Return to School 2020
Letter from Mr. Erlenwein (August 1, 2020) ****CLICK TO EXPAND****
August 1, 2020
Dear Students, Parents and Caregivers,
I hope the summer months are treating you all well. I know how much anticipation there is and questions there still are surrounding the upcoming school year. I want to thank you all for taking the time to answer the CareMonkey Survey, sharing your feedback on some of our preliminary ideas for next year. (On a side note, starting August 10th, the CareMonkey service will be re-branding / changing the company name to 'Operoo': School processes, without the paperwork.)
Based upon your responses (1208 out of 1346 families):
% Opting for 100% Remote Instruction (27%), versus Blended Learning (73%)
% Communing using Public Transportation (64%)
The deadline to Opt-Out of In-Person Learning (or changing your mind back to blended learning), for 100% Remote Learning is August 7th. You can visit the NYC DOE's Return to School page for more details and information, including access to the Opt-Out page (Deadline is August 7th).
Many of you have been reaching out to me for assurance regarding "who will teach my child" regardless of which choice is made for school this September. Based upon the letter from Chancellor Carranza on July 27th: Update for Families on School Re-Opening, for students that are opting for 100% Remote learning, please review the letter carefully, especially page 3 which contains a Comparison of Remote Learning Experiences for 2020-21. The letter states that, "No matter whether you are at school in-person or you are learning remotely, you and your child are still enrolled in and part of your school community. Your child’s schedule and learning experience will be fully managed by your school. The vast majority of students who participate in fully remote learning will be taught by teachers from their school." The page 3 comparison also states "We will make every effort to ensure students consistently have the same instructors throughout the year." At this time, labor relation relations discussions between the New York City DOE and UFT are still determining the granular details of what that means for school's like Staten Island Tech, which features a very specialized curriculum. Once I have further information that is clear, I will share with our school community.
Most of your other questions have been answered via the F.A.Q. (Frequently Asked Questions) section towards the bottom of this page. Simply scroll down and click on the arrow next to the topic to expand.
With your feedback and much hard work, we are working on two possible models that we plan to submit to the NYC DOE for approval. We have presented these models to the School Leadership Team (on Tuesday, July 28) consisting of students, parents, teachers and administration, and the Faculty Consultation Committee (on Wednesday, July 29), and are now in a revision process (based upon everyone's feedback) in order to continue to present to the entire Faculty, and the school community (via a Google Meet Town Hall session for students, parents and caregivers, which will take place soon to further discuss these models).
Should you have any questions that aren't already answered in the FAQ section at the bottom of this page you can email Mr. Erlenwein at Merlenw@schools.nyc.gov.
Sincerely,
Mark Erlenwein
Principal
Letter from Mr. Erlenwein (August 11, 2020) - SI Tech Program Model Proposal
2020-2021 SITHS Blended Learning
Schedule Submitted Proposals
(Pending Approval from the NYC DOE)
Daily Schedule: Our school day for students consists of 5.5 hours of blended instruction delivered within a 6 Hours 50 Minute school day, from 8 AM to 2:50 PM.
Classes: Each school day consists of 3 periods / classes, for both remote and in-person learners, minimizing person-to-person interaction versus our traditional 9-Period Day. The meeting times for In-Person and Remote periods will be published on www.siths.org via the “Return to School” landing age button on the home screen.
School / Classroom Occupancy: Currently at 33% occupancy, there will be 8-12 students scheduled in a classroom. With 40% of our students opting out of In-Person instruction, students will be separated into two groups for In-Person instruction, while the third group is 100% remote.
Instruction:
- We will utilize a 3-day, ABC schedule
- Students will be scheduled for 7 to 8 classes this school year, taking 2 or 3 classes each day.
- This schedule is adaptable and will work with remote (At-Home), hybrid (In-Person / At-Home) or 100% in-person (No Remote) throughout the 2020-21 school year if and when things change.
Based upon our current building occupancy of 33%, and 40% of our entire student population opting for All-Remote instruction, we would split the remaining 60% of our In-Person students into two groups (Group 1 - 30% and Group 2 - 30% = 60% of our In-Person learners). To maximize the number of students cohorts / pods and safety protocols, we would be using a Block Schedule (Day A: Pds 123, Day B: Pds 456, Day C: Pds 789), which would minimize the amount of student-to-student-to-teacher contact, and allow us to program the complex and specialized courses that are norms in Specialized High Schools.
