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Message from the PA President
Dear BTHS Families and Caregivers,
We hope this issue of Tech Talk finds everyone well and you all had a great Thanksgiving. A few things I want to highlight for you this week:
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Please join us for a very special Diversity Committee Book Club on Monday, December 6 at 7pm.
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Our next PA event, “Meeting with Principal” is scheduled on Wednesday, December 15 at 6:30 PM.
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Our next PA meeting is Thursday, December 16 at 6:30 PM. The link for the PA meeting will be sent out prior to the meeting. We will have guest speaker, Laurel Hanson from Kaplan to talk about Kaplan prep classes for BTHS students.
Please continue to reach out to me at papresident@BTHS.edu.
Keep well,
Lincoln Favours
BTHS PA President
Upcoming Important Dates
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Wed. Dec. 15, 6:30 -8:00 PM – Meeting with Principal Newman
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Fri. - Fri. Dec. 24 - 31 – Winter Recess
For a complete view of important dates, see school's calendar and DOE's calendar.
School Updates
Translation App Learning Sessions in FIVE Languages
Parent Coordinate, Mary Huhn sent parents about registration link to join a session to learn how to use translation apps. Translation Tools for Families will be presented on Dec. 8 at 10:30 a.m. (presented in English) and 6 p.m. for separate sessions presented in Spanish, Mandarin, Arabic and Bangla. See below for separate registration links for language preferences.
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Meeting Registrations for Dec 8, 2021, 10:30 AM – English Session
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Meeting Registrations for Dec 8, 2021, 06:00 PM – Chinese Session
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Meeting Registrations for Dec 8, 2021, 06:00 PM – Spanish Session
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Meeting Registrations for Dec 8, 2021, 06:00 PM – Bangla Session
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Meeting Registrations for Dec 8, 2021, 06:00 PM – Arabic Session
Music Concerns: Chorus, Orchestra & Band
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Choral Concert - Thu, December 9, 6:00pm - 8:00pm
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Orchestral Concert - Tue, December 14, 6:00pm - 8:00pm
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Instrumental/Band Concert - Thu, December 16, 6:00pm - 8:00pm
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Location: Leonard Riggio Auditorium
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Tickets $5 each at the SGO store
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BTHS Open House
We have a series of videos for prospective students’ viewing pleasure in order to learn more about our fascinating school! Click here for the links!
NHS Peer Tutoring Committee
The NHS Tutoring Committee is offering one-on-one tutoring, both remote and in-person, during free periods and after school this semester. If you are struggling in a particular class and feel that you would benefit from a peer tutor, please fill out the following form to be matched with an NHS tutor link here.
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Meet Principal Newman
Principal Newman will host a series of informal gatherings to meet with Tech parents for all grades in Zoom meetings.
These meetings are very informal -- a chance for a group of parents to hear Principal Newman's educational philosophy and learn more about our school. Parents can ask questions, or just listen to other parents' questions -- often questions you didn't even know to ask.
Please join us! No prior experience at PA events is required. 100 seats limited per session.
Scheduled dates are Dec. 15, 2021, Wednesday, 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM - Sign up here.
PA Upcoming Events
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Book Club
The Diversity Book Club book for the fall is We Are Not Like Them by Jo Piazza and Christine Pride. This book tells the story of two childhood friends, Riley and Jen, one of whom is Black and the other white. They question their friendship and just everything around them when a tragedy happens that involves Jen's husband.
From Simon & Schuster: Told from alternating perspectives, an evocative and riveting novel about the lifelong bond between two women, one Black and one white, whose friendship is indelibly altered by a tragic event—a powerful and poignant exploration of race in America today and its devastating impact on ordinary lives.
It's an incredibly timely book that deals with many of the issues we as a society are dealing with in real time. Please join us whether you've read the book or not -- this conversation promises to be topical, and we will all learn something from it.
