Resources, Best Practices and Updates

Resources for Parents During the Coronavirus Crisis

General Resources for keeping you and your kids feeling healthy, connected and engage

This Principal’s List of Things to Do During COVID Closures Is Going Viral for All the Right Reasons Kim Jones McClelland, a principal in our Principal Life group on Facebook, shared teacher Wade Whitehead’s brilliant ideas for things to do during COVID closures that is now going viral, for good reason! We’ve added links and more ideas to these low-tech kid activities that are great for elementary kids (although I know some middle schoolers who could learn a lot from #4!).

https://www.weareteachers.com/things-to-do-during-covid/?fbclid=IwAR1f_WWwPLat7_fzNiAttZr6c4og4w5ZSeGokvMWLnX0oge7MHdxeWZUucg

Supporting Families During COVID-19

We know parents are struggling to balance work, child care and self-care while keeping worries — both your children’s and your own — under control. You don’t have to do it alone.

https://childmind.org/coping-during-covid-19-resources-for-parents/

Information from the DOE

Free Meals at Grab & Go Sites

Starting today, April 3, 2020, 435 sites across the 5 boroughs will offer 3 grab-and-go meals to all children and families from 7:30am until 11:30am. Starting today, from 11:30am until 1:30pm, Adults will also be able to get three meals a day from those same sites across the five boroughs. Adults can pick up meals even if they do not have children.

NO ONE WILL BE TURNED AWAY. EVERYONE WHO WANTS A GRAB-AND-GO MEAL MAY HAVE ONE. For more information in English, text FOOD to 877877. En Español, COMIDA a 877877 https://www.opt-osfns.org/schoolfoodny/meals/default.aspx

Supporting Students with Disabilities and Multi Lingual Learners

Family guidance for remote learning is available on the DOE website. Please refer to this site for answers to questions and requests for clarification. *Please see the last section of this document for the DOE Social-Emotional Resource Page

Remote learning for public schools formally started Monday 3/23:

Unlike families with very young children that may need more parental programming creativity, families with school age kids will likely follow the daily lessons set up by their children’s teachers. This DOE document explains in fairly specific detail the responsibilities and expectations of all school community members during this period of remote learning, including good information for families of students receiving special education services.

DOE Resources:

Information on Remote Learning: FAQs Accessing Remote Learning, Academic Policy and Planning, Special Education Multilingual/English Language Learners, Assessments and Accountability

DOE Learn at Home Resources: A good source of DOE general online content organized by grade, as well as additional resources like links to free magazines and books. There are resources for young children as well as supplemental materials for those students who receive remote lesson material from their teachers.

DOE Remote Learning Portal: The DOE has created a remote learning portal to support students and teachers. The portal provides quick links to online learning platforms such as Google Classroom, Microsoft suite of applications, and Actively Learn. Students can sign in with their DOE Student Accounts. If you do not remember your student account information follow the instructions here DOE Student Accounts You will need your 9-digit student OSIS number.

DOE Remote Learning Device Request Form: DOE is lending internet-enabled iPads to support remote learning for students. If you would like to request a device for a NYC student in your family, fill out the Request form at the link above or call 718-935-5100 and choose Option 5 on the menu. Someone will help you get a device with internet connection.

DOE special education resources for at home learning: The resources here are designed to support your child when at home. You will find social stories, visual aids, at home tips for speech, occupational therapy and physical therapy. DOE has also provided guidance on a Special Education Remote Learning Plan that will be developed for all students with IEPs in the school by their special education teacher or other school based staff with knowledge of the student, and that each child’s plan will be shared and discussed with their family. Occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech and counseling providers are expected to provide appropriate teletherapy services in conjunction with schools’ remote instructional plan. They will review all mandates in their caseload to determine how best to deliver appropriate teletherapy services to students starting on March 23. The opportunity for appropriate teletherapy will be limited. At minimum, therapists will provide a weekly teletherapy consultation with the student and their caregiver to provide support and advice regarding appropriate therapeutic activities.

Comprehensive Distance Learning Resources

DOE Resources For Teachers

Remote Learning Resources for Teachers

NYCDOE Regional Enrichment Center Enrollment Information and Form: Regional Enrichment Centers serve the children of essential workers including healthcare workers and first responders, transit workers, grocery store, food and pharmacy workers, and employees of several city agencies. Following survey submission, the DOE will contact you with additional details about where and how to bring your child to a REC site within 48-72 hours. RECs are present citywide and staffed by DOE employees and community-based organization partners. There are different types of RECs that serve different age groups.

