COVID-19

School Year 2020-2021

ATTN: In-Person Learning will resume for BOTH Cohort A and Cohort B on Monday, December 7th.

Welcome to our COVID response page. Below you’ll find all the critical information about how P.S. 398Q is changing the way we operate to reduce the risk of COVID infection. We are doing everything we can to make sure staff, students, and families are safe. Please check back regularly, as we will update the information here as conditions change.

Our school district  also has important information and resources for you. Please bookmark this site for your most up to date information about Return to School 2020. See the Messages to Families page for updates from Chancellor Carranza

Last updated: December 1st, 2020

Winter Hybrid Learning Schedule 2020- 2021

Starting on Dec. 7th 2020 PS398Q can accommodate students for a 5 day a week in-person schedule.   That means that cohorts A and B will be coming to school all five days, Monday – Friday.  Please see our school calendar for our schedule.  If for any reason DOE opens the Learning Preference Survey to families, and our in-person numbers change, we may have to go back to our hybrid model we had when we opened schools in the fall (Model 1A).  Or, if New York City moves into a Level 4 Health Emergency schools will close for in person instruction and move to Remote ONLY. If we cross this threshold, schools will close and ALL schools will switch to 100% remote learning for all students. Whether hybrid or remote we are committed to ensuring that your child is safe and has a successful school year. Please check this page regularly for changes and updates. 

  • If you need to switch your child's in-school learning days, contact Ms. Janette Ortiz at Tel: 929-463-7200 x2171. 
  • If you would prefer a 100% online learning schedule for your child this year, we are offering that as an option. Contact Janette Ortiz at Tel: 929-463-7200 x2171 to enroll. 

The school day will run from 8:30 a.m. - 1:55 p.m. for All students. Kindergarten and First grade should begin lining up at 8:20 a.m. PreK line up begins promptly at 8:30 a.m. We ask that all families, please adhere to the staggered schedule for our students’ safety.  Students may be dropped off no earlier than their scheduled time and must be picked up promptly at the end of the school day.  All families should line up at their designated areas.  Kindergarten families use the A Entrance.  PreK and First Grade use the B Entrance.  Families should have the Daily Health Screening ready so that arrival procedures move quickly and safely. 

Your Responsibilities While in the Building

We have put safety procedures in place to keep our students and staff healthy. As staff and students re-enter school buildings.  We must all comply with physical distancing guidelines and maintain a distance of six feet at all times while wearing a face covering when on school property.

