Happy September and Happy Back-to-School
We hope you're staying healthy and safe!
Please mark your calendars for Tuesday, October 6th, 6pm - 7pm for our next PA meeting which includes elections of the Executive Board. More info below.
If you missed the meeting, our first of the school year, we recorded it on zoom.
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Wednesday, September 16th - 18th
Remote Orientation & Assessments for Students
Wednesday, September 16th
First day of Remote After-school for MS
Monday, September 21st
First day of School!
Monday, September 28th
No School - Yom Kippur
Monday, September 21st through October 5th
Scholastic Online Book Fair
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If there's something to be grateful for during the pandemic, it's the demise of the handwritten blue card!!
Please fill out the digital Student Information "blue card" so that we have the most current information for your child.
We need one for every child in the school. If you have more than one child, you'll need to fill out one form for each student. Don't forget to hit "Submit" or we will not receive your form.
This is required before the first day of school. Here's the link.
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Please consider making a contribution to the SoF Parents Association Student Fund.
This is one of our biggest and most important annual fundraising efforts of the year. These funds go towards our music programs, school plays, visual arts, SAT Prep, SoulFest, tutoring and more. Every donation makes a difference and every dollar is greatly appreciated.
And this year, we need it more than ever! The suggested donation is $500 per student, however, every donation makes a difference and every dollar is greatly appreciated.
Donate safely and securely via PayPal, or use the donation form. You can make a one-time donation, or donate in installments.
Please remember that many employers match contributions. SOF PA is a 501©(3) organization, so your donations are tax deductible.
Thank you for supporting School of the Future!
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As most of you know, SoF collects class fees at the start of each school year.
Our budget has been stripped to the bone, and although we won't have many physical materials, we still need to purchase things to support quality remote learning. These include software packages, technology needs, and books!
We would also like to be able to provide teachers with the opportunity to attend further professional development around best practices and new technologies for remote instruction.
SoF teachers have been working hard over the summer to improve their practice, and we would like to be able to build on that through out the year. We request $100 per student for class fees, but please give what you can.
We will be sending out more info for this soon.
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Remote Learning Device Access
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We have just learned the Department of Education will not be giving out anymore iPads, so any SOF family who requested an iPad will be loaned a school laptop. We have the list of those who requested an iPad and a separate e-mail will be sent out to those families soon to let you know when you can come to SOF to pick up the laptop. Families who have DOE iPads should plug in, turn on, and reconnect DOE-loaned devices, as explained on the Getting Started with Your iPad InfoHub page.
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We need to know who else needs laptops and the amount of students who can bring their laptops to school on their cohort days. We are asking you to fill out this survey to help us manage the laptops we have.
This survey was sent out before but has some added questions. If you filled out the survey before, you do not need to do so again. If you have not filled out
the survey, please do so.
If you have access to technology you can use for four hours a day when at home, please do not request a laptop.
And unfortunately, if you have a DOE Ipad, you cannot exchange for a laptop.
Finally, if you graduated last spring or are leaving the Department of Education, we ask you to return the iPad device or laptop to SOF by the end of next week so we may loan it out to another student. If you borrowed a laptop in the spring and have also received a DOE laptop, please return the laptop to us before the end of next week. The returned laptops need to be cleaned and tuned up for either in school class or to loan out to another student.
Any questions, please email AP John Fanning at jfanning@sof.edu
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Devices Needed
As you may know, the DOE is no longer giving out ipads or laptops to students in need. And our resources at SoF are limited.
If any of our families have an ipad, a tablet (that can accommodate zoom and google classrooms), or a laptop that they aren't using any longer and would consider donating to our school, we would be extremely grateful!
If so, please email AP John Fanning at jfanning@sof.edu.
Be sure to remove your personal information, photos, passwords, etc. before donating.
Thank you for your continued support of our school!
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Volunteers Needed
Due to the abrupt closure in March, teachers and staff were unable to clean up the hallway bulletin boards. Please volunteer to help spruce up the halls before our children return!
And/or, help put together Art supply packets for the upcoming school year.
*** We will adhere to mask and social distancing requirements. ***
Thank you for your continued support of our school!
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Manhattan Youth Virtual Afterschool Program
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Things are a little different this year, but we’re still excited and committed to providing fun, engaging programming for the SOF community!
Click here for our Fall remote schedule!
