallways with my students, carrying posters attached to yardsticks proclaiming solutions to climate change. Instead, I took a long walk in Prospect Park. Then I returned home and my message machine was blinking.

I pressed the button. A child’s voice. “Ms. Vail, Please come back.”

I’m sorry. I can’t.

Vail has been a teacher in Brownsville, Brooklyn, for 18 years, and at P.S. 156 for the last 13 years.

Message From Chancellor Meisha Porter For All Who Will Attend School on September 13, 2021

NYC Chancellor Meisha Porter

From the desk of Chancellor Meisha Porter:

Twenty years ago on September 11, 2001, our world and New York City changed forever. -As a lifelong New Yorker, I personally know the fear and confusion that so many of us experienced that day. I was in my classroom teaching at the Bronx School for Law, Government and Justice that morning as my family frantically tried to contact my father who worked at the World Trade Center and my three-year-old daughter was in pre-k in Harlem. It was a scary day but together we found strength in community during that difficult time. Because of all the first responders I was one of the lucky ones, my dad made it home.

Recently, many students, educators, and family members from PS 89 and the Greenwich Village Middle School shared their September 11 experiences. Those stories, like countless others, remind us all of the profound humanity New Yorkers showed one another that day and the tremendous resilience of our school communities.

We will never forget those who were lost on September 11. This city, its neighborhoods, and school communities serve as their legacy as we continue to overcome challenges with grace and strength.

UPDATE: September 13th is the First Day of School for New York City Public Schools!

Fall 2021 marks an important homecoming for our schools. On September 13, we begin the journey to recovery by welcoming New York City students back to school communities and classrooms where they can feel safe and well-cared for, and where they can learn and grow socially, emotionally, and academically.

NYC DOE sat down with students, families, and educators to talk about what it means to be back in school buildings this fall. In this video, they share their expectations and why they are excited for in-person learning to start again.

We are excited about getting everyone back into their classrooms for face-to-face learning with dedicated and caring educators! Given that we are all still in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, we know many of you have questions about the health and safety precautions being used at City schools this year. Read more about what to expect below, and in The Morning Bell, an online publication designed for NYC students, parents, and educators.
UPDATE: Health Screening Tool

Before entering school buildings each day, every student and staff member must complete the Health Screening Form to confirm that they are not experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19, have not recently tested positive, and are not currently required to quarantine based on close contact with an infected person.

We recommend bookmarking healthscreening.schools.nyc on your device so you can quickly and easily complete the form before sending your child to school each day.

Remember, if your child feels ill, do not send them to school! We want to keep your child and our school communities healthy and safe, and we must all do our part.

UPDATE: School Building Visitors

Effective Monday, September 13, all visitors to DOE school buildings are required to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination (1 dose), in order to enter the building, except in the case of an emergency. This proof may be provided in several ways, please see schools.nyc.gov/2021health for more information.

Pending an Order by the Health Commissioner​

On the first day of school, 3K/Pre-K parents, in small groups, are able to walk their children into the classroom and stay with them briefly on the first day of school without showing proof of vaccination. All other requirements apply. ​

In order to enter the building, a visitor must:​

show identification,​
have proof of vaccination, ​
complete the daily health screening form, and​
wear a face covering. ​

Staff, contractors, and volunteers remain required to provide proof of vaccination (1 dose) by September 27, 2021. Staff must upload proof to the DOE Vaccination Portal.

UPDATE: Department of Education (DOE) Vaccination Portal

Please upload an image of your child’s vaccination card or NYC Excelsior Pass to the DOE’s vaccine portal at vaccine.schools.nyc.

Submitting this information will support New York City’s pandemic response and recovery efforts, helping to ensure that our school communities remain safe and healthy.

UPDATE: Consent Forms for Covid-19 Testing

It is important that you provide consent for your child to participate in the in-school testing program. Submit your updated testing consent form for your child using your NYC Schools Account (NYCSA) at schoolsaccount.nyc or by downloading the form online at schools.nyc.gov/covidtesting and providing the completed printed form to your child’s school.