Our 9th and 10th grade students can easily be scheduled into pods that remain together throughout the day, with minimal or no movement necessary to multiple classrooms in order to execute their programs.
With the 11th and 12th graders, the mass number of individual programs for our students who are enrolled in our specialized sequences requires much more strategic grouping in order to fulfill our program commitments we have made to our families. The Block ABC schedule and a rotation of two student Groups 1-2, provides us the necessary physical classroom utilization to safely offer our students a program that meets the merits and expectations of our students, while doing so in the safest manner. Our course sequences encompass programs that students have worked very hard towards in order to be offered in their junior and senior years. Our plan ensures that students are scheduled for 7-8 courses, and see their individual teachers once every 6 days in-person, and once every 3-days remotely.
Changing of Classes: Teachers will be changing rooms, to minimize students moving. There may be small exceptions where both the students and teachers may change rooms, when there are clean / unused rooms available.
Specialty Rooms: All technology classes will need to be in two rooms to allow students to enter clean environments. Additional rooms will be set up for support computers and equipment.
Lunch: Our school will provide students with grab-and-go meals for breakfast and lunch each day. Signage will be provided to direct students to pick up points within the school. Students will also be permitted to bring their own lunch, if preferred. Doing so will allow for more flexibility so students and physical distancing can be maintained during lunch time, a time when many students usually gather in one location. Lunch will likely be in classrooms to minimize interaction between groups of students. If the cafeteria must be used, our school will ensure appropriate physical distancing is maintained. After they have finished eating, our students and staff will wipe down the area where they ate their meal. Every evening, our Division of School Facilities will be cleaning our entire school building with COVID 19 approved disinfectant.
The Proposed Models (Pending NYC DOE Approval)
In-Person learning would occur three days a week for each of the two groups, for three out of every six weeks. We are asking for an exception of the 1B model (PLAN 1 illustrated below in a weekly and monthly view) where our core courses as well as AP, CTE and Engineering course Offerings require us to Rotate the Students in a 111-222 sequence as our Day ABC sequence continues consecutively. This will allow us to communicate a simplistic ABC instructional model, and predictable student group sequence (111-222) model.
As a backup to our exception proposal, model 1B (PLAN 2 illustrated below) rotates the students according to the NYC DOE proposed 1B model, as depicted in the NYC DOE Programming Models guide as our Day ABC sequence continues consecutively (https://cdn-blob-prd.azureedge.net/prd-pws/docs/default-source/default-document-library/school-buildings-reopening-principal-meeting-07072020-for-posting.pdf).
Using the 3 period-per-day block schedule, we will be able to continue to deliver Staten Island Technical High School’s rich and robust curriculum of courses aligned and exceeding New York State Learning Standards, Next Generation Learning Standards, the College Board Advanced Placement approved curriculum and syllabi, as well as Career and Technical Education (CTE) and Work Based Learning Learning Standards, which is the foundation of our school’s unique and specialized curriculum.
Chancellor Communications
- August 6: Chancellor's Message: Instructional Updates for Families (Link)
- August 3: Update for Families on Health and Safety Protocols (Link) (Translations)
F.A.Q. Section
Frequently Asked Questions - In Person Learning / Frequency
Q. Will my child be able to come to school to make appointments with teachers and/or counselors in the cases of questions and other needs such as college applications, if chosen to opt out of in-person learning?
A. Until we have a clearer picture on what in-person / in-school operations will look like, and the ability for students to travel to multiple offices in the school building, we will rely on a blend of in-person and remote video conferencing tools to maintain communications between teachers and counselors, with students / parents. Decisions like these are going to rely heavily on NYC DOE / Health Department guidance and regulations.
Q. Can the in-person classroom be increased to two days a week with a split daily schedule? Is there a possibility that we will increase days as the school year progresses?
A. Stay tuned ... a newly revised plan is being released soon, which increases in-person learning to twice a week for every 2 out of 3 weeks.
Q. How long is this schedule expected to last (until transitioned into more in-person learning)?
A. Social Distancing guidelines and School Occupancy is governing how many students and faculty can be physically in the building safely. Our current school occupancy is 33%. As Social Distancing guidelines improve, then school occupancy will increase, which will allow us to increase the frequency of in-person instruction.
