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Bittersweet Ending to the School Year

 

The school year has finally come to an end. Today is the last update of the school year so there will not be an update tomorrow. It is certainly a bittersweet ending as we are all happy that summer break is here but this did not end the way any of us would have hoped for.

Our hearts break for those who have been directly impacted by the pandemic. Our hearts break for our 8th graders who lost out on their prom, graduation, and other Senior activities.We miss seeing all our students and their families and we miss seeing our faculty. We are a family at Halsey and not seeing your family for so long has been painful for many of us.

The year has been hit by many tragedies as well as hope for the future. The pandemic hit us here in NYC harder than any city in the nation and probably the world. The death of George Floyd reminded us of the racial injustice that still exists in 2020 and reignited a conversation that has to take place. The peaceful protests were a testament to our nations founding, the right to assemble and the right to freedom of speech. The riots, vandalism, and destruction that hijacked an important movement showed us that in troubled times some people do not have the best intentions for the community they hurt. Yet we overcome. We always overcome.

Through all of this Halsey rose to the occasion. Our students looked adversity in the eye and said it will not slow them down one bit. We stepped up and we overcame some of the hardest times we could imagine. The fight is far from done so do not let up now. Our kids are the future and I have faith in them to be the change we want to see in the world. 

All of this brings me back to something I quoted early on in the remote learning process: Thomas Paine's The American Crisis. Written December 23, 1776, Paine could have been speaking about our students in the opening of his legendary writing:

 

"THESE are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman."

Think about what Thomas Paine is saying right there. These times really tested us. Our students, who are prepared for all climates (weather and life) did not back down from the challenge. They stood tall and they deserve the love and thanks of us all. So THANK YOU!

To learn more about the writings of Thomas Paine (because education never ends) please click here:

THOMAS PAINE

 
 
It is very, very important that students access/create/activate their NYCDOE school email account (this is NOT your halsey157.com email address).  We will be sending final report cards and your new class for September to your schools.net nycdoe account.  Information and specific directions on how to activate your nycdoe school account can be found be clicking the link below. 
 
This is mandatory! The NYCDOE will be using this account to update students ion how schools will open in September as well.  Graduating students will be receiving updates from their future high schools from this account as well.

CLICK ON THE PICTURES BELOW TO ENLARGE THEM


Here are step-by step directions on how to access your DOE account.  If you a have your DOE account and password already, you can skip to step 2. 

 

Step 1. Get your Student DOE account by going to https://www.schools.nyc.gov/learn-at-home/technical-tools-and-support/doe-student-accounts

Follow the directions to retrieve your Username and set your password. (Student Account Self Service link: https://idm.nycenet.edu/students/start.form)

 

Step 2. Go to Gmail.com and sign-in using your @nycstudent.net Account. It will redirect you to a DOE login page, enter your username and password and press “Sign in”.





Step 3. You should now be in your gmail inbox. On Friday, June 26th there will be an email in your inbox with your report card attached as a pdf file.
 
BASEBALL IS BACK!!!!

You know I am a huge baseball fan and I am really excited to see some baseball this year. We need things like sports to help us through these tough times. It was baseball that reignited the nation after 9/11/01 when Mike Piazza launched that homerun deep into centerfield at Shea Stadium. Hopefully baseball can reignite something for us in 2020.

We all need something to cheer about and on that day back in 2001, Mike Piazza did it for the nation. Check it out:
Mike Piazza Gives Us Something To Cheer About After 9/11/01


With the end of the school year brings the end to the service of a number of parents who served on the School Leadership Team (SLT) and PTA and we want to say thank you and wish them well. We are losing 5 dedicated and very involved parents and their family members who really made an impact on our school.

Thank You for Your Service:

Ariana Palacio
Raquel Hagen
Cynthia Cohen
JJ Rowe
Liz Fisher

We will be holding elections in either September or October to fill our PTA Executive Board as well as filling 3 School Leadership Team Parent positions. More information will be made available as we get guidance from the D.O.E.

Our current PTA member who will be running for re-election include:

Co-President: Vicky Sackos
Co-President: Katarina Jokic
Vice President: Michelle Kiliski

All 3 along with Recording Secretary: Ariana Palacio and Treasurer: Raquel Hagen did an amazing job in running a number of school based activities for our families. They raised a great deal of money for the school with some really cool events, the Spirit Wear sale, and Picture Day. Ariana and Raquel will be leaving us and heading to High School with their children. They will be missed dearly.


Congratulations to the Class of 2020!

