
K Steps up! Virtual Ceremony

Week 14 of Remote Learning Family Letter June 22 – June 26
Kindly read this letter in its entirety since it contains important updates as well as helpful reminders.
Dear TAOTS Families ,
June 19, 2020
I can’t believe that this is our final week of remote learning. As I reflect and think about these past few months, I want to take this opportunity to thank you for all your continued support during these unprecedented times. I am grateful that we have been able to keep in touch and connect on a weekly basis through my updates. As the principal of TAOTS, I am always here for you and look forward to returning back to school in the near future. Enjoy your summer!
I encourage you to keep yourselves informed and up to date by listening to your local news and following the directives of our Chancellor, Mayor, and Governor. School reopening procedures will continue to unfold throughout the summer months.
This week, Governor Cuomo signed an executive order declaring June 19th a holiday for state employees. Today, Mayor de Blasio declared Juneteenth an official NYC and school holiday beginning in 2021. According to Chancellor Carranza, “These announcements present a teachable moment for our students, as Juneteenth marked a significant turning point in the history of our country. Juneteenth marks the date when the emancipation of enslaved Africans in the confederate state of Texas learned of their freedom, two and a half years subsequent to President Lincoln’s proclamation. This news ultimately altered the trajectory of the lives of those who were enslaved. It also created challenges politically, socially and economically for ex-slaves, who struggled to assimilate in society post-slavery. Although the government attempted to provide solutions to these challenges through legislation and social programs, life continued to be an uphill battle. Hundreds of years later, we are still on the battlefield.”
I encourage you to spend some time over the weekend discussing the significance of Juneteenth with your child/ren. Here is a resource that may aid you in having these discussions.
CONGRATULATIONS to our 5th Grade Graduating Class of 2020 and to our Kindergarteners on their Stepping Up. Please refer to your itinerary that was emailed to you regarding Kindergarten Stepping Up Ceremony and 5th Grade Graduation Ceremony.
Our team here at TAOTS have been planning & preparing for the following events :
Updates & Reminders:
From Parent Coordinator, Ms. Appelbaum & Community Coordinator, Mr. DeFeo – pandc@taots.org
UPDATES & REMINDERS & Important Resources:
It’s hard to believe that we have only two weeks of remote learning school left. Next week begins our 13th Week in remote learning. As we reflect and move forward we begin planning and preparing for the fall. I encourage you to keep yourselves informed and up to date by listening to your local news and following the directives of our Chancellor, Mayor, and Governor. School reopening procedures will continue to unfold throughout the summer months.
CONGRATULATIONS! to our 5th Grade Graduating Class of 2020 and to our Kindergarteners on their Stepping Up. A beautiful Graduation Banner has been put up at TAOTS on our yard fence commemorating this great milestone in their lives.
This week we are proud to announce the students who maintained 100% Attendance from September to March. They will receive their 100% Attendance Certificate via email on Monday, June 15, 2020. Congratulations to our parents and students for obtaining 100% attendance!
From Parent Coordinator, Ms. Appelbaum & Community Coordinator, Mr. DeFeo (pandc@taots.org)
We expect students to participate and interact daily with the teaching and learning that is taking place in our Google Classrooms. Please review with your child the student and family expectations for remote learning.
Time | Week 13 Daily Remote Learning Student Schedule |
---|---|
8:50- 9:00 | Students log on to Google Classroom for classroom instructions |
9:00-12:20 | Remote Learning Daily Instruction Students will participate in lessons and activities prepared by the teachers following their regular daily schedule: During prep periods, students will be directed to join the specialty class of the day. Period 1: 9:00-9:25 Period 2: 9:25-9:50 Period 3: 9:50-10:15 Period 4: 10:15-10:40 (All students in K-2 Break Time) Wed. Tribes Day Period 5: 10:40-11:05 (All students 3-5 Break Time) NOTE: Wednesday is Tribes Day during period 4 & 5 Period 6: 11:05- 11:30 Period 7: 11:30-11:55 Period 8: 11:55- 12:20 |
12:20 -1:00 | Student Lunch Time |
1:00-2:50 | Student: Daily Independent Work Time. Students will complete the following: 1. Independent Reading & task of the day2. Writing- task of the day3. Math- task of the day4. Specialty- 1 specialty task per day as per the daily flow of the day |
2:00-2:50 | Parent/Student Communication Time for parents & teachers to communicate. |
Third Marking Period
Third marking period will use the same grading scale as used in the previous marking periods. TAOTS will be using second marking period grades as a baseline for the third marking period. Teachers will continue to assess students and use this data to maintain the grade that students received in marking period two. Teachers will support students that are struggling and are not quite maintaining the level of work they have been producing throughout the school year.
If students have proven to excel in remote learning (e.g. – an increase in remote learning participation, increase in volume and quality of assignments that are handed in and engagement in class/small group discussion) students have the opportunity to improve their grade. Data will be collected and the grade will be justified.
As students participate in remote learning, teachers must grade their work and keep their gradebooks up to date, in alignment with expectations set by the principal. In alignment with existing systems, teachers must document students’ areas for improvement in gradebooks, report cards, and/or other platforms for recording student progress, so that this information is accessible in planning for summer and fall.
Final Marking Period
TAOTS will be following the NYCDOE grading policy. DOE Grading Policy
Schools must award final grades of meets standards (MT) and needs improvement (N) only. Schools define how MT and N relate to their prior grading scales and practices. N must be used in cases where there is insufficient information to determine whether a student has met standards. For students who receive final grades of N, teachers must document students’ areas for improvement in gradebooks, report cards, and other existing platforms for recording student progress, so that this information is accessible for further planning. The DOE provides standards-aligned report card comments in STARS which may be used for this purpose.
Recognizing and Noting High Performance
Students that have been excelling throughout the school year including remote learning will be recognized through the comment section of the final marking period.
(Student name) has exceeded grade level performance in the area of __________. She/He has continued to demonstrate mastery of the standards through assignments, tasks and discussions with teachers.
(Student name) has seamlessly transitioned to remote learning and in the midst of adversary and has proven to excel in his/her learning.
Updated for Remote Learning May 2020