The Hour: Carver included in "5 things to know about schools reopening in Norwalk"

See the entire article here.

NORWALK — Tuesday marks the first day of school for the city’s public schools. By now, most families have decided whether to send their children back into the classrooms or keep them home for virtual learning. They know the rules around masks, washing their hands and being in the classroom while adhering to social distancing guidelines.

Norwalk Public Schools has also initiated some of these new protocols and programs to help ease families back to school, many returning to the building for the first time since March.

Community pods for virtual learning

Superintendent Alexandra Estrella said the Norwalk Public Library and the Carver Center will offer support for middle and high school students on their virtual learning days. Each pod will contain up to 12 students who will be part of the group for the entire semester. A paraeducator will be assigned to each pod.

For more information, see the district’s Reopening Handbook for Parents.

Free meals still available at Carver

Families with children between the ages of 2 and 18 can pick up free meals at the Carver Community Center and around the city through the end of 2020, thanks to the USDA extending its Summer Food Service Program. The district began meal pickup when school buildings closed due to COVID-19 in March. It’s available to all children in the city, not just those with Norwalk Public Schools.

Free Digital Standards-Aligned Learning Resources

Discovery Education offers free standards-aligned digital resources that you can use to engage and introduce young people to careers and new experiences.

Resources focus on hands-on STEM activities, social and emotional learning, health and wellness, career exploration, and financial literacy.

Virtual Field Trips
Join host Kerry Kennedy, daughter of Robert F. Kennedy and president of RFK Human Rights, for an inspiring conversation about activism. Defenders will share their inspiring stories and answer questions about what sparked their passion for activism and what "speaking truth to power" means to them. Young people can tune in to see how they can defend human rights in their communities and the world. Take a Virtual Field Trip to meet:

• Kailash Satyarthi, 2014 Nobel Peace Prize laureate.

• Van Jones, social entrepreneur, CNN political contributor.

• Jazz Jennings, LGBTQ rights activist and star of TLC's I Am Jazz.

• Darrick Hamilton, Executive Director of the Ohio State University's Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity.

• Ibtihaj Muhammad, Olympic fencing bronze medalist.

Science Fair Central
The maker spirit is all about "learning through doing." Infuse this spirit into your programs with these standards-aligned, hands-on activities designed to encourage exploration and spark curiosity with your students.

Siemens STEM Day
This easy to navigate platform has over 150 hands-on STEM activities that are available for "grab and go." There's also a Train the Trainer toolkit for a professional development component.

Girls Get STEM
This resource, available in English and Spanish, provides a standards-aligned curriculum that aims to address gender equity in STEM education across the through a series of girl-led, girl-tested, and girl-approved resources for young people in grades two through five. While the material is girl-centric, it's suitable for all genders.

3M Young Scientist Lab
This interactive portal is filled with engaging activities—which could be done alone or with a group—and standards-aligned teaching tools, anchored by the award-winning annual Young Scientist Challenge.

Soar with Wings
This platform provides standards-aligned digital resources that incorporate academics and fun while building key social and emotional skills for youth in grades K–5. Soar with Wings also strengthens the skillset of parents and afterschool professionals, so they can equip students with the resources and support they need to fly high.

LG Experience Happiness
Ideal for older youth, this platform offers self-paced modules and virtual experiences youth could walk through in their own time. It's also organized so you could easily find what type of activity you're looking for right on the website, along with professional development tools for afterschool professionals.

Ask. Listen. Learn.
Uncover the science behind how alcohol affects developing brains, bodies and behavior. This platform helps equip youth with vital resources to dive deep into the science, data, and facts that are critical to understanding the effects of alcohol, leading them to say "YES" to a healthy lifestyle and "NO" to underage drinking.

Operation Prevention
The DEA and Discovery Education have joined forces to combat a growing epidemic of prescription opioid misuse and heroin use nationwide. On this platform, young people could hear impactful conversations about how addiction can start through virtual field trips, while afterschool professionals could access resources grounded in science, health, social studies and ELA standards.

AHA and NFL Play 60
With this resource, young people could stay active inside their afterschool programs and out. Lessons and activities—which include virtual field trips with NFL players—are aligned to National Physical Education Learning Standards, Next Generation Science Standards and Common Core State Standards.

Cha-Ching
Though videos, educational resources, games, and more, this engaging and fun financial literacy program prepares young people in grades K-6 with the knowledge, tools, and practice they need to make informed decisions to reach their goals and dreams.