You can fill out the form using your NYC Schools Account (NYCSA): schoolsaccount.nyc

Download the form online at schools.nyc.gov/covidtesting

Don’t have an NYC Schools Account? Learn more at schools.nyc.gov/NYCSA

Testing consent forms submitted in the previous school year expire on September 30, 2021. If you previously provided consent, your child may be tested this month as part of the in-school testing program—however, for your child to participate in the testing program for the remainder of this school year, you must submit a new consent form.

UPDATE: Vaccine Requirements for Eligible Students Participating in High Risk Extracurricular Activities
Public Schools Athletic League (PSAL) Vaccination Policy

As a reminder, COVID-19 vaccination will be required this year for DOE students and staff participating in Public Schools Athletic League (PSAL) sports considered high-risk for potential COVID-19 transmission. High-risk sports include football, volleyball, basketball, wrestling, lacrosse, stunt, and rugby. Vaccination will also be required for participation in bowling because while the sport is not high risk, the locations where it occurs require vaccination.

Participants in fall high-risk sports must get their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by the first day of competitive play, which varies by sport. Winter and spring PSAL participants have until the beginning of their season to be fully vaccinated. For additional information about health and safety protocols for PSAL in the 2021-22 school year, please visit schools.nyc.gov/PSAL.

Extracurricular Activities Vaccination Policy

Consistent with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and State guidance, COVID-19 vaccination will be required this year for students who are at least 12 years old and are participating in afterschool extracurricular activities considered high-risk for potential COVID-19 transmission.

High risk afterschool activities include:

Chorus
Musical Theater
Dance / Dance Team
Band / Orchestra / Marching Band
Cheerleading / Step Teams / Flag Team

Please reach out to your school for additional information regarding participation in these activities.

UPDATE: Pop Up Vaccination Sites

Thanks to a partnership between the DOE and the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), all New Yorkers aged 12 and up can get free COVID-19 vaccines at select schools across the City. You can simply walk in by yourself or with any student, friend, or family member who needs a vaccine (minors will need parental consent) and get your “jab” for free—no health insurance or proof of citizenship will be required.

To help keep schools safe, the DOE and DOHMH strongly encourage all New Yorkers aged 12 and up to get vaccinated against COVID-19 as soon as possible. Many sites now have walk-in appointments, making it easier for any New Yorker to obtain the ultimate protection currently available for COVID-19.

For a limited time, New Yorkers can get giveaways for getting vaccinated against COVID-19, including free tickets, complimentary memberships, or even $100 pre-paid debit cards.

To find a vaccine site near you, visit vaccinefinder.nyc.gov, or call 877-VAX-4-NYC (877-829-4692) for help making an appointment at a City-run vaccination site.

UPDATE: Celebrate Homecoming on Parent University

Celebrate Homecoming on Parent University!

Learn and become an advocate! Parent University offers training, coaching, and other resources for families to help you advocate for the educational success of your children. Take courses and modules and even gain certificates of completion.

Did you know? There is a new way for you to stay connected to your student’s education and more in the new NYC Schools Account (NYCSA) Portal. One sign-in will allow you to:

See your student’s grades, test scores and more in My Student

Report bullying
Access forms for your child
And take classes in Parent University!

Need help? Visit YouTube for user tutorials. Download this flyer for instructions on how to enable captions in multiple languages.

Course Title
Category

Homecoming NYC 2021

Back to School Family Forum (Bronx)

Back to School Family Forum (Brooklyn)

Back to School Family Forum (Queens)

Back to School Family Forum (Staten Island)

School Buildings & Operations

WEBINAR (10/6) - NYC Civil Service 101 Infosession: 10 AM Session

WEBINAR (10/6) - NYC Civil Service 101 Infosession: 6 PM Session

Adult & Continuing Education

We want your input! Are you a Minority and/or Woman-owned Business Enterprise (M/WBE) and want to work with NYCDOE? Help us plan an informative training session by responding to this short survey.

See you on Parent University!

UPDATE: New NYC Schools Account (NYSCA)

Families can now access the new NYC Schools Account (NYCSA) portal, which consolidates several important parent-facing applications in one place. In addition to seeing information for MyStudent, such as grades, attendance, and transportation, families will also be able to access Parent University and the Bullying Reporting online form.

Parents can reset the passwords to their student’s DOE email accounts through the Manage Account page; please note the change in URL from http://mystudent.nyc to http://schoolsaccount.nyc. Families who currently have a NYCSA account will automatically have access to new features in the portal.

