November 24, 2020

Dear Public Prep Community,

Ahead of the long holiday weekend, we want to provide you with an update regarding reopening our school buildings. At this time, all NYC Department of Education buildings remains closed. We do not yet have any timeline for opening from the city, so our buildings remain closed as well. In an effort to provide our families with as much certainty as possible and our scholars with consistency, we are making the decision to keep our buildings closed at least through winter break. This means that all Girls Prep Bronx Elementary, Girls Prep Bronx Middle, Girls Prep Lower East Side Elementary, and Girls Prep Lower East Side Middle scholars will remain 100% remote until at least January 11th, 2021. (Please Note: Boys Prep and Girls Prep Bronx II families will receive an additional notice with more information about your campus). 

What does this mean for my scholar?

• If you were part of our 100% remote learning choice, this continues, with an 8:30 am start.
• Scholars enrolled in the Blended Learning Model continue with 100% remote learning. They should begin the day Monday, promptly at 8:30 am, by logging into their classroom Morning Meeting/Advisory Zoom links (the same link used for Wednesday morning).

Key Dates

• November 30th - December 18th: 100% remote for all scholars 8:30am start.
• December 21st - January 4th: Winter Recess (no school for all scholars)
• January 5th - 8th: 100% remote for all scholars
• January 11th (tentative): 1st day of in-person learning for those who selected  Hybrid & received confirmation from your campus for Learning Choice Window #2. 

While we may not have access to our co-located DOE space, we do intend to use our private Public Prep facility to its full capacity. We are trying to determine how to best use this space to bring a percentage of our scholars back on site and will share updates as they become available. In the meantime, a few reminders to support your scholar’s success:

• Attendance is critical. Please make sure your child is logging in daily to classes and submitting assignments.
• Family Teacher Conferences will go on virtually, as scheduled. If you have not yet confirmed your time slot with your child’s teacher, please do so before the end of the day tomorrow.
• We’re here to support you and your family. Email support@publicprep.org with questions at any time.

As always, we appreciate your flexibility as we ride this ‘corona coaster’ together. Wishing you and your family a safe and pleasant long weekend. 

With gratitude,

Janelle Bradshaw, Chief Executive Officer
Josie Carbone, Superintendent
Michele Cerwin, Chief Operating Officer

November 14th, 2020

Dear Public Prep families,

The Mayor and Chancellor are preparing to close all public schools in NYC when the COVID-19 positivity rate climbs to 3%. We expect this will happen in the coming days. In light of this, we have made the difficult decision to move to 100% remote learning beginning Monday, November 16th. 

Public Prep set the example for safe school reopening during these unprecedented times. We are proud that we could provide a safe and consistent in-person schooling option for families who chose it. That said, we want to reduce the uncertainty in planning for our families as much as possible. Our top priority is to give all of our PK-8th grade scholars a high-quality academic experience with minimal disruptions. We are making this decision now to allow our community to smoothly transition to 100% remote learning.

What does this mean for my scholar?
Starting Monday, November 16th: 

• If you are part of our 100% remote learning choice, this continues, with an 8:30 am start. 
• If you are part of our Blended Learning Model, scholars will transfer to 100% remote learning. On Monday, promptly at 8:30 am, scholars will log into their classroom Morning Meeting/Advisory Zoom links with the same link used for Wednesday morning.   

How can we work to keep schools open safely?
We know that we can provide safe in-person learning for our students! In the coming days, we will call on our families to share their positive experiences with Public Prep. Our city and state leaders need to hear your voice to make informed data-driven decisions that will allow schools to stay open.

When can I hear more? 
We will host a Town Hall for all families in English on Wednesday, November 18th at 5PM and in Spanish on Thursday, November 19th at 5PM.

Please make sure to read all emails, text messages, and other communications from your school. You should also attend your school’s Chat and Chew to get updates from school leadership. 

We know these are challenging times but we can all do our part to limit the spread of COVID-19. Wash your hands, practice social distancing, and of course, wear a mask!  We appreciate your continued commitment and partnership during this time. We encourage you to reach out if you have any questions or concerns. 

In Partnership,
Janelle Bradshaw, CEO
Michele Cerwin, COO
Josie Carbone, Superintendent

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12/17/20 December Update

Public Prep is partnering with Noggin, a highly trusted, research-based, learning service for children ages 2 – 6, to ensure that all families have access to engaging and proven educational experiences every day. 

All Public Prep families can now sign up for 90 FREE subscription of Noggin. Enjoy the full library of books, games, interactive episodes, and learning videos, all for free. No credit card is required to sign up. Create an account and access Noggin on your device of choice. Click here to sign up now and email support@noggin.com with any questions.

Our partners at Bio Bus are offering several FREE opportunities for our students who love science! We encourage you to check them out. More information below:

• Student Town Hall - Thursdays at 4pm: a panel of scientists answer questions submitted by students!
• Explore! At Home: Weekly science challenges for students using materials you can easily find in your home

Springboard Collaborative is providing FREE literacy resources, including personalized text that provides a reading tip to use with your child (based on their level!) during independent reading. Check out the link below:

https://www.springboardcollaborative.org/resources/family-resources/  

The National Girls Collaborative Project has compiled this list to assist as you serve your programs and communities. We will continue to update resources as we learn of more.