Q. What are the chances that school will resume as normal in the spring semester?
A. The instructional plans we are making for the 2020-21 school year are adaptable for in-person and remote learning as needed, depending on the circumstances at the present time. A prediction of what the Spring Semester will look like is undoable at this time.
Q. Would it be possible to have a live session for each subject at least once every two weeks or so?
A. Labor Relations and Unions are working with the NYC DOE to clarify the details and expectations of live instructional sessions. While these decisions are being navigated, we are creating a plan that maximizes daily live / synchronous instructional practices.
Q. I know that one day a week is insufficient. I know that there are current schools in staten island that have classrooms in containers. Can you come back with a plan of how much it would cost to rent a number of containers and convert them to class room and place them on the field.
A. With the budgets that school's received this past Spring, the cost of renting school containers wouldn't be sustainable without external NYC DOE budgetary support. We're exploring the potential of using tents for outdoor instruction where applicable, though.
Q.If the situation or climate changes, will there be changes to the schedule?
A. We're working on a program / schedule that will be sustainable for the entire school year, working either for in-person and remote instruction as needed.
Q. Is remote only learning an option offered later on ? My daughter is willing to do but I am not so sure if its ideal for her education.
A. The deadline for opting for REMOTE ONLY LEARNING, where your child is not attending school live and in-person is August 7th and the link is here. If you opt out now, there will be periods in which you can opt back in to In-Person / Blended learning at later dates.
Q.Since my child is an entering 9th grader and will not be familiar with the building, especially since she will not have a daily routine to help reinforce her memory of the school layout, can a map be provided to help alleviate any first day anxieties?
A. We've already created a map that will be shared with incoming 9th graders to aid in the process with familiarizing themselves with the school building.
Q. Will this plan be in effect for the whole school year? If not, what will second term look like?
A. The instructional plans we are making for the 2020-21 school year are adaptable for in-person and remote learning as needed, depending on the circumstances at the present time. A prediction of what the Spring Semester will look like is undoable at this time.
Frequently Asked Questions - Remote Learning
Q. I need more information on how lab time - and other hands on activities - will be addressed for students learning remotely.
A. We are working on this and awaiting further guidance from the NYC DOE and NYSED.
Q.If mainly remote learning is utilized will there be live instruction lessons via zoom or similar platforms or will it be again assignments based? I believe daily live remote sessions are a must.
A. Labor Relations and Unions are working with the NYC DOE to clarify the details and expectations of live instructional sessions. While these decisions are being navigated, we are creating a plan that maximizes daily live / synchronous instructional practices.
Q. I understand that this is a difficult ask, but I would like the students to stay in the same cohorts for remote learning as they do for their school attendance days. The smaller live video conferences would benefit the students when learning new material. I feel with remote learning, a lot of the responsibility for learning is placed on the students (ex. reading text books and answering questions) rather than discussions, as done in the classroom. Video conferencing discussions are difficult when it's a whole class. It's more important in the beginning of the year when material is new, unlike the end of the year, when a lot is review.
A. Students will be placed into 4 different groups / cohorts. The first three Groups (1, 2, 3) will be assigned specific days to attend classes in person, while Group 4 is 100% remote at home. Labor Relations and Unions are working with the NYC DOE to clarify the details and expectations of live instructional sessions. While these decisions are being navigated, we are creating a plan that maximizes daily live / synchronous instructional practices, which would best serve our in-person and blended / remote learners.
Q.I would like to know how remote learning will be structured. Will it be live or recorded class sessions taught by the teacher followIng the students’ regular schedule? By simply sending students links to materials to read and videos to watch and then asking them to complete assignments do not work. Rather than spending time and resources trying to figure out a blended learning model, why can’t we all focus on developing a remote learning plan that is practical and effective.
A. Students will be placed into 4 different groups / cohorts. The first three Groups (1, 2, 3) will be assigned specific days to attend classes in person, while Group 4 is 100% remote at home. We are planning to uphold as much of the original schedule of classes that were originally intended for students this coming Fall. Labor Relations and Unions are working with the NYC DOE to clarify the details and expectations of instructional sessions and whose responsibility the students are with regards to remote / in-person learning. While these decisions are being navigated, we are creating a plan that maximizes daily live / synchronous instructional practices, which would best serve our in-person and blended / remote learners.
Q.If a teacher is teaching in person every day, who is teaching the students who are remotely learning? I do have concerns for all of the teachers who are seemingly required to be teaching a different in-person group almost every day.
