"Given recent increases in transmission, we have reached a point in our City’s infection rate that requires all students to transition to remote learning. Beginning Thursday, November 19, all school buildings will be closed, and all learning will proceed remotely for all students, until further notice.

Please note that this is a temporary closure, and school buildings will reopen as soon as it is safe to do so.

Please see the Chancellor's Messages for Families for further important guidance.

As always, we are committed to academic excellence, community-building, and social-emotional support for your child—no matter where they are learning."

Dear Castlewood families,

I know that this is a strange and unpredictable time. As you are aware, we do not know when NYC schools will reopen. If they reopen prior to the Thanksgiving holiday, Castlewood will still remain closed until November 30.

On November 30, the composition of the classes will change to accommodate the children who have opted in to blended learning. In the event that we remain remote, I have been instructed to move forward with the changes to the cohorts. Your children will be assigned a cohort by November 25 and be expected to attend the new class (either in person or remotely) on November 30.

I understand that this change may be difficult for the children if we are learning/teaching remotely. But we are equipped to handle it. The teachers are looking forward to their new students. We have a guidance staff that can help them if they are anxious or miss their previous class.

I want to assure you that your children will be taken care of and welcomed into their new classes. That having been said, I also understand if you want to return to remote learning for your child. This can be done by altering your learning survey and letting Ms. Cat (ctricamo@schools.nyc.gov) and Ms. Monteleone (cmontel@schools.nyc.gov) know of your decision. However, I caution you that, at this time, if you opt out of blended learning, there is no other window to opt back in.

I wanted to touch base with all of you to briefly explain what is happening (to the best of my ability and with the information that I currently have). I am still unsure of how and when the cluster schedule will change. Much of the programming is dependent upon whether or not we remain remote for an extended period of time. Rest assured that your children are in good hands. They will get what they need. The number of minutes/day that will have synchronous instruction will increase, and I hope to put after-school (remote) programs in place by January.

If you have any questions or concerns, need something clarified, or just want your voice to be heard, do not hesitate to contact me (mhaidar@schools.nyc.gov, Mrs. Sci (esci@schools.nyc.gov), or Ms. Rowe (mrowe22@schools.nyc.gov). We are here to help.

Be well. Stay safe. We are stronger than we think!

Melissa J. Haidary, Ed.D, Principal

Our blended learning model operates with a repeating three-week cycle.

For each group, there will be one consistent day of the week the student will attend in-person, with Monday and Tuesday rotating among groups. Students will participate in remote learning for non-in person days.

Please help us to ensure that your child(ren)'s family and emergency contact information is up-to-date! If you have recently changed your phone number or e-mail address, please contact Maria Malo (mmalo@schools.nyc.gov) so that we can update our records.

In addition, please make sure that you have given your most recent e-mail address to our Parent Coordinator, Michele Rowe (mrowe22@schools.nyc.gov), in order to receive regular communications regarding school updates, events, parent workshops, etc.

In addition, parents and caregivers can use their child(ren)'s @ps186.org account to access our Family First Google Classroom. Posts to this classroom will include various social and emotional strategies, parenting resources, and remote learning tips. The invite to join our Family First Classroom should be already waiting in your child's account, but should you not see it, simply search for it using the access code: mgpu25y

We are working to make this website easier to access for people with disabilities, and will follow the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0, Level AA.

If you need assistance with a particular page or document on our current site, please email jcosentino5@schools.nyc.gov for assistance.

At Castlewood, we strive to meet the needs of our students and ensure that our unique and diverse population has strong academic opportunities. We do this by assuming a multi -faceted approach to learning and through the development of advanced literacy skills to prepare our students for life in the 21^st Century.

In order to support all students, Castlewood will bolster instruction in all classrooms and ensure that every student acquires, and every parent/guardian understands, advanced literacy skills by creating equitable learning opportunities for culturally and linguistically diverse students. We will provide a welcoming and affirming environment, high expectations, rigorous instruction, inclusive curricula, and assessments through ongoing professional learning and support as well as family engagement opportunities.