PS 253, The Magnet School of Multicultural Humanities

Announcements

• Grade 5 Middle School Information January 12 2022 from

  The middle school application period is now open, and the deadline to apply is March 1, 2022. If your child is both a New York City resident and current fifth grade student, be sure to apply by the deadline. 

  Here’s how to apply:

  1. Log in to your MySchools.nyc account. You will use MySchools, the DOE’s online directory and application system, to explore middle schools and apply. Need help accessing your account? 

  • Public DOE or charter school students can talk to your child’s school counselor.
  • Private or parochial school students can get support from a Family Welcome Center.

  2. Learn about your child’s school options. You can apply to up to 12 programs with your child’s personalized middle school application.

  • When you’re logged in to MySchools, your child’s customized search will feature all the middle school programs they’re eligible to attend. If your child is not eligible to apply to a program, that program will not appear as an option for their application. 
  • Learn about schools of interest on their MySchools pages, which include links and contact information. Save programs to your Favorites list by clicking the stars next to their names. 
  • Find out if middle schools are hosting any open houses or if they feature resources for prospective families by visiting their websites or contacting them directly.
  • Add up to 12 choices to your child’s application. Be sure to list these choices in your true order of preference, with your first-choice program at the top as #1. There is no advantage to listing programs in any other order. 

  UPDATE! We're excited to announce that, starting with fall 2022 admissions, the DOE will phase in a sibling priority for middle school applicants. For students applying this winter who have a sibling in sixth grade, you will have priority to attend the same middle school as that sibling–learn more on our website.

  3. Submit your application by March 1.

  • You can apply one of three ways: online with MySchools, through your child’s current school counselor, or through a Family Welcome Center.
  • If you apply online, you’ll get a receipt by email and in your MySchools account. If you apply through a counselor or Family Welcome Center, be sure to request a copy of your receipt.

   

  Want to learn more? Visit our website, schools.nyc.gov/Middle, to get the most up-to-date admissions information, including how to know your child’s chances of getting an offer to specific programs. At the top of the page, our video playlist includes tutorials on how to set up your MySchools account and submit your child’s application.

   

  Interested in auditions? Middle school arts programs will be inviting families to submit virtual auditions this year. To learn more about auditions, please visit our middle school audition website. 

   

  Need support? We’re here to help! Talk to your current school counselor, call 718-935-2009, or contact a Family Welcome Center.

   

  All best,

  The Middle School Admissions Team, Office of Student Enrollment

  PS 253

• Policy Updates for Return to School January 2022: December 28, 2021

  Dear Families,

  We hope you had a restful holiday and were able to spend time with your loved ones. As we look ahead to the New Year, our highest priority is to continue to ensure the health and safety of our students, families, and staff.

  Schools will be open, as scheduled, beginning January 3 for all students. We are putting additional health and safety measures in place to ensure students and staff are safe and that our schools can continue to be open.

  You will notice that this letter is coming to you jointly from outgoing Schools Chancellor Meisha Porter and incoming Schools Chancellor David C. Banks. The Department of Education’s leadership is changing, but one thing remains the same: our unwavering commitment to safely providing our students with a top-quality education that leads to their long-term success.

  The following updates were made in partnership with our City and State public health colleagues and are based on federal and scientific guidance.

  COVID-19 Testing Before Returning on January 3 

  • To keep our school communities safe upon everyone’s return to school buildings, we strongly encourage that all students get tested for COVID-19, through a PCR, lab-based rapid test, or a home test kit, before returning to school on January 3, regardless of vaccination status. For a list of testing sites, including sites with at-home rapid tests, call 212- COVID19, visit http://nyc.gov/covidtest(Open external link), or text "COVID TEST" to 855-48, or call 311 to find a nearby testing site. The Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) continues to open new testing sites, so please check back often for updates. 
  • Additionally, many pharmacies and doctor’s offices may be offering COVID-19 testing. Please check with your pediatrician’s office or local pharmacy to see if you can schedule a test.

  Home Test Kits 

  • Beginning January 3, schools will distribute free, take-home COVID-19 rapid test kits to any students or staff who exhibit COVID-like symptoms or have been in a classroom where a positive case has been identified. 
  • Students who have a take-home test kit will need to take the test two times over the course of five days (each kit includes two tests).
    • Students who may have been exposed to COVID in the school should take a test that evening and then again on Day 5.
    • If a student begins to show symptoms of COVID before Day 5, you should use the test kit immediately.
  • Anyone who tests positive on a take-home test should immediately report it to the school and begin isolating. Students who test positive must isolate for 10 days and can return to school on Day 11. No negative test is required to return to school.
  • Remember, all students, staff and visitors must pass the DOE health screener in order to enter school buildings. Additional questions will be added to the health screeners for those students and staff who receive at-home rapid test kits to share their negative result. No other proof of a negative result is required in order for these students to enter the school building. 

  New Quarantine Policy 

  Our goal is to ensure that students safely remain in school as much as possible, and we have updated our policies to ensure we meet this goal. This means that if there is a positive case in a classroom: 

  • Students who were in close proximity to these students will no longer have to quarantine and will continue attending school if they do not have symptoms and do not have a positive test result from a COVID test. 
  • Instead, all students and adults in that classroom will receive a take-home rapid test kit. The test kits contain two tests.
  • Those who have a take-home test kit will need to take two tests over the course of five days. 