A. Labor Relations and Unions are working with the NYC DOE to clarify the details and expectations of daily in-person and remote instruction, in addition to Live-Instruction guidelines.
Q. What is the testing and grading policy?
A. To be determined by the NYC DOE. We should be able to utilize our Universal Grading Policy, but will certainly hav eto make some accommodations for remote learning. Testing / Assessment will continue to evolve as traditional means and tools for assessing students will not work in this format. Alternative assessment models will continue to be explored and implemented similar to the Spring Semester.
Q.Can we expect students to have a consistent schedule of regular instruction hours like they would if they were to attend school in person?
A. Yes, there will be a daily schedule in place for each scheduled period / class, which students in-person and remote / blended (at home) will be following. As with Remote Learning at home, there will and may need to be flexibility in order to accommodate the various scenarios that each home based learning environment presents.
Q.Can the students have more live instruction instead of prerecorded instruction?
A. Labor Relations and Unions are working with the NYC DOE to clarify the details and expectations of daily in-person and remote instruction, in addition to Live-Instruction guidelines.
Q.Will students in remote learning be able to interact with the teacher and the students in the building online?
A. Labor Relations and Unions are working with the NYC DOE to clarify the details and expectations of instructional sessions and whose responsibility the students are with regards to remote / in-person learning. While these decisions are being navigated, we are creating a plan that maximizes daily live / synchronous instructional practices, which would best serve our in-person and blended / remote learners.
Q.Will the teachers from SITHS be delivering lessons on remote days? Or will they be watching videos on YouTube, Khan academy or some other viral tool?
A. We will be using a combination of Synchronous and Asynchronous instructional practices to deliver instruction to students, which will include many different tools as mentioned above. However, labor relations and unions are working with the NYC DOE to clarify the details and expectations of instructional sessions and whose responsibility the students are with regards to remote / in-person learning. While these decisions are being navigated, we are creating a plan that maximizes daily live / synchronous instructional practices, which would best serve our in-person and blended / remote learners.
Q.Our daughter is taking AP Bio in September. While we don't want her to attend in person, how will the school administer the Bio lab requirement remotely?
A. Although preliminary, the NYS Ed Department stated that a combination of virtual and live labs will be utilized to conduct science laboratory sessions as best as possible. There are of course, great limitations in doing so remotely, but we will do our best to provide the best replacement possible for those who are 100% remote.
Q. Will there be daily Office Hours when students can meet with teachers through Zoom,Google Meet, or Google Hangouts?
A. We will be creating a schedule of time for students to conference with faculty and staff at SI Tech, once we have finalized the schedule and received further guidance from labor relations on the structure of the work day.
Frequently Asked Questions - Schedule
Q.Can day be split into AM and PM sessions so more students can attend more days?
A. We have been already told that split schedules are not allowed, being the building would not be able to be cleaned for the second session. Stay tuned ... a newly revised plan is being released soon, which increases in-person learning to twice a week for every 2 out of 3 weeks
Q.Once the day that students are assigned to is published can it be switched? We live in Brooklyn and are in a car pool. Would we be able to ask for the day to be changed so the kids can still commute together?
A. We can't make any promises and it is doubtful based upon the complexities of programming as it already exists, that we can group specific students together. It is too early to tell, but I do know that the classes that students are scheduled to take will dictate the groupings of the students. Being we strive to individualize a student's program as they progress through the various grade levels, creating common cohorts of students who are in similar classes will be a great challenge, but one we are working on this summer.
Q.When students are physically in school, what will be the hours and how many periods will there be?
A. Stay tuned ... a newly revised plan is being released soon, which increases in-person learning to twice a week for every 2 out of 3 weeks
Q.Can we select at least 1 person to attend school the same day with?
A. We can't make any promises and it is doubtful based upon the complexities of programming as it already exists, that we can group specific students together. It is too early to tell, but I do know that the classes that students are scheduled to take will dictate the groupings of the students. Being we strive to individualize a student's program as they progress through the various grade levels, creating common cohorts of students who are in similar classes will be a great challenge, but one we are working on this summer.
Q. How are the groups to be placed. Random or alphabetically?
A.The classes that students are scheduled to take will dictate the groupings of the students. Being we strive to individualize a student's program as they progress through the various grade levels, creating common cohorts of students who are in similar classes will be a great challenge, but one we are working on this summer.
