March 22, 2021: Update for Families from Chancellor Meisha Porter

(from https://www.schools.nyc.gov/about-us/news/chancellor-s-message-for-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 nycenet.edu/surveys/learningpreference(Open external link) 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 COVID-19 Information and Updates.

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(Open external link)) under ‘Manage Account’, or 
• Complete and sign the consent form available at COVID-19 Testing 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.