Dear Superintendents,
We are launching borough response teams to support our asylum-seeking families. These teams will include educators, community-based organizations, representatives from elected officials’ teams, and our families leaders. Please share the attached flyer with your principals, FSCs, and FLCs as it describes the borough response teams and includes a sign-up form.
Please reach out to me with any questions. Looking forward to seeing many of you at this week’s office hours.
Best,
Melissa
Melissa R. Ramos
Senior Executive Director, Program Implementation
Office of the First Deputy Chancellor
Office: 212-374-2351
Mobile: 917-704-7056
Please Support Project Open Arms
To support our newest New Yorkers, NYC Public Schools will form borough response teams to organize food and clothing drives, resource fairs, and listening sessions/focus groups across the city. Parent leaders, school building and district leaders, educators, elected officials and community leaders – we need your support!
If you are interested in joining your borough’s response team or a subcommittee, please fill out this
form.
Q: Who should join a borough response team to support our asylum seekers?
A: Any parent/family leader, community leader, educator, and elected official who is interested in organizing events, drives, and other efforts to support our newest New Yorkers.
Q: What is the commitment?
A: We are flexible! We welcome your input and thank you for the time you can serve. Core team meetings
convene once a week, and subcommittee meetings are scheduled as needed.
Q: What if I can’t join a team, but I want to donate? Or request donations?
A: We thank you for thinking of our families. If you wish to donate, please fill out this form. If your school or organization is in need of donations for our newly arrived students, please fill out this form.
Q: I have questions about Project Open Arms and support for asylum seekers before I sign up. Who do
I contact?
A: For additional questions, please contact Melissa Ramos, Senior Executive Director of Program
Implementation, at mramos70@schools.nyc.gov