Dear Families,

I hope that your family is well, safe, and enjoying summer. 

I want to share some changes with our staff for next year.  First, Emily is moving to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where she has lived with her family for the past year. Second, we hired Julia Broach to teach Science. Julia impressed the hiring committee with her thoughtfulness, enthusiasm, and understanding of curriculum planning (a must for TNS teachers!).  We are thrilled to have her!  Finally, after 23 years at TNS, Yolanda is retiring.  We will miss Emily and Yolanda, but we wish them the best! 

I imagine you have many questions about September, especially as concerns grow around the Delta variant. Unfortunately, schools have yet to receive updated guidance about health and safety measures.  However, we expect the NYC Department of Education’s forthcoming reopening guidance, in alignment with CDC recommendations, to prioritize ventilation, cleaning, vaccination, and mask-wearing along with 3 feet of social distancing where possible.   At this time, there are no remote learning options in NYC public schools.  Our planning team has been meeting regularly over the summer, and we anticipate:

• Adults and students will wear masks, regardless of vaccination status.  Please remember to send a mask your child is comfortable with (stays over their nose when they talk) because they will be wearing it all day, except when eating. 

• All school DoE employees must have proof of vaccination for COVID-19 or, if not vaccinated, be tested for COVID-19 weekly. 

• Drop-off and pick-up will be in the courtyard and recess yard, except for our youngest students.  The school day will go from 8:25 AM to 2:45 PM.

• Students and staff will wash their hands throughout the day.

• Every classroom and common space will have open windows to provide proper ventilation and at least two air purifiers.

• PPT will continue to be provided at no cost to our school.

• Students will need their DoE emails and devices in case a class or the school needs to pivot to remote learning at any time.

• We will have after-school programming in the building.

At the forefront of our planning team’s decisions is the physical and emotional health of our students, families, and staff.  Please join us on Wednesday, September 1st at 6 PM for a Town Hall about what school will look like in September. https://bit.ly/tnstownhall

The DoE recognizes that all schools must be prepared to work with their students’ trauma and social-emotional needs when school begins in September.  Schools Chancellor Meisha Porter recently announced that schools would prioritize social-emotional support, “Children in every community are carrying trauma from the COVID-19 pandemic. Successful academic recovery can only happen when the emotional and mental health needs are also addressed.”  

We will support children’s social and emotional needs this year through the Teddy Bear curriculum.  Every new child and staff member will get a Teddy bear in September.  If your child has a bear from last year, it can return with them in the fall.  The Teddy Bear Curriculum is part of our ongoing work with Emotionally Responsive Practice at Bank Street College.  They support us to develop emotionally responsive school routines, curricula, and adult-child interactions that help all children, including those with a traumatic history.  I am also happy to share that we will have school social worker Troy Nicholas back this year.

I expect the DoE to share more details in the upcoming weeks, and we will continue to communicate how this impacts our reopening in September. I strongly encourage you to keep connected to school and the PTA using Konstella.  

You will receive a welcome letter and supply list from your child’s classroom teacher(s) in the next week or so.  It will detail the materials your child will need and essential information about the classroom and expectations to start the year.  The primary focus at the beginning of the year is on getting familiar with routines, the flow of the day, and getting to know each other.  We can’t wait!

I hope that you enjoy the rest of the summer.  I will be in touch soon!

With Love,

Dyanthe

Dear Families,

June is a month in which our moods vary from joyful to sad because it is a time in which we realize that we are about to separate and may not see each other until the fall. We take a moment to thank the incredible work of our outgoing PTA Executive Board. Their efforts have been tireless this year, and honestly, I cannot imagine having navigated this year without their support.

There are no words that can adequately thank our staff, whose dedication to our children and families is unwavering. I continue to be inspired by their work and the multiple and profound ways they think about children, teaching, and learning.

Finally, thank you for your flexibility, understanding, and support during this challenging and unpredictable year. I cannot tell you how much I look forward to returning to school in September with all our children in the building five days a week!