Q.Will my child’s class choices for this Fall be affected by social distancing and other precautions?
A. Our goal is to maintain the classes students were supposed to be scheduled to take this Fall. Yes, social distancing and the cohorting of students into groups by 1/3's does make it difficult to accomplish the planned programming, but we are making it a top priority to maintain the integrity of our academic program and curriculum that the students were expecting this upcoming school year.
Q. How will freshmen be able to connect with other freshmen when they only meet up to 12 kids in their class? Will you rotate the groups as well?
A. We will need to be creative and do our best with creating opportunities for 9th grade students to socialize and get to know one another. Scheduling and programming groups and cohorts for the 9th grade (as well as the 10th, 11th and 12th) does create limitations in students getting the opportunity to see one another. The upcoming school year will pose many of these challenges for all students, as we will have to prioritize student schedules in order to meet their academic expectations for the 2020-21 school year. We're not sure if rotating groups will be possible as there are so many variables that are going into the preparation for student programs, as it stands with some of the variations that already exist, rotating groups may not be possible.
Q.How will grouping into 8-12 students per room affect their acceptance to elective courses? Senior year has a lot of electives and I'm worried that students will not get their preferred courses.
A. This is our greatest challenge that we're currently working on. Our goal is to keep and maintain the integrity of the individuality of our students programs, based upon the expectations that were in place for the 2020-21 school year. As soon as we know for sure what we can offer all students, we will email their programs for the Fall. 9th and 10th graders are the easiest of the students to program as their is much commonality among their programs. 11th and 12th graders, pose the greatest challenge as with each increasing grade level, there is less commonality among student programs. We are working on several scenarios that would maximize the amount of clean and unused classrooms that COULD BE USED during the day for students to assemble who have very unique programs. Whereas most students will be assigned to one or two rooms at most, in some cases, we will be able to have upperclassmen assigned to 3 classrooms that will allow for them to attend their individualized courses. Stay tuned ... we're working very hard on this and realize how important it is to our families.
Q.I understand the challenges to program the kids in such constraints but I am concerned that they will not get the classes they signed up for, meaning APs. etc. Also, for remote learning we need to have more zoom lessons.
A. See the response to the last question.
Q.Will students who are in school be grouped by boroughs, ie, all SI students in school or all Brooklyn students, etc?
A.9th and 10th graders are the easiest of the students to program as their is much commonality among their programs. 11th and 12th graders, pose the greatest challenge as with each increasing grade level, there is less commonality among student programs. We are not sure if taking into account the borough of each of our students will be possible in addition to all the other variables that are currently being considered. However, we are modifying the starting points of the school day to take into consideration our students who are commuting to school via public transportation. Ultimately, we're trying to separate those two challenges, knowing that both grade level program commonality and borough travel impact have an impact, we're attempting to tackle both of those challenges in different ways which maximize the most favorable of conditions, which will still be difficult to meet all needs of all the possible scenarios.
Q.Will the DOE be offering devices? Will siblings be able to attend on the same days?
A. The NYC DOE continues to offer devices with cellular / internet connectivity via this link. As best as we can, we will attempt to link sibling programs, however, the high level of individuality of our student's programs may make this task improbable. Please understand the number of variables that we are encountering to accomplish the simplest of programming tasks is a monumental task unlike any we have ever encountered before.
Q.Will the start time of days in school be staggered? As many students will be traveling by public transportation (bus), and social distancing cannot be maintained. This is a big concern. Is this being addressed?
A. Yes, we are creating a START OF THE DAY schedule which acknowledges the challenge of traveling via public transportation and the potential challenges that will present themselves to all students. Stay tuned, once we share our tentative plans, you will see how we are taking your concerns into account with regards to travel and the impact on in-person instruction.
Q.Will 9th graders participate in all academic regular classes, just like they would before the outbreak?
A. The plan is to give our 9t graders the full 9th Grade Staten Island Tech Experience, as best as we can with In-Person, Blended and Fully Remote instruction as possible choices for our families. This has never been done before, but we are up to the challenge.
Q.Would it be possible to schedule certain students who carpool from Brooklyn to come together on the same days? This would save a lot of money for families who do not want their kids to take public transportation.
