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Weekly Updates

April 16, 2021
 
Hello AFSE Families,
 
Please see the updates below. 
 
School Highlight: This week almost 50 juniors sat for the SAT exams in-person. The SAT is traditionally one of the first steps in the college application process. Students should receive their scores via CollegeBoard in 3-4 weeks. The AFSE College Team is excited to start working with our juniors on the college application process. 
 
Earth Day: Earth Day is on Thursday, April 22. To celebrate, we are asking that all members of the community wear green or blue on Thursday. The AFSE Green Team will be sharing important information about Earth Day and sustainability with students this week. Visit their website to learn what the AFSE Green Team has been working on.
 
PTA Meeting: Please join us for our April PTA Meeting on Wednesday, April 21, at 6:00 PM. We will be discussing the PTA Bylaws (the set of rules that guides the PTA) and plans for the upcoming election for next school year's positions. 
 
Update for Opt-In Window for In-Person Learning: The opt-in window to switch to blended learning has closed. Students and families will receive an email if they opted into in-person learning and if we have COVID-19 Testing Consent form on file. More information will be emailed to students and families next week with details on starting school in-person.
 
If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to Ms. Cameron via email, phone, or on Remind.
Hello AFSE Families:
 
Please see the updates below. 
 
Letter from Chancellor Porter: Please see the letter attached. Visit the DOE website for translations in 9 languages
 
SAT School Day: The SATs will be administered to 11th grade students who signed up on Tuesday, April 13. Some students will also test on Wednesday, April 14. The students will be notified if they are also testing on 4/14. 11th grade students that are testing will receive an email from Ms. Ferrara with details on what time to report to school.   Students should NOT report to campus if not registered and confirmation with instructions for test day not received.  All classes will be remote and asynchronous for all other students. There will be no live classes unless a teacher schedules and communicates office hours/tutoring. Students will receive an email reminder to complete their attendance form in order to capture positive attendance for the day. If the form is not completed by 3:00 PM, students will be marked absent for the day.
 
PSAL Spring Sports: Some Washington Irving campus sports will resume this Spring. See flyers attached for information on Varsity Baseball and Varsity Softball. For other sports, please email the coaches directly.  See the list below with coaches' contact information. You can also visit the Athletics Page on the AFSE Website for more information including required consent forms.
Co-ed Varsity Handball: John Ciotola, [email protected]
Boys Varsity Soccer: Mark Hayward, [email protected]
Boys Varsity Baseball: Jonathan Lilla, [email protected]
Girls Varsity Softball: Ryan Strub, [email protected]

Revised School Closure Protocol: There have been updates to the requirements for school closures. Please see the letter attached for full details on when schools are required to close the building and close one or more classrooms.
 
Parent Opportunity: Parent University seeks to educate and empower families as partners, advocates, and lifelong educators in their student's education through free courses, resources, events, and activities. Parent University serves all families, from early childhood through adulthood. Courses will be made available through Parent University. Parents/Guardians must have an active NYC Schools Account to access parent University
 
Parent University Course Highlight: The DOE invites families to participate in a three-part Parent University virtual series called “Making Learning Work.” The courses include a user-friendly family guide with practical resources, tools, and tips to help students learn at home and school and build and sustain meaningful relationships.Courses will be conducted in English and Spanish and taught by DOE partners at Columbia University’s Center for Public Research and Leadership.  Parent University Page
 
COVID-19 Vaccine Eligibility: All New Yorkers 16 years of age and older are now eligible to be vaccinated. People who work or study in New York are also eligible. Use the City's Vaccine Finder to search for a location near you (not accessible with Internet Explorer). Note, people who are 16 or 17 years old can only receive the Pfizer vaccine. See details and find a vaccine location here.
 
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Ms. Cameron via email at [email protected], by phone at 646-331-9422, or via Remind
Hello AFSE Families:
 
Please see the important updates below. 
 
