For Immediate Release
March 20, 2020
Contact: BronxCharters@skdknick.com
With Preparations Completed Weeks In Advance, Many Bronx Public Charter Students Started Remote Learning Last Week
Charter Leaders Available to Offer Guidance to School Leaders on Best Practices
(NEW YORK) – Following unprecedented city-wide school closures due to the COVID-19 outbreak, Bronx public charter schools have been prepared, launching remote learning for its students this week. Since COVID-19 emerged, many charter school leaders and staff have been proactively planning for a potential shutdown – and their preparation has paid dividends as students across the borough engage in math, reading, music, and dance from their homes.
“Whether we’re in-person or learning remote, our school doesn’t sacrifice the arts, and we’re committed to ensuring every child gets the best instruction possible no matter the circumstances,” said Miriam Raccah, Executive Director of Bronx Charter School for the Arts. “Because of our proactive preparations and our extraordinary staff, we have been able to hit the ground running over the last week. We are going to continue to build on this foundation, and any principal or school leader, whether in district schools or charter schools, can feel free to reach out to absorb our best practices and put them into action.”
“To many of our families, school is like a second home, and we’ve been preparing for this situation for several weeks for that very reason. Now now more than ever, we need structure, community, and each other. By being prepared early, we’ve been able to offer our students critical continuity. Our virtual learning processes have been a success so far, and we are willing and ready to offer guidance to any school that needs it,” said Lester Long, Executive Director of Classical Charter Schools.
“This is a unique time in history and an unprecedented time for our schools. But just as we encourage our students to always be prepared for the future, we have done exactly that ourselves. Despite COVID-19’s disruption to the world, for our school in the Bronx, we have tried to make the virtual learning transition as seamless as possible so our kids don’t miss a beat,” said Ian Rowe, CEO of Public Prep Charter Schools. “We’re seeing success already and we’re going to continue to build on it.”
“Despite these unprecedented times, our top priority remains empowering our students with the academic and tech skills they need to succeed in the classroom and beyond,” said David Noah, Founding Principal of Comp Sci High. “Through distance learning, we are able to keep our kids on the path to academic success and promote their continued growth no matter where they are. As schools across the city begin launching virtual lessons of their own, we are happy to provide direction and support.”
Public charter schools have been forced to adapt and quickly adjust their systems to meet the needs of families and put children first. Students have been participating in virtual math, reading, and history lessons, as well as music classes and student check-in sessions.