A. A.9th and 10th graders are the easiest of the students to program as their is much commonality among their programs. 11th and 12th graders, pose the greatest challenge as with each increasing grade level, there is less commonality among student programs. We are not sure if taking into account the borough of each of our students will be possible in addition to all the other variables that are currently being considered. However, we are modifying the starting points of the school day to take into consideration our students who are commuting to school via public transportation. Ultimately, we're trying to separate those two challenges, knowing that both grade level program commonality and borough travel impact have an impact, we're attempting to tackle both of those challenges in different ways which maximize the most favorable of conditions, which will still be difficult to meet all needs of all the possible scenarios. We are creating a START OF THE DAY schedule which acknowledges the challenge of traveling via public transportation and the potential challenges that will present themselves to all students. Stay tuned, once we share our tentative plans, you will see how we are taking your concerns into account with regards to travel and the impact on in-person instruction.
Q.Will the classes assigned be different from their preferences now that they are staying in one class, and will the assigned class change depending if they are going to school or not?
A. A. This is our greatest challenge that we're currently working on. Our goal is to keep and maintain the integrity of the individuality of our students programs, based upon the expectations that were in place for the 2020-21 school year. As soon as we know for sure what we can offer all students, we will email their programs for the Fall. 9th and 10th graders are the easiest of the students to program as their is much commonality among their programs. 11th and 12th graders, pose the greatest challenge as with each increasing grade level, there is less commonality among student programs. We are working on several scenarios that would maximize the amount of clean and unused classrooms that COULD BE USED during the day for students to assemble who have very unique programs. Whereas most students will be assigned to one or two rooms at most, in some cases, we will be able to have upperclassmen assigned to 3 classrooms that will allow for them to attend their individualized courses. Stay tuned ... we're working very hard on this and realize how important it is to our families.
Q.Will the previous system of testing days be continued?
A. More than likely, we will have to re-imagine what this looks like. Stay tuned for our new plan that we will be sharing soon. How assessment fits in is another layer of all of this that we are working on.
Q.How will classes that are normally double periods be scheduled?
A. Stay tuned for our new plan that we will be sharing soon. We'll be sharing these details soon.
Frequently Asked Questions - Classroom Setting
Q: Can outdoor space be used as classroom weather permitting and potentially accommodating larger gathering?
A. If the indoor classroom space does not meet the needs of the instructional program, we will look towards using the outdoor space as needed. Currently, Physical Education and specific Music classes are being considered for using the outdoor instructional space. The same is true for larger gatherings where the outdoor bleachers would be safer and more appropriate for larger gatherings.
Q:Can the larger spaces such as the auditorium, gym, and cafeteria be used as instructional spaces as well? Can we utilize the outdoor field for additional learning space or add school hours and/or another school day to increase capacity of in-person learning?
A. If the indoor classroom space does not meet the needs of the instructional program, we will look towards using the outdoor space as needed. Currently, Physical Education and specific Music classes are being considered for using the outdoor instructional space. The same is true for larger gatherings where the outdoor bleachers would be safer and more appropriate for larger gatherings. The Auditorium will already be utilized by the Music and Performing Arts classes, as needed on designated days based upon the unique social distancing guidelines in those classes which suggest 12 ft social distancing.
Q: What would the lunch periods look like? Would there be tables designated for the students to sit or would they be able to choose where they sit.
A. Stay tuned. Our new revised plans keep lunch in the same classroom that students start the day, minimizing travel and potential for exposure. It will be clear in our new plan, where and how lunch will be executed, in addition to the ongoing clarification on lunch protocols by the NYC DOE.
Q:If the student goes to school on that day of the week, what will he or she be doing and how will it be different from students who will be staying at home at that time?
A. The In-Person instructional experiences will be very different from the Remote learning experiences. We will not be using the In-Person experiences for assessment as the most important and pivotal use of this time is to foster interpersonal skills and allow the teachers and students the opportunity to build relationships and camaraderie.
Frequently Asked Questions - Opting Out and In to In-Person Instruction
Q: Will my family be able to change our mind regarding options of remote learning in the future?
A. You will be able to easily pull your child into remote learning only, when and if you wish. If you chose 100% remote learning from the onset, there will be periods in which you can opt back in to blended (Part In-Person / Part Remote) learning.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Q: If a teacher or student in a class contracts Covid 19 do all students from this class quarantine for two weeks?
A. We are waiting for further guidance from the NYC DOE for protocols and procedures regarding this scenario.
Q: Do all teachers , students and school stuff need to get test proof no COVID before go to school? If yes how often need to get test?