We want to hear from all our families about their child’s experience this year! Please complete your DoE survey if you haven’t yet. The due date is this Friday, June 18. You’ll need your child’s nine-digit Student Identification (OSIS) Number to access the survey which you received from Denise in an email to you or log into your New York City Schools Account (NYCSA). You will have to fill out a survey for each of your children. Visit the link below and when it asks for your access code, enter a lowercase “f” first and then your OSIS number immediately after. You can also contact our Parent Coordinator at denise@tnsny.org if you need help with your student’s OSIS number or logging in. Denise will also be in the lobby all week at arrival (8:40 - 9 AM) to help families complete the survey. Please stop by! Fill out the survey here.

With Love,

Dyanthe

Dear Families,

Last Thursday, our staff came together to share ideas and suggestions about decisions we need to make for September. One thing we agreed to continue is the Teddy Bear curriculum. It has been a powerful way to support children’s social and emotional needs this year. Many of our students still carry their bears to and from school each day! Teddy bears help teachers address unresolved emotional issues that hinder children’s socialization and learning processes. They can help children connect to their feelings and express them in constructive ways, establishing a safe and supportive learning environment for students. Please hold onto and take of your child’s teddy bear this summer so that it can return with your child in the fall.

We are in the process of making classes for next year. This is a thoughtful process, and we carefully consider the makeup of each class. There are a few changes in configurations next year. We will have two Integrated Co-teaching or ICT classes (these are classes with two teachers) and one general education class (a class with one teacher) in our 2nd/3rd grades. All of our 4th/5th grade classes with be ICT. As we plan the classes and spaces for September, we need to know who will or might be leaving. Please complete this survey to let us know if your child is NOT returning next year. Thank you.

With Love,

Dyanthe

Dear Families,

We always appreciate your input and feedback throughout the year. Each year, we ask for more detailed feedback from the entire community to continue to make the Neighborhood School experience better. Our School Leadership Team uses DoE survey responses to inform planning for our school, so it’s essential that we get one from every family. The survey gathers information about your overall satisfaction with our school, and results are published on the DOE’s public website. Completion rates are also crucial as they reflect the level of parent involvement in the DOE.

You’ll need your child’s nine-digit Student Identification (OSIS) Number to access the survey. You will have to fill out a survey for each of your children. Families can find their child’s OSIS number in your New York City Schools Account (NYCSA). Visit the link below and when it asks for your access code, first enter a lowercase “f” and then your OSIS number. Contact Parent Coordinator Denise Soltren at denise@tnsny.org if you need help with your student’s OSIS number or logging in.  Fill out the survey here.

Our last day of school will be remote for all students. Teachers will meet with students to have a closing meeting in the morning and assign asynchronous work the rest of the day. Teachers will also email next year’s class placements and classmates’ contact information (for socially distanced summer playdates) on the last day of school.

Have a wonderful week.

With Love,

Dyanthe

Dear Families,

The Chancellor has finally shared some information about what school will look like next fall. Most importantly, we will return to full-time, in-person learning in September. I have attached her letter with additional information for you.

We are beginning to make classes for next year. This is a thoughtful process, and we carefully consider the makeup of each class. We strive to have well-balanced classes and consider gender, ethnicity, friendships, academics, and the social and emotional dynamics of the group. Whenever possible, we uphold one of the school’s founding principles that children remain with the same teacher(s) and the same grade cohort for two years. Our goal to have children and families be known well to their teachers and each other remains a critical standard.

I invite you to let me or your current teacher know if there is anything you’d like us to consider in making your child’s placement for next year by completing this form. You can also email your child’s teacher directly. Please know that we do not accept requests for specific teachers. Our goal is to make well-balanced classes all around. We carefully consider your input and information from teachers and other school staff, but please understand that we may not be able to honor every request. As we plan the classes and spaces for September, we also need to know who will or might be leaving. Please complete this survey and let us know if your child is not returning next year. Thank you.

With Love,

Dyanthe