Yeshiva of Central Queens staff and students got off to an amazing start with their virtual learning environment. Using the Zoom platform, teachers created classes that can be easily accessed on the new YCQ webpage. Through training by the IT Department, with the assistance of fourth grade teacher Eryn Kaplan and JHS Education Tech Coordinator Teddy Richter, learning did not cease. The students joined their class or grade in the morning for davening and Judaic studies, and in the afternoon they kept up with math, language arts, and other academic subjects. On Monday, YCQ will be launching specialties, including gym, library story time and book discussion, computers, art, and music.
The Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) and several teachers have been offering links to learning and activity-based resources through their Facebook page in addition to daily challenges. Parents have uploaded pictures and video clips of their children learning and participating in the challenges, including dressing like favorite book characters, building volcanoes, making beds, and playing nice with siblings.
Principal Rabbi Mark Landsman shared words of chizuk every few days through video, and kids set up play dates using their Zoom accounts. On Thursday evening, students were able to log on to a pre-Shabbos ruach with rebbeim and listen and sing along to music; and the PTO set up a connection to a concert with DJ Eli.
The YCQ school psychologist, Dr. Sara Asher, conducted a webinar for the entire YCQ family to help ease some of the anxiety, being felt by all, over the unknown, and offered coping skills and suggestions on ways to help parents and staff stay strong and be there for our children so we all can get through this trying time.
Every faculty member has been doing an incredible job as role models for their students and keeping the learning and fun going even in this difficult and scary time for all of us. With help from Hashem, this too shall pass.
