NYC says students hit by Sandy can take classes online

November 20, 2012 Mary Frost Brooklyn Daily Eagle
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New York City teens impacted by Hurricane Sandy will be able to take many of their classes online, Schools Chancellor Dennis M. Walcott said Tuesday.

Students in grades six through 12 who have been displaced from their homes or reassigned to other schools can enroll today for online classes including English, math, economics, calculus, world history and Spanish.

Teachers from iZone have offered to lead the courses. Teachers will hold weekly office hours for students using video conferencing and the phone.

Eighteen city schools have not reopened three weeks after the superstorm, according to DOE. Their students have been reassigned to other school buildings, but many live far away from their temporary schools or are living elsewhere with relatives or friends.

While most school buildings have been reopened, Chancellor Walcott said, “Still, some of our families have not been able to return to their homes, and the impact on students demands more resources to ensure they get the education they need.”

Students who do not have an Internet connection can log on at branches of the New York, Queens and Brooklyn Public Library, the city said.

Linda E. Johnson, President and CEO of Brooklyn Public Library, said the library has been providing emergency services in many affected areas since the storm. “In some of the hardest hit neighborhoods, we dispatched Bookmobiles to bring services and materials, such as charging stations and children’s books, where they were needed most. Through our partnership with the city and the DOE, we will help ensure that students impacted by the hurricane have access to the educational resources they need.”

To enroll in these online courses, students must first complete a form by calling 718-642-5885 or online at www.ilearnnyc.net/virtuallearning2012. Staff will then follow up with these students’ schools to determine eligibility and set up a learning plan for each student.

The courses are made possible through an extension of iZone, a Department of Education’s program that supports online learning, and through the donation of program licenses from partners Apex Learning, Desire2Learn and Powerspeak.

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