Important Notices

IMPORTANT NOTICES FOR PARENTS

Principal

4/21/2021 7:29 PM

Subject: Confirmed Case of COVID-19: Close Contacts Quarantined

Dear P.S. 188 Michael E. Berdy at 3314 NEPTUNE AVENUE Community:
The NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) and the NYC Test + Trace Corps (T2) have determined that a member of our school community has tested positive for COVID-19, and may have exposed others while at school.
Below you will find guidance on next steps that will help keep you, your child, and our school community healthy and safe. The information below reflects the expertise of DOHMH, T2, and the New York City Department of Education (DOE).

What Happens Now?

All students and staff in the affected room(s) with the individual who tested positive are considered “close contacts,” and have been notified of the need to quarantine for 10 days from their last contact with the person who tested positive. These students and staff will transition to fully remote teaching and learning for this period.
T2 and DOHMH will complete their investigation to identify and notify any other close contacts in the building, who will also need to quarantine for 10 days.
Anyone with a positive COVID-19 test will not return to the school until they are no longer infectious.
All areas visited by the person with COVID-19 will be deep cleaned, disinfected, and reopened.
If your child is feeling sick, keep them at home.

How do we stay healthy?

Please remember to follow these important “Core Four” actions to prevent COVID-19 transmission:

Stay home if sick (except to get essential medical care, including COVID-19 testing).
Practice social distancing: Stay at least 6 feet away from people who are not members of your household.
Wear a face covering to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
Practice healthy hand hygiene: Wash your hands often or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer; avoid touching your face; and cover your cough or sneeze with your arm, not your hands.

How can I stay updated?

We will continue to closely follow directions from public health experts and proactively update you on any measures we are taking. To ensure we can reach you via text and email, please create a New York City Schools Account (NYCSA) as soon as possible by visiting schools.nyc.gov/nycsa.
To help New Yorkers quarantine, the NYC Test + Trace Corps partners with community-based organizations to connect individuals to resources like food, medicine, and health care. To connect with resources, you can call 1-212-COVID19 (212-268-4319).

For additional information on COVID-19, visit schools.nyc.gov/coronavirus or call 311.

Sincerely,
Leslie King

PEP RALLY 2021

3/10/2021 8:19 AM

Subject: Confirmed Case of COVID-19: Close Contacts Quarantined

Dear P.S. 188 Michael E. Berdy at 3314 NEPTUNE AVENUE Community:

The NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) and the NYC Test + Trace Corps (T2) have determined that a member of our school community has tested positive for COVID-19, and may have exposed others while at school.

Below you will find guidance on next steps that will help keep you, your child, and our school community healthy and safe. The information below reflects the expertise of DOHMH, T2, and the New York City Department of Education (DOE).

What Happens Now?

All students and staff in the affected room(s) with the individual who tested positive are considered “close contacts,” and have been notified of the need to quarantine for 10 days from their last contact with the person who tested positive. These students and staff will transition to fully remote teaching and learning for this period.
T2 and DOHMH will complete their investigation to identify and notify any other close contacts in the building, who will also need to quarantine for 10 days.
Anyone with a positive COVID-19 test will not return to the school until they are no longer infectious.
All areas visited by the person with COVID-19 will be deep cleaned, disinfected, and reopened.
If your child is feeling sick, keep them at home.

How do we stay healthy?

Please remember to follow these important “Core Four” actions to prevent COVID-19 transmission:

1. Stay home if sick (except to get essential medical care, including COVID-19 testing).
2. Practice social distancing: Stay at least 6 feet away from people who are not members of your household.
3. Wear a face covering to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
4. Practice healthy hand hygiene: Wash your hands often or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer; avoid touching your face; and cover your cough or sneeze with your arm, not your hands.

How can I stay updated?
We will continue to closely follow directions from public health experts and proactively update you on any measures we are taking. To ensure we can reach you via text and email, please create a New York City Schools Account (NYCSA) as soon as possible by visiting schools.nyc.gov/nycsa.

To help New Yorkers quarantine, the NYC Test + Trace Corps partners with community-based organizations to connect individuals to resources like food, medicine, and health care. To connect with resources, you can call 1-212-COVID19 (212-268-4319). For additional information on COVID-19, visit schools.nyc.gov/coronavirus or call 311.

Sincerely,
Leslie King

2/23/2021 7:20 PM

Subject: Confirmed Case of COVID-19: Close Contacts Quarantined

Dear P.S. 188 Michael E. Berdy at 3314 NEPTUNE AVENUE Community:

The NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) and the NYC Test + Trace Corps (T2) have determined that a member of our school community has tested positive for COVID-19, and may have exposed others while at school.