Class of 2021 College Acceptances: The time has come to celebrate our seniors college acceptances! Please take a look at the two images with just some of our current acceptances this year. Parents/Guardians, please encourage your student to update the college team on college acceptances so we can continue to celebrate all of these amazing accomplishments! We would also like to collect photos of students holding their acceptance folders, letters, or any school apparel to share on our website. Please email photos to Ms. Zeitlin-Mellor ([email protected]) or Ms. Cameron ([email protected]).
Chancellor's Letter: Pleasee the letter attached from Chancellor Porter regarding Spring Break.
 
Spring Break: Spring Break will be from March 29 - April 2. School will resume on Monday, April 5, at 9:30 AM. The school will be closed during the week. If you need immediate assistance, please contact Ms. Cameron from Tuesday, March 30 - Thursday, April 1, via email or at 646-331-9422.
 
End of Marking Period 1: The end of Marking Period 1 will be Friday, April 9. Reports cards will be available to view on the NYC Schools Account on April 23. Please note, marking period grades will be recorded as Pass (On Track) and NX or NC (Not on Track) . This allows students and families to have an idea if the student is on track to receive credit for the course at the end of the semester. If you have not yet logged into the NYC Schools Account, please contact Ms. Cameron with the student's full name, your full name, and the student's ID/OSIS number.
 
SAT Administration: We will be administering the SAT in school on April 13 (and April 14 for those with extended time) for students that indicated interest. Up to 100 11th grade students will have access to a self-paced SAT prep program!  The subscriptions will be given on a first come, first serve basis. If you are interested in getting one for your 11th grade student, please fill out the form linked below.
 
Student Opportunities: Please view our student opportunities page for programs, internships, and work opportunities for our students. Please note, this is a live document and will constantly be updated: Student Opportunities @ AFSE
 
Opportunity Highlight: Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP): Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) is the nation’s largest youth employment program, connecting NYC youth between the ages of 14 and 24 with career exploration opportunities and paid work experiences each summer. Participants receive the opportunity to explore their interests and career pathways, develop workplace skills and engage in learning experiences that help to develop their social, civic and leadership skills. By participating in structured project and work-based opportunities, NYC youth are better prepared for careers of the future. (Application Deadline: 04/23/2021)
To apply, go to https://application.nycsyep.com/
 
If you have any questions, please reach out to Ms. Cameron via email ([email protected]), by phone (646-331-9422), or via Remind.
Hello AFSE Families,
 
Please see the updates below for next week. 
 
Please see the letter attached from Chancellor Porter.

Return to Blended Learning: We will return to in-person learning for blended students on Monday, March 22. All blended students must have a COVID-19 testing consent form on file in order to remain blended and be allowed to attend classes. If we did not receive COVID-19 testing consent forms from families, students will be automatically switched to remote learning. Blended students with COVID-19 consent forms on file received a confirmation email from Mr. Raeke. Please see some important reminders from that email below.
  • Students will be expected to attend Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday (ALL students in Blended Learning are in one group and will attend ALL four days, Fridays FULL remain Remote)
  • If students do NOT attend in-person they will be marked ABSENT for in-person official attendance regardless of whether they attend one or more live sessions at home
  • Students who do not report for multiple days without an explanation will be removed from Blended Learning and assigned to Remote Learning.

Upgrade Week: Upgrade Week will take place during the week of 3/22 - 3/26.  Please note that during Upgrade Week ALL students will be expected to attend each live session and attendance will be recorded to sustain continuity in the learning process. 
 
Student Opportunities: Please view our student opportunities page for programs, internships, and work opportunities for our students. Please note, this is a live document and will constantly be updated: Student Opportunities @ AFSE
 
Opportunity Highlight: Summer Arts Institute (SAI) is a free, virtual, four-week arts program for New York City Department of Education public school students entering grades 8 through 12 in Fall 2021 (students currently in grades 7 through 11). For 2021, this intensive program will be held virtually, Monday-Friday from 9 am-12 pm. Summer Arts Institute is administered by the NYCDOE’s Office of Arts and Special Projects.