To support families in accessing the new NYCSA portal, you should ensure that your family access managers (i.e., school principals, parent coordinators, or other designees) create accounts for all students and backpack letters home using the FAM tool. Family access managers can use the Reports section in FAM to generate a list of student families without NYCSA accounts. Family access managers should print pre-populated Account Creation Code letters at the beginning of the school year and backpack them home with students. These letters can be batch-printed by official class or by class meeting time (for classes with more than one section). By default, the letters will batch print in the parent’s home language, if it is one of the DOE-supported languages. Generic translated letters will be available at the bottom of the NYC Schools Account website by September 13. Note that if you would like to provide FAM access to other designees, you may do so by assigning them the role of family access manager in myGalaxy.

For more information about creating NYCSA accounts, see the NYCSA wiki page on the Family Access Management (FAM) tool. For questions, suggestions, or support with the MyStudent application within NYCSA, email nycschoolsaccount@schools.nyc.gov or call the Help Desk (212-374-6646). Please note that you may not direct parents to contact the Help Desk number or inbox, as the Help Desk only supports DOE staff. Parents should be directed to the resources on the family-facing NYCSA page.

For questions about helping families reset passwords of student email addresses, refer to the Reset Student Password page on the Infohub.

UPDATE: Back2School CommUNITY Pledge

As schools resume in person, the Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes, in partnership with the DOE, City Commission on Human Rights and DYCD, is launching a campaign to promote respect, kindness and civility with a Back2School CommUNITY Pledge, a movement for NYC’s students, teachers, friends and families to send a clear message: hate has no home in NYC and our kids are going to lead a future of love, friendship and respect.

For the Back 2 School CommUnity Pledge Week, September 20-24, and the remaining part of the year, we ask you to join us in taking the Pledge to Celebrate Community.

I pledge to:

Stand up against hate and bullying
Speak out when I hear mean or hurtful “jokes”
Learn about and get to know diverse people
Respect and be kind to others
Do my part to support and celebrate our CommUNITY

For more information, including activities, professional development opportunities, and resources visit Back 2 School CommUNITY Pledge Week.

Take the pledge and spread the word!

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:
UPDATE: Changes to Public Meeting Law

On September 2, 2021, Governor Hochul signed legislation extending virtual public meetings. Please see attached Memorandum.

The language of the Law substantially mirrors former Executive Order 202.1 issued in March 2020, which, in part, authorizes most public bodies “to meet and take such action authorized by law without permitting in public in-person access to meetings and authorize such meetings to be held remotely by conference call or similar service, provided that the public has the ability to view or listen to such proceeding and that such meetings are recorded and later transcribed.

Governor Hochul Signed Legislation Extends Virtual Public Meetings until January 15, 2022. The legislation does not mandate virtual meetings; it grants public bodies to hold virtual meetings. The new law applies to any meetings of the Panel for Educational Policy (PEP), Citywide and Community Education Councils (CECs), School Leadership Teams (SLTs), and Joint Public Hearings. It does not apply to PA/PTA, DLT, Presidents’ Council or CPAC meetings.

You can find this information and more on the Governor's website.

UPDATE: New Agreements for 2020-2021 School Year

The DOE and the United Federation of Teachers (UFT) have reached an agreement regarding pivoting to remote instruction in the event of an emergency closure. We are working on creating a corresponding easy-to-read document, but in the meanwhile, here is a quick summary:

In the event of an emergency school or classroom closure, whether due to positive COVID-19 tests or snowstorms, classes will shift to remote learning for a period of time. In most such cases, teachers and other school personnel will conduct on-line lessons in real time (synchronous instruction).

If only a subset of students in a classroom is quarantined, those students will receive access to remote lessons that teachers and other school personnel have videotaped in advance (asynchronous instruction). However, those students will also be able to interact live with teachers during specified office hours.

In addition, on Election Day — Tuesday, November 2 — school buildings will be closed but students will receive remote asynchronous assignments.

Parent-Teacher Conferences will be conducted remotely; teachers will still have dedicated parent engagement time weekly.

UPDATE: Enhancing Communication Among Parents

In the most recent update to NYCSA, parents will be able to opt-in to sharing their contact information with their local parent leaders. Please see below for the new “Stay Connected” feature of NYCSA.

