April 7th, 2021
Dear Families,
As we head into the spring, I know many of you have questions about standardized testing. In a typical year, State exams would be administered to nearly all students in their physical classroom. This year, many of our students are learning remotely, but the New York State Education Department (NYSED) has required that exams must still take place in-person in the school building. It will not be possible to administer state exams remotely. Therefore, we are contacting you to determine if you would like your child to participate in this year’s State exams.
It is very important you let us know if you would like your student to participate in this year’s State exams so that we can prepare and create a testing schedule that ensures the health and safety of all of our students. Please read on for more information about this year’s exams.
What State exams will be administered in the school building?
The Grades 3–8 English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics exams, and the Grades 4 and 8 Science exams, will only be administered in your child’s school building. All schools will adhere to COVID-19 health and safety protocols. Visit schools.nyc.gov/RTShealthsafety to learn more.
How will you keep my student safe during in-person test administration?
Health and safety are our first priorities. We are asking for you to sign up so we can create testing schedules and room assignments that allow for social distancing protocols.
If you would like your child to participate in this year’s State exams, please notify us with the Letter of Intent Testing Google Form by Tuesday, April 13, 2021.
**If you do not wish to have your child test you do not have to take any further action.**
**If we do not hear back from you by Tuesday, April 13th, your child will not participate in state testing.**
If my student is already learning in the building, do I still need to sign up for the exams?
Yes. You must let us know if you would like your student to take State exams, whether they are learning in-person or remotely.
No. Students receiving fully remote instruction are not expected to come to school to take the State exams. However, if you would like your student to take the exam, they can be included—just notify us using the contact information above.
If my student does not take the exams, will they be penalized?
No. Any student who does not participate in the 2021 NYS ELA, Math, or Science exams will not be penalized.
When are the exams?
The exams will be administered within the following dates:
**Testing will not occur on May 13, when schools are closed for Eid Al-Fitr. We will share the scheduled testing date for your child prior to the start of the testing window.**
If I don’t sign up, what will my child do while their classmates are taking the exam?
Students receiving in-person instruction who do not take the exam will continue their instructional program, as will fully remote students.
Are the exams different this year?
Yes. This year, the ELA and Mathematics exams for grades 3 through 8 will be multiple choice only. The Science exams for grades 4 and 8 will consist only of questions that are multiple choice or require a short, written answer. The tests are untimed, but most students will complete the tests in 55 to 90 minutes.
I have more questions. How can I learn more?
The DOE has created a Parent Guide to address commonly asked questions about the administration of the Grades 3–8 ELA and Mathematics and Grades 4 and 8 Science exams in the 2020-21 school year. You can also always reach out to {insert contact information} with any questions or concerns. We are here to help.
We appreciate your collaboration and flexibility as we continually work to ensure a strong, supportive education for your child and every student in our school community.
Sincerely,
Claudia Tahiraj-Sadrija, Principal
4/14/2021 9:55 AM
Subject: Confirmed Case of COVID-19: Close Contacts Quarantined
Dear P.S. 008 Isaac Varian at 3010 BRIGGS AVENUE Community:
The NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) and the NYC Test + Trace Corps (T2) have determined that a member of our school community has tested positive for COVID-19, and may have exposed others while at school.
Below you will find guidance on next steps that will help keep you, your child, and our school community healthy and safe. The information below reflects the expertise of DOHMH, T2, and the New York City Department of Education (DOE).
What Happens Now?
● All students and staff in the affected room(s) with the individual who tested positive are considered “close contacts,” and have been notified of the need to quarantine for 10 days from their last contact with the person who tested positive. These students and staff will transition to fully remote teaching and learning for this period.
● T2 and DOHMH will complete their investigation to identify and notify any other close contacts in the building, who will also need to quarantine for 10 days.
● Anyone with a positive COVID-19 test will not return to the school until they are no longer infectious.
● All areas visited by the person with COVID-19 will be deep cleaned, disinfected, and reopened.