  Increased In-School Surveillance Testing 

  To further ensure the safety of our students, families, and staff, the in-school surveillance testing program is expanding to double the number of individuals tested in each school, including both vaccinated and unvaccinated students, in grades 1 and up. The random in-school surveillance program continues to provide public health experts with an accurate look at the prevalence of COVID-19 in schools. We encourage all families, regardless of whether their child is vaccinated, to consent to in-school testing through their NYC Schools Account(Open external link) or return a signed paper form to the school. Additional information on testing for students can be found on the DOE website: https://www.schools.nyc.gov/school-life/health-and-wellness/covid-information/covid-19-testing-for-students

  Testing is a critical part of keeping schools open and communities safe. Thank you for your cooperation by consenting to and participating in our in-school testing program!

  We know that nothing is more important to you than keeping your children in school, learning in healthy and safe environments. The changes we are announcing today aim to keep students in our classrooms with the least amount of disruption as possible, while putting their safety front and center.

  PS 253

• Application Window for Kindergarten 2022-2023 Opens December 8, 2021

  Beginning Wednesday, December 8th, children born in 2017 can apply to Kindergarten for the 2022-2023 school year.

  The application  deadline is Tuesday, January 18, 2022. All families  who apply by the deadline will receive a kindergarten offer in April. All families should participate in the kindergarten admissions process.  MySchools.nyc includes an online directory tool that allows families to explore program choices, save programs of interest and submit their application, all on the same site.

  Families can apply to Kindergarten in two ways, online at MySchools  and over the phone by calling 718-935-2009.

  Please visit the following site for additional information: https://www.schools.nyc.gov/enrollment/enroll-grade-by-grade/kindergarten

  https://www.myschools.nyc/en/

   

   

  PS 253

• Advance Child Tax Credit (CTC) Payments

  UPDATE: Advance Child Tax Credit (CTC) Payments

  You may be eligible for cash help for your family! Please see nyc.gov/accessnyc to learn more, and read more details here. Your family can get up to $3,600 per child through the new Child Tax Credit (CTC), with half as advance monthly payments in 2021 and half as part of your tax refund in 2022. If you haven’t received payments in 2021, you must take action by November 15. You can claim the CTC even if you have no income or don’t normally file taxes. The CTC will not affect other benefits. Parents do not need a Social Security number, but children aged 17 or younger must have one to qualify. 

  Two ways to claim the CTC:

  1.       Visit on.nyc.gov/ChildTaxCredit to schedule help claiming the credit. 

  2.       Use the e-filing tool at GetCTC.org/nyc to sign up to receive payments. 

  To use this tool, you must earn less than $12,400 (single parent) or $24,800 (married couples filing jointly).  Do not use this tool if you filed taxes in 2019 or 2020 or used the IRS Non-Filer Tool to claim stimulus payments.

  Learn more and get help signing up by visiting on.nyc.gov/ChildTaxCredit or calling 311.

  PS 253

• October 20, 2021 Family Letter From Chancellor Meisha Porter

  Please open the attached family letter. Translations will be available on the DOE website:

  https://www.schools.nyc.gov/about-us/messages-for-families

   

  • Family Letter October 20 2021 2.pdf

  PS 253

• September 20, 2021 Family Letter from Chancellor Meisha Porter

  Please open the attached letter from Chancellor Porter. 

  • Family Letter September 20 2021 Meisha Porter.pdf

  PS 253

• September 13, 2021 Family Letter from Chancellor Meisha Porter

  Please open the attached Family Letter from Chancellor Porter. Translations will be available on the DOE website: https://www.schools.nyc.gov/about-us/messages-for-families

  Also check out the attached NYC DOE Family Update:  " What's Happening in NYC Public Schools"  an informative newsletter covering a wide range of topics.

  • Family Letter September 13 2021 Chancellor Meisha Porter.pdf
  • NYC DOE Family Update September 10 2021.pdf

  PS 253

• DOE Homecoming 2021-Our Commitment to Your Health & Safety

  The Department of Education has developed the  DOE Homecoming Health and Safety Guide for families, which includes the latest health and safety precautions that will be in place to provide a safe and healthy in-person learning experience for all students. Please review the attached Homecoming Guide . Translations will also be available at schools.nyc.gov/homecoming in the coming days. 

  PS 253

• 2021-2022 School Supply List

  Welcome Back to the 2021-2022 School Year!!!  Here is a re-posting of the school supply lists.

  • 2021-2022 1st Grade Supply List.pdf
  • 2021-2022 2nd Grade Supply List.pdf
  • 2021-2022 3rd Grade Supply List 1.pdf
  • 2021-2022 4th Grade Supply List.pdf
  • 2021-2022 5th Grade Supply List 1.pdf
  • 2021-2022 Kindergarten Supply List 1.pdf

  PS 253

• July 8, 2021-Family Letter from Chancellor Porter

  • Family Letter July 8 2021 1.pdf

  PS 253