Back To School Is On the Horizon So Plan Ahead, August 9 Is Last Day For Your Child To Be Fully Vaccinated With Pfizer Vaccine Before September 13 School Start Date Says NYC Mayor Bill deBlasio, Schools Chancellor Meisha Porter & NYC Health Commissioner Dave Chokshi

Vaccines are our passport out of this pandemic, and every person vaccinated is another person protected from COVID-19. As a parent, I encourage all families preparing to return to @NYCSchools this fall to get your student age 12+ vaxxed by August 9. More: https://t.co/2OCzNOcSF5 pic.twitter.com/1pOfT45smb

— Chancellor Meisha Porter (@DOEChancellor) August 3, 2021

Back-to-School is on the Horizon, so Plan Ahead: Get Vaccinated by August 9

By Meisha Porter and Dr. Dave A. Chokshi

In early July, we were elated to welcome students to classrooms for Summer Rising, the City’s free summer academic and enrichment program. Children were clearly excited to be back with their teachers and friends, and those feelings have only grown over the past few weeks. In an elementary school in East Harlem, youngsters proudly displayed the solar-powered ovens they’d built to cook s’mores. In a school in Chinatown, students gasped with joy over the “magical” science experiments performed by Jason Latimer of YouTube’s Impossible Science channel. And in a school in the Bronx, students dove into their lessons and demonstrated an outdoor mindfulness activity.

Experiences like these are reflected in the smiles of hundreds of thousands of children who are in school to learn, play, connect, and grow this summer. Both children and their parents are grateful to have this bridge to the next school year.

We see the first day of school—Monday, September 13—as a homecoming. In fact, it comes shortly after NYC Homecoming Week, a five-borough celebration of the city’s resilience throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

As we think ahead to the fall, the health and safety of students and school communities are at the forefront of our planning. We are asking New Yorkers to help with a crucial part of this work: get vaccinated. If your child is between 12 and 17 years old, August 9 is the last day for your child to get the Pfizer vaccine in order to be fully vaccinated in time for school.

This date is important to remember because the vaccine for adolescents involves a two-dose regimen, and it takes two weeks from the second shot for someone to be considered fully vaccinated. So, think of this as your doctor’s orders: Schedule your vaccine today if you have not already.

Safely and fully reopening schools this fall is a milestone for our city, and we are eager to see students back in their school communities. We are doing everything in our power to create a safe learning environment—from disinfecting every school, to re-configuring classrooms and improving ventilation, to stocking up on face masks and hand sanitizer.

And last week, Mayor de Blasio announced that school staff must show a one-time proof of vaccination or weekly COVID-19 tests. The new requirement recognizes that the single most important way we can help our children go back to learning, and save lives, is with vaccination.

As parents ourselves, we know the decision to vaccinate is important, and we would do anything to protect our children. The vaccine is safe and very effective. Over 250,000 young New Yorkers have now gotten the shot.

At school, vaccination allows children to be in the classroom, participate in afterschool activities and sports, and gather with friends—safely. It also provides a more stable learning environment, (for example, students who are considered fully vaccinated are not required to quarantine).  

Getting the shot has never been easier in New York City. Access to vaccination is widely available in all five boroughs, and the City is offering a new $100 incentive for anyone (including children) who gets their first dose at a City-run site. Nearly all New Yorkers live within half a mile of a public vaccination site, and everyone is eligible to request and receive at-home vaccination. Pediatricians and other health care providers can also help answer questions, and many are able to give the COVID-19 vaccine at a back-to-school check-up, along with other routine immunizations. If you need a provider, call 1-844-NYC-4NYC and you will be transferred.

We’re so excited to welcome all New York City students back into classrooms in September. Because of vaccination, our buildings will soon be fully open and our young people will be learning. We deeply appreciate the partnership of the city’s families and the commitment to keeping our school communities safe and healthy.

Meisha Porter is Chancellor of the NYC Department of Education

Dave A. Chokshi, MD, MSc, is Commissioner of the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene

Parents: There is nothing more protective than vaccination. Your 12- to 17-year-olds should get their first dose of the Pfizer #COVID19 vaccine by August 9 so that they are fully vaccinated when school starts: https://t.co/nTpNnVPgBP pic.twitter.com/NEj3a5udik

— Commissioner Dave A. Chokshi, MD (@NYCHealthCommr) August 3, 2021

NYC Mayor Bill deBlasio and Schools Chancellor Meisha Porter Announce Expansion Of 3-K For All With 40 Thousand Early Childhood Education Seats Coming Citywide In September - Council Member Ben Kallos Says He Will Work Hard To Have 3 K Available On Roosevelt Island

Prepare Your Young Learner with 3-K and Pre-K for All

By Meisha Porter, New York City Schools Chancellor

As educators, our job is to prepare our students for a successful, productive life, empowered with the skills they need to chase their dreams—and early childhood programs are where it all begins. That’s why Mayor de Blasio and I are so excited to announce the expansion of 3-K for All to every school district by September, providing 40,000 three-year-olds with free, full-day, high-quality, early childhood education citywide.

