Thank you
Bronx Community
To the Bronx Community:
Schools are like second homes to the families we serve. As the COVID-19 crisis strikes our borough, children are experiencing an unprecedented transition. That means now more than ever, principals, educators and caregivers have to collaborate in an unprecedented way to provide students the continuity of learning, support and routines they need in these uncertain times.
Most schools – traditional public, charter public and private – have moved to remote learning, a first for many of us. There are many lessons and experiences we can share to make this a successful experience, and Bronx charter public schools want to be part of the solution.
Below, we’ve put together a website of key learning resources for families, tools for instructional leaders and teachers, and service offerings of local organizations that may help families across the borough. We hope you find it helpful.
Despite these challenging times, we all must continue to put students first however we can.
Sincerely,
Resources for Educators
As New York City moves to online classes, here are several helpful resources for teachers across the Bronx to consult while adjusting to remote learning.
- Zearn is an online teaching and learning program created by teachers, for teachers, to help K-5 students learn math.
- Great Minds has released free video lessons for each grade of each of their curricula in math, reading, and science.
- Brainpop is an educational website with over 1,000 animated videos, quizzes and activities for students in grades K-12, covering all subjects.
- Prodigy delivers a unique learning experience through an interactive math game where success depends on correctly answering skill-building math questions.
- Curriculum Associates provides printable at-home activity packs in math and reading for students in grades K-8.
- PBS Learning Media offers a digital toolkit for educators and students with video content, lesson plans and support materials, as well as online training sessions.
- Open Up Resources offers free, downloadable curricula to support digital learning.
- The New York Times is hosting a series of webinars on teaching and learning in response to Covid-19 and school closings.
- Scholastic: 25 Best Websites for Teachers
Resources For Parents
The COVID-19 crisis means that learning at home is more important than ever. A number of online resources – videos, tools, and more – are available to help caregivers ensure their children continue to be educationally enriched.
- Scholastic provides K-12 reading lessons, videos and activities for a wide range of topics.
- New-York Historical Society offers dozens of digital audio and video resources in art and history.
- Fordham Institute has curated a list of resources for learning from home, including educational YouTube channels, TV shows and movies available for streaming, podcasts, and online instructional materials.
- National Geographic gives users access to videos, interactive maps and activities that encourage students to explore a range of topics from ecology to geography.
- Learning Hero Roadmap provides an interactive guide for parents to keep students on track while school is closed. The program focuses on math, reading, life skills and more.
- ReadWriteThink gives users access to activities, games, printouts and more that focus on reading and writing skills for grades K-12.
- Reading Rockets Packs focuses on young learners, pre-K to third grade, and offers families a set of reading adventure packs to encourage hands-on fun and learning.
- The 74 Million has some excellent online resources in this story.
Community Support
The coronavirus pandemic is no doubt having a human impact on those who need our support most. Fortunately, there are organizations throughout the Bronx that are ready to help those in need during this crisis.
- BronxWorks provides essential services like food and housing to New Yorkers with the greatest need.
- FreshYouth Initiatives offers contact information for affiliated Bronx shelters and mental health hotlines.
- Meals on Wheels delivers meals and provides support to seniors in the community.
- Red Rabbit is distributing meals daily in front of Public Prep school locations (full schedule here).
- Mamajuana Cafe is giving out free meals to children in the Bronx while schools remain closed.
- POTS Bronx is a multiservice agency in the Bronx that nourishes the basic needs and hunger of those in need. They have daily programs to provide food and services to guests.
Press
Bronx Times: Bronx charter school launches school year with virtual Male Heroes Walk
Public Prep is launching the new school year and welcoming students back to virtual classrooms with an annual tradition, a Male Heroes Walk on their first day at Boys Prep Bronx.
Norwood News: Bronx Charter School Launches New School Year with Virtual “Male Hero Walk”
Public Prep, the nation’s first non-profit network that exclusively develops exceptional, tuition-free PreK and single-sex elementary and middle public schools, is launching the new school year and welcoming students back to virtual classrooms with an annual tradition...
BronxNet: OPEN Sits Down with the Head of Classical Charter Schools to Discuss Blended Learning
Host Daren Jaime sits with the Executive Director of Classical Charter Schools, Lester Long discussing the initiatives Classical Charter Schools are taking to protect students and teachers with schools returning in the fall with blended learning.
Bronx Times: Bronx students interview Assemblyman Victor Pichardo for census campaign
A Bronx charter school recently launched a new campaign to boost response rates among its families on the U.S. Census, which has a profound impact on funding for communities throughout our local communities.
Bronx Times: Bronx charter school launches virtual day camp for kids
With day camps in the city in limbo and cuts happening in the city budget, a Bronx charter school is moving forward with hosting virtual summer school sessions and summer day camp.
The 74: Startup Bronx Computer Science H.S Made Quick Leap to Remote Learning
It was just after 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, March 15, when New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that the nation’s largest school district would transition to remote learning until at least April 20. Chaos ensued, with many teachers still reporting to their...
NY Post: Latin is a Hit at This Bronx Charter School
A dead language is bringing these Bronx kids to life. Students at Classical Charter Schools are all taught Latin – and more than a quarter of the network’s kids scored at the highest tier on a recent national exam on the ancient tongue. “When we were founded nearly 15...
Bronx Times: Bronx Charter Hosts Virtual Black Lives Matter Protest and Sing Along
Students from Classical Charter Schools hosted a virtual Black Lives Matter protest for Juneteenth, which featured a sing along to Andra Day’s hit song, “Rise Up.” The event, which was broadcast live on YouTube, was hosted by middle schoolers Adelaide and Amarachi,...
Chalkbeat: Bronx School Leader Explains How This Fall, Teachers Will Be On The Front Lines
Every May, the nation celebrates Teacher Appreciation Week – a week that had particular meaning this year, in the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a high school principal in the Bronx, adapting to this new age of virtual learning, I spent most of the week figuring...
WCBS 880: Bronx Kids Get Special Lesson From NY Philharmonic Violinist
Some aspiring young musicians got a special lesson from a maestro recently. New York Philharmonic violinist Kuan Cheng Lu taught a class via Zoom K-2nd grade students at the Zeta Charter School in the Bronx. One of Lu’s colleagues is married to the school’s director...