coronavirus · NYC Parent Voices · NYC Schools · NYC Schools Reopening · Parents Helping Parents · preK

No More Masks in K-12 NYC Schools: Parents Weigh In

New York State lifted its mask mandate on Wednesday, March 2, 2022. New York City followed suit for Kindergarten through 12th grade public schools starting on Monday, March 7. (Many private schools already struck it in response to the state law.) However, on Thursday, March 3, Gothamist reported: New York City students who are under… Continue reading No More Masks in K-12 NYC Schools: Parents Weigh In

coronavirus · NYC Parent Voices · NYC Schools · NYC Schools Reopening · Parents Helping Parents · School Attendance Policy

Back To School NYC: What Really Happened the First Week

My daughter came home from her first day back to New York City public school on Monday, January 3, 2022 and announced, “There are so many teachers and kids out it’s like after The Snap.” Not exactly. While Thanos, of Marvel movie fame, snapped his fingers and made half the residents of the universe disappear,… Continue reading Back To School NYC: What Really Happened the First Week

admissions · Educational Equity · Gifted & Talented · NYC Election · NYC Kindergarten · NYC Parent Voices · NYC School Admissions · NYC Schools Reopening · remote learning

NYC’s Top 5 Education Issues For 2022: According to Parents

2022 brings a new mayor to New York City, Eric Adams, and a new School Chancellor, David Banks. What are the most important issues facing NYC schools for 2022 according to parents? We count down our most popular posts of 2021 as an indicator: 5) Department of Ed Hard Sells BrilliantNYC: Are Parents Buying? Excerpt:… Continue reading NYC’s Top 5 Education Issues For 2022: According to Parents

Accountability · achievement gap · coronavirus · Educational Equity · NYC Schools · NYC Schools Reopening · NYC Teacher

Are Remote Parent-Teacher Conferences Here To Stay?

When New York City shut down due to the Covid pandemic in March of 2020, my middle child was a sophomore in high school. We were informed that Spring parent-teacher conferences would be held over Zoom. I was excited by the idea. At that point, I’d spent close to a decade of my life attending… Continue reading Are Remote Parent-Teacher Conferences Here To Stay?

coronavirus · Educational Equity · Hybrid Learning · NYC Election · NYC Parent Voices · NYC Schools Reopening · Parents Helping Parents · remote learning

NYC Parents Speak Up About Remote Learning on Election Day – And On All Future Snow Days

November 2, 2021 was Election Day in New York City. Schools were closed, as many of them were being used as polling places. (However, many a parent did wonder why they weren’t allowed into their child’s school building due to Covid restrictions – but unvaccinated strangers were.) However, instead of the traditional day off, students… Continue reading NYC Parents Speak Up About Remote Learning on Election Day – And On All Future Snow Days

coronavirus · NYC Parent Voices · NYC Schools · NYC Schools Reopening · NYC Teacher Voices · Parents Helping Parents · Teacher Voices · Teaching in NYC · UFT

NYC Vaccine Mandate Doesn’t Stop Teachers Protesting Or Parents Debating

New York City’s vaccine mandate, which required anyone who works in a public school or a community-based center contracted by the Department of Education (DOE) to have gotten at least one shot of the COVID-19 vaccine in order to continue working, finally went into effect on Monday, October 4, 2021. Although Mayor Bill de Blasio… Continue reading NYC Vaccine Mandate Doesn’t Stop Teachers Protesting Or Parents Debating

coronavirus · NYC Parent Voices · NYC Schools · NYC Schools Reopening · Parents Helping Parents · UFT

Vaccine Mandates, New Quarantine & COVID Testing Rules: NYC Parents React

New York City public schools reopened on Monday, September 13. Despite the demands of some parents for a remote option – and a threat to keep their children home in protest – those who lobbied for in-person only carried the day. Immediately, I heard from families: SS: DOE’s Health screening app that parents must submit… Continue reading Vaccine Mandates, New Quarantine & COVID Testing Rules: NYC Parents React

coronavirus · Educational Equity · NYC Schools · NYC Schools Reopening · NYC Teacher · NYC Teacher Voices · preK · Teaching in NYC · UFT

NYC Educator Says, “Enough! Who Will Teach Our Neediest Children?”

I am exhausted. Stressed. Frustrated. Sad. The “back and forth” with the vaccine mandate for educational staff is just ridiculous. Three days before the “official“ start of school, the mayor proclaimed that CBO Pre-K teachers and staff who were contracted with the DOE would have NO testing option. We would be forced to get the… Continue reading NYC Educator Says, “Enough! Who Will Teach Our Neediest Children?”

coronavirus · NYC Parent Voices · NYC Schools · NYC Schools Reopening · NYC Teacher Voices · Parents Helping Parents · School Attendance Policy · School Budget · Teacher Voices · Teaching in NYC · UFT

Parents Stand Up For Teachers In Possible NYC School Covid Strike

Earlier this week, we printed a post from New York City public school parents willing to go on strike to demand a remote learning options for their children, and from those who insisted it wasn’t necessary and would only make the upcoming year worse. One incensed parent wrote me: TM: Parents are afraid of unvaccinated… Continue reading Parents Stand Up For Teachers In Possible NYC School Covid Strike

coronavirus · Educational Equity · NYC Parent Voices · NYC Schools · NYC Schools Reopening · online learning · Parents Helping Parents

NYC Parents Against Any Remote Schooling Option

Yesterday, we wrote about parents threatening to strike on the first day of New York City public school — and beyond — because they don’t trust the Department of Education to protect their children’s health. They demand a remote schooling option until Covid, including the Delta variant, is no longer a threat. We heard from… Continue reading NYC Parents Against Any Remote Schooling Option