Teacher Times #19
January 25, 2016

Birthdays of the Week 

Annie Torres 1/25
Dana Levenberg 1/29

Special Education FAQs

The Chancellor has asked the NYCDOE to address the most frequently asked questions about building inclusive school communities. This Special Education FAQ was created in collaboration with the UFT and CSA and has been shared with your superintendent and BFSC deputy director for special education. Please review the Special Education FAQ and share it with your school staff. 

Help Students and Staff Avoid Common Viruses at School

As seasons change, we may see an increase in specific viruses that can cause fever, vomiting, and diarrhea. These include noroviruses (commonly known as the stomach flu), influenza (known as the common cold), and enteroviruses (mild to severe respiratory illness). Please encourage your staff and students to take the following simple actions to help stop viruses from spreading at school:
 

• Students and staff should wash their hands frequently with soap and water for 20 seconds. In general, students and staff should wash their hands after arriving at school, before touching food, after using the bathroom, after coughing or sneezing, and after coming in from outside. Please work with your staff to ensure that soap and paper towels are available and note that alcohol-based sanitizers are not as effective against viruses as soap and water.
• Students and staff should cover their mouths and noses with a tissue or shirt sleeve, not their hands, when coughing or sneezing.
• Students and staff members who are sick should stay home to reduce the risk that others might get sick as well. Children with fever, vomiting, or diarrhea should stay home until the symptoms are gone or until a doctor indicates that it is appropriate to return to school. Children who develop breathing problems should stay home until their symptoms are gone.
• Students and staff should get vaccinated against the flu.

Pic Of The Week

Professional Development and Student Opportunities

Professional development and student opportunities are posted on the PD and Student Opportunities page. This week’s highlights include:
 
All Schools:

• Register by February 5: Stress-Free PD: Lower Stress-Increase Academic Achievement    
• Register by February 12: Special P-Credit Workshop: New York Divided   
• Apply by February 12: Celebrate Latin American Culture at Symphony Space   
• Register by February 15: New York City Writing Project Call for Conference Proposals   
• Register by February 16: Teaching LGBTQIA+ Topics in the Classroom: Educator Workshop at Brooklyn Public Library (Central Library)    
• Ongoing: Yoga-Dance-Gymnastics Classes for Children and Special Needs Individuals; Yoga Flow Class for Teens and Adults

 
Middle and High Schools:

• Register by January 28: Intrepid and the Vietnam War Chancellor’s Day Professional Development
• Apply by February 22: Apply for Computer Science for All: Software Engineering Programs—Application Period Open

 
High Schools:

• Apply by February 12: Spring 2016 Writing Internship at YCteen Magazine   
• Apply by February 22: Apply for Computer Science for All: Advanced Placement Computer Science Principles—Application Period Open  

Grant Opportunities

Grant opportunities are posted on the Grants website (you can visit the page on any computer using this link). This week’s highlights include:

• Ezra Jack Keats Mini-Grants