What Happens Now?

All students and staff in the affected room(s) with the individual who tested positive are considered “close contacts,” and have been notified of the need to quarantine for 10 days from their last contact with the person who tested positive. These students and staff will transition to fully remote teaching and learning for this period.
T2 and DOHMH will complete their investigation to identify and notify any other close contacts in the building, who will also need to quarantine for 10 days.
Anyone with a positive COVID-19 test will not return to the school until they are no longer infectious.
All areas visited by the person with COVID-19 will be deep cleaned, disinfected, and reopened.
If your child is feeling sick, keep them at home.

How do we stay healthy?

Please remember to follow these important “Core Four” actions to prevent COVID-19 transmission:

Stay home if sick (except to get essential medical care, including COVID-19 testing).
Practice social distancing: Stay at least 6 feet away from people who are not members of your household.
Wear a face covering to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
Practice healthy hand hygiene: Wash your hands often or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer; avoid touching your face; and cover your cough or sneeze with your arm, not your hands.

How can I stay updated?

For additional information on COVID-19, visit schools.nyc.gov/coronavirus or call 311.

Sincerely,

Leslie King

----------------------------

1/31/2021

Subject: Confirmed Cases of COVID-19: Close Contacts Quarantined

Dear P.S. 188 Michael E. Berdy at 3314 NEPTUNE AVENUE Community:

What Happens Now?

All students and staff in the affected rooms with the individual who tested positive are considered “close contacts,” and have been notified of the need to quarantine for 10 days from their last contact with the person who tested positive.
These students and staff will transition to fully remote teaching and learning for this period.
T2 and DOHMH will complete their investigation to identify and notify any other close contacts in the building, who will also need to quarantine for 10 days.
Anyone with a positive COVID-19 test will not return to the school until they are no longer infectious.
All areas visited by the person with COVID-19 will be deep cleaned, disinfected, and reopened.
If your child is feeling sick, keep them at home.

How do we stay healthy?

Please remember to follow these important “Core Four” actions to prevent COVID-19 transmission:

How can I stay updated?

Sincerely,
Leslie King

1/14/2021 4:57 PM

Dear P.S. 188 Michael E. Berdy at 3314 NEPTUNE AVENUE Community:

What Happens Now?

All students and staff in the affected class(es) with the individual who tested positive are considered “close contacts,” and have been notified of the need to quarantine for 10 days from their last contact with the person who tested positive. These students and staff will transition to fully remote teaching and learning for this period.
T2 and DOHMH will complete their investigation to identify and notify any other close contacts in the building, who will also need to quarantine for 10 days.
Anyone with a positive COVID-19 test will not return to the school until they are no longer infectious.
All areas visited by the person with COVID-19 will be deep cleaned, disinfected, and reopened.
If your child is feeling sick, keep them at home.

How do we stay healthy?

Please remember to follow these important “Core Four” actions to prevent COVID-19 transmission:

Stay home if sick (except to get essential medical care, including COVID-19 testing).
Practice social distancing: Stay at least 6 feet away from people who are not members of your household.
Wear a face covering to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
Practice healthy hand hygiene: Wash your hands often or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer; avoid touching your face; and cover your cough or sneeze with your arm, not your hands.

How can I stay updated?

For additional information on COVID-19, visit schools.nyc.gov/coronavirus or call 311.

Sincerely,

Leslie King

-------------------------------------------------

1/4/2021 2:04 PM

Dear P.S. 188 Michael E. Berdy Community:

The health and safety of our students and staff, and everyone in the DOE family across the city, is our top priority. We are committed to ensuring you have the information you need on COVID-19 as we continue to navigate this public health emergency together.

Today we are writing to inform you, out of an abundance of caution, of a potential case of COVID-19 in our school community. We are handling this situation with the utmost seriousness, working in partnership with the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYC Health) to confirm test results. At this time there are no plans for classroom or school closures, and students should continue to attend as regularly scheduled unless they are feeling ill. If and only if the individual tests positive, you will receive another update informing you and framing the next steps.

If the case is confirmed, we will work with NYC Health and the NYC Test + Trace Corps to quickly take all appropriate action, including tracing close contacts. Any close contacts will be instructed to quarantine for 14 days since their last contact with the individual who tested positive. Out of an abundance of caution, the building has been cleaned and disinfected.

Please be reassured that we are taking every precaution to prevent the spread of COVID-19 within our school community, including ensuring that anyone who feels sick in the school building can isolate. Our school has designated an isolation room where a student with symptoms associated with COVID-19 can be safely isolated and evaluated by a healthcare professional until they are picked up by a guardian.