RECs are located in public school buildings and serve students in grades 3-K through 12. Pre-K Centers are located in public school buildings and primarily serve 3 and 4 year olds, as well as older siblings up to 10 years of age. Emergency Child Care Centers (ECCs) are hosted at community-based organizations and serve children aged 6 weeks up to 12 years old.

Family Child Care Centers (FCCs) are home-based providers and serve children aged 6 weeks up to 12 years old. Regional Enrichment Centers, Pre-K Centers, and ECCs will be open 7:30am – 6:00pm Monday to Friday. Family Child Care Centers will be open 8:00am – 6:00pm Monday to Friday. Children who are enrolled can attend anytime during open hours. Children will get three hot meals daily, remote learning time with their teachers, activities like art/music, and social and emotional support. Each classroom will have a maximum of 9 children, supported by at least one adult; this size will both allow for personalized attention and will meet social distancing needs. RECs will also have nurses on site.

Additional updates and information will be posted on the DOE website about RECs as it becomes available at http://schools.nyc.gov. You can call (718) 935-2200 if you have questions.

Regional Enrichment Center Staff Interest Survey

DOE Coronavirus updates

NYC COVID-19 Services & Resources

For High School Kids Social/Emotional health:

Open letter from a high school teacher to help graduating high school seniors put the tremendous loss of this important year into perspective.

IntegrateNYC COVID-19 Resources: Quaran-Teens Call: Monday, April 6 5-7 PM. This meeting is an open forum for Brooklyn youth to check-in, vent, and share COVID-19 reflections. Organizers hope to incorporate civic engagement opportunities and creative activities down the road. Hosted by the 39th District PB Youth Committee Leaders. Register here.

Free broadband internet/wifi from Spectrum: Sign up details are here.

Additional Resources:

Free Online Tutoring– Sign up for tutors and students

Online Programming from the Brooklyn Public Library

State tests are canceled for elementary and middle school students. No word yet on the Regents exam for high schoolers, but will share when we do.

New! Shortened spring break in Chalkbeat

Social-Emotional Wellness During COVID-19: Caring for Ourselves and One Another Parent & Family Resource

The New York City Department of Education cares deeply about the social-emotional health and wellbeing of NYCDOE’s children and families. We recognize that the sharing of information about COVID-19, and the resulting school closures, will have a significant impact on each of us. Increased stress and anxiety are common responses to the coronavirus outbreak. The resources below can support you and your family through this challenging time. In addition to resources for stress management, there are helpful strategies and resources for proactively developing your child’s social and emotional skills.

Strategies for Talking to Your Kids About COVID-19

Resources for Coping with Stress & Anxiety

Sanford Harmony: Harmony at Home

This year, the NYCDOE partnered with the Mayor’s Office to introduce over 200 DOE elementary schools to Sanford Harmony. Sanford Harmony is a PK-6th grade social-emotional learning program that uses daily and weekly practices to build students’ social and emotional competencies. As schools are closing to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), Sanford Harmony is supporting families with their Harmony at Home platform.

Harmony at Home is a FREE online toolkit for educators, families, and caregivers to teach vital social emotional learning (SEL) skills to children using the strategies Sanford Programs have developed for classroom teachers. We’ve curated interactive Sanford Harmony lessons for parents to make this transition as easy and rewarding as possible. Check it out at: https://www.sanfordharmony.org/harmony-at-home/

Additional Resources

Virtual Town Hall on Remote Learning

Dear Community Education Councils, Presidents’ Councils, Family Leadership Coordinators, and community members,

Good afternoon to all! I hope you are staying safe during this time as we are learning through these changes and leading on behalf of our children and students.

On behalf of Manhattan Executive Superintendent Marisol C. Rosales, I would like to share with you the virtual town hall hosted and moderated by Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer on remote learning and supports for students, families, and teachers. Please see the video link to the recorded town hall below: https://youtu.be/VR_r6CRINNs.

In addition, Marisol is working closely with some parent leaders to ensure families across Manhattan receive necessary supports for remote learning. Please let us know if you would like to volunteer as tech support, translator, or in another role.

  • – Marisol C. Rosales, Executive Superintendent for Manhattan, NYC Department of Education – Billy Gioia, Director for School Improvement for Manhattan, NYC Department of Education – Dr. Roberta Lenger Kang, Director of the Center of Professional Education of Teachers, Teachers College – Deirdre McIntosh-Brown, Co-Chair of Manhattan Community Board 9’s Youth, Education and Libraries Committee – Dr. Detra Price-Dennis, Associate Professor of Education, Teachers College – Moderated by Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer

A big thank you again to Gale Brewer for putting this together on behalf of our communities!!

Translation and Interpretation


Employee Facing Sites

Family Facing Site

Additional Resources