● If your child is feeling sick, keep them at home.
How do we stay healthy?
Please remember to follow these important “Core Four” actions to prevent COVID-19 transmission:
1. Stay home if sick (except to get essential medical care, including COVID-19 testing).
2. Practice social distancing: Stay at least 6 feet away from people who are not members of your household.
3. Wear a face covering to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
4. Practice healthy hand hygiene: Wash your hands often or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer; avoid touching your face; and cover your cough or sneeze with your arm, not your hands.
How can I stay updated?
We will continue to closely follow directions from public health experts and proactively update you on any measures we are taking. To ensure we can reach you via text and email, please create a New York City Schools Account (NYCSA) as soon as possible by visiting schools.nyc.gov/nycsa.
To help New Yorkers quarantine, the NYC Test + Trace Corps partners with community-based organizations to connect individuals to resources like food, medicine, and health care. To connect with resources, you can call 1-212-COVID19 (212-268-4319). For additional information on COVID-19, visit schools.nyc.gov/coronavirus or call 311.
Sincerely,
CLAUDIA TAHIRAJ-SADRIJA
Contents
All families: Last day to opt-in to in-person learning extended to Friday, April 9
Families applying to Gifted & Talented kindergarten programs: Application
deadline is Friday, April 9
Families applying to pre-K: Application deadline extended to Monday, April 19
Families with children in grades 3–8: New York State Exam update
Important Deadlines
Spring Opt-in Deadline Extended to Friday, April 9
If your child is currently learning remotely every day, they have one final opportunity to opt in to learning in person in the school building at least part of the week. The deadline to submit your request to transition to blended learning for the rest of this school year has been extended to Friday, April 9. How to opt-in to blended learning:
Online: visit the Learning Preference Survey
at nycenet.edu/surveys/learningpreference to select blended learning for your child.
By phone: Call 311 to submit your learning preference change.
G&T Kindergarten Application Deadline is Friday, April 9
The application for kindergarten Gifted & Talented (G&T) programs is now open, and the deadline to apply is April 9. Interested families with children born in 2016 can apply one of three ways:
Online at MySchools.nyc
Through a Family Welcome Center—visit schools.nyc.gov/fwc to learn more.
By phone at 718-935-2009—you can also call us with any questions.
Pre-K Application Deadline Extended to Monday, April 19
Now you have more time to explore your child’s pre-K options! The pre-K application deadline for children born in 2017 has been extended to April 19. Apply online at MySchools.nyc or by phone at 718-935-2009—you can also call us with any questions. Learn more at nyc.gov/PreK.
Tests and Assessments- New York State Exams
New York State Exams begin later this month. This year, the New York State Education Department has determined that English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics exams for grades 3 through 8, and Science exams for grades 4 and 8, will only be administered in person in your child’s school building. No remote option will be available.
If you would like your child to participate in this year’s State exams, please notify your school. If you do not wish to have your child take State exams, you do not have to take any further action.
The exams will be administered within the following dates:
• English Language Arts (ELA) for grades 3 through 8: April 19–29
• Mathematics for grades 3 through 8: May 3–14. Testing will not occur on May 13, when schools are closed for Eid Al-Fitr.
• Science for grades 4 and 8: June 7–11
Your child’s school will be communicating with more details about the testing process and deadlines. Learn more at schools.nyc.gov/testing.
April 5th, 2021
The Department of Education has extended the deadlines of two initiatives:
Blended Learning Opt-in Window:
The Blended Learning Opt-in Window is now open through Friday April 9th. If you are requesting to change from 100% remote to blended learning you must complete and submit the Learning Preference Survey and student consent for mandatory weekly COVID-19 testing. If you do not complete the survey indicating a preference for blended learning during this opt-in window, your child will remain fully remote.
For families opting into blending learning during this new opt-in period, we will share with you your child’s new blended program/schedule and the days he/she will attend school in person in the coming weeks.
