April 21: LMK Principal's Message

 

Dear LMK families,

I hope you and your family are doing well and staying safe.  Your partnership with our staff has allowed us to continue our work in ensuring students receive a high-quality education as they Learn From Home. 

During the month that students have been  Learning From Home we have put many systems in place that best mirror our school processes.  I want to share with you how we monitor student progress during this time. Each week Ms. Colosimo, Mr. Spector and I meet with the nine interdisciplinary teams, which include the grade level counselors.  We discuss individual student progress in all subjects and formulate plans for intervention, including outreach to students and parents/guardians.  

Curriculum directors have weekly sessions with departments that include Ms. Colosimo, Mr. Spector or me.  These meetings focus on instruction and lesson planning. We work as a team to ensure continuity of instruction for all students. Our curriculum directors are a resource for questions that are specific to a subject area. 

Reminders/Updates:

Governor Cuomo issued an executive order extending all public school district closures through May 15, 2020.  Further guidance will be provided by the governor before we reach this date.

We are working to preserve school rituals, including our Moving Up ceremony, for 8th graders.  The superintendent and I will be meeting virtually with 8th-grade officers to discuss to plan for a meaningful ceremony. The District leadership teams are working to examine all possibilities and plan for multiple scenarios. As Dr. Wool stated in his recent message to the community, “We are determined to conclude this school year by filling it with memories both positive and unique.” 

Our extracurricular advisors have been holding club meetings with students. If you or your child have any questions about accessing club gatherings, please reach out to me or the club advisor. 

Students have been using Google Hangouts for teacher-student meetings.  Sessions are secured by using a Google classroom login. Zoom is the other platform used by teachers to engage with students,  to access this platform the District has established a secure Zoom account. All students grades 6-12 will receive district accounts. Students will use the district account to access a Zoom session. Families can access more information about the District’s Video Conferencing Guidelines.

All New York State Grade 3-8 exams and Regents exams are now canceled.  Students enrolled in Algebra 1 will earn a high school credit based on a passing grade in the course.

The Museum of the Moving Image is canceled.  Refunds will be distributed to families that have already paid for this trip.

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).   

Ms. Colosimo, Mr. Spector and I continue to be here for you to answer any questions and offer our support.

Sincerely yours,

Scott Fried
Principal