If the individual tests positive for COVID-19, they cannot return to the school until they have isolated for 10 days and been fever-free for 24 hours without use of medication and have other symptoms improving.

It’s up to all of us to help keep our school community safe and healthy. Please remember to follow these important “Core Four” actions to prevent COVID-19 transmission:

Stay home if sick: Monitor your and your child’s health and stay home if you are sick or keep them home if they are sick, except for getting essential medical care (including COVID-19 testing) and other essential needs.
Physical distancing: Stay at least 6 feet away from people who are not members of your household.
Wear a face covering: Protect those around you. Wearing a face covering helps reduce the spread of COVID-19, especially if you are sick and don’t have symptoms. For more information about face coverings, visit nyc.gov/health/coronavirus and look for "FAQ About Face Coverings."
Practice healthy hand hygiene: Wash your hands often with soap and water or use an alcoholbased hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available; clean frequently touched surfaces regularly; avoid touching your face with unwashed hands; and cover your cough or sneeze with your arm, not your hands.

We will continue to closely follow directions from public health experts and proactively update you on any measures we are taking. Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions. For additional information on COVID-19, visit www.schools.nyc.gov/coronavirus or call 311. Finally, to ensure we can rapidly reach you via text and email, please set up a New York City Schools Account (NYCSA) as soon as possible by visiting schools.nyc.gov/nycsa.

Thank you for your cooperation. Health and safety will always come first in New York City public schools, no matter what.

Sincerely,

Principal King

-------------------------------------------------

12/22/2020 9:06 PM

Subject: Confirmed Case of COVID-19 but NO exposure to School Community

Dear P.S. 188 Michael E. Berdy at 3314 NEPTUNE AVENUE Community:

Today we are writing to inform you that on 12/22/2020, a member of our school community tested positive for
COVID-19. Upon investigation, the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) and the NYC Test &
Trace Corps (T2) have concluded that there has been NO EXPOSURE to the school community because the person was NOT at school while infectious.

Below you will find guidance that reflects the expertise of DOHMH, the New York City Department of Education
(DOE) and T2.

How do we stay healthy?

Please remember to follow these “Core Four” actions to prevent COVID-19 transmission:
1. Stay home if sick (except to get essential medical care, including COVID-19 testing).
2. Practice social distancing: Stay at least 6 feet away from people who are not members of your household.
3. Wear a face covering to reduce the spread of COVID-19
4. Practice healthy hand hygiene: Wash your hands often with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand
sanitizer; clean frequently touched surfaces regularly; avoid touching your face; and cover your cough or
sneeze with your arm, not your hands.

How can I stay updated?

We will continue to closely follow directions from public health experts and proactively update you on any
measures we are taking. To ensure we can reach you via text and email, please create a New York City Schools
Account (NYCSA) as soon as possible by visiting schools.nyc.gov/nycsa.
To help New Yorkers quarantine, the NYC Test + Trace Corps partners with community-based organizations to
connect individuals to resources like food, medicine, and health care. To connect with these resources, you can
call 1-212-COVID19 (212-268-4319).

For additional information on COVID-19, visit www.schools.nyc.gov/coronavirus or call 311. Thank you for your
cooperation. Health and safety will always come first in New York City public schools, no matter what.

Sincerely,
Principal King

-------------------------------------------------

12/20/2020 5:16 PM

Subject: Confirmed Case of COVID-19 but NO exposure to School Community

Dear P.S. 188 Michael E. Berdy at 3314 NEPTUNE AVENUE Community:

Today we are writing to inform you that on 12/20/2020, a member of our school community tested positive for
COVID-19. Upon investigation, the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) and the NYC Test &
Trace Corps (T2) have concluded that there has been NO EXPOSURE to the school community because the person
was NOT at school while infectious.

Below you will find guidance that reflects the expertise of DOHMH, the New York City Department of Education
(DOE) and T2.

How do we stay healthy?

Please remember to follow these “Core Four” actions to prevent COVID-19 transmission:

1. Stay home if sick (except to get essential medical care, including COVID-19 testing).
2. Practice social distancing: Stay at least 6 feet away from people who are not members of your household.
3. Wear a face covering to reduce the spread of COVID-19
4. Practice healthy hand hygiene: Wash your hands often with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand
sanitizer; clean frequently touched surfaces regularly; avoid touching your face; and cover your cough or
sneeze with your arm, not your hands.

How can I stay updated?

To help New Yorkers quarantine, the NYC Test + Trace Corps partners with community-based organizations to
connect individuals to resources like food, medicine, and health care. To connect with these resources, you can
call 1-212-COVID19 (212-268-4319).