These classes are currently being offered as remote. We are working on how to provide in-person programming with clear health and safety protocols. We will update you soon on how we will be providing this service soon.
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Registration for Fall classes will begin on September 8th at 3pm. We will be using a similar registration system to the one used last Fall and Winter trimester. The link to our form is here.
We are also planning on having a welcome back meeting on September 11th at 5:30pm on zoom. Feel free to join us and say hi to familiar faces on staff, answer any questions about after-school, and review and expectations to make sure we have a successful year!
To prepare for after-school, you can register your child on DYCD’s website here. You’ll have to click on “sign in” in the right hand corner and make an account. Once you do that, you can search programs. We’re filed under “School of the Future High School.”
If you have any questions, please reach out to Donnie Martino, Afterschool Director, at dmartino@manhattanyouth.org.
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Grab-and-Go meals, breakfast, lunch and dinner, are available throughout the summer for all New Yorkers to pick up at more than 400 sites across the city. Meal Hubs operate for children and families from 7:30am to 11:30am, and for adults from 11:30am to 1:30pm, Monday through Friday. Vegetarian and halal options available at all sites.
Please click here to find the location nearest to you.
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Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer Program (P-EBT) Food Benefits
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In NYC, every single public school student will receive $420 in P-EBT. The P-EBT is a program to help families buy food while students are learning from home due to COVID-19. But if your family does not need it, please consider sharing those funds with a family in need. Click here to learn more about how to donate your funds.
You can also click here for a FAQ page on P-EBT.
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Scholastic Online Book Fair
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Our annual book fair will be online this year! September 21st through October 5th.
During our 14-day virtual book fair, SOF will receive 25% of all purchases in Scholastic Dollars. PA can use Scholastic Dollars to purchase books for classrooms.
All orders ship directly to families with a $25 order.
Look out for the link which will come closer to the book fair date!
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Opportunity for HS Students
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Applications are now open for the next session of the CUE Teen Collective!
The CUE Teen Collective is a free, year-long after school program for NYC high school students who are passionate about visual culture and interested in exploring careers in the arts. Teens will meet for two hours on Wednesday afternoons from October through May to attend virtual field trips to local arts organizations, participate in online workshops with arts professionals, and create artwork for a group exhibition at CUE in 2021. This year, due to Covid-19, the program will be split into two sessions and will be held via Zoom until further notice. Teens interested in the fall session must commit to the full fall session; teens interested in the spring session must commit to both fall and spring sessions. All NYC high school students in grades 10 and 11 with a demonstrated interest will be considered, but space is limited.
The deadline to apply for the 2020-21 season is Friday, September 25, 2020 at 11:59pm.
Interested students apply online by filling out a questionnaire and submitting 2-3 work samples. One-on-one interviews for the program will be conducted by CTC teachers via Zoom in late September 2020. Classes will meet once a week for two hours on Wednesdays after school from 4:30pm to 6:30pm starting October 7, 2020 and concluding in May 2021. Interviews for the Spring 2021 Session will be held in January 2021.
More information about the program can be found on CUE Art Foundation's website.
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Amazon Associates Program
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SoF is new to Amazon Associates (we've been part of Amazon Smile), which donates 5 - 6% of sales through our website to our school!
(Amazon Smile, only .005%).
In order to be part of this program, we need to have an amazon page on our schools website, and encourage our community to go to our website to access amazon. We know this is two extra clicks...but for two simple clicks, SoF benefits so much more!!
However, the way it works, is that we have 180 days to "prove ourselves" worthy of this partnership benefit with Amazon.
PLEASE SHOP FROM OUR PAGE!!
Which will be live soon - possibly this week!
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Parents Association Elections
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We are in need of new Executive Board members!
Election for Executive Board Members - Positions we need to fill:
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President (2) - One Middle School and one High School President
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Corresponding Secretary - Create monthly newsletter; send out important communications (experience with Constant Contact is a plus) to families.
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Recording Secretary - Record minutes at all Parent Association meetings
If you are interested in becoming a member of the executive board please e-mail Aara Kupris Menzi at mommymenzi@yahoo.com. Election will take place at our next PA meeting on October 6th, 2020.
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The newly created SOF Alumni Association is excited to announce the existence of its first Alumni Board which will meet monthly with select representatives. The Alumni Board’s focus will be on providing support to the current SOF school community, and fostering the social and professional development of SOF alumni.
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