Message from our Leaders
Dear HLA2 Families,

We hope that each of you and your families and loved ones are doing well and are managing to enjoy the summer break during this continuing difficult time. We are writing with the latest update about school reopening. It is a LONG update, as we have much to share. Our teachers and all of our colleagues are eager to see your children again soon, and to continue the important work of helping them to become educated global citizens.

As we shared in our last update, our reopening planning is focused on:

  • enabling children to return to our school building as soon as possible
  • maximizing the health and safety of children and staff
  • giving families the option to have their children come to school some days or to learn fully from home

In the coming days, you will be able to select from two models for the first marking quarter, which will run from September through mid-to-late November. Information about these two models is provided below, and we will share additional details about them soon before asking you to make a choice.  

We will be holding another Town Hall Zoom meeting to answer your questions, on August 12th at 8pm.  You will be receiving an email invitation to this event.

Please feel free to email us with questions at info@hebrewpublic.org .

Thank you!

Sincerely,

Ashley Furan, Head of School
Emily Fernandez, Chief Schools Officer
Jon Rosenberg, CEO
UPDATE: JULY 31, 2020
When Will the School Year Begin?

In our last update, we had hoped that our school year would start on August 31st, at least one week earlier than the New York City Department of Education’s schools. It is now, however, more likely that our school year will begin on September 8th.  

Here’s why: 

First, the City has not yet provided answers to some critical questions, such as:

  • Whether it will provide bus transportation, and when bussing might start.
  • Whether it will provide school nurses, and if so when.
  • Whether and how it will provide child care to school-age children on days. when they are not in school. The Mayor announced recently that there will be 100,000 free child care slots for school-age children, but it is not yet clear whether that will actually occur. It is also not clear who will be eligible, or where these programs will be located.

Second, the Governor has not yet announced whether schools will be allowed to reopen their buildings to students. He is expected to do so the week of August 3rd (next week).

Finally, we want to ensure that every one of our families is set up with Chromebooks and internet access so that their children can fully participate in remote learning.  

Beginning the Year with Remote Learning for All
When our school year begins, it is likely that the first two weeks will be fully remote instruction for all students. This means that the Hybrid Learning Model (in which students come to the school building for part of every week) will probably begin on Monday, September 21st for those families who choose that model.  

Here’s why:

First, this will give more time for the City to implement bussing and nurse services.

Second, it will help us ensure that our health and safety procedures have been thoroughly reviewed and practiced before a single child sets foot in our building.

Third, it will allow more time for any delays in shipments of new desks, cleaning supplies, and personal protective equipment.

Choosing a Learning Experience for Your Child

Option 1: Hybrid Learning Model

Two days in school, three days at home:
As we shared in our last update, in the Hybrid Learning Model, most students will come to school two days per week, and will engage in remote learning on the other three days. This is illustrated in the graphic below:
Keeping Siblings Together:
For families that choose the Hybrid Learning Model, we will ensure that siblings are in the same cohort. In other words, the siblings in a family would all attend school on the same days.

Special Education Services and Multi-Language Learning Support:
Children who receive these services will receive support from specialist staff.

Small Class Size:
Because of Covid-19 safety requirements, class sizes will be kept small during in-person days. Depending on classroom configuration, most classes will have between 8 and 15 students on in-person learning days. This smaller group size will allow for more targeted instruction and individualized attention.

Prioritizing Outdoor Time:
We need to ensure that your child makes academic progress, especially after these recent difficult months. But we will also do what we can to build considerable outdoor time into their schedule on their in-school days.

Health and Safety Requirements:
As we shared in our last update, there will be important new health and safety requirements in place for children who come to school. We will need everyone’s support to make this work: we all play an important part -- staff, children, and families -- to keep our school environment safe until the government authorities determine that it is safe to return to normal. Some of these requirements will include:

  • Social distancing: ensuring that physical distance is maintained between people.
  • Batching: keeping children in smaller groups (typically 8 to 15) and limiting their contact with other children. 
  • Arrival and Dismissal: with your help, we will maintain social distancing during arrival and dismissal, and ensure that children are wearing masks. Arrival and dismissal procedures will be very clear for everyone, and arrival and dismissal will take longer than in prior years.
  • Masks: Students and staff wearing masks at most times of the day.
  • Visitors: Restrictions on outside visitors, including parents and guardians, to minimize exposure.
  • Screening & Monitoring: 
  • No-contact temperature checks for all staff, students, and visitors. 
  • Required reporting of children’s health symptoms by families, and if a child has certain symptoms, a commitment by families to keep that child at home or pick that child up when needed.
  • Staff members and children will be actively monitored for symptoms, and in some cases will need to be isolated for a period of time or sent home.
  • Meals: Enhanced food handling procedures, with meals served in classrooms.
  • Sharing: Restrictions on sharing items.
  • Hygiene: Reinforced handwashing.

We know that this sounds like a lot, and it is! These health and safety measures are required by our State government, and are necessary to reduce risk. All public schools in New York (and in most of the United States) will be implementing similar measures.

The Remote Days Experience:
On days when children are not in our school building, they will engage in a variety of learning experiences.  

  • Hebrew instruction and some specials (such as music and art) will be delivered live by Zoom by our teachers on remote learning days. 
  • There will be live check-ins with teachers.  
  • Students will have access to recorded lessons, engaging on-line programs, and independent work projects.  
  • Some special education and multi-language learner support services will be provided on remote learning days.
  • Every student will have a Chromebook, and we will work with families to ensure that every household has Internet access.  

We have learned a great deal from our experience delivering a remote program in the Spring, and your child will have a full day of school activities whether in the building or at home.

School-Age Child Care on Remote Learning Days:
We know that for some families there may be a need for child care on the remote learning days when a child is not in school. As noted above, the City may be creating a large number of free school-age child care slots. We will share any information about that program with all families.

In addition, we are working to create partnerships with local organizations such as the JCH and Kings Bay Y to provide additional child care slots for our students. We will provide additional information about these partnerships as we work to finalize them. These programs will charge a fee, but we are also working very hard to raise money to provide scholarships to cover some of the costs for families with significant financial need. We will also do our best to ensure that children in partnered child care programs are able to follow the same remote learning schedule as their Hybrid Learning Model peers who are at home.

We do not know if we will be able to connect every family that wants it with a school-age child care program, but will do our best to help meet this need.


Option 2: Fully Remote Learning Model

For families who choose to keep their child at home for the first marking quarter, we will ensure that your child has an engaging and meaningful learning experience.  

  • Children will receive significant amounts of live Zoom instruction in core subjects, including English, Math, and Hebrew.  
  • There will be live check-ins with teachers for both children and their parents or guardians.
  • Students will have access to recorded lessons, engaging on-line programs, and independent work projects.  
  • Teachers will closely monitor student progress and provide feedback.
  • Special education and multi-language learner support services will be provided.
  • Every student will have a Chromebook, and we will work with families to ensure that every household has Internet access.  
  • Students whose families choose the Fully Remote Learning model will be paired with a Hybrid Model cohort. They will join their classmates on the days that the Hybrid Model students are participating in remote instruction. It is important to us that your child continue to feel a part of their class's community. On the two days that their classmates will be in school, your child will be provided with alternative programming.

We have learned a great deal from our experience delivering a remote program in the Spring, and your child will have a full day of school activities each day.

THANK YOU, AND STAY TUNED FOR FURTHER UPDATES!