Chancellor Porter Launches Five-Borough Family Engagement Forums
Over the next month, forums will be held in all five boroughs to gather feedback and answer questions from school communities on the Executive Budget and school reopening
NEW YORK – Schools Chancellor Meisha Porter announced today the launch of a five-borough family engagement tour to hear directly from school communities about their experiences over the school year, help answer questions and gather feedback on the Executive Budget, and foster a discussion on school reopening for the fall. There will be a virtual forum held in every borough over the next four weeks, and all families are invited to participate.
“These family forums are critical to inform our plans for September and ensure our school communities are supported as we prepare for a strong reopening this fall,” said Schools Chancellor Meisha Porter. “Now more than ever, we need to engage with and empower our families so that every voice is heard. I look forward to having these important discussions over the next few weeks and encourage all New York City families to participate.”
“The infusion of additional federal and state funds are providing New York City's public schools with a unique opportunity to dream big about the summer and fall, from academic acceleration and STEAM enrichment to social emotional wellness and technology,” said Deputy Chancellor Adrienne Austin. “The upcoming Family Forums are an opportunity for us to hear directly from families and communities about how we leverage the additional resources of this moment to improve and expand educational experiences for all students. We want our students to thrive beyond recovery, and we look forward to partnering with local communities to get it right.”
Forums will be held in each borough on the following dates:
Staten Island – Monday, May 17, 2021
Manhattan – Monday, May 24, 2021
Queens – Thursday, May 27, 2021
Brooklyn – Monday, June 7, 2021
Bronx – Wednesday, June 9, 2021
In light of unprecedented investments from local, state and federal, government, these forums will serve as an opportunity for the Department of Education (DOE) to hear directly from school communities on the types of resources and support they need as we move towards a full reopening in September.
Each forum will be an hour and a half in length, and the format will include audience QA. Chancellor Porter will be joined by Executive Superintendents and leadership from the DOE to help answer any questions families may have and facilitate a productive conversation with the community.
Families can register for the forums online at learndoe.org/chancellor. At the time of registration, participants will be asked if they want to ask a question or provide a comment during the event about a number of categories, including health and safety, special education, fall 2021 school reopening, social emotional learning, and more. Each forum will be recorded and posted at learndoe.org/chancellor so that school communities may access them at any time. Interpretation services will be available at every forum.