Sincerely,
Principal King

-------------------------------------------------

12/13/2020 9:04 PM

Subject: Confirmed Case of COVID-19, close contacts quarantined

Dear P.S. 188 Michael E. Berdy at 3314 NEPTUNE AVENUE Community:

As a result of determinations made by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) and The NYC
Test + Trace Corps (T2), a member of our school community has tested positive for COVID-19, and may have
exposed others while at school.

Below you will find guidance that reflects the expertise of the NYC Department of Health & Mental Hygiene (DOHMH),
the New York City Department of Education (DOE) and the NYC Test & Trace Corps (T2).

What Happens Now?

All students and staff in the affected class(es) with the individual who tested positive are considered “close
contacts,” and have been notified of the need to quarantine for 14 days from their last contact with the
person who tested positive. These students and staff will transition to fully remote teaching and learning for
this period.
T2 and DOHMH will complete their investigation to identify and notify any other close contacts in the
building, who will also need to quarantine for 14 days.
Anyone with a positive COVID-19 test will not return to the school until they are no longer infectious.
All areas visited by the person with COVID-19 will be deep cleaned, disinfected, and reopened.
If your child is feeling sick, keep them at home.

How do we stay healthy?

Please remember to follow these important “Core Four” actions to prevent COVID-19 transmission:

1. Stay home if sick (except to get essential medical care, including COVID-19 testing).
2. Practice social distancing: Stay at least 6 feet away from people who are not members of your household.
3. Wear a face covering to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
4. Practice healthy hand hygiene: Wash your hands often or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer; avoid
touching your face; and cover your cough or sneeze with your arm, not your hands.

How can I stay updated?

To help New Yorkers quarantine, the NYC Test + Trace Corps partners with community-based organizations to
connect individuals to resources like food, medicine, and health care. To connect with resources, you can call 1-212-
COVID19 (212-268-4319).

For additional information on COVID-19, visit schools.nyc.gov/coronavirus or call 311.

Sincerely,
Principal King

-------------------------------------------------

December 6, 2020

Dear P.S. 188 Michael E. Berdy at 3314 NEPTUNE AVENUE Community:

The health and safety of our students and staff, and everyone in the DOE family across the city is our top priority. As you know, 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 schools are 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. Today we are writing to inform you, out of an abundance of caution, that on 12/6/2020 a member of our school community tested positive for COVID-19. After investigation, the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and the NYC Test and Trace Corps have concluded that there has been no exposure to the school community because the person was not at school while infectious. The school will re-open on December 7, 2020.

It’s up to all of us to help keep our school community safe and healthy. Please remember to follow these important “Core Four” actions to prevent COVID-19 transmission:

• Stay home if sick: Monitor your and your child’s health and stay home if you are sick or keep them home if they are sick, except for getting essential medical care (including COVID-19 testing) and other essential needs.

• Physical distancing: Stay at least 6 feet away from people who are not members of your household.

• Wear a face covering: Protect those around you. Wearing a face covering helps reduce the spread of COVID-19, especially if you are sick and don’t have symptoms. For more information about face coverings, visit nyc.gov/health/coronavirus and look for “FAQ About Face Coverings.”

• Practice healthy hand hygiene: Wash your hands often with soap and water or use an alcoholbased
hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available; clean frequently touched surfaces
regularly; avoid touching your face with unwashed hands; and cover your cough or sneeze with
your arm, not your hands.

Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions. For additional information on COVID-19,
visit schools.nyc.gov/coronavirus or call 311. To ensure we can reach you via text and email about any
COVID-19 activity in our school, please create a New York City Schools Account (NYCSA) as soon as
possible by visiting schools.nyc.gov/nycsa.

Thank you for your cooperation. Health and safety will always come first in New York City public schools, no matter what.

Sincerely,
Principal King

-------------------------------------------------

Dear Parent and Caring Adult,

Welcome back! We return to in-person learning on December 7, 2020. When the students return to the building for 5-days, students are to be tested weekly. All students in Grades 1 and higher are required to provide consent for testing in-person learning by December 7, 2020. You can submit consent using NYCSA(https://mystudent.nyc/) or complete the attached paper form. Students who do not submit or return the consent form will automatically be transitioned to remote only learning on December 7, 2020. I am attaching a letter from Chancellor Richard Carranza that provides additional information on the reopening of schools and student testing.

Thank you again for your patience and understanding throughout this difficult time.

Have a great day.

Be Safe.

Leslie King

Proud Principal of PS188K

November 29, 2020 - Update to Families about School Reopenings

November 29, 2020 - NYC DOE CONSENT FORM FOR COVID-19 TESTING