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family and student update

8/29 – Family/Student Update

Published August 29, 2021 by Scill Chan

8/29 – Dear BCS Students/Families,

We are excited to welcome you back to the school year.  Please join our Tues 8/31 Zoom Family/Student Town Hall to ask any questions!  Information and Zoom link below!

DOE ANNOUNCEMENTS

The city has issued the DOE Homecoming Health and Safety Guide.  Families can read it carefully for the Health and Safety protocols for this school year.

Here are some notable highlights:

  • Social distancing guideline is now clearly aligned to CDC and NYSED recommendations of “3ft, where possible.” Schools are not required to maintain 3ft between students if limited by classroom dimensions though we will endeavor to do this as often as possible given available staff and space.  Schools are not required to maintain 3ft in halls or during passing.  Schools can return to previous capacity limits for classrooms, cafeteria, etc. in order to accommodate a full in-person return to school.
  • DOE Daily health screening is still required.
  • Masks will be required indoors and outdoors by all staff and students, including those vaccinated.  Schools can designate “mask breaks” where students can remove masks while they maintain 6ft physical distance from each other. 
  • Vaccinated students will not participate in the random in-school COVID testing. The testing will only apply to unvaccinated students who’ve consented.  All unvaccinated students should consent for COVID testing via their NYC Schools account.  
  • All students who participate in PSAL sports must be vaccinated.
  • COVID testing will occur every two weeks and will be 10% of the students that have consented.
  • There’s no set number of cases that will cause a school building to close. A case-by-case review will occur if there are 4+ COVID cases in different classrooms within seven days. 
  • After exposure to a positive COVID case, vaccinated staff and students who are asymptomatic do not have to quarantine; they can continue coming back to school. 
  • Students with qualifying medical conditions can apply for home instruction. Conditions are listed in the families guide. It is not clear if you remain with your home school if you are approved for home instruction.  
  • We still don’t have details about what remote learning will look like when students need to quarantine.  Unvaccinated students who are exposed must quarantine for 7-10 days.  (The details are pending negotiation with the UFT and labor relations. Latest Chalkbeat article) – Note: all BCS classes will continue to use Google Classroom. 
  • The ventilation system in all rooms must be operational including supply and exhaust fans – rooms can still be used if they do not have windows if there is an operational supply and exhaust ventilation system.  You can see the report for any school online.  The BCS report is here: https://www.nycenet.edu/roomassessment?page=1&code=K142. 
  • The DOE has sent replacement filters for all the purifiers sent to schools last year so that we will change the filters for this new school year.  Every classroom has two filters.
  • All schools will have plentiful masks, sanitizer, and wipes on-site, with orders by custodial staff being made to ensure we have consistent supply.

BCS ANNOUNCEMENTS

Please join our Tues 8/31 Zoom Family/Student Town Hall to ask any questions!

  • Please join us for our Family/Student Town Hall in Zoom to ask any questions you may have about school re-opening.
    • Lower Grades (Grades 6-8) – Tuesday 8/31 at 7:30pm
    • Upper Grades (Grades 9-12) – Tuesday 8/31 at 8:15pm
    • Join Zoom Meeting, ID: 85682633731, Passcode: 506635
    • Dial in +1 929-436-2866

Early Arrival & Breakfast

  • Breakfast begins at 8:15am in the cafeteria.  Students can get breakfast in the cafeteria and eat there or eat in the yard.  
  • The yard opens at 8:15am for early arrival for students.  The school day begins at 8:45am.

All school forms will be filled out in Operoo 

  • We use the Operoo online system for submitting DOE forms, no paper forms.
  • When school begins, parents will receive an email from Operoo.com that includes information for filling out blue cards and other required DOE forms.  Stay tuned.

Lunch Update Pending

  • We are still working with newly issued DOE guidance about lunch policies to promote social distancing including possibly having an instructional lunch and shortening the school day (as was the policy in school year 2020-2021).
  • Please stay tuned, we know this is an important topic and we are working fervently to ensure that we have adequate space and staff to maintain 3 feet of social distancing during lunch.  
  • Additionally, we anticipate reducing out-to-lunch privileges for safety reasons so that students can be supervised during lunch in the building, while aiming for 3 feet of social distancing where possible during lunch and using outdoor space as much as possible weather permitting.
  • Stay tuned for more information.

