A Parent Message From: Mrs. Bonanno, Principal

MPORTANT LETTERS THAT WILL BE POSTED & UPDATED AS THEY ARE RECEIVED.

The Alice Austen School

55 Merrill Avenue

Staten Island, New York 10314

Phone: 718.761.3325       www.ps60.org        Fax: 718.983.8534

“Imagine with all your Mind, Believe with all your Heart, Achieve with all your Might”

 Donna Bonanno, Principal                  Tabatha Romano, Assistant Principal               

                                                                      March 19, 2020

Dear Parents or Guardians,

Teachers have been working diligently to prepare for remote computer based learning, set to begin on March 23.  Please allow me to begin with a shout out… We all certainly can use one.  The last three days, I had the privilege to work with the most dedicated Teachers, Paraprofessionals, Related Service Support Staff, Secretaries, School Aides and Assistant Principal in planning for a successful and meaningful Remote Learning Experience for your child.  All their preparation and hard work included learning and implementing  Google Classroom and planning instructional tasks and activities for each student and household. Because of all their efforts, I am confident your child’s learning will continue during this pandemic.

Students will receive their classwork, assessments, digital tools and online support, and correspondence with teachers through Google Classroom.  While some of our teachers already have a Google Classroom set up, some teachers have created new classroom sites.  It is critically important for all parents to sign up for the communication platform your child’s teacher has set up (Remind, Class Dojo, Bloomz), in addition to Google Classroom.  Our Cluster teachers have planned lessons on PS 60’s web page under their name.

Student Expectations:

• Log in to Google Classroom every day.  Teachers will take attendance based upon student’s completion of the “Check In Question”.  If students don’t respond by 11:00 am, they will be marked absent.

• Complete all tasks in each lesson.  Students will receive a classwork grade each day, and it will be based solely on effort so there is no penalty for wrong answers.  Students can receive grades of 4,3,2,1 based upon the completion of tasks.  If a student does not complete an assignment they will receive a 0 for that day.

• All communication with teachers should be through Google Classroom or Remind, Class Dojo, Bloomz.  Teachers will be available between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 2:20 p.m. to assist students. 
• Students should connect with their guidance counselors with any social/emotional concerns.
• Engage in physical activity each day.
• Read independently.  Find books related to topics that are interesting to you and read for fun.
• Students should complete instructional activities assigned by teachers within the expected timelines.  We understand that students may be sharing computers with family members, so it is not required that the work is completed during regular school hours, but all work must be completed on the day it is assigned. 
• Students should participate in check-ins, discussions, and other communication mechanisms as expected by the teacher.
• Students should review teacher feedback and complete any follow-up activities assigned by the teacher.
• Students and families should proactively notify their teacher or a school administrator with any concerns about progress or additional support needed.

Parent Expectations:

• It is very important that you provide your child with a daily schedule that allows them to get up at the same time Monday through Friday, and keep a reasonable bedtime. 
• Set a schedule of when they will work on each subject area, have free time, eat meals and engage in physical activity. 
• Set up an area to be used as their desk. 
• Build in breaks, as sitting and working for three hours in a row may not be possible for some children.
• Understand that students will have assignments every day in each class on the day that the class regularly meets.
• Contact teachers through Remind, Class Dojo, Bloomz or email if you have any concerns.
• Encourage students to reach out to teachers themselves when they have questions or struggle with assignments.   
• Remember the importance of being patient and flexible. Thank you for your patience as we move forward together.

As with anything new, there may be some bumps in the road.  I am confident if we work together as a team we can get through this difficult time. 

Yours truly,

Donna Bonanno

Donna Bonanno

Principal

Virtual Learning at Home Suggested Schedule