As a community, we are now faced with the uncertainty of a pandemic that has all but shut down our city. The city Department of Education has made the right decision in closing down the NYC public schools system until April 20 to slow the spread of the new coronavirus and to help preserve the health of our school communities.

The UFT and the DOE are working together to ensure we have programs in place to provide our children with instructional and other supports that families need while our schools are shuttered. Here's what we know so far.

• For the week of Monday, March 16, every school will provide packaged, grab-and-go breakfast and lunch to any children who need them. Meals will be served between 7:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Contact your child's school to check in about variations to this schedule or additional services.
• Tuesday, March 17, and Wednesday, March 18, during regular school hours, children can pick up medication and receive standard medical services from school nurses and school-based health centers.
• Later in the week, schools will begin distributing materials for remote learning, which will start on Monday, March 23.
• The city will open Regional Enrichment Centers across the city to provide child care for the children of first responders, healthcare workers, transit workers and other vulnerable populations.

For further details, see the letter from Chancellor Carranza.

During this crisis, we will experience uncertainty about how events may affect us and our loved ones. In the face of such challenges, we want parents, educators and the community at large to know that the UFT stands with you in these trying times. We are committed to being one of the places you can count on for real-time information and valuable resources.

You can check out the new remote resource hub and the parent section of the UFT website for other valuable information.

Please continue to practice social distancing by reducing close contact between people to slow the spread of this virus. And please keep washing your hands.

We're here for each other. Stay healthy and safe.