Below is the link to the meeting:
The book is currently on promotion at Amazon for $16.08. Or available at any local bookseller.
We look forward to a lively discussion.
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PA Event – 2022 Lunar New Year Celebration
The Diversity and Community Engagement Committee has begun planning for the 5th Annual Lunar New Year Celebration to be held virtually on Friday, January 28, 2022.
Thanks to Gianluca Zhang (Class of 2023) who designed the logo for the celebration!
Last year, we had some amazing performances and look forward to another fabulous show this year. If you are a singer, a dancer, a musician, an artist, a chef or have another amazing talent, please consider submitting a video to the Lunar New Year Celebration Planning Committee. Please try to limit your video to three minutes.
Any Tech students who are selected to perform in the show will receive two (2) club credits. Tech parents and staff are also invited to audition for the show. All videos should be sent via email to bthsdiversitycommittee@bths.edu. The LNY committee will notify you if your video is selected. Look for more information to come in Tech Talk in the following weeks.
Tickets for our LNY Mega Raffle will be available soon and we will also be posting a link for donations to help us make our 5th LNY Celebration the best one yet!
2021-2022 PA Meetings
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November 22nd PA Meeting Notes
We would like to thank Principal Newman as well all the guest speakers, including, Parent Coordinator - Mary Huhn, Johnny Ventura, Assistant Principal of Pupil Personnel Services, and Lia Aran – Founder of LUK for their time to speak to us at this past PA meeting. We also want to thank all our PA executive team members for bringing our school communities up to date with our meeting agendas. The meeting minutes have been uploaded to the PA website, which can be accessed here. For those who missed the meeting, the recording can also be accessed here.
Below is information from LUK:
Luk matches you with students at colleges you’re interested in for 1-on-1, personalized, live, video college tours and authentic conversations. Select from 30-, 60-, or 90-min tours/conversations - 30 min tours are free! To receive a 1-on-1, free, consultation on how to maximize Luk and book your first tour/conversation, please email us at: info@luklabs.com.
PA Meeting Dates
Unless otherwise noted, meetings will be held on the third Thursday of each month and will start at 6:30pm. Executive Board meetings immediately precede at 5:30 pm.
Please email papresident@bths.edu if you would like to attend an Executive Board meeting.
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09/23/2021
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10/21/2021
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11/18/2021
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12/16/2021
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01/20/2022
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02/17/2022
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03/24/2022 （the fourth Thursday）
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04/14/2022
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05/19/2022
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06/2022 (To be announced in Jan. 2022)
NYC Department of Education School Visitor Policy
Please see below for School Visitor Requirements, as well as this link for more information.
In addition, visitors must complete the DOE Health Screening form and wear a face covering at all times. Digital access to the health screening can be found at this link. Please visit this link to complete a paper copy in advance.
Family Income Inquiry Form (Lunch Form)
Please fill out your LUNCH FORM! Eligible for FEE WAIVERS for SAT, College Apps, AP Exams only if you fill out the form!! It takes 5 minutes. Fill it out online now! Here is the Link. Paper copies will be available outside the auditorium or 7C1 if necessary.
Quarantining and Classroom Closures
As of Monday, September 27, in accordance with the latest guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), we will no longer close an entire classroom when there is a positive case in the classroom. Unvaccinated students who are masked and have been at least three feet distanced from a student who tests positive are not considered close contacts under CDC guidelines and will not have to quarantine. This new policy applies to all students in any grade.
Please visit Health and Safety in Our Schools for additional information and the latest on health and safety policies in NYC public schools for the 2021–22 school year.
Extracurricular Activities Vaccination Policy
Consistent with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and State guidance, COVID-19 vaccination will be required this year for students who are at least 12 years old and are participating in after-school extracurricular activities considered high-risk for potential COVID-19 transmission.
