Above: Mastering math at KIPP STAR in Harlem; Falling in love with reading at KIPP Inquire in the Bronx
 

Dear KIPP NYC Families,

We’re well into a busy September and it’s hard to believe we’re nearing October and will need to dig jackets out from our closets! And it is such a pleasure to see all your students in person, which we’ll never again take for granted. For many students, this past month has been an opportunity to reconnect with friends and teachers they have missed over the past 18 months. Even with the ever-present health and safety protocols we are following, the excitement of an in-person start to the year has never felt better.

Healthy School Communities

We hope you found the opportunities to get a COVID vaccine at a KIPP school helpful. Thank you to those of you who participated with your students. We firmly believe that our schools are the safest when everyone eligible is vaccinated and then we layer on additional safety measures, from masking to social distancing. As a reminder, we are requiring all KIPP NYC staff to receive their first COVID vaccine by 9/27 and be fully vaccinated by 10/25. In case you missed the vaccine clinics at our schools, we have more coming in October (see below) and you can always find vaccination resources on our website, including this vaccine finder page.
 

Vaccine Information Sessions at KIPP NYC (10/5 - 10/6)!

On 10/5 (English) and 10/6 (Spanish) we’ll be hosting virtual vaccine information sessions with two incredible speakers. Dr. George Mensah is a clinician-scientist who currently serves as the Director of the Center for Translation Research and Implementation Science at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). Dr. Jennifer Davila is the Co-Director of the Hemophilia Center at Montefiore. She is certified in Pediatric Hematology/ Oncology and General Pediatrics. We invite you to hear from our external medical experts and ask all the vaccine questions on your minds by RSVPing through these links in English and Spanish.

• Saturday, October 9th anytime from 9am-2pm to get a vaccine at our College Prep High School (201 E 144th St, Bronx, NY 10451) or our Harlem Campus (625 W 133rd St, New York, NY 10027)

• Saturday, October 16th anytime from 9am-2pm to get a vaccine at our KIPP AMP campus in Brooklyn (1224 Park Pl, Brooklyn, NY 11213)

Visitor (including Families) Policy Updates

In alignment with the Department for Education (DOE) policy, all non-staff visitors (including parents, substitute teachers, funders, etc.) entering DOE buildings and KIPP NYC schools needed to show proof of vaccination starting Monday 9/13. We encourage everyone eligible to get vaccinated as we see this as the number one way to keep our community safe. We know some members of our family community are unvaccinated, and our schools will continue to offer opportunities for you to stay engaged in your child’s education through conversations with your teachers and Principals, virtual walkthroughs or open houses, and active social media posts showcasing the joy and learning within our buildings. We thank you again for your support in following our protocols to keep our students and community safe.

Student Quarantine Policy Change

In alignment with the CDC, NYS DOH and NYC DOH and the NYC DOE policy, starting on Monday, September 27, students will no longer need to quarantine if they were masked, seated 3 feet apart from each other and are asymptomatic. This means, if there is a positive case in a classroom, students wearing masks and not showing symptoms will likely not need to quarantine and can stay in school. If a student does need to quarantine because they are a close contact, they can return to school on day 7 if they take a COVID PCR test on day 5 and test negative for COVID. We will continue to notify the school community when there is a positive case, even if students do not need to quarantine.

Vaccination needed for After School Sports

In accordance with PSAL, CSAA, and citywide policy, middle and high school student athletes and after-school sports participants need to show proof of vaccination to play sports. Participants must get their first dose by the first day of competitive play, which varies by sport. Winter and spring participants have until the beginning of their season to be fully vaccinated. For Middle School this applies to: Football, Flag Football, Volleyball, Basketball, Wrestling, Lacrosse, Stunt, Rugby, Bowling, and Cheerleading.

FYI All KIPP NYC High School athletes must be vaccinated to participate in any school sports. 

MIDDLE SCHOOL ONLY: Student Vaccine Data Collection 

We are going to begin collecting student vaccination data for all our Middle School students (and we are already collecting for our High School students), regardless of whether they participate in sports or afterschool programming. Vaccination is optional (with the exceptions of the sports participants above). This information will be kept confidential, and we will only use vaccination status when verifying if students can participate in sports or for contact tracing. 
 

MIDDLE SCHOOL ONLY: How to Submit Your Child’s Vaccination Status? 

You will receive an email on Monday, September 27th which includes a link where you can let us know if your child is vaccinated or if you do not plan to vaccinate your child at this time. If your child is vaccinated, we ask that you upload an image of their vaccine card as confirmation. Please submit your students’ vaccination information by Tuesday, October 12th. 

Thank you for continuing to trust us with our sacred duty to educate your children and care for their wellbeing. We deeply believe that learning together and supporting one another in our buildings is where we are meant to be right now. Have a restful weekend.