Students participate in one of the following studios: Dance, Instrumental Music, Moving Image, Strings Orchestra, Theater, Visual Arts or Vocal Music. The program is designed for students at an intermediate or advanced level of study in their discipline. Summer Arts Institute offers a unique opportunity for students to work with DOE arts specialists, arts organizations, and guest artists. This experienced team guides each student in developing an artistic point of view and developing a portfolio or audition skills for their next level of study: an arts-focused high school, college/university, a conservatory, or professional work. Program Dates: July 5 – July 30, 2021
Student Application: by March 22, 2021
Audition/Portfolio Upload: by March 29, 2021
 
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Ms. Cameron via email at [email protected], 646-331-9422, or via Remind. 
Hello AFSE Families:
 
Please see the updates below for the next week. 
 
Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held on Thursday, March 18, from 4:30 - 7:00 PM, and on Friday, March 19, from 1:00 - 3:30 PM. We ask that all parents make appointments with teachers and confirm contact information. Please see the document attached with full details and instructions on how to make appointments. Please be advised that appointments must be made to participate in conferences.
 
PTA Meeting: Please join us for the March PTA Meeting on Wednesday, March 17, at 6:00 PM.  This month we will hear from a CUNY representative about the college process and opportunities within CUNY schools. 
 
Student Opportunities: Please view our student opportunities page for programs, internships, and work opportunities for our students. Please note, this is a live document and will constantly be updated: Student Opportunities @ AFSE
 
Opportunity Highlight: School of Interactive Arts - Students will learn the foundations of game design and be introduced to C# programming language on the Unity game engine. Since the camp is happening virtually, students outside of NYC are welcome and encouraged to sign up. The camp is for rising 9th, 10th, and 11th grade students and tuition is covered 100% for eligible students. This is one of our most popular programs and students who participate are guaranteed a spot in our school year pre-college program. 
How to apply?: Email sia@urbanarts.org explaining your interest in SIA – with the subject line [Requesting Application]. In the body of your email, please provide your Name, School, Grade Level, and Why you are interested in joining our program. We will follow up with you after that, usually within a week.
 
Key Upcoming Dates
Return to In-Person Learning (for blended students only) - March 22
Upgrade Week - Week of March 22
Spring Break - March 29 - April 2. Classes resume on Monday, April 5
In-School SAT Day - April 13 (and April 14 for some)
 
If you have any questions, please reach out to Ms. Cameron via email ([email protected]), phone (646-331-9422), or via Remind.
Hello AFSE Families:
 
Please review the updates below in preparation for week.
 
Updated Chancellor's Letter: There have been some revisions to the Chancellor's letter that was released earlier this week. Please see the revised letter attached.
 
Parent-Teacher Conferences: Spring Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held on Thursday, March 18, from 4:30 - 7:00 PM, and Friday, March 19, from 1:00 - 3:30 PM.  Phone and video conferences will be available.  We ask that all families make appointments with up to four teachers. We will send a letter with links and instructions on how to make appointments during the week. 
 
PTA Meeting: Please join us for the March PTA Meeting on Wednesday, March 17, at 6:00 PM.  This month we will hear from a CUNY representative about the college process and opportunity within CUNY schools. The Google Meet link will be sent in next week's email.
 
9th Grade Family Survey: Please complete the survey linked below to give the 9th Grade Team a better idea of how to support your family during this year of transition. Your responses will help the team plan workshops for 9th grade families.
 
National Student Clearinghouse Opt-Out Form:  The DOE shares student information with the National Student Clearinghouse on where students go to college and what types of degrees they receive. You all have the option to opt-out of the National Student Clearinghouse data share. Please see the letter attached with full details on the National Student Clearinghouse regarding the National Clearinghouse shared student data. The opt-out form is currently available on Operoo in your Form Library.  When you sign into Operoo, you will see the Form Library on the top right of the screen.  If you do not opt-out through this process, the information will be shared with the National Student Clearninghouse.  Please reach out to Ms. Cameron if you need assistance logging into your Operoo account.