NO SCHOOL: Thanksgiving Recess
Henry Cumoletti (left) and Taryn McCoy
Perspectives in Online Learning
Friday's installment of Perspectives in Online Learning features a vignette from Albany High School social studies teacher Henry Cumoletti and a video from one of his students, sophomore Taryn McCoy.
Perspectives in Online Learning is a forum we have created to allow teachers and students to share their experiences with virtual teaching and learning. We will highlight a new vignette or video each day while schools are closed due to COVID-19.
We hope you enjoy hearing the perspectives of your colleagues and our students!
Governor extends school closure through the end of the school year
Governor Cuomo has extended the closure for all New York schools through the end of the school year due to continuing concerns about the spread of COVID-19. The governor has directed that during this time all schools remain responsible for alternative instructional options, distribution and availability of meals, and childcare, with an emphasis on serving children of essential workers. The City School District of Albany remains committed to meeting the academic and social-emotional needs of all of our students and families throughout the closure.
Student network account security update
In accordance with our continuing efforts to bring best practices to all facets of student privacy and security, the district is assigning new, unique network passwords to all students from prekindergarten through grade 5. The password change will go into effect Tuesday.
We mailed a letter home Friday that outlines this initiative for our students and families, including the password and a “badge” for logging into district Chromebooks. Parents and guardians of all PK-5 students should look for this letter, as it will contain the new password needed for Tuesday.
Spring sports season cancelled
Following Governor Cuomo’s announcement that all New York schools will be closed for the remainder of the school year, the New York State Public High School Athletic Association announced that its 11 member sections have cancelled all remaining spring sports. That includes Section 2 in the Capital Region. The state association will create an ad hoc committee to address the potential impact of COVID-19 on the fall 2020 athletic season statewide.
Magnet lottery registration
A reminder that registration opens Monday for students who were selected for a seat in one of the district's magnet elementary programs in this week's lottery.
Because the district’s Central Registration Office is closed due to COVID-19, you will need to use our schooltool platform to register for the 2020-21 school year.
To complete the registration process please visit the link above and follow these steps:
- Please read all of the introductory information BEFORE starting your registration entry.
- You will be a new user. Please save your log-in reference number.
- It will take you approximately 15 minutes to complete the process.
- If your online registration is not fully completed by 11:59 p.m. on Friday, May 15, you will lose your seat.
- For those unable to register online and submitting registration documents via regular mail, your mailing would need to be postmarked by 11:59 p.m. on Friday, May 15.
If you are unable to access or use the online registration process, please contact Central Registration at (518) 475-6125 or centralreg@albany.k12.ny.us for support and alternative registration options.
If you need translation support to complete registration, please contact Andrea Ribner with the district’s ENL and Refugee Services Department at (518) 475-6147. When calling please be sure to leave your name, callback number and preferred language, so a return call can be made using an interpreter.
Social distancing reminders
As we all try to do our part to slow the spread of COVID-19 and help our city, our region and our state work toward reopening in a way that is safe for all, please be reminded of social distancing guidelines in all that you do.
Stay home whenever possible, maintain a minimum of six feet between yourself and other individuals if you must go out, and wear a mask if you cannot adhere to those social distancing guidelines if you must go out. You can find helpful information about social distancing practices on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Governor Cuomo has initiated fines up to $1,000 for failing to adhere to social distancing protocols in public.
Funding for childcare costs
New York is using a portion of the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) funds to provide free childcare to income-eligible essential workers.
To qualify for a scholarship to cover the cost of care, essential workers must work outside of the home and use a licensed and regulated childcare provider. This would include the YMCA partnership described below. Families also must have an adjusted gross income at or below 300% of the federal poverty level. For a family of four that equals an annual income of $78,600.
Parents and guardians are asked to complete this application for the CARES Child Care Scholarship. Applications will be considered complete once the online application is finished AND the required supplemental documentation is submitted to Brightside Up, the Childcare Resource and Referral Agency (CCRA) for Albany, Fulton, Montgomery, Rensselaer, Saratoga and Schenectady counties.
For parents and guardians that currently receive a subsidy from their local Department of Social Services to pay for childcare, this scholarship can cover the co-pay. Parents and guardians should apply for the CARES Act Scholarship, and then contact their local DSS to get a letter stating their current co-pay. Please address any questions to Tricia Howland at thowland@brightsideup.org.
Meal delivery update
The district has served nearly 155,000 meals to date during the school closure – currently more than 2,400 students daily – through both home delivery and our seven “grab and go” school locations. Meal pickup is available at these schools each weekday from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.:
- Albany High School (Washington Avenue entrance), 700 Washington Ave.
- Albany School of Humanities (ASH), 108 Whitehall Road
- Arbor Hill Elementary School, 1 Arbor Drive
- Giffen Memorial Elementary School, 274 South Pearl St.
- Schuyler Achievement Academy, 676 Clinton Ave.
- Tony Clement Center for Education, 395 Elk St.