If you have any questions, please feel free to email Ms. Capo, Parent Coordinator or Ms. Lydiaree Oquendo, Community Coordinator.
Pre-K Registration:
The pre-K application is open, and the deadline has been extended to Monday, April 19. Here's how to get started and apply:
TESTING LETTER TO PARENTS.docx
March 26, 2021
Dear Parents and Guardians of 3rd, 4th and 5th Grade Students,
NYS Exams will look a little differently for the 2020-2021 school year. Below are the testing windows determined by the State Education Department for the upcoming NYS Exams:
GRADES NYS TEST TESTING WINDOW OPENS TESTING WINDOW CLOSES
GRADES 3, 4 AND 5 ELA Session 1 Only MONDAY, APRIL 19 THURSDAY, APRIL 29
GRADES 3, 4 AND 5 MATH Session 1 Only MONDAY, MAY 3 FRIDAY, MAY 14
GRADE 4 ONLY SCIENCE Written Portion Only MONDAY, JUNE 7 FRIDAY, JUNE 11
Please review the list of updates and/or changes for this year below. This information is based on the memorandum sent by the State Education Department.
● Schools may use the entire testing window for testing to accommodate instructional schedules.
● Students receiving entirely remote instruction may come to the school to participate in the testing.
● Schools will be allowed to administer the tests to students who are receiving hybrid instruction on the days that they are ordinarily attending school in person.
● “Make-up testing at each school for students absent on the day of their test may begin on the school day immediately following the first day of test administration.” Please note that this means your child can be tested the day they returned to school.
● The operational test will not include any embedded field test questions. There will only be one form administered per grade and subject and all questions in Session 1 will
contribute to student scores.
If your child(ren) receives 100% remote instruction, please email Ms. Tahiraj-Sadrija at Ctahirajsadrija@schools.nyc.gov or Mr. DiPaola at SDipaola@schools.nyc.gov with your intent to have your child(ren) participate in the exams. We want to ensure that your child(ren) is accounted for in the number of students participating as we continue to follow CDC guidelines. The following procedures and protocols will remain in place for the 2020-2021 testing administration:
● The exams will remain untimed. Students will have as much time as they need as long as they are working productively.
● Students with an IEP or a 504 Plan will receive eligible accommodations.
● The directive issues from the NYS Testing Department regarding cell phones and electronic devices will be followed on all testing days. Please read it carefully and discuss with your child.
*Use of Communications Devices All students are prohibited from bringing cell phones and certain other electronic devices, as defined in the script below, into a testing room. Test proctors, test monitors, and school officials shall retain the right to collect and hold any prohibited electronic devices prior to the start of the test administration. Admission to the test shall be denied to any student who is in possession of a cell phone or other prohibited electronic device and refuses to relinquish it.
As always, please make sure that your child has a good night’s sleep, has a healthy breakfast, is punctual and present in school. If your child wears eyeglasses, he/she must remember to bring them to school. It is very important that students arrive on time as lateness impacts everyone involved in testing. If you have questions or concerns, please let us know.
Respectfully,
Ms. Claudia Tahiraj-Sadrija
Principal, Public School 8
Mr. Stephen DiPaola
Assistant Principal, Public School 8
Testing Coordinator
NYSESLAT TESTING LETTER TO PARENTS.docx
March 26, 2021
Dear Parents and Guardians of Kindergarten through 5th Grades,
As in prior years, the New York State English as a Second Language Achievement Test (NYSESLAT) is to be administered to all English Language Learners (ELLs) to measure progress in English language acquisition and to determine continued eligibility for ELL services for the following school year. The NYSESLAT administration is school-based and must be administered in-person. There is no option for students to take this test remotely. Fully-remote students may choose to, but are not expected to, come into the school building to participate in the NYSESLAT.
