Dear Parents,

I know the response to the Novel Coronavirus has impacted all of us in unprecedented ways over the last few weeks. The Board of Regents and the New York State Education Department (NYSED), are particularly concerned about students during this time. Among the drastic changes that have taken place, school closures have brought many uncertainties and concerns. Among these concerns are emergency childcare, distribution and availability of meals, continuity of learning, mental health, and many others.

NYSED recognizes these concerns and has issued three comprehensive guidance documents and several additional memos that contain important information related to school closures, meals, childcare, continuity of learning, mental health, accountability, special education, and test administration. All of our resources and guidance related to the Novel Coronavirus can be found on NYSED's dedicated coronavirus web page.

The Board of Regents and NYSED will continue to work with our partners at the state, local, and federal levels as this situation continues to evolve, and we will update and disseminate additional guidance and information as necessary.

Schools across the state are working hard to develop and implement continuity of learning plans for students during the extended statewide school closure. To help with this effort, we have launched a website featuring continuity of learning resources (technology- or non-technology-based) to provide districts and teachers with increased options. If you're looking for resources to use at home with your kids, you can check out the new Continuity of Learning web page here.

In addition, New York's nine public television stations are providing expanded educational resources and "Learn-at-Home" programming for all of New York's students in response to school closings across the state. Find more information about the "Learn-at-Home" programming here.

We have also launched a new #NYLearnsRemotely campaign on social media to provide remote learning ideas for kids. As part of the campaign, we are sharing high-quality resources, guidance, tips, and activities that can all be used at home. Follow us on social media ( Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn) for daily ideas.

In addition to ensuring your children have access to the resources they need to continue learning while at home, it is also important to prioritize their mental health needs. As adults, it's critical that we take care of our own mental and physical health, which will help us to better support our children. Use these resources for self-care and strategies for talking about COVID-19 honestly and effectively with your kids.

I will continue to provide important information to you in this biweekly update. As the situation is rapidly changing, I encourage you to check our dedicated coronavirus web page, our news page, and our social media channels frequently for the latest updates.

I hope you and your families are staying safe and healthy during this uncertain time.

Sincerely,

Shannon Tahoe

Interim Commissioner