Pathway to Financial Success
This platform, ideal for older youth, offers the skills needed to set and reach goals with videos and interactive modules. Afterschool professionals can also access key financial success skills, including lessons, guides and videos.

See even more offerings at Discovery Education.

Family Guidebook and other Help for a Safe & Informed Return to School

FAMILY GUIDEBOOK: Click to see the Norwalk Public Schools (NPS) Family Guidebook for 20920-2021.

SCHOOL START TIMES: The list of school start times and end times for 2020-21 is available on norwalkps.org. Please contact your principal directly for any questions.

SCHOOL SCHEDULE NEWS: School delays, closures, early dismissals and after-school cancellations are communicated on the Norwalk Public Schools website:  www.norwalkps.org; NPS Social Media: Facebook and Twitter; NPS automated School Messenger phone and text message system; NPS Info Line recording: (203) 854-4123; and local TV, radio and online media outlets.

REMOTE LEARNING SUPPORT APPLICATION: Norwalk Public Schools plans to provide supervised work space for a limited number of middle and high school students who are on the hybrid schedule in their schools, and who need support during the days they are not in school. Students will be placed in Pods, each consisting of twelve students. They will meet at either the Carver Community Center, the main Norwalk Public Library on Belden Avenue, and the South Norwalk Library. If you are interested in having your child participate in one of the Pods, please click on this link. Space is limited so please return your application NO LATER THAN THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10. Decisions will be made by September 14th. Transportation is not provided.

PARENT UNIVERSITY: Parent University is a virtual learning experience for parents, guardians, and all Norwalk community members. This NPS resource is designed to help parents learn skills to work with their students and help them achieve. Families enrolled in Parent University have the opportunity to attend collaborative learning sessions with their students. Sessions are designed to be either live presentations with Q&A or pre-recorded informational sessions about the various technologies and activities students are using at Norwalk Public Schools. All sessions are family oriented and can be attended by all members of the family. Supporting Students in K-2 Reading, Wednesday, September 9 @ 6pm — Register here. Supporting Students in 3-5 Reading, Wednesday, September 9 @ 7pm — Register here.

Tips to help make the return to school easier this year

The pediatric experts at Connecticut Children's put together a Back to School Kit designed to answer questions and ease concerns that many parents have about the start of the school year.

For example, Connecticut’s Physician-in-Chief Juan Salazar, MD, MPH, offers this advice about what to consider:

• Your child’s health. Is your child immunocompromised, or do they have any underlying health concerns such as immunosuppression, diabetes or chronic lung disease that put them at risk of severe illness from COVID-19? (Does your child have asthma? A pediatric asthma expert shares advice on school and day care during COVID-19.)

• Your household’s health. Are any of your household members at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19? This includes older adults, and those with underlying health conditions. (Keep in mind: If your home itself has any health hazards like mold or asbestos, it could put everyone at greater risk for COVID-19 and other issues. Contact Connecticut Children’s Healthy Homes Program to learn more.)

• For more information about what school will look like this year, read “Is It Safe to Send My Child Back to School During COVID-19? Advice From Connecticut Children’s Physician-in-Chief.”

SEL + OST = PERFECT: see the new conference report from the Wallace Foundation

Here is a new conference report from the Wallace Foundation on Social Emotional Learning as it is applied to Out of School Time learning. The report (SEL+OST=PERFECT) examines how to develop adults’ skills at nurturing children’s social-emotional development and how to convey the importance of SEL skills to others.

After school, summer and other out-of-school-time programs, such as those that Carver provides year-round, can be ideal settings for children to learn and build social and emotional well-being—when skilled and trusted adults are there to guide them, according to this conference report.

All NPS Middle & High School students are invited to join Superintendent Dr. Estrella online next Monday to talk about the upcoming school year!

15-year-old children’s book guru Marley Dias launches a new project on Netflix

Marley Dias — founder and author of the social media campaign  #1000BlackGirlBooks — is known for her book, “Marley Dias Gets It Done (And So Can You!),” among many other initiatives. In the book, she writes about youth activism, social justice and using social media to make positive changes in communities.

Today, the 15-year-old is starting a new Netflix project, “Bookmarks: Celebrating Black Voices,” a collection of 12 five-minute episodes featuring Black celebrities and artists reading children’s books by Black authors that highlight the Black experience, beginning September 1st.

Dias serves as host and executive producer of the series, whose books and conversations center on themes of identity, respect, justice and action. Guests include: Chicago native, rapper, actor and writer Common; actor and author Lupita Nyong’o; comedian, actor and author Tiffany Haddish; actor and ”Little” executive producer Marsai Martin; singer, actor and poet Jill Scott; actor and activist Kendrick Sampson; actor and author Grace Byers; actor Caleb McLaughlin; TV personality Karamo Brown; ballerina and author Misty Copeland and author Jacqueline Woodson.

