These FAQs were shared by Principal Dello Stritto on Konstella and can be found attached to her message posted August 21, or in the Konstella Files & Links Reopening of Schools section. You'll also find the slide presentation and a recording of the August 4th parent meeting.
Here is a direct link to the FAQs.
You can also get lots of up to date info at the DOE website.
All NYC public school students who were enrolled for the 2019-2020 school year will receive $420 in electronic food benefits as part of the Federal CARES act. Families who do not currently have an EBT or Medicaid card will receive an EBT card in the mail for each child in NYC Public Schools. Your child will receive a letter with the card in the mail in September. They will be sent to the address on record with the school. Please check that your address is correct at your NYC Schools Account. The address on your child's blue card may NOT be the one we have on file.
This benefit is distributed by NY State. If you have questions, please see the DOE Food Benefits webpage for FAQs on the program and contact information for help.
If you would like to donate your benefit, please see PTA Pandemic Relief for our Partner School, PS 676 on Konstella.
The New York Public Library is offering an expanded array of resources for teachers, students, and their families to support learning at home including:
Daily homework help and personal online tutoring in both English and Spanish;
Access to expanded databases and e-resources for research;
Reading resources such as access to e-books for kids of all ages; and
Activities for home featuring arts and crafts, science experiments, and more fun activities.
All resources can be accessed for free with a NYPL library card by navigating to nypl.org/communitylearning. Anyone without a library card can visit nypl.org/SimplyE to learn how to sign up for a NYPL Card using the SimplyE app.
Brooklyn Public Library offers over 400,000 books, magazine, audiobooks and more on your phone, tablet or computer, all free with your library card. NYS residents can apply for a free library card online.
Complete the Learning Preference Survey before school begins. Visit the DOE Return to School webpage for more information. After school begins, you will be only able to switch to blended/hybrid learning during quarterly opt-in windows.
We'll be sending most schoolwide messages to parents through Konstella. New families were invited to Konstella this month. Please make sure to join and to add your child/ren to your account.
And remember, you can search the Konstella Directory by name to contact other parents.
*I am using my circa 2006 DoE flip phone to make and receive calls during work hours. It also gets texts, but there is no querty keyboard so I will probably reply via a phone call, Konstella or email.
Any PS 58 parent or staff member can request to be a member of this google group. It's like a bulletin board for parents to post to the entire PS 58 community. Members include parents who joined as far back as 2006 before their children graduated, so your post reaches many.
Members are asked to be respectful to our broad and diverse community. Commercial posts must be labelled "CP". The group is moderated.
If you would like to join, send an email to Carroll-School-Mail-List+subscribe@googlegroups.com. Include your name, your child's name and grade. You can adjust your account to get a daily digest (recommended) or each individual post.
Your NYC Schools Account (www.mystudent.nyc) is your portal to your child's school data. The DoE also uses the NYCSA system to send important messaging to families.
NYCSA is NOT the same as the MySchools accounts, which are only for submitting applications to Pre-K, K, Middle and High Schools.
At your NYCSA you will see:
Biographical Information such as name, date of birth, grade, IEP or ELL status
Guardian info, including home address, email and phone numbers
Attendance and Lateness Records
Report Card and State Test Grades
You can review your address and phone number and make any changes. (You will also have to update your My Blue Card account, and notify Pupil Accounting Secretary Tina Nyffler when school reopens so she can update the meta DoE data system...ATS.)
If you have not yet created your account, you can create a basic account online from any computer, phone, or tablet. All you need to do is:
Set up the account by:
Entering your name and email address,
creating a password, and
answering a few brief security questions so you can reset the password if you forget it.
After you create your account, you will need to verify your identity and your relationship to that student. You can request instructions and an access code by completing this form.
Free grab & go meals are available for EVERYONE at these District 15 sites. Dedicated hours for students and families are 7:30am to 11:30am. Hours for adults are 11:30am to 1:30pm. You may take 3 meals each day (one breakfast & two lunches). The schools closest to PS 58 are in BOLD. To search for all sites in NYC, visit the Free Meals page at the Department of Education website.
CLOSE TO PS58: PS 32 at Hoyt and Union Streets
P.S. 001 The Bergen 309 47 STREET Brooklyn
Magnet School of Math, Science and D 511 7 AVENUE Brooklyn
P.S. 015 Patrick F. Daly 71 SULLIVAN STREET Brooklyn P.S.
038 The Pacific 450 PACIFIC STREET Brooklyn
P.S. 094 The Henry Longfellow 5010 6 AVENUE Brooklyn P.S. 124 Silas B. Dutcher 515 4 AVENUE Brooklyn
P.S. 130 The Parkside 70 OCEAN PARKWAY Brooklyn
P.S. 131 Brooklyn 4305 FT HAMILTON PARKWAY Brooklyn I.S. 136 Charles O. Dewey 4004 4 AVENUE Brooklyn
P.S. 169 Sunset Park 4305 7 AVENUE Brooklyn
P.S. 172 Beacon School of Excellence 825 4 AVENUE Brooklyn
P.S. 230 Doris L. Cohen 1 ALBEMARLE ROAD Brooklyn
School for International Studies 284 BALTIC STREET Brooklyn (enter on Baltic)
P.S. 295 330 18 STREET Brooklyn Brooklyn College Academy – Bridge to Brooklyn 350 CONEY ISLAND AVENUE Brooklyn
Cobble Hill School of American Studies 347 BALTIC STREET Brooklyn
The School of Creativity and Innovation 736 48TH STREET Brooklyn
Please also see the "Crisis Help & Social Services" section below for info on emergency food for families.