UPDATE: Storm Recovery Updates and Post-Storm Resources
NYC Emergency Management

The City of New York has developed a list of resources for those who were affected by this historic storm. Please visit https://www1.nyc.gov/site/em/resources/ida.page.

New Yorkers are encouraged to report damage to their property by calling 311 (212-639-9675 for Video Relay Service, or TTY: 212-504-4115) or by accessing the Damage Assessment Tool online. The Damage Assessment Tool allows the City to immediately collect damage information from New Yorkers to assess the impact upon affected areas. (Note: Reporting damage with this form is for tracking purposes only. You will not be provided a confirmation number.)

Service Centers Open Citywide

The City is opening service centers to provide resources to New Yorkers affected by this emergency. The following locations will be open Friday, September 3, from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.:

Bronx – 890 Garrison Avenue, 1st floor (Job Center Queuing or CSIC Waiting Area)

Brooklyn – 95 Evergreen Avenue, 2nd floor (Job Center CMU Waiting Area)

Queens – 32-20 Northern Boulevard, 2nd floor (SNAP Waiting Area)

Manhattan – 109 East 16th Street, 1st floor (former CBIC Waiting Area)

Staten Island – 201 Bay Street, 2nd floor (SNAP Waiting Area)

Department of Environmental Protection

File a report with ponding/flooding report with DEP https://on.nyc.gov/2WFjW2J

Red Cross

Anyone who experienced flooding in their homes can call (877) 733-2767 which is the Red Cross hotline to register and request assistance; which would be in the form of a flood kit (if totally displaced, residents should indicate that to the operator).

DOE Health and Safety Measures

The DOE Homecoming Health and Safety Guide for families includes the latest health and safety precautions that will be in place when schools open for school year 2021-22 to provide a safe and healthy in-person learning experience for all students. Please share the Homecoming Guide with families in your school community as soon as possible - translations are available on the website.

All the latest updates and information on School Year 2021-22 can be found at schools.nyc.gov/homecoming, and health & safety information is available at schools.nyc.gov/2021health. Here’s a summary of some of the pertinent information from the guide:

Effective, Safe Vaccinations for All Eligible Community Members

Vaccination is currently the leading public health prevention strategy to end the COVID-19 pandemic and has proven to significantly reduce the health effects of COVID-19 and reduce the transmissibility of the disease. Due to the incredible safety vaccination provides, all DOE staff and contractors in DOE buildings are required to have their first dose by September 27th and upload proof of vaccination to the DOE Vaccination portal. Every parent can be assured that the educators and school staff who work with their child every day will be vaccinated, providing yet another layer of protection and safety. During the first week of school, there will be an open vaccination site at every middle and high school.

At this time, students 12 years of age and older are eligible to receive the Pfizer vaccine, and approximately 60 percent of young people ages 12 – 17 have already done so. All eligible young people are encouraged to get this life saving vaccine as soon as possible.

Health & Temperature Screenings

Daily health screenings are required for admittance to DOE buildings and must be completed at home prior to the school day. Additionally, as part of the screening, student temperatures must be taken at home. Any family that needs a thermometer can request one from their school.

If a student or staff member is feeling ill, they must stay home and get tested. Staying home and getting tested is an effective way of protecting the whole school community. Every school will have a nurse on staff who students can report to when they are feeling ill.

Universal Face Covering Usage

As announced in May, protective face coverings will be required for all people inside and outside of DOE buildings, including all students and staff, regardless of vaccination status. Face coverings are a simple, effective way to keep everyone in the school community safe. Masks can be removed during meals and for designated breaks throughout the day, during which physical distancing will be maximized. Students who are not medically able to tolerate masks will be provided with alternative accommodations and staff will receive additional protective equipment.
Physical Distancing in Schools

Following CDC and NYSED guidance, schools will provide three feet of physical distancing, where possible. Physical distancing is one part of a multi-layered strategy, and additional safety is provided by vaccinations, mask usage, improved ventilation, a focus on hygiene, testing, and surveillance by the Situation Room. Elementary schools will utilize cohorts of students wherever possible, or have teachers move between classes to minimize the movements of students.