ALL GRADES NYSESLAT Speaking Portion MONDAY, APRIL 19- WEDNESDAY,JUNE 9
ALL GRADES NYSESLAT Listening, Reading and Writing Portion MONDAY, MAY 17WEDNESDAY,JUNE 9
Schools may use the entire testing window for testing to accommodate instructional schedules. These dates have been provided by the State Education Department. Please review the list of updates and/or changes for this year below. This information is based on the memorandum sent by the State Education Department.
If your child(ren) receives 100% remote instruction, please email Ms Tahiraj-Sadrija at CTahirajsadrija@schools.nyc.gov or Mr. DiPaola at SDipaola@schools.nyc.gov by April 7th, your intent to have your child(ren) participate in the exams. We want to ensure that your child(ren) is accounted for in the number of students participating as we continue to follow CDC guidelines.
The following procedures and protocols will remain in place for the 2020-2021 testing administration:
*Use of Communications Devices All students are prohibited from bringing cell phones and certain other electronic devices, as defined in the script below, into a testing room. Test proctors, test monitors, and school officials shall retain the right to collect and hold any prohibited electronic devices prior to the start of the test administration. Admission to the test shall be denied to any student who is in possession of a cell phone or other prohibited electronic device and refuses to relinquish it.
As always, please make sure that your child has a good night’s sleep, has a healthy breakfast, is punctual and present in school those days. If your child(ren) wears eyeglasses, he/she must remember to bring them to school. It is very important that students arrive on time as lateness impacts everyone involved in testing.
Respectfully,
Ms. Claudia Tahiraj-Sadrija
Principal, Public School 8
Mr. Stephen DiPaola
Assistant Principal, Public School 8
Testing Coordinator
April P.S. 008 Isaac Varian Parent Association Meeting
Come join us on April 13th 2021 at 6:00.
The meeting will tale place on the Zoom Platform.
The information is on the flyer attached.
April is National Minority Health Month (NMHM), a time to raise awareness about health disparities that continue to affect racial and ethnic minority populations and encourage action through health education, early detection, and control of disease complications.
The 2021 NMHM theme is #VaccineReady. As recognized by the HHS Office of Minority Health, the COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted racial and ethnic minority communities and underscores the need for these vulnerable communities to get vaccinated as more vaccines become available. COVID-19 vaccination is an important tool to help us get back together with our families, communities, schools, and workplaces by preventing the spread of COVID-19 and bringing an end to the pandemic.
NIMHD joins other federal agencies to focus on empowering communities to get the facts to be #VaccineReady.
Help Shape the Future of Education in New York City
Meet the Candidates Running for Your Community Education Council
CEC 10 Candidate Forum Hosted by District 10 Presidents’ Council
Different candidates at each event - attend all forums:
Wednesday, April 14, 2021 6:30PM-9:00PM Thursday, April 15, 2021 6:00PM-8:30PM
To view the event, register at https://learndoe.org/cec/candidateforum/
P.S.8 Isaac Varian School & Parents Association
Invite Parents to a Dinner Table Conversation
Moderated By Jorge A. Mejia, Guidance Counselor
Thursday, March 25 2021.
Time: 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Topic: Coping With Stress Due to Remote Learning
Google Meet Platform: Google Meet
Dear Families,
We just reopened high school buildings for in-person learning for the first time since November 2020, and I have to say that the joy on our students’ faces as they entered their school buildings was amazing. We are thrilled to see students of all ages safely learning in physical classrooms.
That is why I am very pleased to let you know that all our remote families will now have one more opportunity to transition to blended learning this school year. This means that if your child is currently learning remotely every day, they will be able to opt in to learning in person in the school building at least part of the week for the remainder of the school year. We will make every effort to provide as many days of in-person learning as possible.
When and How to Opt In to Blended Learning
Beginning this Wednesday, March 24, you can visit the Learning Preference Survey
at https://www.nycenet.edu/surveys/learningpreference to select blended learning for your child.
Families can also call 311.
You can change to blended learning until Wednesday, April 7.
