Education

Chancellor Banks outlines city’s educational agenda

By STEPHON JOHNSON

Amsterdam News Staff

New York City Schools Chancellor David Banks spoke at the Tweed Courthouse to present the Department of Education’s priorities in the Eric Adams era.

The focus? Emphasizing community, keeping kids active as well as educated, expanding the gifted program and streamlining power to implement changes quicker.

During his speech, Banks talked about how there were genius people in the education system who are held back by bureaucracy.

“It’s amazing, the most innovative, brilliant principals that I’ve spoken to anywhere around the system,” Banks said. “They figured out how to navigate around this bureaucracy in order to make things happen for their kid—that shouldn’t be necessary. So what I’m going to do is I’m going to put in place a level or a system that will be a level of autonomy.”

Earlier this week, after City Hall lifted the school mask mandate, Banks reiterated that New York City public schools were some of the safest school systems in the country during the COVID-19 pandemic. New York City Mayor Eric Adams has emphasized eating healthy, but Banks wants to take it further than a day or two per week. He wants healthy eating to start before school and continue throughout children’s lives. He wants the system to prioritize wellness and how it impacts students’ success.

“This is something that the mayor talks about all the time—healthy food,” said Banks. “It’s really, really important that it’s not just about meatless Mondays or vegan Fridays, but it’s about educating our young people about how to eat properly. And you have to get to them at the earliest of ages in order to make that happen.

“Because if we can educate them about how to take care of themselves, and what healthy whole nutrition really means, then we can make a huge difference over time,” Banks concluded.

Over the past two months, Banks traveled the city to assess the conditions of what he is now responsible for. He’s also been a part of panels discussing Critical Race Theory, he’s broken ground on new schools (such as Edward L. Grant School in the Bronx). He even visited his old stomping grounds to check up on changes from his childhood. The former charter school principal is now ready to remake the public school system in his own image. He doesn’t want parents abandoning the school system.

Banks pointed out that the school system has lost 120,000 students the past five years. Most of those who left, however, were white and wealthy students according to a report by the Independent Budget Office.

He’s looking to bring all 120,000 students back.

“I spoke to somebody in here just the other day…a woman who’s been working with me for years, and she said to me ‘You know what, Mr. Chancellor? For the first time, I feel a real sense of hope,’” said Banks. “I feel an energy changing in this building. And I’ve been talking to people in the schools across the city and people are feeling a new sense of a new spirit. That is here. That spirit is real.

“We are going to transform this system.”

Mandates

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wearing them,” said Adams in a statement this week.

Adams followed the lead of New York State Gov. Kathy Hochul who announced the lifting of mask requirements for students starting this Wednesday. This comes after the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention changed their guidelines on school masks stating that masks can come off at schools unless the COVID metrics are high.

“With more New Yorkers getting vaccinated, and the steady decline over the past several weeks in cases and hospitalizations from Omicron, we are now entering a new phase of the pandemic,” said Hochul in a statement. “Because New Yorkers have stepped up, we can confidently remove the statewide mask requirement in our schools.”

According to the CDC, mask use is determined by three metrics: “new COVID-19 admissions per 100,000 population in the past 7 days, the percent of staffed inpatient beds occupied by COVID-19 patients, and total new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 population in the past 7 days—to determine the COVID19 community level. New COVID19 admissions and the percent of staffed inpatient beds occupied represent the current potential for strain on the health system. Data on new cases acts as an early warning indicator of potential increases in health system strain in the event of a COVID-19 surge.”

According to the city’s latest stats, as of Wednesday morning, the daily average of New Yorkers who tested positive for COVID dropped to 1.94% over the last 7 days. Hospitalizations (people diagnosed with COVID) at least the last seven days is 26 with 12 confirmed deaths and continues to decrease. Statewide, as of Feb. 28, with 66,574 tested, 1,284 tested positive. CDC stats showed that 81.2% of people age 5 and above have at least one vaccination.

Adams has also ended the Key2NYC rules that required vaccination for indoor dining, indoor fitness and indoor entertainment spaces.

Nationally, statewide and citywide the dominoes have fallen.

Michael Mulgrew, president of the United Federation of Teachers, said that while the mayor has lifted the mandate, he will continue to monitor the situation on his own.

“We are very happy to see that the numbers are going in the right direction,” stated Mulgrew. “We will confer with our own independent doctors, look at the data from take-home test kits and random inschool testing this week, and make sure all of that is taken into account as New York City reviews its own school masking policy.”

