December 3, 2020

Dear Families,   

We hope you and your loved ones ​are safe and healthy. We appreciate your ongoing flexibility as we work to reopen school buildings safely. As we reopen it is important to note that given our limited space and staffing resources CWS will not be able to offer 5 day a week in- person learning to our students.

As Chancellor Richard Carranza announced on November 29, all blended learning students in 3-K, Pre-K and K through 5 will return to in-person instruction beginning Monday, December 7. If you opted for in-person learning, below you will find additional information about providing consent for in-school COVID-19 testing by the first day your child returns to the school building. This consent form is required in order for your child to be able to participate in in-person learning.

What do I need to do to return to my school building? 

In order for your child (in grades 1 and higher) to return to in-person learning, you must submit the consent form for in-school COVID-19 testing by the first day your child returns to their school building. Testing will happen weekly for a random selection of staff and students in your child’s school. Given the ongoing fight against a citywide resurgence of COVID-19, this mandatory weekly testing for COVID-19 is a crucial part of our plan to keep all schools safe. Any student in grade 1 or higher returning to school buildings must submit a consent form for COVID-19 testing in school by their first day back.

•  3K, Pre-K, and Kindergarten students are excluded from random testing. 
• The test is quick, safe, and easy. A video showing the testing process is available at schools.nyc.gov/covidtesting. 

How do I submit consent? 

Submitting consent to have your child tested for COVID-19 in school is quick and easy. Even if you have already submitted consent, we ask you to do so again to ensure your student has the latest consent form on file. There are two easy ways to submit: 

1) Fill out the form online using a New York City Schools Account (NYCSA) at mystudent.nyc. 

• If you already have a NYCSA account linked to your student(s): Log in, click your student’s name, click “Manage Account,” and then when a dropdown menu appears, click “Consent Forms.” Read the page, and then choose the consent option at the end for your student. 
• If you do not already have a NYCSA account: You can create one right away! If you have an account creation code from your school, you can create a full account in approximately five minutes, and then provide consent as described above. If you do not have an account creation code from your school, you can still provide your consent right away by clicking “Manage Consent” under “COVID-19 Testing” and filling out your and your child’s information to provide consent. 

2) Print and sign the form and bring it to your child’s school on the first day they are back in the school building. A printable PDF file is available in ten languages at schools.nyc.gov/covidtesting. 

Can my child receive an exemption from weekly random testing? 

Exemptions will only be granted in certain limited cases: 

• For students who need a medical exemption, due to a health condition that would make it unsafe to undergo testing (e.g., facial trauma, nasal surgery), you will be able to submit a separate form for consideration. This form must be signed by a physician and you must submit medical documentation from a health care provider. 
• For students with disabilities who cannot be safely tested in school due to the nature of their disability, you will be able to submit a separate request for an exemption. 
• The exemption forms are  available  at schools.nyc.gov/covidtesting in multiple languages. 

What happens if I don’t submit consent? 

You must submit consent by the day that your child returns to your school building; that is the due date, and we need all students to participate. 

• If your child comes to school on their first day back for in-person instruction without a consent form on file, someone on our school staff will contact you to obtain consent.  
• After that, students without consent forms on file, who do not have a medical or disability-based exemption submitted, will be moved to fully remote instruction. 

What happens if my child does not attend school for their in-person learning days? 

We expect your child to be present in the building during their scheduled in-person days. If a blended learning student does not attend school during their first week of scheduled in-person classes, we will reach out to you to confirm if you still want your in-person seat. While we will maintain flexibility for families who have legitimate reasons for not being able to attend in-person, we cannot continue to hold spots for students who aren’t attending because teachers, resources, and classrooms would not be used to their full capacity. If your child does not attend consistently and without a legitimate reason, we will move your child into fully remote learning.

We know that you opted into blended learning because you are eager to have your child attend school in-person, which we are excited about as well.  We understand that circumstances may change and if you would now prefer to keep your child fully remote, please resubmit the learning preference survey or contact our Parent Coordinator, Dorothy Cantwell a Dcantwell2@schools.nyc.gov or call us at 212 844-4915 x209

Will this be a challenging transition for my child?

We recognize that the COVID-19 pandemic, and resulting changes to our typical school routines, have had a significant impact on each of us. Increased stress and anxiety are common responses to the experience of uncertainty and/or constant change. We understand that transitioning in and out schools can be traumatic to young people and we are committed to supporting your child’s social-emotional wellness as well their academic achievement. 

We thank you for your partnership in service to our students and value the critical role that you play in your child’s success.

Sincerely,

Maria Velez Clarke

Principal, CWS