  • A Health Screening Survey must be filled out before entering our school building.  
  • Masks: Masks must be worn at all times by ALL students, teachers, staff, and visitors while in the building. Students are expected to arrive with their own face coverings, and if they do not have a face covering, one will be provided before entering the school building.
  • Hand washing: There will be increased access and regular opportunities for students and staff to wash hands or use hand sanitizer throughout the day. Students and staff are expected to wash hands thoroughly throughout the day, before and after eating, after using the bathroom, if exposed to body fluids (like saliva or a sneeze), and at other times frequently throughout the day. Hand washing has been added to all student schedules
  • Drop-off and pickup procedures: Please maintain social distancing between families during drop-off and pickup. Parents are not allowed to enter the building with their child. To maintain social distancing please move through the drop-off and pick up line as quickly as possible to make room for families behind you.
    • Kindergarten and First Grade line-up begins promptly at 8:20 a.m.
    • PreK line-up begins promptly at 8:30. Please use egress B. To avoid crowding, please do not arrive before your scheduled time. Please line up with your child standing (six feet apart) mind the floor markers and signage.
    • Each student will be temperature checked before entering the building.
  • Dismissal Procedures: All dismissals will be outdoors for all students. Teachers will dismiss each student to their parent/guardian. Classes will come out single file line up. Students will be dismissed as follows: Beginning at 1:50PM classes K-203 and 1-213 will dismiss, 1:55 classes K-202 and 1-212 will dismiss and at 2:00PM K-201 and 1-211 will dismiss.  PreK will come out to their designated spots at 2:00 PM. . We ask that families please stand on your designated standing area outside the on the closed off street 34th Avenue and maintain social distancing as well.
    • For your child's safety, we ask that only families noted on the blue emergency card pick up your child. Please ensure that any member picking up your child has been documented on the blue emergency card or that you have notified the teacher in writing.  You may email or dojo any changes to normal procedures. 
    • Visiting our school: We are limiting visitors to the school during this time. Most parent-teacher conferences and other meetings can be held virtually. All visits must be pre-approved and scheduled with the main office. Parent and community volunteers have been suspended until further notice.
  • Approved Visits: When you enter the building, please check in at the security front desk. During check-in, you will be given a name tag and reminded to wear your mask at all times. Please be sure to return the tag to the safety agent upon exiting the building. Wellness barriers have been installed in the main office and at the safety desk. Please maintain your distance behind the barriers.
  • Traffic flow in hallways and common areas: Hallways are marked with arrows. Please keep at least 6 ft. distance between yourself and others and follow the arrows.
  • Illness: Students and staff exhibiting signs of illness or having a fever of greater than 99.9°F must stay home. If you or someone you know has COVID-19 (or shows symptoms of COVID-19 such as coughing or fever), it is required that you stay home or at a designated care facility for a minimum of 14 days. Please contact us via phone or email as soon as possible.
  • If your child becomes ill at school, he or she will be taken to the nurse's office and you will be notified immediately of any visit to the nurse's office.
  • If your child is exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19, he/she will be quarantined from the rest of the school until your child can be picked up. In order to protect students and staff members from potential exposure to COVID-19, the school has designated an Isolation Room. An Isolation Room is a place where a student with suspected COVID-19 symptoms can be safely isolated in the building until they can be picked up by a guardian.
  • Upon pick up, the nurse or staff member will strongly encourage the family to visit a doctor and get the student tested for COVID-19.
  • Directions for local COVID testing: Please visit the NYS Coronavirus Find a Test Site
  •  page to find a test site closest to you.
  • If there is one confirmed case in a classroom, all students and teacher(s) in class(es) with a confirmed case are assumed to be close contacts and are instructed to quarantine for 14 days since their last exposure to that case. Notices will be sent home. Two or more confirmed cases within the same class triggers a classroom quarantine, but the school stays open.
  • Two or more confirmed cases within the same school (not same classroom) triggers classroom quarantines and the school is closed for a minimum of 24 hours while the DOHMH investigation is underway.
  • If a student/staff members are exposed to COVID-19 they must quarantine in order to stop the spread of the virus; this includes both students and staff members who test positive for COVID-19 and those who are considered close contacts of a positive case. DOHMH or Test + Trace will determine whether a student or staff member is considered a close contact of a positive case. If the student/staff member is considered a close contact, the individual can only return to school when all the following are met:
    • The student has completed a 14-day quarantine regardless of symptoms or test results since their last exposure to that case AND
    • Presents clearance from a health care provider evaluation AND
    • The individual has been symptom free for 24 hours without the use of medication.
  • A doctor's note must be presented to our school nurse and kept on file at the school.
  • Whenever a student is quarantining at home, the expectation is that they continue engaging with learning remotely if they are feeling well enough. If our school is closed, the principal will communicate by 6pm on the night before about the status of opening the next morning, based on the status of the investigation. Please make sure you are active on ClassDojo. We will not reopen a school building without confirmation from public health experts that it is safe.
  • Staff cordoning off areas of a socially-distanced waiting space
  • PS398Q staff outdoors with masks on

Safety Precautions Taken By Our School

In addition to asking everyone to wear masks, wash hands, and maintain social distancing, our school has taken several steps to improve the safety of our staff and students. These steps have been recommended by local health authorities to reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19 and other illnesses.

