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April 14: PRE Principal's Message

Care for Yourself, Care for Others, Care for Preston ( and your home)
We Belong Together!

Dear Preston Families,

For those who celebrated Easter and Passover, I hope it was joyous despite the limitations of physical distancing. For those who appreciated the weekend, I hope you were able to relax and recharge for this week. I had several FaceTime calls with friends and family, and I had a craving for a New York pizza, so I ordered a pie and ate it all myself! It was necessary!

As a school, we have worked on developing Habits of Mind. In the past two years, we have focused on Managing Impulsivity, Thinking Flexibly, practicing Persistence, and Empathy. This week, I challenge the school to practice an important habit: Humor! Please see Monday Message here: April 13th. 

Humor plays an essential role in our daily school life, especially now. Laughing bonds us, makes us feel good, supports our immune system, and sparks creativity. I look forward to reading funny stories, listening to jokes, and seeing the wacky ways we can celebrate humor. 

 Preston is comprised of Heroes. Some of these heroes are caring adults who miss seeing your children on a daily basis. They are our school aides, custodians, main office and health staff, as well as our talented teachers. These thoughtful people send a hello to all of the children and their families that you can view here: Preston, We Belong Together Part 2.

Learning From Home:
Teachers in all areas have been working in collaboration with the school and district leadership teams to plan for the delivery of this content. We will monitor the implementation of new material to ensure that students find the information accessible, engaging, and supportive.  It is our goal that students are progressing with their grade level’s content and skills. Your child will engage in some or all of the following:

  • Daily instruction that is aligned to the District’s core curriculum in English Language Arts and mathematics emphasizing essential content and skills supplemented by self-directed online learning opportunities. 

  • Lessons will include morning messages and/or meetings, read-alouds, using mentor texts, mini-lessons in reading, writing, and math as well as instruction in foundational skills. 

  • Teachers will utilize a range of remote learning tools and resources to maximize academic engagement and interactivity including pre-recorded video, written assignments, simulations, virtual field trips and video conferencing. 

  • Other instructional support will be provided to students by classroom teachers, special educators, English as a New Language and academic interventionists on a scheduled basis.

  • Encore subjects (e.g. music, art, physical education) will be delivered on a rotating 6-day schedule. 

Some items to note:
The Governor has directed schools to remain closed until April 29, 2020.  

The District provides free breakfast and lunch for eligible students. If you are currently eligible but have not yet applied, please complete the request form.  If your circumstances have changed and you are in need of food assistance contact your principal. All inquiries are confidential.

If your child needs a device, if there is a problem with your equipment, or if your family does not have internet access, the District will provide a device and/or a mobile hotspot to deliver internet access. If you require technology support please complete this form. If you have questions contact Brian Seligman (914-630-3389) or (seligmanb@harrisoncsd.org).   

Thank you for your partnership. I wish you laughter, compassion, and joy.

Gratefully,

Dennis Kortright
Principal