Get ready for school on Jan. 3rd!
Happy new year! The parent volunteers of the Beacon PTA hope everyone had a great Winter Break and that students and educators are excited for school to resume on January 3, 2023! A few reminders:
COVID-19 TESTS: The DOE recommends students take a COVID-19 test before returning to school to prevent further spread of COVID-19 (especially if your winter break included travel). If your student receives a positive test result, please email attendance@beaconschool.org. Also, as cases of respiratory illness such as flu and RSV are on the rise, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) encourages New Yorkers to get the flu vaccine, wear a mask while indoors and regularly wash hands. In addition, stay up-to date on all vaccinations, including the new COVID boosters, if eligible. Also, students must stay home if they are sick. This is a public health issue and Beacon teachers know to be flexible. Thanks!
PBA WEEK: There are 14 instructional days until PBA Week! PBA Week begins on Tuesday, January 24th with the ELA Regents Exam for all 11th graders (and select seniors) that day. Students in 11th grade are expected to report to school by 9am for the ELA Regents Exam on Tuesday, January 24th. Since it involves many students and proctors, there are no PBAs scheduled that day. Students will receive a PBA Week schedule form in Advisory on Friday, January 6th that they will use to identify when they need to be at school. Classroom teachers will notify students during the week of January 9th when they are expected at school for assessments, presentations, extended time on assessments, etc.
SPRING SCHEDULES: Most classes are annualized at Beacon, meaning they continue for the full year. Classes that are not annualized, such as 12th grade English and History and some electives, are being finalized. Students can expect to receive their spring term schedules before PBA Week and will have the opportunity to submit course change requests.
FALL TERM GRADES: Fall term grades are final grades and appear on transcripts. Between now and PBA Week, Beacon teachers are expected to let students know their academic standing in their class, though end-of-term assessments can impact final grades. Final fall term grades will be submitted by teachers after PBA Week and will be available to students and families early in the spring term.
TUTORING AND SGI: The Beacon Tutoring Schedule and SGI on Fridays continue to be valuable time for students to seek extra help in any of their classes. Tutoring periods can be used even if you just need a supervised space to work during a free period.
JUMPROPE: Beacon will be partnering with JumpRope this spring to provide an attendance and grade reporting system for teachers to use and students and families to access. We expect to program period attendance to notify parents/guardians of any latenesses or absences during the school day. Teachers also can use the grade reporting features to maintain a grade book and communicate with students and families. Google Classroom will still be in use, and Beacon will still use the DOE NYCSA system for daily attendance, but JumpRope will provide clear and real-time attendance information and will support improved communication around grades and classwork.
HBCU NIGHT: The organization that provided last year’s HBCU Summit at Beacon is hosting a panel and college fair at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn on February 9, 2023. Any Beacon student who would like to attend must complete the form they will find in their Beacon email by January 13, 2023. The Beacon College Office will chaperone, leaving Beacon between 10:30-11:30 AM on February 9. This event is open to all interested students regardless of grade level! The event will end around 4pm and students will be dismissed from Barclays Center.
LOOKING AHEAD:
Tuesday, January 3rd: Classes resume; PTA Executive Board meeting (6pm, Zoom)
Monday, January 16th: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day – no school
Monday, January 23rd: Last regular instructional day for the Fall Term
Tuesday, January 24th: ELA Regents Exam for all 11th graders (and select 12th graders)
Wednesday, January 25th – Friday, January 27th: PBA Week – students attend school only when scheduled
Monday, January 30th: Chancellor’s Conference Day – no school
Tuesday, January 31st: Spring Term classes begin
Click here for more upcoming dates, including PTA meetings.