Please visit the Department of Education website for information about who is eligible and how to enroll.
Learning Bridges is a new NYC DOE program that will provide free child care options for children from 3-K through 8th grade on days when they are scheduled for remote learning. If you are interested in the Learning Bridges program visit the DOE website and complete the survey.
Note: Learning Bridges will likely prioritize families of essential workers and others with high need.
Includes info on mental health support you can access while staying home.
Check out these apps and online tools to support your health and emotional well being.
NY State Office of Mental Health
The Emotional Support Line provides free and confidential support, helping callers experiencing increased anxiety due to the coronavirus emergency. The Help Line is staffed by volunteers, including mental health professionals, who have received training in crisis counseling.
Visit the NYS OMH website for more information about the support line and tips on managing anxiety around COVID-19.
Family resources include Facebook Live video chats with expert clinicians, remote evaluations and phone consultations, and daily parenting tips for managing anxiety, discipline, and behavior.
Lots of great information. Webinars, daily tips, etc.
The Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence developed the RULER program we use at PS to teach emotional self-recognition and self-regulation. Yale webinars: Using emotional intelligence to combat COVID-19 anxiety If you miss a webinar, look for a link to a recap at their website.
There are so many organizations sharing helpful information. Here are some sites and links that we recommend. This list will be expanded….so tune in often.
Talking to Kids About the Coronavirus, Child Mind Institute
Just For Kids: A Comic Exploring The New Coronavirus from NPR
Supporting children and young people with worries about COVID-19, University or Reading, University of Oxford
Talking to Children About COVID-19 (Coronavirus): A Parent Resource, National Association of School Psychologists.
Comprehensive list of resources for help from city agencies, CBOs, volunteer & donation opportunities, mutual aid societies.
Access NYC (311), Emergency Food, Unemployment Insurance and Public Assistance Resources
CHiPs Soup Kitchen - Boerum Hill
The building is closed but CHiPS is distributing meals to those in need outside their building every day from 11am-1pm, and is accepting donations of individually wrapped meals during those windows.
CHiPS is in need of takeout containers, plastic grocery/to-go bags, and ziplock bags. They also need sandwich bread, tuna, mayo, cold cuts, peanut butter, jelly, fruit cups, applesauce, granola/snack bars, paper napkins, plastic cutlery, and juice boxes/canned drinks. You can donate by ordering through the CHiPS Wish List on Amazon, or delivering non-perishable items to 200 4th Avenue, Brooklyn. Call 718 237 2962 and someone will come down to receive your donation.
Councilmember Lander's site says that grab & go meals are distributed outside. CHiPs is asking for donations of food, bags, see their ask before you drop off items.
The Catholic Charities food pantry at 191 Joralemon St. in downtown Brooklyn is open for pantry days on Thursdays from 9:30-12 and 1:30 to 3PM. That is their official pantry day, but the director of the pantry said they are distributing food every day during this crisis if anyone stops by. Call them at 718-722-6001 or email info@ccbq.org
St. John's Bread and Life Food Pantry 795 Lexington Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11221 · P: 718-574-0058
Please note that services are now available Monday-Friday
Pantry bags will be available from 8am to 12pm - 1 bag per family size per week will be provide
Breakfast and lunch will be served from our service entrance as a to-go option only.
Breakfast is from 8-9:30am and Lunch is from 10:30am-12pm
Center for Family Life Food Pantry, 443 39th St, Brooklyn (Sunset Park)
Our new Food Pantry hours will be:
Tuesday 10 am - 1 pm
Wednesday 11 am - 1 pm
Thursday 11 am - 1 pm
Friday 10 am - 1 pm
Emergency food locators
If you need emergency food assistance, call the Emergency Food Hotline at 866-888-8777 or 311 to find a local pantry or kitchen. There is no income limit for emergency food. Learn more about the Emergency Food Assistance Program.
Unemployment insurance benefits have been expanded. Here's how to apply in NYS.
Visit Access NYC to find out if you are eligible to obtain public assistance for social services in NYC, including emergency cash for rent, utilities or emergency food, and SNAP benefits for groceries. See more below.
The New York City Human Resources Administration/Department of Social Services (HRA/DSS) provides temporary help to individuals and families with social service and economic needs to help them reach independence.
To obtain public assistance call HRA/DSS at (718) 557-1399
Services provided
• Temporary cash assistance
• Public health insurance
• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) -formerly known as food stamps
• Home care for seniors and the disabled
• Child care
• Adult protective services
• Domestic violence services
• HIV/AIDS support services
• Child support enforcement
• Job search and placement
The HRA/DSS also allies with community partners to provide:
• Food stamps services
• Health
• Housing
• Transportation
• Vocational training