  • Changes in class sizes: We've reduced the average class size in Pre-K through First Grade for in-person instruction.
  • Improvements in ventilation: Our Air Filtration system is Annex Air. Four Roof mounted air handling units that serve the classrooms, gymnatorium, kitchen and cafeteria. This is a very modern and sophisticated system with high efficiency Merv. 13 filters which means that windows do not need to be opened to improve ventilation. Each unit holds an average of 12 filters each.
  • Moving in the corridors: All staff, students and visitors must follow the signage and markings indicating the traffic pattern. Movement protocols have been posted throughout the school building to minimize congestion. We have also designated one-way direction stairwells and single file routes. We are limiting the use of students traveling from room to room.
  • All cluster/specialty teachers will visit assigned classrooms to provide instruction, or teach our students remotely.
  • Increases in cleaning frequency: Our custodial team is committed to cleaning all classrooms twice daily, once before the school day and once in the afternoon after dismissal. In addition, all classroom teachers have been provided with sanitizing wipes to wipe down surfaces and shared resources on an as-needed basis throughout the school day.
  • Custodians will sanitize school building on a regular basis. Cleaning and disinfection will include all high touch surfaces: classrooms, desks & chairs, conference tables, drinking fountains, door handles and push plates, light switches, restroom fixtures, partitions and hardware, buttons on hardware, elevator buttons, gym padding, and our playground.
  • Use of Outdoor/Gymnatorium Space: Our students will be using the playground, gymnatorium and rooftop outdoor space adhering to social distancing guidelines. Staff members will teach our students the appropriate social distancing procedures while using physical space in the building. Time has been scheduled into the day for PreK to go out doors into our playground with limited use of the equipment. Our custodial staff will be cleaning the space between each class use.
  • Hand sanitation: Hand sanitizing dispensers have been installed in every classroom and throughout the school in common areas. In addition, In addition, included in each class supply list, teachers may ask your child to carry trial size (individual) hand sanitizers to limit the movement in the classroom.
  • Use of Bathrooms: All bathrooms have been stocked with extra soap for frequent hand washing.
  • School Meals: Grab-and-go meals will be available for breakfast and lunch each day, though students will also be permitted to bring their own lunch if preferred. Kindergarten and First Grade will be having lunch in the cafeteria. Hot meals are available for all students starting in the month of December. Pre-K students will continue to have family style meals in the classroom. All remote students will be able to come and pick up meals at the school between the hours of 9AM - 12PM. 

How Hybrid Learning Works

Hybrid learning combines in-class instruction and at-home learning. This allows us to limit the number of students in the building each day for safe social distancing, while still ensuring that students can benefit from direct interaction with teachers and peers. At PS398Q teachers and staff members are dedicated to ensuring all students receive a quality education whether in person or remote. We are committed to implementing a shared and inclusive curriculum that is culturally responsive and digitally accessible to all students, remote and in-person.

  • Teachers will use Google Classrooms as a platform to facilitate lessons for both remote and in person students. Early childhood children need to develop across all domains, social, emotional, physical and cognitive. We will provide all students opportunities to connect to their teachers and peers daily, regardless of their learning preference.
  • At least two synchronous opportunities have been programmed into each blended learning students schedule during remote days, such as morning Zoom meetings so that all students, remote and in-person (Groups A or B) have an opportunity to share feelings, connect and collaborate with their classmates. We believe that the health and safety of our children comes first.
  • We recognize the importance of the arts and physical activities for our young students. Our students will receive enrichment through synchronous and asynchronous instruction from our highly qualified specialty teachers. All specialties will be available for remote learning via google classroom, videos and on scheduled live group sessions. Which means all students will receive instruction and have lessons readily available to them, in the Arts, Music, and Physical Education aligned to NYS Standards and BluePrint for the Arts.
  • During days in class, teachers will provide direct whole-class instruction and small-group instruction. These days will be used primarily to introduce new topics, provide small group and one-on-one instructional support, and conduct assessments to monitor student progress towards standards.
  • Students will be assigned additional activities to work on independently for there at-home learning days. These activities will allow students to apply and practice what they learned in class. There may be a combination of technology-based learning activities and offline worksheets, projects, and writing assignments. At-home learning activities are an important part of the learning process and will be graded.
  • Teachers and intervention specialists will have virtual "office hours" (on Google Class) after school hours Monday - Fridays from (PreK 2:00PM - 2:20PM). (K&1 1:50PM - 2:10PM) Students or families who have questions or need extra support can check in with their teachers during their office hours for help with at-home learning assignments.
  • Students with IEPs or 504 plans, or who have been identified as at-risk for not meeting academic standards, may have additional one-on-one intervention provided.
  • Schedules for hybrid learning are posted in each teacher's Google Classroom.
  • See sample schedules: Pre-K Sample Schedule, K-1st grade Sample Schedule

Remote Learning Expectations - Schedules on Google Classroom

During hybrid or 100% remote learning, your child is expected to complete all assignments provided by the teacher. At the same time, we recognize that working independently at home is different and difficult for many students, so we want to provide flexibility.

