#18 of 2020 · March 19th
Regional Enrichment Centers (REC) Overview

The New York City Department of Education has created and designed Regional Enrichment Centers (REC). Theses Rec Centers are designed to alleviate the need for childcare during the city’s COVID-19 pandemic. The approximately 100 RECs will each offer remote instruction, 3 hot meals a day, childcare, along with art, music, and physical education. RECs also include early childcare centers, in addition to K-12 sites, that will be located in every school district.

First Tier
The first tier of outreach will be to….

• Health Care Providers
• First Responders
• Key Transit Workers

As they RECs develop, they will seek to include additional other essential service providers and children in shelter. In the best interest of our medically fragile students, they do not recommend they attend REC sites and are working with the Department of Health to ensure they have continuous medical services.

When will they open?
RECs will open for operation on Monday, March 23, 2020.

How can I enroll my child?
The DOE will be reaching out to first responders, transit and healthcare worker unions and partner organizations/agencies to help enroll their children through an easily accessible online form. A response will be generated back to the family with the offered site and will prioritize geographical proximity to your residence.

What will a typical day look like?

• Hours of Operation: 7:30 am – 6:00 pm
  Tentative Program schedule:
  Morning
  • Remote Learning Opportunities
  Afternoon:
  • Arts

  PE & Sports (3:00 pm to 6:00 pm)

How will you keep RECs safe?
The health and safety of staff members and students remains the highest priority.

• All social distancing protocols will be followed at RECs.
• Maintaining 6 feet of distance between people.
• Limiting classrooms to less than 12 students.
• Anyone who is sick should stay home.
• Sites will be regularly cleaned and disinfected.

Who will be staffing these sites?

• REC centers will be operated by dedicated DOE staff.
• Staff from partners at dozens of community-based organizations.
• We are grateful to the numerous DOE employees who have already offered to help staff these sites.

  Please see the attached MEMO from the NYC Department of Education for further details.

  For the NYCDOE Regional Enrichment Center Enrollment Form, click
  HERE