During meal service, schools are highly encouraged to utilize outdoor spaces and additional space inside the school to provide three feet of physical distancing. The Office of Food & Nutrition Services is supporting principals in serving meals at multiple locations in school buildings and serving multiple meal periods.

The vast majority of classrooms are able to implement three feet of physical distancing. In both meal spaces and instructional spaces, if physical distancing is not possible, then additional mitigation strategies will be put into place such as the addition of more HEPA purifiers or outfitting windows with exhaust fans.

Both the CDC and NYSED emphasize that physical distancing recommendations should not prevent students from fully returning to school this year.

Improved Ventilation

The ability to bring fresh air into a room, circulate, and exhaust it is a critical part of preventing the spread of COVID-19. Every DOE room in use by students and staff for extended periods of time will have fully operational ventilation through either natural, mechanical, or a combination of means. Additionally, as an added precaution, every room has two air purifiers that meet and exceed HEPA standards and cafeterias in over-utilized schools will be provided with large units for added protection and window-based exhaust fans to provide additional air circulation.

The ventilation status of every room in a DOE building can be found by searching for the school at https://www.nycenet.edu/schoolsearch and going to the “Building Ventilation Information” section of the page.

Enhanced Cleaning, Facilities Maintenance, & PPE Availability

DOE custodial engineers and facilities staff have over a year and a half of experience keeping our buildings safe and clean during the COVID-19 pandemic. They will continue using enhanced cleaning techniques, including the use of electrostatic sprayers, and all buildings will continue to have a full 30 days of PPE available at all times.

Ongoing Surveillance and Diagnostic Testing with Oversight by the Situation Room

Regular COVID-19 testing provides school communities and public health experts with valuable information. This year, every school, first through twelfth grade, will have ten percent of their unvaccinated school population tested twice a month for ongoing random surveillance. Surveillance testing is aimed at determining the prevalence of COVID-19 in our schools and provides ongoing information to public health experts.

The Situation Room will continue to be the central resource for principals to report positive cases in their school communities, performing contact tracing, and providing health and safety guidance to school communities in an efficient and timely manner.

Closure & Quarantine Policies in the Event of a Positive COVID-19 Case

New York City public schools successfully opened schools during the 2020-21 school year, while keeping COVID-19 rates in schools far lower than the citywide average. This was achieved through a multi-layered prevention strategy.

The closure and quarantine policies that kept schools safe during Summer Rising will continue in the 2021-22 school year. When a positive COVID-19 case is confirmed in a classroom, unvaccinated close contacts will quarantine for ten calendar days. Fully vaccinated individuals do not have to quarantine even if they are a close contact unless they are symptomatic, per CDC guidance. Out of an abundance of caution vaccinated close contacts are encouraged to take a COVID-19 test three to five days after potential exposure.

High school and middle school students who are unvaccinated may test back into their classrooms out of quarantine. They will test on the fifth day of quarantine to re-enter class after the seventh day, with proof of a negative test, submitted to the DOE vaccination portal.

The Situation Room works closely with a team of experts from DOHMH to investigate every case that is reported. After a thorough investigation, if there is evidence of widespread transmission within the school, the Situation Room and the New York City Department of Health will make a determination to close the school for ten days. This is a continuation of a policy that kept over 800 school buildings safe during Summer Rising.

When in-person learning is disrupted, it will continue remotely for students who are quarantining. Elementary school students will continue to receive live remote instruction while they quarantine. Middle and high school students will have access to remote learning while quarantining.

Medically Necessary Instruction

Providing a high-quality learning environment for medically fragile students has always been a focus of the DOE. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the pre-existing home instruction program is being expanded and will be available to more students that meet the criteria.

The Medically Necessary Instruction program provides interim educational services for school-aged children (from 3K to grade 12) in all five boroughs who are unable to attend school due to medical or psychiatric reasons. It can include individual in-person instruction by a certified teacher, or individual and small group instruction by certified teachers through digital platforms.

Taking COVID-19 into consideration, DOHMH has determined that students who actively have one of the conditions below would be approved for medically necessary instruction. Students with medical or psychiatric conditions that are not listed below may still apply; all applications will be reviewed by a medical expert.