All families, please fill out the lunch form online

  • All families must complete the online Family Income Inquiry Form even if your child does not eat school lunch
  • The lunch status of your child provides valuable funding to our school and can make your child eligible for fee waivers and scholarship opportunities 
  • Our school zip code is 11231
  • Our school name is listed as 15K448 – Brooklyn Sch for Collaborative Studies

Apply for afterschool program Grades 6-8

  • BCS offers a free in-person afterschool program for all students in Grades 6-8 in partnership with the YWCA (Mon-Fri 3pm-6pm).
  • Parents who are interested in registering their child for afterschool must complete the application online here: https://discoverdycd.dycdconnect.nyc/program-public (search: Brooklyn Collaborative Studies) – Families must create an account in order to apply.
  • Any questions, please contact the BCS Afterschool Staff:
    • Director Ashley Armand <aarmand@ywcanyc.org>
    • Associate Director Olivia Doggett <odoggett@ywcanyc.org>

Boys Varsity Soccer Tryouts – PSAL for Grades 9-12

  • Please try out for our soccer team!  Open to boys and girls.
  • DATES & TIMES: MONDAY 8/30/21 @ 7AM & TUESDAY 8/31/21 @ 7AM
  • LOCATION: Bush Terminal Park, Marginal Street & 43rd, Soccer Field 1 (by the restroom)
  • PLEASE BRING ALL PAPERWORK TO TRYOUTS! YOU MUST HAVE A COMPLETED MEDICAL FORM & PERMISSION SLIP IN ORDER TO TRYOUT!!
  • PSAL MEDICAL FORM
  • PSAL PERMISSION SLIP
  • NOTE: COVID Vaccination is required for all PSAL student-athletes.

Orientation for New Students/Families to BCS (Grade 6 and 9)

  • We will be holding two in-person orientations for families Thursday 9/9 from 4:00pm-5:00pm and Monday 9/13 from 9:00-10:00am). We look forward to you attending ONE of the orientations – they are optional but recommended for students/families who are new to BCS. Please RSVP for either session to Imani@bcs448.org.  
  • All students will receive orientation in Crew during the first three days of school.

Please save these important dates: 

  • Thurs 9/30 at 5:15pm-7:30pm – Curriculum Night
  • Wed 11/10 evening and Fri 11/12 afternoon – Student-Led Conferences

Resources from our Counseling Team

PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED – FIRST DAY, SUPPLIES, SCHEDULES, ETC.

DOE School Year Calendar

First Day of School – Monday 9/13

  • The first day of school is Monday 9/13 – our school day begins 8:45AM.
  • Grade 6 students enter through the cafeteria doors where Crew leaders will pick the students up at 8:45AM from the cafeteria.  After the first day of school, Grade 6 students enter through the Coles Street yard at 8:45AM and go up to crew rooms. 
  • Grades 7 & 8 students enter through the Coles Street yard at 8:45AM and go up to their regular Crew classrooms
  • Grades 9-12 students enter on Henry Street at 8:45AM at the doors farthest to the left when facing the building (by Coles Street, by the gym) and go directly upstairs to the 5th floor to their Crew rooms
  • Every day, school begins at 8:45AM and ends at 3:05PM (to be finalized).  
  • Lower grades (grades 6-8) are dismissed on the Rapelye Street side of the building.
  • Upper grades (grades 9-12) are dismissed on the Coles Street side of the building.

Crew Assignments and Crew Rooms, Student Schedules

  • New students to BCS (Grades 6 and 9 and transfers into other grades) will receive their crew assignment with room number by email by Tues 9/7.  Students may not request a crew or to be in the same crew with their friends.
  • All students (new and returning) will receive a phone call from their crew leader on Thurs 9/9 telling them what room to go to.  
  • The first three days of school (Mon 9/13, Tues 9/14, and Wed 9/15) are full crew days for orientation and students will be in their crew room.
  • Students will receive their schedules during the full crew days.

Summer Reading

School Supplies

  • There are no specific supply lists beyond a book bag and writing utensils (pens and pencils) and masks.
  • We aim to minimize the stress for all families by providing the majority of supplies to all students.
  • We ask for a small donation from families who are able to offset the cost of supplies – more information will be distributed to families when school begins.

Published in BCS News