Community Education Council of District 20

Announcements

• Community and Citywide Education Council Elections

  We are two weeks away from the opening of applications to run for the Community and Citywide Education Councils (CCEC)! Is your parent community ready to Run.Serve.Lead?

  This election, parents will be able to use their NYC Schools Account to run and vote!

   

  January is NYC Schools Account Sign-Up Month

  Mission: 100% parents and students signed up!!

   

  Please share the Parent Sign-Up Guide in (English or Spanish)  with your families and an instructional video https://vimeo.com/497731682, which provide visual step-by- step instructions on how to set up an account.

  Community Education Council of District 20

• The Fall 2020 School Experience Survey is Launching January 19, 2021

  The DOE is launching the Fall 2020 School Experience Survey opens on Tuesday, January 19 and closes on February 5th!

  We are asking all families and staff, and students in grades 6 through 12, to share their experience during this year, which has been like no other.  Knowing your experience will help us plan for the spring and beyond, and it will also help us quickly support schools to improve remote and in-person learning

  The survey link will be sent to families next week and published on the DOE’s website. It will be available in 10 languages.

  The link to the survey is here. Please note the link will not work until January 19^th.

  Community Education Council of District 20

• Updated School Admissions Information

  High School Admissions

  The deadline for applying to high schools is February 23^rd, 2021

  Get ready for high school! All current 8th grade and first-time 9th grade students in New York City can apply to high school this winter. There are two pathways, and you can take both – for more information, check out this two-pager information and checklist.

   

  Virtual Arts High School Fairs

  Interested in applying to audition programs? Learn about audition requirements for each discipline, the audition process for this year, and how to use MySchools and the Virtual Audition Submission Tool (VAST). Meet representatives from NYC’s audition schools, including LaGuardia High School. Please note that schools from different boroughs will showcase their programs on different days.

  ·         January 21, 1pm to 3pm Manhattan and Bronx audition programs

  ·         January 25, 5pm to 7pm Brooklyn and Staten Island audition programs

  ·         February 2, 4pm to 6pm Queens audition programs

  ·         February 4, 6pm to 8pm Manhattan and Bronx audition programs

  Register at tinyurl.com/nyc2021HSvirtual for any event(s) you’d like to attend.

  Learn more about the High School Admission process here  and upcoming High School Admissions events here.

   

  Specialized High Schools

  The Specialized High Schools registration period is now open! Here's how to participate:

  For the eight testing Specialized High Schools, apply to any/all of these schools by registering for, then taking the Specialized High Schools Admissions Test (SHSAT):

  Step 1. Register by January 15, 2021, to take the SHSAT. Submit your registration for the test.

  Step 2. Take the SHSAT. Testing will begin on January 27

  (For the one audition Specialized High School, Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, apply by registering to audition, then submitting audition materials. Please note that the SHSAT is not used for admission to LaGuardia.)

  For more information, questions or help setting up your MySchools account or registering, please visit the Specialized High School site on the DOE website.

   

  Middle Schools Applications are Open

  Get ready for middle school! All New York City 5th graders—and 6th graders at schools that end in 6th grade—can apply to middle school this winter. The middle school application opens the week of January 11, 2021, and the deadline to apply is February 9. Apply to up to 12 programs on your child’s application; list programs in your true order of preference, with your first choice at the top as #1.

  The DOE is hosting virtual information sessions for families from each borough. Learn how to explore your child’s middle school options, how to apply, and how offers are made. We’ll also go over changes this year due to COVID-19.

  After the presentation, we will respond to your questions. Register at tinyurl.com/nyc2021MSvirtual  for the event you’d like to attend.

   

  Virtual Middle School Admissions Information Sessions

  Location and Audience	Date	Time
  Bronx Families	1/20/2021	5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
  Brooklyn and SI Families	1/20/2021	6:30 pm – 7:30 pm
  Manhattan Families	1/21/2021	5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
  Queens Families	1/21/2021	6:30 pm – 7:30 pm

   

  Learn more about the Middle School Admission process here  and upcoming Middle School Admissions events here.