Mona Davids, of the New York City Parents Union, has been pushing for an end to the school mask mandate. She said that City Hall was late, but right on time.

“We’re talking about a group that’s the least at risk,” said Davids. “So as far as I’m concerned, it’s unconscionable that we’ve been masking kids now for two years. They’ve been traumatized, they’re depressed…Children are behind in speech development and learning because of these mass mandates. I’m glad that it’s finally going to be lifted, and let the parents decide what is best for the child.”

Some elected officials, however, especially those who have loved ones they lost to COVID, aren’t ready to declare victory yet. Senator Jamaal Bailey stated that he will continue to mask up his kids for the rest of the school year.

“I’m not…I’m uncomfortable,” said Bailey. “I have different traumas related to COVID. Should we be in a position where we’re doing this really? I don’t know. But you’re in a position where if you can say that we’re governed by science and then what science is indicating to us…it is what it is.”

New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams is in the same boat. Williams cited the lack of ventilation issues in certain schools.

“It is also critical that any change comes alongside addressing problematic, pervasive issues with ventilation in schools,” said Williams. “I have additional concerns related to the disparities in vaccination rates and school funding across different communities within our city, and the city must address these issues to ensure that all students in all neighborhoods are kept safe.”

Dr. Sandra Bonat is a pediatric physician advisor at VIP StarNetwork, which provides healthcare services for film crews and provides it for everyone via mobile and onsite services. VIP StarNetwork recently signed a contract with the city to provide free COVID tests and vaccines to venues requesting them. Bonat said that the city and City Hall are moving too fast.

“I’m concerned that dropping the mask mandate is a little bit premature,” Bonat asserted. “I know it’s the more popular opinion, and I understand people are tired of masks. But given the fact that we have a good number of kids that still need to be vaccinated throughout the city. Certain neighborhoods and counties have higher transmission rates, including City Island, Tribeca, Murray Hill, Astoria, Southwest Brooklyn. It is so important for parents who are uncomfortable with the mandates being lifted to know they can and should still send their kids in a mask. Especially if their children are immunocompromised.

“Masks are proven to work; masks reduce transmission rates,” continued Bonat. “I would also encourage school districts to make sure no one feels isolated and that everyone realizes it’s a choice they can still make, even with the rules being loosened. Otherwise, we can monitor the situation and possibly even bring back the masks if we see transmission rates in the state, and schools should reenact mask wearing to reduce transmission.”

Parent Tamika Hall didn’t mince words with her rejection of the new rules. “It’s foolish. lmao,” said Hall in a text to the AmNews. “The governor isn’t the sharpest knife in the drawer so I’m not surprised. My kids will continue to (wear masks).”

All of the things I just found too hard to say. to say.

LAUREN JAUREGUI // TRACK 03

WHEN YOUR KID CAN’T FIND THE LANGUAGE, FIND THE LYRICS.

USE THEM TO START A CONVERSATION WITH YOUR KIDS ABOUT EMOTIONAL WELLBEING. LISTEN TO THE ALBUM, FIND TOOLS AND GET TIPS FROM PROFESSIONALS AT

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NYC Test & Trace Corps expands street outreach drug-treatment options

The NYC Test & Trace Corps recently announced the launch of a Buprenorphine Treatment Pathway to connect New Yorkers struggling with opioid use disorder to treatment with buprenorphine through NYC Health + Hospitals’ Virtual Buprenorphine Clinic. The initiative will expand drug treatment options offered by the Street Health Outreach + Wellness program to provide comprehensive care for patients with opioid use disorder.

“As a primary care doctor, I care deeply about my patients. Every time I prescribe buprenorphine to one of my patients with opioid use disorder, I know that in that moment I have had the opportunity to help them with a permanent recovery, and may have saved their life,” said Dr. Ted Long, executive director of the NYC Test & Trace Corps and senior vice president of Ambulatory Care and Population Health at NYC Health + Hospitals. “The Buprenorphine Treatment Pathway is a critical addition to the Street Health Outreach and Wellness program, ensuring all New Yorkers can get the comprehensive care they need including for opioid use disorder, wherever they are, without exception.”

“Our SHOW teams’ ability to connect patients to buprenorphine treatment will bring life-saving, lifechanging medication to New Yorkers living with and seeking treatment for opioid use disorder who have faced challenges accessing other options,” said Dr. Amanda K. Johnson, director of Take Care at the NYC Test & Trace Corps and assistant vice president of Ambulatory Care and Population Health at NYC Health + Hospitals. “We endeavor to provide a doorway to the public healthcare system for all New Yorkers. A clear, accessible referral pathway can help many more who are seeking treatment.”

