Remote Learning
Schedules for Synchronous (Live) Instruction by Grade
Revised Synchronous Instruction Schedule (updated January 24, 2021)
PS 159Q Online Learning Expectations
As we continue and refine our remote learning and instruction, we have put together our expectations for Google Meet sessions to make your child’s learning successful.
· Students learn best when they are present both visually and audibly. Cameras are expected to be on during live sessions. If your child cannot turn their camera on, parent(s)/guardian(s) are asked to notify the teacher via email/DOJO.
· Attendance will be taken in the Google Classroom. The DOE’s definition of “present” is “defined as: In Person: Student is physically present in the classroom/school learning environment for instruction during the scheduled school day. Remote: Student is virtually present in a virtual learning environment for (live) synchronous instruction during the scheduled school day.”
· Student’s digital communication to the teacher’s daily question (“Are you here today?”), as well as their camera being on, digital sharing of completed assignments and/or assessments, and participation in discussion will count for student attendance.
· Google Meet sessions are learning environments. Some students have been distracted during their live sessions. These distractions include students bringing toys and food to the Google sessions. These items are not permitted during live sessions as students have difficulty staying on task. Providing your child with headphones or earbuds during these sessions will help them focus on their learning and not on what is happening at home.
· Students should participate in their live sessions in a quiet space with limited surrounding activity, including siblings in the room so he/she can participate in their daily learning activities.
· Students are expected to be ready to learn during live sessions. It is recommended that students are out of their pajamas and dressed for online school.
· Just as in school, students are expected to be seated at a desk or table and not laying down during live school sessions.
· Please do not interrupt your child’s Google Meet session by asking the teacher questions. If you have questions for your child’s teacher please send an email during office hours and the teacher will get back to you.
· Please respect the privacy of our teachers and your child’s fellow classmates. Do not video or audio tape Google Meet sessions. Additionally, please do not post these sessions on social media. The recording, modification of video and still images of teachers or students is not permitted.
Do you need an internet connected device?
If you are in need of an internet-connected device for remote learning, please go to the website below and fill out the New York City Department of Education Remote Learning Device Request form.
Important Guidelines for Use of Student Devices - Please review with your children
Guidelines for Use of Student Devices
All devices issued to students are to be used to access remote learning and other educational uses. Students are expected to follow the guidelines below and take any additional common sense precautions to protect the device. Students are responsible for taking care of the device. The policies outlined below are intended to cover all available technologies.
Parents and Caregivers, please ensure that your children adhere to the following:
Care and Maintenance
- The student/family is responsible for the daily care and maintenance of the laptop. Any damage or theft must be reported to the NYCDOE within one school day.
- Keep the laptop in a safe place when not in use.
- Students/families should report problems to 718-935-5100 or 311. Do not attempt to remove, add, or change the physical structure of the device, including keys, memory, battery, screen, charger, ID labels, etc.
- Carry the device carefully at all times. Do not store items on top of the device.
Usage Guidelines
In general, all students are expected to use good judgment and common sense; be safe, appropriate, careful and kind online; not attempt to get around technological protection measures; ask an adult if they need help.
Student Acceptable Use Guidelines
Students must:
- Use the device provided only to access remote learning activities.
- Follow the same guidelines for respectful, responsible behavior online that students are expected to follow offline.
- Treat this device carefully, and alert the helpdesk if there is any problem with the operation.
- Understand that this equipment is property of the New York City Department of Education and should be treated as such, if equipment is stolen, a police report must be filed.
- Alert a teacher or other staff member if students see threatening, inappropriate, or harmful content (images, messages, posts) online.
- Be cautious to protect the safety of the student and others.
- Help to protect the security of school resources.
Students must not:
- Attempt to bypass the school’s internet filter.
- Use this device in a way that could be personally or physically harmful.
- Attempt to find inappropriate images or content.
- Engage in cyberbullying, harassment, or disrespectful conduct towards others. Such conduct will result in disciplinary action and loss of privileges. In some cases, cyberbullying can be a crime.
- Try to find ways to circumvent the school’s safety measures and filtering tools.
- Use school technologies to send spam or chain mail.
- Use language online that would be unacceptable in the classroom.
- Use school technologies for illegal activities or to pursue information on such activities.
- Attempt to hack or access sites, servers, or content that isn’t intended for student use.
- Alter a school’s device hardware or installed software.
Personal Safety and Privacy
- Users should never share personal information, including phone number, address, social security number, birthday, or financial information, over the Internet without adult permission.
- Users should recognize that communicating over the Internet brings anonymity and associated risks, and should carefully safeguard the personal information of themselves and others.
- Users should never agree to meet someone they meet online in real life without parental permission. If students see a message, comment, image, or anything else online that makes them concerned for their personal safety, they should bring it to the attention of an adult immediately.
Limitation of Liability
The NYCDOE will not be responsible for damage or harm to persons, files, data, or hardware. Devices employ filtering and other safety and security mechanisms, but there is no guarantee as to their effectiveness. The NYCDOE will not be responsible, financially or otherwise, for unauthorized transactions conducted over the school network.
Return of Device
The devices being loaned are for the students’ use during remote learning. This device is the property of the NYCDOE and contains a tracking device so that the device can be located. This device must be returned when on-site learning resumes, unless otherwise instructed by the NYCDOE.