  Community Education Council of District 20

• Free Resources to Guide High School Seniors Through the College Application Process

  Student Leadership Network (SL Network) has put together free resources to help guide high school seniors through the college application process. Here seniors can find templates, checklists, videos, and more to help them put together all the components of a successful college application: https://www.studentleadershipnetwork.org/collegebound-resources/

   

   

  About Student Leadership Network

  SL Network supports three life-changing programs that empower youth from underserved communities to disrupt the cycle of poverty through education: The Young Women's Leadership Schools (TYWLS), CollegeBound Initiative (CBI), and Young Women's Leadership Network (YWLN). Over the last 25 years, SL Network has supported more than 50,000 students to gain access to educational opportunities that help prepare them to lead successful lives.

  Community Education Council of District 20

• General information on the Cancellation of the January 2021 New York State (NYS) High School Regents Examinations

  CCSE shared general information on the cancellation of the January 2021 New York State (NYS) High School Regents Examinations  and a petition to suspend New York State regulations requiring students to pass Regents exams in 2020-21 to graduate from high school. 

  Use this link  to view and sign the petition to the Board of Regents to remove Regents Exams from the NYS graduation requirement.

   

  • faq-january-2021-regents-examinations.pdf
  • january-2021-regents-exam-waiver-guidance 1.pdf
  • memo-cancellation-january-2021-regents-examinations.pdf

  Community Education Council of District 20

• Middle School and High School Admissions

  The Chancellor has just sent letters concerning middle and high school admissions.

  Translations will also be available on the messages for families' page shortly. https://www.schools.nyc.gov/about-us/news/chancellor-s-message-for-families

  • Update for Families on HS Admissions December 18 2020.pdf
  • Update for Families on MS Admissions December 18 2020 1.pdf

  Community Education Council of District 20

• Girls Who Code: Starting Your Own Club

  The Borough President's Office shared some information from the Senior Manager of Girls Who Code:

   

  I hope you have been having a safe and restful summer as you plan for the start of the school year. Since you last chatted with us at Girls Who Code, we developed new tools for your community and I wanted to make sure to pass them along.

  The biggest update is that Clubs can now go 100% virtual! Here's a few other major highlights of Girls Who Code Clubs for the 20-21 academic year:

  • Everything is 100% free.
  • We provide you with flexible and interactive curriculum and resources to teach 3-12th grade girls (and students of any gender) coding skills and the bravery and resilience needed to make a positive impact on their community.
  • Tutorials are now adjusted with virtual instructions and training for online Club meetings.
  • There is NO coding experience needed for you to facilitate a Club because of our comprehensive support!

  You can start a free Girls Who Code Club by following this step-by-step guide, or share it with a friend/colleague!

  Wishing you good health and a smooth start to the school year as much as possible. Please let me know if there’s anything else you need, and I’d be happy to help!

  Best,

  Emily

  --
  

  

  Emily Ong

  Senior Manager, Community Partnerships and Outreach

  

  emily.ong@girlswhocode.com

  Pronouns: She/Her

  girlswhocode.com

  Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram

   

   

  Community Education Council of District 20

• Links that were shared at the October Special Meeting

  Dr. O'Brien shared the website for the latest DOE update on Covid testing: http://www.schools.nyc.gov/.../health.../covid-19-testing

   

  Donald De Rosa from the Office of Comptroller Scott Stringer shared the Comptroller's Back to School Guide: https://comptroller.nyc.gov/.../2020-21-back-to-school.../

  Community Education Council of District 20

• The School Construction Authority is seeking sites for classroom, childcare and Early Childhood needs

  Please see the following letter sent from the SCA:

   

  I wanted to let you know that the SCA is presently seeking sites for classroom, child care and Early childhood needs which are no higher than 4 stories, contain rooms no less than 650 SF in size, dedicated entrances, dedicated bathrooms, are code compliant and can house programs serving children from 3 years old to approximately 14 years. 