Active Cancer
Chronic Renal Diseases
Sickle Cell
Gastro/Crohn’s Disease
Thalassemia
Leukemia
Metabolic Disorders
Heart Conditions
Muscular Dystrophy
Adrenal Disorder
Cystic Fibrosis
Liver Disease
Tumor
Congenital Lung Disease
Congenital Heart Condition
Lymphoma
Cerebral Ataxia
Seizures
Stroke
Multiple Sclerosis

Any family with a student who is immunocompromised due to a medical condition or treatment for a medical condition may apply. Applications from families with any condition not listed will undergo review to determine eligibility.

Outdoor Learning Continues

Using the City’s outdoor spaces in new and innovative ways to provide additional instructional, extracurricular, and dining space was an unexpected silver lining of the pandemic. Last year, 840 schools took advantage of the Outdoor Learning Initiative. Schools will continue utilizing school yards, street space, and parks to provide additional space for learning. The Outdoor Learning initiative centers equity and schools in areas hardest-hit by COVID-19 receive priority for the program.

REMINDER: Attendance

With all of New York City’s students returning for in-person learning this fall, we want to welcome every student in school every day. Attendance matters. Research shows that students who attend regularly achieve greater success in school and in life. Please make every effort to have your student attend school, so long as they are feeling well.

Schools must take attendance to show whether a student is in school or not; it’s the law. If your child is absent, the school will follow up with you that day by making a positive phone call, text or email home. This call home helps the school support you and your child with removing the barriers to regular attendance. Please make sure that your school has the right information to contact you.

Your school will publish an Every Student Every Day attendance policy on their website or will share it through other communication pathways. The policy will explain what qualifies as an excused or unexcused absence, and will describe lateness, leaving early and make up policies. It will also explain how the school will take attendance on days a student must quarantine and learn from home or on snow days.

For help or questions, contact your school’s principal or Parent Coordinator.

COVID-19 Vaccination Reminders
UPDATE: #Vax to School - Vaccinations Required for Students and Staff Participating in Public School Athletic League (PSAL) Sports

The COVID-19 vaccination will be required for the ~20,000 students and staff participating in high-risk Public School Athletic League (PSAL) sports this year. This is in alignment with recent New York State and CDC guidance, which stated that high-risk sports and extracurricular activities should be virtual or canceled in areas of high community transmission unless all participants are fully vaccinated.

High-risk sports include the fall sports of football and volleyball, winter sports of basketball and wrestling, and spring sports of lacrosse, stunt, and rugby. In addition, vaccination will be required for bowling, because while not high-risk, it takes place in spaces that require vaccination. Fully vaccinated participants can remove their masks while engaging in high-risk PSAL activities held outdoors.

Participants in fall high-risk sports are required to get their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by the first day of competitive play, which varies by sport. The first day of competitive play for football is September 3rd. The first day of competitive play for volleyball is September 27th. Winter and spring PSAL participants have until the beginning of their seasons to be fully vaccinated.

Getting the vaccine is safe, effective, and free. Currently, approximately 57% of New York City 12-17-year-olds have at least one dose, and families can go to vaccinefinder.nyc.gov to find a convenient vaccination site. Additionally, mobile vaccination sites are visiting schools and PSAL conditioning sites across the city this fall.

DOE recently created a COVID-19 vaccination portal for all staff to log their vaccination status. We are now making that website available to families at https://vaccine.schools.nyc. The Vaccination Portal allows employees and families to upload proof of vaccination, which can be an image of a vaccination card, NYS Excelsior Pass, or other government records. Submitting this information will support New York City’s pandemic response and recovery efforts, and help ensure that the DOE schools and buildings remain safe places for all students and staff.

Check the DOE’s website here for Chancellor Meisha Porter’s letter to families.

UPDATE: Vaccination Proof for Indoor Activities - Key to NYC

Starting August 17, people 12 and older will be required to show proof they have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine authorized for emergency use by the FDA or WHO for:

Indoor dining
Includes restaurants, catering halls, event spaces, hotel banquet rooms, bars, nightclubs, cafeterias, grocery stores with indoor dining, coffee shops and fast food or quick service with indoor dining
Indoor fitness
Includes gyms, fitness centers, fitness classes, pools, indoor studios and dance studios
Indoor entertainment
Includes movie theaters, music and concert venues, museums and galleries, aquariums and zoos, professional sports arenas, indoor stadiums, convention centers, exhibition halls, performing arts theaters, bowling alleys, arcades, pool and billiard halls, recreational game centers, adult entertainment and indoor play areas

This new requirement — called the Key to NYC — includes bars, fitness gyms, movie and stage theatres, museums and other indoor venues. Staff at these locations are also required to be vaccinated.

