What is a “phased reopening”?
Phased reopening means that we will break the reopening of our schools into distinct phases. Importantly, instead of all grades starting school in September on a hybrid schedule, some grades will begin the school year remotely and transition later into hybrid learning. We believe taking a slow and steady approach to reopening will best protect the health and safety of students and employees. Beginning the year in a (mostly) remote structure is allowing our leaders, faculty and staff to develop and practice the protocols and processes necessary for a safe and effective return to in-person school. At the same time, this structure gives us the flexibility to continue monitoring NYC infection rates and adapt our operations to meet potential risks observed as many fellow New Yorkers return to school and work.
What is a “hybrid” model?
This means that students will receive a mix of in-person and remote learning. Remote learning will consist of both remote live classrooms (synchronous) and pre-recorded classes and work assignments (asynchronous) instruction.
Why is Prospect Schools switching to a "phased reopening"?
Health and safety is our top priority as we plan for reopening. We believe that opening our schools in phases will keep our students, employees and families as safe as possible, while addressing what is developmentally appropriate and feasible for our students. We also want to honor the feedback we’ve received from many members of our community concerned about returning to school.
What will a “phased reopening” look like at my school?
Phase I of reopening will look different depending on your child’s grade. Please request further information from your Principal or school office.
When will we transition to Phase II?
We will make the decision to transition to Phase II based on internal capacity, city information and services, and what our peer schools are learning and doing. We will share an update the week of August 24 about our potential transition to Phase II, and we are committed to providing updates on a bi-weekly basis (every two weeks) throughout the fall. Our goal is to provide families three weeks of lead time prior to phasing in grades.
On a hybrid model (schedule), how often will my child be learning in-person versus remote school?
You can expect that your child will go to school at least two days per week in-person and participate in remote instruction at home at least two days per week.
What does the hybrid model at my school look like?
Each school will operate slightly differently based on the capacity of the building, grade level, school size, and the varying needs of students depending on their age. Please contact your Principal or school office for more details.
Can my family opt-in to all remote learning?
Yes, families can opt-in to all remote learning. Please indicate your preference for this option in the next school survey you receive from your Principal, if you have not already done so.
What if I have children at more than one school?
For parents with children at more than one school, we understand the challenges that scheduling may present for your family. We will do our best to minimize that complexity.
Will Brooklyn Prospect offer busing this year?
To best support the health and safety of our community, Brooklyn Prospect will not offer student busing through the NYCDOE Office of Pupil Transportation (OPT) this school year, except for students requiring accommodations in their individualized education plans (IEPs) or with other such required accommodations. Students who meet OPT requirements will be eligible to receive MetroCards in lieu of student busing. Distribution of MetroCards will occur at each school. Families with questions should contact their school's program office. Transportation and MetroCards are provided by the NYC Department of Education’s Office of Pupil Transportation (OPT). Eligibility Guidelines are set by OPT and are not determined by Brooklyn Prospect. Brooklyn Prospect will make necessary adjustments to services provided by the NYCDOE to ensure the health and safety of the full Prospect Schools community.
Where can I pick up food for my student(s)?
Please see the
guidance below regarding school food. Additional food services being provided by the City can be found
hereMy child needs a device to participate in remote learning. What can I do?
Please see the
guidance below regarding device pick-up and continuing support.
I have questions about my school's remote learning plan. Who can I go to?
Please contact your child's principal, advisor, or lead teacher if you have questions, or click through to your school's remote learning page via the links below. You can also watch the recorded webinar below for more information on remote learning.
Will Prospect Schools continue to use Zoom for remote learning?
We are aware that articles about Zoom and privacy concerns have been published recently, along with the news of NYC DOE schools banning teachers from using the platform moving forward. Our plans to use Zoom will not be changing, at this time, for most communication needs. We are countering privacy concerns through training and tools for our employees regarding settings and protocols that will minimize concerns. One exception to Zoom use does exist: for any services provided by DOE employees, per the DOE mandate, these meetings will occur using alternate DOE-defined platforms (we are still getting training on the timeline for this transition). Please follow the guidance of your teacher or Principal regarding whether a switch to an alternate platform will be necessary for your student, or reference these guides on
Google Meets and
Microsoft Teams