A. We are waiting for further guidance from the NYC DOE for protocols and procedures regarding this question.
Q: I am wondering if you will take student temperature or will we be required to provide it as the students enter the school?
A. Although the NYC DOE has not clarified the specifics of these details, there has been speculation that there will be some level of Temperature screening and Questions asked upon arrival each day. We are waiting for further guidance from the NYC DOE for protocols and procedures regarding this question.
Q: If a student/staff doesn't have protective equipment on, will this be given out?
A. The NYC DOE has indicated that they will be providing PPE for students, faculty and staff who need it, however, we are waiting for further guidance from the NYC DOE for protocols and procedures regarding this question.
Q: What will you monitor when students enter the building? How would you respond to someone being sick?
A. We are waiting for further guidance from the NYC DOE for protocols and procedures regarding this question.
Q: Will all teachers, school stuff and students get test to proof no covid before go to school? will the school do anything to check daily before teachers, school and students enter school?
A. We are waiting for further guidance from the NYC DOE for protocols and procedures regarding this question.
Q: Will the entire school be shut down if a student or faculty member is diagnosed with COVID-19?
A: We are waiting for further guidance from the NYC DOE for protocols and procedures regarding this question.
Q: How will lunch work if the students are to stay in one class, and how will the side bus work if there will be?
A: A. Stay tuned. Our new revised plans keep lunch in the same classroom that students start the day, minimizing travel and potential for exposure. It will be clear in our new plan, where and how lunch will be executed, in addition to the ongoing clarification on lunch protocols by the NYC DOE.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transportation
Q: My child takes the bus from Brooklyn to Staten Island and back home. This is what worries me the most; does the MTA has any plans to ensure they have enough buses running to guarantee social distancing?
A: We are waiting for further guidance from the NYC DOE for protocols and procedures regarding this question.
Q: Is there any other way for students go to school instead taking public transportation? Will there be alternative to the public bus transportation options from Brooklyn?
A. Being we are a NYC Public High School, beyond Public Transportation, we cannot offer any other additional means of transportation beyond what NYC is able to offer. We are waiting for further guidance from the NYC DOE for protocols and procedures regarding this question.
Frequently Asked Questions - Extracurricular / Sports
Q: Will there be PSAL fall season?
A. There has been no official statement on PSAL activities as of this writing.
Q: Is there going to be any after school activities or period 0 before school activities?
A. We are waiting on further guidance from the NYC DOE as to whether or not afterschool activities will be possible based upon cleaning and social distancing protocols.
Q: Also, what plans can be implemented for certain types of sports (track and field seems simple perhaps; what about spring musical and other theatre productions? If this can happen, we could extend the number of performances to promote social distancing to provide space between the audience? Can it be moved to warmer weather and have an out door stage using the bleachers for seating? Will PTA meetings be held on zoom?
A. We are waiting on further guidance from the NYC DOE as to whether or not afterschool activities will be possible based upon cleaning and social distancing protocols, as well as budgetary constraints.
Q: What exactly would social emotional learning and community building for seniors look like?
A: To Be Announced
Frequently Asked Questions - College
Q: As my child will be applying for college, but opting for remote learning, can my child come to school to meet with her guidance counselor and/or college advisors in person when/if needed? I want assurances remote learning will not negatively affect her college application. Everything is up in the air now and stressful enough as it is.
A: Until we have a clearer picture on what in-person / in-school operations will look like, and the ability for students to travel to multiple offices in the school building, we will rely on a blend of in-person and remote video conferencing tools to maintain communications between teachers and counselors, with students / parents. Decisions like these are going to rely heavily on NYC DOE / Health Department guidance. We will utilize all options and entry points where seniors can meet with the College Office Staff in a safe manner.
Q: Will my child have to take the SAT from home?
A: At this time the College Board has not made any announcements of the SAT being administered remotely from home.
Q: As a parent of an incoming 12th grader, I'm worried colleges may easily dismiss students unless their school is demonstrating something exceptional for their students during this difficult time. I believe they're not just looking at how students persevere through this, but how their schools are also adapting, beyond what other schools are doing, to prepare their students for college. Perhaps this could also be noted on the counselor letters, school profile or another avenue? I've read that many currently admitted students are deferring their admission, resulting in fewer seats for our students next year.
A. Staten Island Tech's reputation during the Pandemic continues to be at an all time high