   We would prefer spaces that have at least four rooms, but prefer larger where possible.  While outdoor play space is not mandatory it would be preferred. 

   We are seeking a one year license agreement with a one year renewal option. 

   As to financial terms, it will be determined on a case-by-case basis, depending on size of the space, location, condition of the space and all other factors affecting value. 

   Preference will be given to sites that are feasible, require little to no work and make economic sense for the City.

   You may share this with property owners and community members. Please do not share with brokers.

   Please submit to sites@nycsca.org any sites you may have control over that meet these minimum requirements and we will review each site to see if it can work for our needs. 

   

  Thanks in advance,

   Steve Gonzalez

  NYC SCA

  Community Education Council of District 20

• NYS Rent Relief Program

  Dear friends and partners, 

  This is a difficult time for many New Yorkers struggling to make ends meet. We're committed to sharing important updates around programs that can help New Yorkers in need of rent relief. Please take some time to review the information below information about the NYS Rent Relief Program and share it with your network and community.

  What is the COVID Rent Relief Program?

  • New York State has a new rental relief program for tenants who have lost income during the COVID19 crisis. The COVID Rent Relief Program will provide eligible households with a one-time rental subsidy that will be sent directly to the household’s landlord. Applicants will not need to repay this assistance.
  • Applications for the COVID Rent Relief Program administered by NYS HCR will open (today) July 16th, and applications must be submitted online or by mail within two weeks. You can apply here: bit.ly/nyctenantprotection
  • All detailed information about the program can be found here: bit.ly/nyctenantprotection 
    • The website also includes FAQ documents in Spanish, Chinese, Russian, Haitian-Creole, Bengali, and Korean. 

  How do I know if I'm eligible?

  • Before March 1st and at the time of application, household income must have been below 80% of the Area Median Income, paid more than 30% of their income in rent. You can review NYCs Area Median Income, based on household, here: https://hcr.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2020/07/crrp2020_eligible_income_80ami.pdf 
  • You must not have been in receipt of a housing subsidy that caps your rent at 30% of their income (like Section 8 or NYCHA). However, You can apply if you live in rent regulated and market-rate homes. 
  • Household must have someone in the household with U.S. citizenship or eligible immigration status (can be a minor). Mixed status families (e.g. a family with a U.S. born child) can apply. IDNYC is accepted as proof of identity.
  • Households Must have lost income between April 1st and July 31st 

  How does it work? 

  • The one-time rental subsidy paid directly to landlords will cover the difference between the percent of household income spent on rent on March 1, 2020 and the percent of household income spent on rent at the time the household is applying for assistance. You can apply for up to four months in assistance for the months of April through July 2020.
  • You do not need a lease. 
  • Tenants do not have to be behind on their rent to receive assistance (tenants who are current on their rent payments can have funds applied a credit for future months). The program is open to households that rent apartments, single-family homes, manufactured homes and manufactured home lots.
  • This is not a first come first serve type of program. However, HCR will have to prioritize applications from tenants with the lowest incomes and highest rent burden due to limited funds.
  • Applicants wills be given notice whether they are eligible and the amount of funds that will be sent to their landlords.

  Need more information?

  • You can call 311 and say "tenant helpline" to inquire further about program eligibility or receive guidance on application.
  • For assistance with problems with your application, you can call the New York State HCR Call Center at (833) 499-0318. Call Center support is available from 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM, Monday through Saturday.
  • If you have questions about immigration and public benefits, call the free, confidential ActionNYC hotline at 800-354-0365, Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., or call 311 and say "Public Charge" to access timely and trusted information and connections to legal help.

  Spread the word!

  • Please feel free to use these multi-lingual posts to make your community members aware of the program. 

   

  Community Education Council of District 20