COVID-19 Response - Harlem Link Charter School

Current Status: We returned to on-campus learning.

Beginning September 1, we brought all students back on campus for in-person learning, with the exception of a very small number of students who have exemptions for serious medical situations and are learning remotely through our Virtual School.

While we invested our time, energy and resources in developing a remote learning program from March 2020 to the spring of 2021 and we are proud of that program, we have followed the calls of the State Education Department and Governor Hochul to return to in-person learning to the maximum extent possible, given safety considerations. We have robust safety precautions in place as part of our reopening plan.

Our Virtual School site will be ready as a backup plan in the event of future closures and student quarantines. The Virtual School will build on the successes of our 2020-21 program: a daily, predictable schedule that allowed students to have consistent access to teachers and their learning. All major subjects were taught live through Zoom, along with their arts, physical education, dance, science, and afterschool programming. Our Virtual School also had our intervention programs happening, which include our English as a New Language program, our Academic Intervention program, and all related service providers for students receiving special education services.

About Our Reopening Plan

Our Emergency Operations Reopening Plan follows the CDC guidance and details the manner in which we will keep our community safe from the spread of COVID-19 and aim to maintain our in-person learning throughout the year.

Relationships Matter - Now, More Than Ever

"I appreciate how much growth I have seen within a short period in terms of responsibility with the school work and with things around the house."

COVID-19 Response

Please visit our compilation of community resources for families

A Timeline of Our COVID-19 Response

Initial Response February through March 2020

February: School Management Team begins planning COVID-19 contingency plans in earnest.
March 12: Harlem Link launches first of a series of family surveys about tech & other needs.
March 13: Harlem Link announces an indefinite closure of on campus activities.
Week of March 16: School staff provide at-home activities and wellness calls for 100% of students.
March 17: School board establishes broad pandemic-related goals in emergency meeting.
March 18: Family Resources hub launched to share info on COVID, food banks & resources.
March 23: Harlem Link launches Virtual School site and begins Chromebook distribution.

Virtual School: April to June 2020

Week of April 6: School conducts second round of wellness checks for all students.
Week of April 20: Nearly 275 Chromebooks distributed; Average Daily Attendance hits 80%.
May and June: School staff continues to fine tune academic program to reflect best practices and support student needs.

Reopening Planning: Summer 2020

June and July: School conducts Survey #2 and a series of family town halls for input & feedback.
July to early August: Harlem Link provides Summer Virtual Learning Academy for a subset of students.
August 15: Harlem Link’s Fall Reopening Plan is accepted by SUNY & NYS DOH.

Fall Remote Learning: September to November 2020

September 2: Virtual School re-opens with increased learning time and 95% faculty retention.
October 13: On campus remote learning begins for children of essential workers.
November 9-13: With more laptops distributed, Average Daily Attendance hits 90%.
November 18: On campus remote learning suspended indefinitely due to NYC buildings closure.
November 20: Family Survey #3 concludes, kicking off the next phase of strategic planning.
Nov 2020-March 2021: Over the holidays and winter, Covid cases spiked in the city, and school paused on campus learning.

Spring Remote Learning: March to August 2021

March 24th: On campus care for remote learning resumes, serving over 80 students.
June 12: We began our Comeback with an in-person, outdoor Spring Fair, also celebrating our new Community Mural
July 6th to August 6th: Our Summer Academy served all students interested in attending, most through the Virtual School.

Return to Campus: Fall 2021

We launched our Emergency Operations Reopening Plan, based on guidance from the CDC and state health and education departments.
September 1st: Start Date for all grades on campus from PK-5.