High risk after-school activities include:
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Chorus
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Musical Theater
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Dance / Dance Team
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Band / Orchestra / Marching Band
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Cheer-leading / Step Teams / Flag TeameXTRA
School Visitor Policy
All visitors (age 12 and older) must show proof of at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccination to enter a DOE building. Visitors do not include students attending school in a DOE building.
Pandemic Electronic Benefits Card for Food
Every single NYC public school student is automatically eligible—regardless of income or immigration status. No application or registration is required. P-EBT does not affect any other benefits or public charge status. Students in parochial or charter schools may be eligible if their school participates in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). For more information, please check out the links below.
For detailed instructions on how to replace your P-EBT card, see below:
Internet
Having internet access at home is not a luxury anymore; it’s a necessity just like electricity and clean water. Despite this critical need, access to the internet at home isn’t always affordable, particularly for marginalized communities.
In May 2021, the Federal Communications Commission launched the Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) program that offers a discount of up to $50 on eligible consumers’ monthly internet bills across the country. More than five million households have already enrolled in the program, which highlights its critical importance, as well as the positive impact discounted internet access can have on marginalized people recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic. Many more households are eligible, and new enrollments have been slow following the initial influx when the program launched.
NYC Schools Accounts
Receive the latest news about distance learning, your student's grades, attendance, fitness results, schedule, etc. To get the latest updates, make sure your NYC Schools Account is activated and up to date. The NYC Student accounts website can be accessed here: https://mystudent.nyc/
PupilPath
PupilPath is a student information system for parents and students. Pupil Path allows parents and students to view important student and school information such as student attendance records, class schedule, assignment due dates and grades, graduation eligibility, school announcements, and more. PupilPath is a convenient tool for both parents and students to keep up with classwork and student performance.
Health Screening
For mandatory daily health screening you go here. You may do health screening before you leave your home, do not rely on doing it while waiting in line to enter the building.
Vaccine Portal
You can upload an image of your child’s vaccination card or NYC Excelsior Pass to the DOE’s vaccine portal here. Please see here requesting the same. If you are not vaccinated, please be sure to complete your testing consent form here.
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Updated Scholarship Information - The BTHS College Office has lots of information about scholarships and financial information from Facebook here.
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2021 – 2022 BTHS College Office Forms - These forms are how you will communicate your early deadlines, fee waiver requests, and other critical information to college and guidance staff.
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Scholarships by University - Scholarships by Universities are listed alphabetically for all students --link here.
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College Corner Newsletter – Newsletters are updated twice a month. Please take a moment to read it and find information that might be specific to your grade and or interests.
Brooklyn Tech Library Launched a NEW Website!
Check out here!
Our librarians are thrilled to be back and happy that students can access the library and borrow actual paper books this year! We would love to share our new library website, which allows students to browse our catalog, use our subscription-based databases (password is bthslibrary), learn about Sora, our awesome and convenient ebook platform, check our daily calendar and visit our blog.
brooklyntechlibrary.com → “Search our catalog”
● Check for titles or topics, availability, and call numbers
● Login with your DOE credentials to check your account or renew your books
Looking for ebooks?
● Sora ebook website and detailed video tutorial; download the app here.
Looking for research materials? Access our databases 24/7
brooklyntechlibrary.com → “Search Our Databases” (use password)
● Password is: bthslibrary
Please check out our website at BrooklynTechLibrary.com. You can follow us on our blog or on Instagram (@BrooklynTechLibrary).
Check Out our Librarian-Created Resource Guides, including:
NHS Peer Tutoring Committee
The NHS Tutoring Committee is offering one-on-one tutoring, both remote and in-person, during free periods and after school this semester. If you are struggling in a particular class and feel that you would benefit from a peer tutor, please fill out the following form to be matched with an NHS tutor link here.
Library Policy Change
We are pleased to announce that we will no longer be charging late fees on overdue books! All previous fines are being deleted (from Tech and middle schools). There will still be fines on lost books, though students should talk to a librarian if a book is lost. If the fee is a hardship, we may be able to help.
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