  • Students and families should check Google Class daily for important updates from their teachers. You can find a link to your teacher's Google Class in the Staff Directory.
  • At-home assignments for the week will be posted in Google Class every Monday morning each week.
  • At-home assignments for each week should be turned the following Monday, so that students have a week to complete at-home assignments. All assignments will be graded and attendance will count towards your child's marking period grade.
  • All students are expected to sign into their Google Class on their Remote Learning days at 9:00 a.m. unless they are joining us on the LIVE morning meeting. Look for the link in your teacher's Google Class.
  • During 100% distance remote learning, your child's remote teacher will conduct live classes via Google Hangouts. Check Google Class for your live class schedule.
  • Scheduled on every teacher's daily schedule are teacher "office hours". If your child is struggling or having difficulty during remote days parents/guardians should reach out to the teacher during teacher office hours Monday - Fridays from (PreK 2:00PM - 2:20PM). (K&1 1:50PM - 2:10PM) pm. We are here to support you and ensure your child continues to L.E.A.R.N. everyday.
  • When signing in for virtual classes or meetings, students are expected to be on time, appropriately dressed, and ready to learn. We suggest signing in 5 minutes before class starts. Please join the meetings with your mic on mute. Please try to reduce background noise and distractions as much as possible

Fall Hybrid Learning Schedule 2020-2021

We are starting the school year with a hybrid learning schedule. That means that your child will be in school some days and working from home some days. If New York City moves into a Level 4 Health Emergency schools will close for in person instruction and move to Remote ONLY. Schools will need to close if the percent of positive tests in New York City is equal to or greater than 3% using a 7-day rolling average. If we cross this threshold, schools will close and ALL schools will switch to 100% remote learning for all students. Whether hybrid or remote we are committed to ensuring that your child is safe and has a successful school year. Please check this page regularly for changes and updates.

​PS398Q will be using Model 1A for the Blended Learning experience.

Week Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
1 Group A Group A Group B Group A Group B
2 Group B Group A Group B Group A Group B

*Group D is 100% Remote.

Which means students will have the opportunity to come to school for two or three days out of the week. All students are assigned a cohort A or B for in person instruction and D for remote only students. In person students will come to school on alternating days according to their cohort, either Tuesday and Thursday for Group (A) Yellow Group or Wednesday and Friday for Group (B) Purple Group. The Mondays alternate for each cohort by week. All students are expected to wear a school uniform. For your child's safety and to ensure every family remembers their cohort, your child's uniform will match his/her cohort. This fall your child will be expected to wear only one of our core value uniform colors.

  • Group A (Yellow Group) will be in school on Tuesdays and Thursdays and working from home Wednesdays and Fridays.
  • Group B (Purple Group) will be in school on Wednesdays and Fridays and working from home Tuesdays and Thursdays.
  • Each group comes to school on a rotating weekly schedule on Mondays. Please see our school calendar for your child's schedule.
  • If you need to switch your child's in-school learning days, contact Ms. Janette Ortiz at Tel: 929-463-7200 x2171.
  • If you would prefer a 100% online learning schedule for your child this year, we are offering that as an option. Contact Janette Ortiz at Tel: 929-463-7200 x2171 to enroll.
  • The school day will run from 8:30 a.m. - 1:55 p.m. for All students. Kindergarten and First grade should begin line up at 8:20 a.m. PreK line up begins promptly at 8:30 a.m. Students may be dropped off no earlier than their scheduled time and must be picked up promptly at the end of the school day.
  • After School: Woodside on the Move is excited to continue to serve our community during this pandemic. After school program will run from 1:45 p.m.- 5:45 p.m. Monday-Friday. Please email Carmen Rodriguez at crodriguez@woodsideonthemove.org. to submit your application. For more information, contact Carmen Rodriguez via email or call 718 476- 8449 between the hours of 10am – 3pm. The after-school program will begin in October.

Online Learning Resources

Updates

To stay up to date with any changes to procedures or scheduling, please bookmark this page on your browser. We'll also be sending out emails to all families.

Download the Class Dojo app on your smart phone to stay up to date.

Free Meals

Meal Hubs
Meals Hubs will operate for children and families after and before student arrival and dismissal.

Breakfast from 9:00 am to 11:30
Lunch from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm.​

  • Adults and children can pick up multiple meals at one time.
  • Vegetarian and halal options available.

Community Resources