The books that will be read are: “ABCs for Girls Like Me” by Melanie Goolsby, “Antiracist Baby” by Ibram X. Kendi, “Brown Boy Joy” by Thomishia Booker, “Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut” by Derrick Barnes, “Firebird” by Copeland, “I Am Enough” by Byers, “I Am Perfectly Designed” by Brown, “I Love My Hair!” by Chicagoan Natasha Tarpley, “Let’s Talk About Race” by Julius Lester, “Pretty Brown Face” by Andrea and Brian Pinkney, “Sulwe” by Nyong’o, “The Day You Begin” by Woodson and “We March” by Shane Evans.

According to Dias, the project will provide families a tool set to start meaningful conversations with kids about difficult topics through short-form, book-based content. Dias said “Bookmarks” can help parents who have children who don’t find reading enjoyable. She hopes that, in this medium, young nonreaders are encouraged to care more about such stories.

Parent University at Norwalk Public Schools

The NPS Parent University helps parents learn skills to work with their students and help them achieve. All Live Sessions Run 6:00-6:45 or 7:00-7:45.

Parents enrolled in Parent University have the opportunity to attend collaborative learning sessions with their students. Examples of Course Topics are Technology Demonstrations, Conversations about Digital Safety, and providing academic support.

All resources are designed by NPS educators to help provide both parents and students the tools they need to achieve in todays 21st-Century Hybrid Classrooms.

August 25

• Supporting your K-1 Students in Mathematics

• Supporting your 2-3 Students in Mathematics

August 26

• Nearpod: Interactive Lessons for K-12 Classrooms

• An Introduction to Student Devices (Chromebooks/Laptops)

Carver's 2020 Child of America honoree, Kamilah Forbes, is creating great art at The Apollo Theater

Artists recently joined Apollo Executive Producer Kamilah Forbes to discuss what they’re creating for the Apollo’s ongoing support and amplification of Black voices. You can watch a recording of the conversation on the Apollo Digital Stage.

The Apollo is committed to developing the next generation of diverse arts leaders. Earlier this summer, the education department pivoted their six-week summer internship program to take place completely online, culminating on August 11 with the Apollo’s Teen Takeover. It was so inspirational to watch these students using their powerful voices to share their visions for a more equitable future. You can watch their production, entitled “Dear Future…”, here. The fall internship program will also be virtual; you can visit the Apollo’s website for more information on how to participate.

The 2019 HBO documentary The Apollo has been nominated for “Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special” at this year’s Emmy Awards, which air on September 20.

To continue the conversations started at the Apollo in 2018 with the world premiere staged adaptation of Ta-Nehisi Coates’s Between the World and Me, HBO will be adapting the production for the small screen, once again directed by Kamilah Forbes and premiering this fall (more here).

Registration begins for Carver Middle & High School After School Programs

REGISTER HERE FOR ALL CARVER K-12 BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS.

Make arrangements directly with the school to register your child in Carver’s after school program at Side By Side Chater School in Norwalk or the Classical Studies Magnet Academy in Bridgeport.

For questions about middle and high school after school programs, please contact our Manager of School Based Programs, Mary Martini, at (203) 838-4305; ext 119; mary@carvercenterct.org.

Until mid-June, our students’ daytime teachers and other Carver staff provided virtual academic, enrichment and wellness programming for our students who attended our programs at the Carver Community Center, After the Bell elementary schools, the 5th grade transition programs, Norwalk’s four middle and two high schools, Side By Side Charter School, and the Classical Studies Magnet Academy in Bridgeport. You can read more about our virtual after school programming here.

Carver's after school Youth Development Program (YDP) provides middle and high school students (a minimum 2.5 hours per day, not including field trips, college tours, career fairs, etc.) throughout Norwalk with a variety of learning opportunities that compliment and enrich, but do not duplicate, school day instruction. YDP Program Coordinators are certified teachers within each school and Carver provides free transportation for all students.

Here is a a collection of stories told by some of our high school YDP students.

Carver after school programs operate in Side By Side Charter School, the Carver Community Center, and in the Norwalk Public Schools four middle and two high schools. Carver programs compliment regular school day learning with literacy, math, technology, engineering, science, arts, wellness and other programming after school. Our multi-tiered, project-based, hands-on personalized learning uses an array of resources to help each student excel in school and life.