When Your Student Can Return to the School Building
Students in district 3-K, Pre-K, and grades K-5, including students in District 75, who opt into blended learning during this opt-in window will return to buildings in April.
Students in grades 6-12 who opt into blended learning during this opt-in window will return at a later date, and we will communicate more details as soon as possible.
Updates will be posted at https://www.schools.nyc.gov/coronavirus.
Requirements for Returning to the School Building
Please note that if you select blended learning for your child, you must submit the consent form for random COVID-19 testing by the first day your child begins in-person learning. You can submit your consent for testing one of two ways:
Through your New York City Schools Account (NYCSA) under ‘Manage Account’, or
Complete and sign the consent form available here and bring it to your child’s school on the first day they
are back in the school building.
Families that select blended learning are expected to have their child attend in person on days they are scheduled to do so.
Please note that if your child is currently learning fully remotely and you do not complete the survey indicating a preference for blended learning, your student(s) will remain fully remote.
We are able to offer this additional chance for fully remote students to opt in to learning in buildings because the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has updated its guidance, allowing us to safely accommodate more students in a classroom. As always, our focus is on the health and safety of your children, the dedicated staff who serve them, and you—their family. That has been our priority since day one, and will continue to guide everything we do.
Thanks to our strong health and safety practices—including wearing masks, hand hygiene, weekly random testing for COVID-19, physical distancing, and more—our school buildings are among the safest places in the whole city.
Thank you, as always, for your faith and partnership. We continue to show the nation what is possible in terms of safely educating our one million students—and we couldn’t do it without you. I thank you for your commitment and, in turn, I promise you that our commitment to your child is unwavering.
Sincerely,
Meisha Porter
New York City Schools Chancellor
Families please join us for our workshop to explore ways to strengthen your emotional connections and communication skills using story and art making.
Date: Monday April 12th, 2021
Time: 5:30- 6:30 pm
Platform: Zoom
Link: https://zoom.us/j/95127668393#success
The Wide Open School website provides learning activities for students to complete independently at home, or with their families. Activities are available in all subjects and grades, and in all languages via Google Translate. Families can use the information to do the following:
To learn more about tools and resources available visit Wide Open School. For questions, email Kecia Ray.
The DOE’s Parent University invites NYC families to a series of virtual courses on social-emotional learning (SEL). In these courses, families will learn strategies and have access to tools that promote a successful learning environment for their children. Courses will be conducted in English, Spanish, and Chinese, and taught by DOE partners at Ramapo For Children. The DOE’s Parent University seeks to educate and empower all families from early childhood through adulthood, with free courses, resources, events, and activities. Parents can register for free trainings on a wide range of topics, including adult education, student social-emotional learning, and special education.
DOE families, school staff, and community members are invited to attend free, live-streamed Weekend Wellness: Self-Care for Communities & Families events from 10:30–11:30 a.m. on March 20 and April 24. The DOE, in partnership with HipHop Health , is hosting this series to raise awareness around self-care, physical, mental, and emotional health skills, and practices that our school communities need to be resilient, as they recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Families can register for free via the link in the flyer; anyone can view the sessions without registering via this livestream site starting at 10:30 a.m. on the days of the scheduled sessions.
The current Gifted and Talented admissions process for the 2021–22 school year will not include administering a test for incoming students, and instead will involve family and teacher identification of students for accelerated learning. Beginning March 8, families will have the opportunity to submit a Gifted and Talented application for all NYC residents born in 2016, who will enter kindergarten in the fall of 2021. The deadline to submit an application is April 9. Please review the changes to the admissions process below:
Placement for grades 1, 2, and 3 will rely on waitlists from 2020. Your school will be provided access to these waitlists and may make additional offers as needed based on seat availability.
For questions, email ESEnrollment@schools.nyc.gov.
https://www.schools.nyc.gov/enrollment/enroll-grade-by-grade/gifted-and-talented
April is Resolving Conflict Month
Visit the Library page to learn more about this month
and try some fun activities associated with the pillar.