“As a therapist, a public servant, and someone in recovery from opioid addiction, I am proud to be a part of this life-saving care,” said Dr. Rebecca LinnWalton, senior assistant vice president in the Office of Behavioral Health at NYC Health + Hospitals. “This life-saving treatment needs to be truly accessible to all New Yorkers. This is our chance to help someone change their trajectory. We hope that this is the first step toward healing and stability for some of New York’s most vulnerable residents.”

The Buprenorphine Treatment Pathway builds upon the success of the Street Health Outreach + Wellness (SHOW) program, a mobile urgent care initiative that bridges gaps in access to care for the city’s most vulnerable and has engaged over 100,000 unique patients on the streets of New York City. SHOW’s dedicated teams of nurses, advanced practice providers, EMTs and social workers provide a range of medical treatments and social services focused on New Yorkers experiencing homelessness, including COVID testing, vaccinations, physical and mental health screenings, and harm reduction services.

Providing buprenorphine in the community offers additional care for people living with opioid use disorder, which includes substances such as heroin, fentanyl and oxycodone. SHOW teams can now make referrals to the Virtual Buprenorphine Clinic (VBC) at NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue, a virtual buprenorphine assessment and prescription program. The VBC provides virtual/ telephone appointments for assessment with an x-waivered medical provider, works in partnership with local pharmacies across NYC to help facilitate multi-week prescriptions for buprenorphine, and provides referrals to substance treatment programs for ongoing treatment, extending the Clinic’s impact within the community. SHOW teams will be able to provide New Yorkers assessments in the field, hand out information about buprenorphine assisted-treatment, and connect them to the VBC.

The Buprenorphine Treatment Pathway is designed to meet New Yorkers when and where they are, opening a door to drug treatment options conversation by conversation. Regardless of whether someone is interested in or meet criteria for the VBC, SHOW teams still offer other harm reduction services, including Narcan, fentanyl test strips, and connection with Safe Syringe Providers, such as New York Harm Reduction Educators (NYHRE), for clean needles and safe injection.

“The need for innovative approaches to treat chronic drug use here in NYC has never been greater,” said Stan Vashovsky, CEO of DocGo.“We are hopeful this new Buprenorphine Treatment Pathway will reach individuals with the greatest need, provide the resources they need to overcome substance use challenges, and help save lives. We’re proud of our teams on the ground leading this vital initiative, and look forward to developing additional programs with NYC H+H to help improve access to care for all.”

SHOW mobile units are deployed to high-need areas in New York City throughout the week. For the most up-to-date information about mobile site locations and scheduling, please visit the Street Health Outreach & Wellness Mobile Units website.

The NYC Test & Trace Corps is the city’s comprehensive effort to test, trace, and provide support for every case of COVID-19 and every person exposed to the virus that causes COVID19. Through a partnership with NYC Health + Hospitals and the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the Test & Trace Corps allows the city to immediately isolate and care for those who test positive for the virus and then rapidly track, assess, and quarantine anyone who may have been exposed. To help all New Yorkers safely separate at home and monitor their health status, the Take Care pillar of the Test & Trace Corps also offers free hotel rooms with wraparound services for New Yorkers who are unable to safely separate in their own homes.

NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest public healthcare system in the nation serving more than a million New Yorkers annually in more than 70 patient care locations across the city’s five boroughs. A robust network of outpatient, neighborhoodbased primary and specialty care centers anchors care coordination with the system’s trauma centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, home care agency, and MetroPlus health plan—all supported by 11 essential hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 42,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on Facebook at https://www.facebook. com/NYCHealthSystem or Twitter at @NYCHealthSystem.

DocGo is a leading provider of lastmile mobile care services and integrated medical mobility solutions. DocGo is disrupting the traditional four-wall healthcare system by providing care at the scale of humanity. DocGo’s innovative technology and dedicated field staff of certified health professionals elevate the quality of patient care and drive business efficiencies for facilities, hospital networks, and health insurance providers. With Mobile Health, DocGo empowers the full promise and potential of telehealth by facilitating healthcare treatment, in tandem with a remote physician, in the comfort of a patient's home or workplace. Together with DocGo's integrated Ambulnz medical transport services, DocGo is bridging the gap between physical and virtual care. For more information, please visit www.docgo.com.