UPDATED Cohort Calendar
Robert J. Christen School P.S. 81
IMPORTANT CORRESPONDENCE FROM MRS. KIRRANE...
Good Morning!
I am providing families with the Cohort Calendar for the remainder of the 2020-2021 school year. Please note that in some cases it might be necessary to modify the calendar, but we will do everything we can to adhere to this version. On occasion, there are situations that may require us to make changes. As always, I will keep you notified of any such changes.
As a reminder, there is NO SCHOOL for ALL students tomorrow, February 12th through February 19th for Lunar New Year and Mid-Winter Break. All students return to in person & remote learning on Monday, February 22nd.
I would like to share with you this resource I received from a parent for celebrating the Lunar New Year! This auspicious and joyous celebration is another way to combat this pandemic. Since children cannot celebrate the holiday in their classrooms as they had done in past years, this link offers in-person and virtual events available online. Feel free to participate with your families! https://www.6sqft.com/nyc-lunar-new-year-2021/
I hope you all have a well-deserved, restful week off. Take time to enjoy your families and be safe!
Best Regards,
Anne
Please Fill Out LUNCH FORMS!
Even if your child doesn't eat lunch in school, we still need a lunch form filled out for EVERY Student, whether they are Blended or Remote.
Please fill out the LUNCH FORM HERE!
THANK YOU!
We Can't MASK Our Love for Our Students!
Blended & Remote Learning
New York City public schools will be continuing academic instruction through Blended Learning or Remote Learning to begin the 2020-21 school year.
Please click here to fill out the P.S.81 Emergency Contact Form '20-'21
- Learn at Home for grades K-12 has all you need to know for getting set up for remote or blended learning.
- Grab-and-Go free meals for ALL New Yorkers are available at the entrance of select buildings. Our closest location is In-Tech Academy (M.S. / High School 368) located at 2975 TIBBETT AVENUE.
- Request a Device for families that need electronic devices. You may request one device per student. Families can also call 718-935-5100 and select option 5 to complete the survey over the phone.
Text COVID to 692-692 to receive regular SMS texts with the latest news and developments.
See the new COVID-19: FAQ for Parents and Caregivers of Pre-School and School-Age Children from the NYC Department of Health.
EduMate NYC
A group of college students seeking to support New York City public school students in this time of need by connecting them with free, virtual tutoring. If you are interested in getting paired with a tutor, click above!
Coronavirus Update
All New Yorkers should continue to practice general flu prevention measures including:
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue or sleeve
- Wash your hands regularly
- Avoid touching your face
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick
- Get your flu shot – it’s never too late
- Stay home if you’re feeling sick. Call your doctor and let them know your symptoms and travel history.
Please see the NYC Health Department’s Frequently Asked Questions Frequently Asked Questions for more information, or visit nyc.gov/health at any time for important updates.
Click Here for information about Covid-19 NYS testing from the New York State Department of Health.
Brainfuse HelpNow!
On demand, anytime, anywhere eLearning. See how easy, intuitive and engaging Brainfuse HelpNow eLearning is for all ages and levels.
Live online tutoring is available from every day 2:00 PM to 11:00 PM EST.
Use your NYC Library Barcode to get started!
HelpNow's features include:
- Homework Help Interact with live tutors in math, science, reading/writing, social studies, PSAT/SAT, ACT, AP and state standardized tests.
- Skills-Building Choose your topic to receive real-time help.
- Personalized eLearning Tools My File Sharing, My Session Replay, My Tutoring Archive, My Tests Archive, and more!
- 24-Hour Writing Lab Submit essays and other forms of writing for constructive feedback.
- Homework Send Question Submit homework questions for expert guidance.
- Adult Learning Center Access a library of rich adult learning content (GED) and live, professional assistance in resume/cover letter writing, U.S. citizenship prep, MS Office Essential Skills Series, and more!