Amplify Science (K-5)
Digital access for grades K–5
Amplify has created a temporary family login for access to the digital Student Books (grades K–5) and simulations (grades 3–5) for home use. This access will enable guardians to read to their students and/or set their students up for independent exploration.
- To access digital Student Books and simulations, guardians will navigate to apps.learning.amplify.com/elementary
- Select “Log in with Amplify” and enter the username and password:
- Username: sciencestudentcovid19@tryamplify.net
- Password: COVID2019
- Tip: You may want to use an incognito browser.
- Select the unit the class is currently working on at school
- Once logged in to the particular unit, the guardian will find icons for all of the student books in the unit (in English and Spanish), as well as the digital apps associated with the unit if it is in grades 2–5.
- Select “Log in with Amplify” and enter the username and password:
roomrecess.com
Dear Families,
RoomRecess.com is dedicated to providing children with free learning games that are fun. Their online games reinforce important skills that are vital to elementary students and their educational process. RoomRecess.com was developed entirely by an elementary school teacher with the goal of reinforcing fundamental learning concepts in math, reading, spelling, language arts, typing, and problem solving. Because their learning games are free, students do not have to sign up or hold an account with us. Children can simply load up an activity and have fun learning online while they play! This is a wonderful site to have your children go on to continue to practice their studies.
Please let us know if there is anything you need or how we can help you during this time. Please feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns that you have.
Our email addresses are mgoldstein3@schools.nyc.gov and TDimini@schools.nyc.gov
Best Regards,
Michelle Goldstein and Tanya Diminic
Academic Intervention Support Providers
Math Learning Games
https://www.roomrecess.com/pages/MathGamesForKids.html
Reading Games
https://www.roomrecess.com/pages/ReadingGames.html
Spelling and Language Arts Games
https://www.roomrecess.com/pages/WordGames.html
Imagine Learning (Select Groups of ELLs/MLLs)
Dear Parents and Caregivers,
Welcome!
Your child has been enrolled in Imagine Language & Literacy for the new school year! Imagine Language & Literacy is an adaptive, interactive program that teaches language and literacy concepts at your child’s level and helps them practice what they've learned.
Check Imagine Learning Support to ensure your computer or tablet meets the minimum technical requirements. To maintain your child’s unique, personalized learning path and report accurate growth and progress, only students who are officially enrolled in Imagine Language & Literacy should use it from home.
Supporting Your Student's Progress
You can help your child succeed by being involved in their Imagine Language & Literacy experience. Follow these recommendations to get the most of out of Imagine Language & Literacy this school year:
- Encourage your child to use Imagine Language & Literacy at home. Provide a distraction-free work space and encourage your child to be thoughtful and attentive as they play the interactive activities.
- Review any stories or printouts that your child brings home from school. Ask your child to read the stories aloud to you and review the skills taught in any printouts.
- Review your child’s progress with their teacher. Discuss your child ’s overall progress and growth, test results, performance predictions for state tests, and skill areas where your child may be struggling.
Use Site Code NYC
Find the apps for your devices
Individual user names and passwords were sent home in the beginning of the school year.
Please email the ENL Coordinator jkim25@schools.nyc.gov if assistance is needed.
Raz-Kids (Select K-5 Students)
Dear Parents and Caregivers:
Your child has access to award-winning digital resources through Kids A-Z, Learning A-Z’s website created for students. After your child logs in, each website your child’s teacher has subscribed to is shown. Your child can work on assignments or select other resources for reading and writing practice.
Raz-Plus: Thousands of leveled books and resources in printable and digital formats (In English and Spanish)*
*Access resources on mobile devices by downloading the Kids A-Z app from the app store. Date rates may apply.
Kids A-Z Login Instructions
Step 1: Go to www.kidsa-z.com
Step 2: Enter or choose the teacher’s username
Step 3: Your child finds his or her username on the class chart
Step 4: Your child enters his or her password
Literacy Websites
Dear P.S. 159 Families,
I am wishing everyone is doing well. Below, I have listed some literacy websites that can be of help while you are home. You can use any or all to your preference to keep literacy alive in your homes. Some have fun games. All of you are missed and I hope to see you in the near future. Happy Reading!
Here are the websites:
www.kids.nationalgeographic.com
Thank you for all your help at home.
Sincerely,
Tanya Diminic
AIS Literacy
Envisions Math (K-4)
Safe Search Engines for Kids
Additional Math Resources
Dear P.S.159 Families,
I hope you are all doing well in this uncertain time. We miss all our students and are looking forward to returning to school as soon as possible. I have put together some additional resources for students to work on while they are at home in order to keep their math skills sharp. We are all here for you and can’t wait to see everyone as soon as it’s possible.
Below you will find additional math websites. Each online game is applicable for all grade levels.
https://www.mathplayground.com/grade_1_games.html
https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/hit-the-button
https://www.education.com/game/place-value-machine-3-digit/
https://www.sheppardsoftware.com/math.htm
https://www.coolmath4kids.com/
https://www.mathplayground.com/measuringangles.html
https://www.funbrain.com/games/measure-it
https://www.abcya.com/games/counting_money
https://www.mathisfun.com/geometry/protractor-using.html
I am here for you with whatever questions or concerns you might have during this time. If you need to contact me, my email is MGoldstein3@schools.nyc.gov.
Best Regards,
Michelle Goldstein
Math Support Provider