Check out the virtual graduation and the teachers send off videos right here:

 

Graduation Link: https://youtu.be/SXe6e-sEWCU  

 





Here is the tentative plan for Yearbook distribution and refunding of Senior Dues:

On September 3rd we will invite all our 8th grade students to come to Halsey to collect their Senior Dues refund and their yearbooks. We will welcome them to stick around and get their yearbooks signed by their classmates and teachers. Of course this all depends on the situation with the pandemic. We will keep everyone up to date and contact you as we get closer to that date.
BASEBALL IS BACK

On April 25th, 1976, the year of the American Bicentennial, one of the greatest saves in baseball history was made by Chicago Cubs outfielder Rick Monday. With Independence Day right around the corner along with baseball I thought it would be a cool story to share. Check it out:
Rick Monday Makes the Save


As of writing this we still do not know how the 2020-2021 school year will look like. I do know that there are plans for 3 different options:

1. Traditional Opening
2. Remote Learning Opening
3. A Blended Opening

The first two are self explanatory. The blended opening will be a difficult task if you ask me. As it stands now Halsey would open with a limit of 48% capacity. That means only 1 grade with teachers could be in the school at a time. Add in social distancing that would make a class of 33 students break down into classrooms of 8-9 students tops. So an individual class would turn into 4 classes.

For example: 621A, 621B, 621C, 621D

We would need around 70 classrooms to accommodate each grade daily. That would mean turning the gym and cafeteria into classrooms with dividers. Students would stay in the same class all day while teachers travel to reduce the size of the crowds in the hallways.

While one grade is at the school the other 2 grades would be remote learning.

Needless to say it is not the ideal situation and a nightmare logistically. Lets hope for a Traditional Opening. We need to be back at school but it will all depend upon the data. Its all about stopping the spread of the virus and NYC has entered Phase 2 as of Monday, June 22nd. As long as there is not a rise in cases and hospitalizations we can hope for the best.


MY WIFE MADE ME POST THIS FOR HER. GRRRRRRRRR

 
Last update, school year 2019-2020
 
Another school year has ended and it was one that only few would have predicted (I've been watching re-runs of "Doomsday Preppers" and know which few did predict pandemics or nationwide civil unrest and riots...safety tip: don't watch right before bed...sweet dreams Weiss!)
 
Your GREEN TEAM was poised to have a banner year.  We had won a grant, received another grant to replace our greenhouse and had some funds and plans for a seemingly endless list of projects.  Your GREEN TEAM's membership had swelled to 5% of Halsey's student population (both full time and casual members).  With those resources and a an eager pool of "free labor", the possibilities were staggering.  Yet, this Spring was not to be.  How does the old saying go?  "Man plans and God laughs."
 
So now we look towards next year.  I have no idea what GREEN TEAM will look like or how it will be permitted to function.  It is too soon to know, especially as we wait to hear from, the Department of Education as to how schools will open.  I can promise that, as long as I remain at Halsey, there will be some sort of GREEN TEAM.  It may be smaller in size and scope, certain projects may not reappear and others may be significantly altered but the GREEN TEAM will live on.
 
This Summer, I will continue the hydroponic "experiment" in my yard and do my best to create a Halsey Hydroponic Hot Sauce, Halsey Mustard, Halsey Pickles and Halsey Tomato Sauce.  With any luck, these may become GREEN TEAM projects for the coming school year.  



I will also do my best to get permission to get back into the Halsey Garden.  She's been neglected this Spring and the weeds have attempted to return things to their former state.  It does not feel right to allow our students' hard work to fall apart like this.


As much as I look forward to meeting our incoming 6th grade students and getting to know them as GREEN TEAMERS, I do miss the 8th and 9th grade graduates.  Several of us have been in contact and I would very much like to hear from the rest of you.
 
On a hopeful note, anyone can become green.  Really, anyone.  A hearty "way to go" to Mr. Zevon, who has taken on gardening and landscape design at his own home.  Rumor has it, that he actually enjoys gardening!
(EDITORS NOTE: ITS TRUE!!!!)

 
Stay safe and stay well.  I hope to see everyone in thew Fall.
Weiss
Mr. Weiss Knows its Not Easy Being Green


Its with great sadness and happiness that the school year comes to an end. We will miss our 8th and 9th grade families very much. It is so hard to say goodbye to so many people you develop such good relationships with but we do have to say goodbye. To our 8th and 9th graders you may be leaving Halsey but Halsey will NEVER leave you. Once a Bulldog, Always a Bulldog.

To the rest of our families and incoming families we look forward to getting the new school year started in whatever form it looks like. Rest assured Halsey will keep you updated with information as soon as it becomes available to us. We will be hosting Halsey Nights throughout the summer. Maybe not as much as the school year but we will be keeping it going with some fun activities and great guests.

So its not Goodbye...its just Goodbye for now.
So Long, Farewell
See Ya Real Soon!
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