Home Page - Frederick Douglass Academy VIII Middle School

See below for important information regarding SUMMER SCHOOL: Students in grades 3–8 who are not promoted in June will be required to attend summer school. They will participate in six weeks of remote instruction from Monday, July 13 – Tuesday, August 18. Some students in grades 3–8 who are promoted in June may also be recommended by their teacher for additional academic support over the summer. They will participate in six weeks of remote instruction from Monday, July 13 – Tuesday, August 18. Your school will notify you in June if your child is required or recommended to participate in summer learning programs.

See below for important information regarding Pediatric Multi-System Inflammatory Syndrome: PMIS is a rare condition that is not contagious. However, because it is life-threatening, it is important to know the signs. Most children have a persistent, high fever lasting several days, along with other symptoms. You should call your doctor if your child becomes ill and has had continued fever. Your doctor will ask about your child’s symptoms and use that information to recommend next steps. If your child is severely ill, you should go to the nearest emergency room or call 911 immediately. Although it is not yet known whether it is associated with COVID-19, it is important parents and children take precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

See below for important information regarding the updating Citywide Grading Policy: We have heard from students, parents, teachers, school leaders, and many others across the City to inform our revised grading policy. We see you, we hear you, and we believe that the final policy we are issuing emphasizes flexibility and patience for students in these unprecedented times, while also keeping students engaged without penalty for the trauma they may be experiencing. It maintains clear expectations that acknowledge each individual student’s experience, and creates a consistent, equitable system across all schools. The policy seeks to minimize stress on families and students, while still providing next year’s teachers with the information they need about an individual student’s progress toward achieving standards

See below for important information regarding the remainder of the 2020 School Year. The NYC Department of Education has decided that New York City school buildings will not reopen during the 2019-2020 school year. Teachers and students will finish the school year in remote learning. FDA VIII will continue to serve as Meal Hub for anyone in need of food. If you have requested a device from the DOE and have not yet received one, please alert Ms. Balfour immediately. We have been informed that all students who are in need of a device and have already completed the survey will receive one by the end of April.

See below for important information regarding Spring Recess and Regents Examinations. For the health and wellbeing of all New Yorkers, schools must continue to offer remote learning, including during days that were previously scheduled as breaks. As a result, our schools will continue with remote learning through the time originally scheduled for Spring Recess.

School Closures: The State has announced that all schools in New York State will now remain closed through April 29, 2020. Regents Exams: The State has cancelled June 2020 Regents exams. Families of high school students will soon receive additional guidance regarding how this impacts graduation requirements. In short, students who planned to take Regents exams in June 2020 will be exempt from these exams in order to earn their diploma, but they still must complete the required course credits to graduate. Our goal is to make sure that students on track to graduate this year continue to remain on their path toward successful completion of high school.

Remote learning for all students at Frederick Douglass Academy VIII begins Monday March 23, 2020. All students are required to sign in to Google Classroom before 9am and "check-in" to Morning Meeting. Click on "Distance Learning" above to find more information about daily schedules and how to use resources such as Google Classroom. Additionally, any student or parent/guardian is eligible to pick up 3 meals per day at our school site. Please only pick up meals if you are currently healthy and you are not exhibiting any COVID-19 symptoms. Remember - social distancing saves lives!!