The highly contagious delta variant is spreading quickly in NYC, and unvaccinated people are at the most risk for infection, hospitalization and death. Learn how you can get vaccinated for free today.

Proof of Vaccination

Proof of vaccination may include:

NYC COVID Safe App: Android | iOS

Excelsior Pass

CDC Vaccination Card (or photo)

NYC Vaccination Record

An official immunization record from outside NYC or the U.S

If you received the vaccine outside the U.S., you must have an official immunization record that includes:

First name and last name
Date of birth
Vaccine product name (only vaccines authorized by the WHO are acceptable)
Date(s) administered
Site where the vaccine was administered, or name of the person who administered it

Check New York City’s website for more information about Vaccinations for Indoor Activities, Vaccination Facts or COVID-19

UPDATE: Get Vaccinated Today!

Safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines are now available in New York City to help us end the COVID-19 pandemic. They are easily available to most New Yorkers and all vaccinations are free.

It has never been easier to get a COVID-19 vaccination in NYC. Children 12-17 years old are eligible for the vaccine. Those who are fully vaccinated can more safely gather with friends and enjoy other benefits of vaccination, so get your shot today.

Some schools have walk-in vaccination sites - dates and locations can be found on the DOE’s website.

Check out COVID-19 Vaccine Facts for more information.

Also, share the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s Back to School Youth Vaccination Information videos in multiple languages here: https://www.youtube.com/c/NYCHealth/videos

To find a vaccination site near you, including those that take appointments, use the City's Vaccine Finder (not accessible with Internet Explorer). Note, people who are 12 to 17 years old can only receive the Pfizer vaccine.

Learn more about which groups are eligible for vaccination covered by the State's latest guidance.

Individuals 12+ are able to book vaccine appointments at many locations throughout the city using the NYC Vaccine Finder or by calling 1-877-VAX-4NYC. Check back here for additional updates or text COVID to 692-692 to receive real-time updates on vaccine distribution.

Vaccinations at home

Walk-up vaccination sites

NYC mobile vaccine vans and buses

Need another reason to get a vaccine? New Yorkers can get $100, free tickets, memberships, or gifts for getting vaccinated against COVID-19. These giveaways will be available for a limited time. Check here for more information.

DOE UPDATE: Vaccine Fundraiser for PAs and PTAs

New York City wants to partner with Parent Associations and Parent Teacher Associations (PAs/PTAs) to encourage families to get vaccinated!

Participating PAs/PTAs can receive a $100 bonus for each vaccine eligible community member who receives the safe COVID vaccine at a City-run site or in-home.

Sign up!

Interested PAs/PTAs should sign up now, using this form.

Each PAs/PTAs can earn up to $20,000

Payments will be made after the conclusion of the program

Get the Referral Benefit

To receive the vaccine referral benefit, community members must request an appointment slot on the NYC Appointment Scheduler

When you register for an appointment on the Personal Information section, you will be asked "Were you referred for your vaccination by an organization as part of the NYC Vaccine Referral Bonus Program?" Indicate your PA/PTA in the box so that your PA/PTA will receive the $100 bonus.


Community members will not receive any direct payment under this program. The PA/PTA who referred them will receive $100 for every referral, up to $20,000.

The individual’s personal information is not shared with the organization.

This information is also on the DOE’s website here.

RESOURCE: Supports for Students and Families
Providing Social and Emotional Learning Support for Students

Students are much more likely to learn, feel safe, and rebound from tough situations when they feel connected to their teachers and their peers. This year, all schools will focus on strengthening connections and community. Building off what we all accomplished last year, the DOE will continue to ensure that all students, their families, and staff feel welcomed and supported.

Supporting students socially and emotionally improves not only their academic progress but prepares them to succeed in life. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, many of our students faced stressful situations and some of them experienced trauma as well. For example, circumstances like poverty, homelessness, or fear of deportation can be traumatic if students do not have adequate resources and supports. Yet schools are and can continue to do so much to help students learn how to manage their stress and find refuge from their pain and anxiety.