- Foreign Language Lab /Spanish-Speaking Support
Remote Learning Platforms
At P.S. 81 we are using multiple platforms to communicate with families & students.
Every class has a Class Dojo where teachers & staff can communicate directly with families. Please be sure to check your Class Dojo daily for Important Information and Updates from your classroom teacher, other staff and the administration.
Teachers are posting required student assignments on Google Classroom for Blended and Remote students. Students should log onto Google Classroom using their unique @nycstudents.net username and password.
For help using any of these platforms, please see the resources below.
Classroom Dojo Help for Parents
Google Classroom
Parent Guide to Google Classroom PDF
Parent Guide to Google Classroom Slideshow
Feel free to email DKnecht@schools.nyc.gov for help with any of our online resources!
NYCDOE Learn at Home
The materials on the Learn at Home pages are designed to provide supplementary learning resources to students in the event that students may need to be home from school. We encourage you to use this time to continue your student’s learning while they are at home. To help students engage in educational material, we have shared the resources below for students in all grades, from Early Learn through elementary and middle school, and for high school. These materials do not replace what your child has been learning at school, but during this unusual time it is important that students continue to read, write, do social studies and science activities, and work on math problems.
The materials on the grade specific pages below include:
- Suggested daily study schedules
- Guides and materials for instructional activities
- Recommended educational television shows
- Links to a variety of books, magazines, and websites on a wide range of topics that appeal to children at all ages
Did You Know???
Turn your phone into a HotSpot (article from PC Magazine)
Access Google Classroom on Xbox and Playstation
Google Classroom can be opened on Xbox and Playstation. There isn’t an app that the students can add to their consoles. Instead, they are going to have to use the built-in browsers that come on the two devices. On Xbox, it is Microsoft Edge. On Playstation, it is the “www” browser. Your students will probably know how to find the browsers on their consoles, but if not, each one has a search function they can access on the home screen.
Once the browser has been opened:
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Type in classroom.google.com in the address bar.
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A prompt for a Google account will appear.
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Log in with your @ps81x.org email and password
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The Google Classroom home screen will open up.
If students have a keyboard they can plug in, they will have a much easier time of navigation. Otherwise, they will have to use their controllers to click on the classroom tiles, open up assignments and type.
Mission
In partnership with home and community, our school, The Robert J. Christen School, is committed to promoting a culture of civic and personal responsibility, a love of learning, and a sense of family within a safe and nurturing environment.
Vision
PS 81, The Robert J. Christen School is a school of excellence. Our vision is to maintain a safe and nurturing child-centered learning atmosphere.
We focus on implementing educational programs that promote high standards, a love of learning and contribute to the growth and social development of our children. We treat children as individuals and provide every child with a supportive and appropriately challenging learning environment. We celebrate our cultural and ethnic diversity and strive to create an atmosphere of tolerance that will be the foundation of our children’s lives. Our educational program prepares our children to be productive, literate members of their community and our democratic society.
Instructional Focus
Our instructional focus is driven by our vision of creating a nurturing and child centered learning environment. Social and emotional learning is embedded in all subject areas. The R.U.L.E.R approach acknowledges the value and impact of emotions in our everyday experiences. It is designed to support the emotional intelligence to stakeholders of all ages, with the goal of creating a healthier, more equitable, innovative and compassionate society. We immerse children in reading a variety of genres for the purpose of making connections, formulating questions, making interpretations, and reading critically. Paralleling this process, the Writing Program is designed to encourage expressive formats including research based non-fiction writing as well as personal responses to literature. Our mathematical goals go way beyond computational experiences. Math talk, problem solving, and Literacy in Math” are built into mathematical instruction in order to deepen understanding and emphasize mathematical thought processes. Scientific inquiry is the basis of our instruction in this area and encourages curiosity and the use of the scientific method. Community values are taught inclusively within our Social Studies program. Technology is used to support all areas of the curriculum. Currently we are putting emphasis on digital sophistication and coding experiences.