- William S. Hackett Middle School, 45 Delaware Ave.
Technical support for students and families
The City School District of Albany’s Technology Help Desk is available to assist students and families with issues related to connecting a Chromebook to wireless access points, or with student login to the Chromebooks or the Clever suite of applications.
You can reach the Technology Help Desk from 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m. each weekday at (518) 475-6195.
Please note that the Help Desk cannot assist with matters related to use, content or activities within any of the district instructional applications or Google Classroom. Questions regarding the use of Google Classroom, instructional resources, learning tasks or expectations related to instructional content should be directed to each student’s teacher or principal.
You also can find instructions and other helpful Google Classroom guidance in our online instruction section.
Be counted for Albany in the 2020 Census – from home!
This is an important reminder that in spite of the closures and significant precautions in place due to COVID-19, the 2020 U.S. Census is underway. The Census Bureau is carefully monitoring the situation and follows the guidance of federal, state and local health authorities.
The most important thing you can do is respond online, by phone, or by mail when you receive your invitation. Responding now will minimize the need for Census Bureau workers to be out in communities following up. Help your community – and help the Census Bureau adhere to social-distancing guidelines – by responding online to the 2020 Census. Do your part. Stay home. Get counted.
OCFS childcare survey
The New York State Office of Children and Family Services is asking parents, guardians and caregivers who are in need of childcare to complete a Parent Need for Childcare survey.
Based on the information collected in this survey, OCFS may be able to help families find the childcare program to meet their needs. It may be a challenge to find childcare due to COVID-19-related closures. However, OCFS is trying its best to support families to find high-quality childcare programs.
The OCFS website also has several resources available.
YMCA childcare partnership
The district is partnering with the YMCA to offer childcare services for health and emergency-response personnel. The YMCA is administering and staffing the program, which operates from 7 a.m.-6 p.m. daily at the following six schools:
- Arbor Hill Elementary School, 1 Arbor Drive
- Eagle Point Elementary School, 1044 Western Ave.
- Giffen Memorial Elementary School, 274 South Pearl St.
- New Scotland Elementary School, 369 New Scotland Ave.
- Schuyler Achievement Academy, 676 Clinton Ave.
- Sheridan Preparatory Academy, 400 Sheridan Ave.
The program has a limited capacity, with a maximum of 30 children per school (three classrooms with 10 children). The YMCA is staffing each room with two employees.
Online registration is available. Health and emergency personnel needing childcare are also welcome to call the YMCA at (518) 869-3500.
Health insurance assistance
NY State of Health is committed to ensuring access to affordable, quality health insurance for all New Yorkers so they can get the care they need during the COVID-19 crisis.
Many New Yorkers are likely to be eligible for health coverage with financial assistance through NY State of Health due to their loss of coverage and income. NY State of Health opened a Special Enrollment Period last month to provide a safety net for people who are uninsured in difficult times like this.
You can apply for health insurance immediately through NY State of Health. If you lost employer coverage, you must apply within 60 days of losing that coverage.
Because of a loss of income, New Yorkers may also be eligible for Medicaid, the Essential Plan, Child Health Plus or subsidized Qualified Health Plan coverage.
Visit NY State of Health online for more information. You also can contact the Marketplace directly at (518) 486-9102 or NYSOH@health.ny.gov.
Mental health hotline
Along with the impact the COVID-19 outbreak is having on physical health, we can't underestimate the impact this pandemic is having on mental health.
More than 6,000 mental health professionals have volunteered their time to help with New York’s response to COVID-19. For free emotional support, consultation and referral to a provider, call 1-844-863-9314.
Domestic violence resources
The New York State Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence has a message for victims during these challenging times: You are not alone.
Please call the New York State Domestic and Sexual Violence Hotline at 800-942-6906 for information on domestic violence resources in our community. You also can access these resources online.
Mindfulness resources
Whether you're looking for live guided meditations connecting you to others, a quick practice to help you find your ground or a free course on how to meditate, check out these free mindfulness resources to find calm and nourish resilience during the COVID-19 outbreak.
The state also is partnering with Headspace to provide New Yorkers with free meditation and mindfulness resources. New Yorkers can access a collection of free guided meditations, along with at-home mindfulness exercises and additional resources to help address rising stress and anxiety.
Calm.com also provides free melodies to invite peace comfort into the mind and heart.
Expanded mobile crisis hours
Northern Rivers has extended its hours for mobile crisis services. The expanded hours are:
- Monday–Friday – 8 a.m.–10 p.m.
- Saturday–Sunday – 11 a.m.–7 p.m.
- For immediate crisis services, call (518) 292-5499
- For general information, call (518) 952-9032
Mobile crisis services provides telephone support for children, families and adults experiencing emotional and/or behavioral crisis, and for professionals working with these individuals. Northern Rivers also provides in-person crisis assessment and intervention for individuals experiencing emotional and/or behavioral crisis anywhere in the community.
For more information, visit Northern Rivers online.