These programs are a child’s first step to success throughout the rest of their education and beyond, and I encourage families to explore the 3-K and Pre-K for All options available in their communities and apply. Applications for the 2021–22 school year are open!

As parents and guardians, you know just how quickly our youngest children learn—from birth to age five is a critical period of growth and 90 percent of brain development happens during this time. Our 3-K and Pre-K for All classrooms are full of joy and discovery, and they offer the perfect environment for children to learn to problem-solve, ask questions, and explore the world around them as they grow. In addition, our programs are free or low cost, saving families an average of $10,000 a year on childcare costs.

I remember when the South Bronx’s District 7 was one of the first few districts to offer 3-K for All in 2018 and what it meant for so many families in need to have access to free, full-day, high-quality early childhood education for their children.

I want every family to have that kind of support, and we’ve made so much progress expanding early childhood education in every borough over the last three years. Today, all NYC school districts offer pre-K programs, and there is a free, full-day pre-K seat for every four-year-old child citywide. That means any New York City family with a child born in 2017 can apply to pre-K for the upcoming school year by the new April 19 deadline.

In addition, we are excited to now offer 3-K programs in every school district citywide. All New York City families with children born in 2018 can apply to 3-K for the upcoming school year by the May 28 deadline. There is a 3-K seat for every three-year-old in school districts 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 16, 19, 23, 27, 31, and 32; and we will offer 3-K seats to as many families as possible in the new districts. Families across the city can still apply to programs in any district, and your child has priority to attend 3-K for All programs in your home district. You can find out your school district by calling 311 or visiting schools.nyc.gov/Find-a-School. Programs in the new districts will be added to the application throughout April and May.

In all school districts, in addition to the free 3-K and Pre-K programs in their communities, families who qualify based on their income and needs also have the opportunity to apply to free or low-cost extended school day and year programs, including Head Start.

Families can apply to 3-K or Pre-K for All for the 2021–22 school year online at MySchools.nyc or over the phone at 718-935-2009. The online application is available in ten languages (English, Spanish, Chinese, Russian, Arabic, Korean, Haitian Creole, Bengali, Urdu, and French), and families can submit an application over the phone in over 200 languages. Visit nyc.gov/3k and nyc.gov/prek for more information.

If you are seeking care for your child right now, we encourage you to reach out so we can connect you with a program in your community. Families seeking an open 3-K or pre-K seat for this current school year can call 718-935-2009 or email ES_Enrollment@schools.nyc.gov to learn more.

Children who attend 3-K and Pre-K for All programs get a strong start in school and life, and as incoming Schools Chancellor these are the kinds of opportunities I want to build on and create for our students so they can dare to dream and learn. No matter the circumstances, we are here to provide children across New York City with a safe, nurturing learning community each and every day.

A spokesperson for Roosevelt Island NYC Council Member Ben Kallos adds:

Council Member Kallos will work hard to have 3K on Roosevelt Island available to parents the same way he worked and succeeded in getting Pre-K on the island.

OP-Ed By NYC Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza - Announces Launch Of Parent University, Online Platform Offering Pre-Recorded Courses, Live Events And Activities To Help Families Connect And Support Students At Every Grade

Parent Engagement for a Remote World

 By Richard A. Carranza, New York City Schools Chancellor   

As we approach the end of an unprecedented year, I reflect on the past eight months with a deep sense of gratitude and awe for the unwavering commitment parents have shown to their children and New York City. I always say parents are our partners in everything we do, and at no point has that ever been more true than throughout the Coronavirus pandemic. Each of you has gone above and beyond during this crisis, and your continued investment and engagement in our school communities has been vital as we move forward together.   

As a parent myself, I know how challenging it can be even in normal times to feel pulled in different directions simultaneously. In this moment, it seems as though society’s expectations of parents has increased tenfold—and we need you to know we are here to support you every step of the way. We are expanding every effort to lift up and empower parents as our partners for the good of our children and this city.   

In that spirit, I am proud to announce the launch of Parent University: a new online platform that offers pre-recorded courses, live events, and activities to help families connect and support students at every grade band, in multiple languages.   

We know our families are busier than ever, and this platform is designed to meet the ongoing needs of parents through a variety of on-demand resources that harness best practices across multiple subject areas and grade levels. We invite all families across the five boroughs to create a free account and register for workshops, attend events, access trainings, and more through the Parent University website.  

There are currently more than 95 courses offered through the program that cover a wide range of topics. From reading strategies for students with disabilities and help multiplying fractions to learning how to use Google Classroom and preparing for PTA elections, there is something on Parent University for everyone.    

Parent University will also provide even more ways for us to share important news, updates, and information with families. I am so excited that this new platform will take our efforts to communicate vital information to parents and guardians one step further during this crisis and beyond.    

Now more than ever, it is critically important that we find creative new ways to lift up our families and strengthen our school communities—and that’s what Parent University is all about. This crisis has demanded so much flexibility and patience from you, and we are here to meet you where you are. Our commitment is to empower parents as partners throughout the learning journey, and I hope you will take time to explore the Parent University website, access resources, and register for an upcoming workshop.