The Fashionable Times Blog Principal's Message 2.23.20

Greetings Fashion Families from your Principal, Daryl Blank. 

I hope you and your children had a nice break from school.  With school starting up again, we finally have a long stretch of school without a break.  We can develop some real instructional continuity, so make sure your children are here every day ready to work.

This week is a regular school week, but next week we have a couple of special dates.  Next Wednesday, March 4 is PSAT / SAT Day.  Our 10^th graders will be taking the PSAT.  Our 11^th graders will be taking the SAT.  Our ninth and twelfth graders will not be attending school on this day – just the 10^th and 11^th graders will be in attendance and once they finish their exams they will be dismissed and sent home.

HSFI is thrilled again to continue this year our Family Visitation Days on Thursday, March 5 and Friday, March 6.  During HSFI Family Visitation Days, you will be able to observe your children in action in their classes.  You may come and leave when you wish during those days.  During your child’s lunch period, you and your child are invited to lunch in the Principal’s conference room.  Assistant Principal Danielle Silva will be welcoming you in the school lobby and giving you an orientation for the visit.  Here is the website link to sign up for Family Visitation Day – we are asking all HSFI families to signup if you are attending Family Visitation Day because we have to let teachers know if you are coming - if you are only receiving this message by phone, the link is on the family homepage of the HSFI website at www.hsfi.nyc – this link can be found under “Family Announcements”.  The direct link to the form is below:

https://forms.gle/ueEjomxvuzJYEgg78

We are continuing to celebrate Black History Month.  We have celebrating in a number of different ways including featuring a prominent African-American contributor to our country every day and playing music from African-American artists in between classes.  Below is a poster we created in celebration of Black History Month.  We will celebrate additional cultures and ethnic groups in the coming months including women, Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans and the LGBTQIA+ community.

Thank you.

The Fashionable Times Blog Principal's Message 2.9.20

Greetings Fashion Families from your Principal, Daryl Blank. 

As you are planning your week, please keep in mind that this Wednesday, February 12, we will have our monthly Parents Association meeting.  We hope to approve our updated Grading Policy at this meeting and put it in place for this term.

This Tuesday, we will be honoring the legacy of Ms. Lakisha Youngblood, a fashion design teacher who passed away this past summer, with a memorial after school. During this memorial, we will celebrate Ms. Youngblood through a special design scholarship opportunity. This scholarship was designed to honor her passions - print & textile design. Ms. Youngblood's family will be attendance and the winners will be announced. Students and staff will have the chance to share memories and thoughts about this dear member of our community.

This week is Respect for All Week.  This week we will have the opportunity to highlight and build upon ongoing programs to help students, staff and communities gain a better understanding of diversity. Our menu of activities will promote respect for diversity, acceptance and understanding.  We will focus on preventing bullying, intimidation, and bias-based harassment.  

This week we are continuing to celebrate Black History Month.  We have celebrating in a number of different ways including featuring a prominent African-American contributor to our country every day and playing music from African-American artists in between classes.  Below is a poster we created in celebration of Black History Month.  We will celebrate additional cultures and ethnic groups in the coming months including women, Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans and the LGBTQIA+ community.

The NYC Department of Health and Education has issued an updated letter on the Coronavirus.  The letter includes the official policy regarding student and staff who recently traveled to China.  The federal government has issued a requirement for up to 14 days of either mandatory quarantine or home isolation (depending on travel areas in China) for individuals who left China after February 2, 2020. This means that those individuals should NOT report to work or school for up to 14 days from the date that they departed China. 

Thank you.

The Fashionable Times Blog Principal's Message 2.2.20

Greetings Fashion Families from your Principal, Daryl Blank. 

This Monday, February 3, we are on a First Monday schedule where students get out of school a little earlier so that our teachers can engage in professional development.  Students who begin school 1^st period will start at 8:30 am.  Students who begin school 2^nd period will start at 9:09 am.  Students who finish school after 8^th period will be dismissed at 1:43 pm.  Students who finish school after 9^th period will be dismissed at 2:22 pm.  All classes during the day will be shortened. 

As I messaged all HSFI families this past Friday, I wanted to share with you a draft of the school’s updated Grading Policy.  As know you are aware from previous messages and Parents Association meetings, we have been working on updating this policy.  The policy is on the school’s website.

https://www.hsfi.nyc/thefashionabletimes/categories/parents

If you have any comments on the policy, you can share your thoughts in many different ways – you can send me a message by email (dblank@schools.nyc.gov) or Jupiter Grades, you can make a comment on a Google form - https://forms.gle/71ujDGVLfiRuU9eH7 - or feel free to call me at (212) 255-1235 ext. 8191.  The policy has now been shared with all the school’s stakeholders – students, families and staff.  Our hope is that we can get all the feedback over the next week and have this updated policy in place for this term.

I wanted to again provide you with the guidance we have been given about the Coronavirus from the NYC Department of Health and Education.  Recently, a novel (new) coronavirus was detected in hundreds of people worldwide. A "novel coronavirus" is a strain that has not been previously found in humans. This novel coronavirus can lead to fever, cough and shortness of breath.  There are currently zero diagnoses in New York City, and the risk to New Yorkers is low. The City is monitoring the outbreak closely and working with our agency partners and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Right now, everyone should go about their daily lives, but practice the same precautions you do during cold and flu season: cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when sneezing or coughing; wash your hands with soap and water often; and stay home if you are feeling sick. If you were recently in China, and have a fever and either a cough or shortness-of-breath, call your healthcare provider.

Thank you.