This year, we are expanding our social emotional learning (SEL) practices citywide. We’ve hired over 500 social workers and 36 borough office-based social workers so that every student has access to more targeted supports when they need it, like group and individual counseling. As a result of these investments, every school will have a trained mental health care specialist. This person could be a school social worker, guidance counselor, or a school-based mental health specialist.

We have also updated our Bridge to School plan. Designed to be implemented during the first few weeks of this school year, the plan provides all schools with social-emotional learning lessons and activities that will help students build coping skills, process grief, and reorient themselves to daily instruction. The Bridge to School plan complements established initiatives that will be continuing this school year that are aimed at building students’ self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making.
Supports for Students in Temporary Housing

If your student is affected by homelessness (living in a shelter, or doubled up or in some other temporary housing situation due to economic hardship), the DOE is committed to providing additional supports and resources.

If you or your family are affected by homelessness, we want you to know that every school district has a dedicated Students in Temporary Housing (STH) Regional Manager who can respond to questions and concerns, and connect you to DOE and other city agency resources designed to provide no-cost benefits (including transportation to and from school, help with enrollment and school moves, even access to programs and special opportunities). STH Regional Managers work directly with over 300 school- and shelter-based staff, including social workers, who are specially trained to understand the unique needs and strengths of families affected by homelessness.

Finally, every school also has a dedicated School Based STH Liaison, who can ensure students and families affected by homelessness are connected to appropriate information, resources and benefits.

To get help at school, please reach out to your school’s guidance counselor, social worker, or principal for assistance.
P-EBT Resources

Every single NYC public school student is automatically eligible—regardless of income or immigration status—. No application or registration is required. P-EBT does not affect any other benefits or public charge status. Students in parochial or charter schools may be eligible if their school participates in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). For more information, please check out the links below.

P-EBT Guidance 21-22

P-EBT Guidance 21-22 (Spanish)

GetFoodNYC: Free Food Locations

Get a map of food resources across the city: Free food pantries, Grocery stores and farmer's markets locations grab & go meals at NYC Schools, available for all children or adults in need.

Learning Heroes

In partnership with the National PTA and Univision, Learning Heroes is excited to showcase the next round of Team Up for Success, which provides ongoing parent communications with free research-based tools and resources throughout the year.

Today we present an updated Parent-Teacher Planning Tool that helps parents form a two-way relationship with their child’s teacher and share progress! We've also created this video to assist parents and guardians with using the tool.

As a part of this series we previously debuted our “Dear Teacher” letter meant to introduce families to their child’s new teacher, and a new Parenting Minutes video from WNET, focused on building parent-teacher relationships.

Please consider helping amplify Team Up for Success by:

Sharing our Team Up for Success Toolkit with your networks

Adding a campaign blurb to your organization's newsletter and/or other email communications

#TeamUpForSuccess with Learning Heroes!

Free Family Engagement Curriculum – Ready4K – Fall Webinars

Ready4K is an evidence-based family engagement curriculum shown to increase student growth by two months. The curriculum empowers families by texting them simple, achievable ways to incorporate learning into everyday moments. Families can get messages in Arabic, Chinese, English, Spanish, or Vietnamese. We have also incorporated messages linking families to NYC resources like food and health services. Ready4K comes at no cost to your families or your program.

Register here for a Fall 2021 Ready4K Onboarding Session!

Sessions take place between Sep 1 – Oct 12, 2021

Parents & Students Needed for InsideSchools Focus Groups

The Education Trust–New York is partnering with InsideSchools to incorporate important data on three critical equity issues into InsideSchools’ NYC public school evaluation platform:

Access to advanced courses

FAFSA completion rates

Data that shows college enrollment and college completion rates.

It is important that parents and students have an opportunity to weigh in on the design of the tool. See more info on the flyer and below!

We are hoping that you can help recruit parents and students who represent the broad diversity of New York City for upcoming focus groups. Our goal is to engage approximately 70 parents and 20 students to participate in one of several 90-minute, Zoom-based focus groups during the weeks of September 20th and October 4th. Each participant will receive a $50 gift card for their time. If you work with parents or students that may be interested in participating, please share the attached flyer and focus group.

Warm Regards,

The FACE Team