Students will not report to school buildings for instruction until Monday April 20, 2020 or longer if necessary. Source
Extreme Kids programs will follow this time frame as well for in-school programs: open play, Girls Crew, Teens Crew, Powerful Parents, and after school.
*Translated links are below.
Dear Extreme Kids & Crew community,
We hope this finds you and your crew well amidst the growing concern about COVID-19. Like everyone, we are carefully monitoring the situation and working to make the best decisions possible for the health and welfare of everyone who enters Extreme Kids spaces.
The safety and health of our member families, staff, and volunteers is our top priority, and thus, to err on the side of caution we have made the tough decision to suspend all weekend programming and events through March 31. After-school is closed through March 20th, at which point, post deep-cleaning, we will reassess. This was not an easy nor desirable decision, but ultimately, we want to ensure we are doing our part to avoid the possible spread of the virus. We will provide continual updates on our website and social media feeds regarding how we will proceed in the coming weeks, and will be available during work hours should you need to reach us.
This month Extreme Kids will:
Professionally sanitize our spaces
Brainstorm alternative program offerings. Virtual playdates and support groups?!
Provide some much-needed love, and levity, along the way
It is reasonable to feel anxious during this time of unknowns. Please take care of yourself, inside and out, and take care of each other. No one knows what to do exactly, but we will get through this together!
Ways to connect with Extreme Kids and other caregivers/parents:
The Extreme Kids email listserv, as always, can be used in the following ways:
Crowdsource information about: babysitting, schools, doctors, etc.
Organize playdates
Reach out to other caregivers (or us) for support
Don’t have access to the listserv? Request access by emailing Alex alex@extremekidsandcrew.org
Social media:
Facebook: @extremekidsandcrew
Twitter: @edextremekids
Instagram: @extreme_kids_and_crew
Please reach out, stay in contact with us and your community. Hopefully we are being overly cautious. I recognize the impact these decisions have on all of us and do not take them lightly. Stay strong and connected, my friends. And lastly, Happy Birthday Felix!
Sincerely,
Caitlin M. Cassaro, Executive Director and The Crew
Translated versions of this letter will be posted as they become available. Please download and share as you’d like:
SPANISH | CHINESE | POLISH
Dear Extreme Kids & Crew community,
There are now multiple confirmed cases of coronavirus, or COVID-19, in New York City. While the risk remains low, we are aware that many of our member families may be more vulnerable to infection. We have arranged to have a cleaning service come into the play spaces more frequently, and staff will use alcohol-based cleaning products to disinfect toys, equipment and furniture daily. Extreme Kids & Crew’s play spaces remain open, and the events will run as scheduled until informed otherwise. Most of our programming takes place within public schools, and thus we will follow the Department of Education's lead regarding closures.
While we remain open, please do not participate in Extreme Kids programming if:
you or a family member is sick.
you recently returned to New York from China, Iran, South Korea, Italy or Japan within the last 14 days.
you have been in close contact with someone who has travelled to a high-risk location.
Your safety is of the utmost importance to us, and we are happy to share the following information from the Health Department:
To prevent infection, the best advice is still to get a flu shot, wash your hands with soap and water, use an alcohol-based sanitizer, and cover your nose and mouth when sneezing or coughing. What we know about the coronavirus so far is that it behaves like the flu, which means the best prevention is the same advice given during flu season.
Visit NYC’s Coronavirus website for real-time updates in multiple languages.
You can also text COVID to 692-692 to get real-time updates.
We suggest visiting the NYC Department of Education’s website for information on public school updates. And this guide from the New York Times about talking to kids about coronavirus is a great resource if you're struggling to keep your own anxiety in check.
During this time of unknowns and potential fear, please treat each other with respect and kindness. We are all in this together.
We will keep you posted on further developments, and we hope you stay safe and healthy.
With love and compassion,
Caitlin M. Cassaro, Executive Director, and The Crew
News 12 Brooklyn paid a visit to Extreme Kids & Crew in Prospect Park for the third annual Ice Skating With the Crew event, talking to kids about their experience on the ice. Transcript below.
Kristie Reeter (anchor): A nonprofit here in our borough is giving all kids a chance to participate in a fun winter activity. That's with Extreme Kids & Crew’s third annual Ice Skating With the Crew event at the LeFrak Center at Lakeside Prospect Park. News 12 Brooklyn’s Emily Lorsch spoke with some of the kids who had a blast at the event and tells us more.
Emily Lorsch (reporter): Children with disabilities from all over the city coming together to check out ice skating.
Sage C.: I have seen people skating before but I’ve never done it. It was something that I wanted to do because I always watch the people on TV do the ice skating and when they do their competitions and stuff.
Emily Lorsch: These ladies tell me ice skating seems scary, but the adaptive skating equipment, like these penguins and sleds, really help them not only get used to the ice, but have a great time.
Camille C.: I had so much fun because I got to be on the sled and I got to go really fast.
Leigh Reid: An ice rink if you've never witnessed one is beautiful, it’s fun, but it’s a little bit chaotic. It can definitely be a little intimidating for your first time on the ice. So when you add on disabilities to that, there's a little bit of social stigma worries. There's also costs that can often be an issue.
Emily Lorsch: But this free event is offering up a space for children to feel comfortable and go at their own pace.
Camille C.: If you don't want to go on the ice you could just go on the sled instead of going on the ice. What was so special about it is that you won't fall and hurt yourself.
Leigh Reid: Just so they can get out there and they can have that fun experience that everybody deserves to have.
Emily Lorsch: Many of these kids tell me at first they were scared to get on the ice and now they can't wait to come back next year. In Prospect Park, Emily Lorsch, News 12 Brooklyn.
With the help of our families and funders, we accomplished a whole lot in 2019! Thanks to everyone who supported us and helped provide children and their people with a space to be. Check out some of our achievements below…
Extreme Kids & Crew is excited to return to the LeFrak Center at Lakeside Prospect Park for our annual disability-friendly ice skating event this February. In addition to a rink reserved just for us, we will have adaptive sleds and disability-aware staff on-site to foster a safe and fun environment for everyone. Entry is $6 and skates are $6, with the first 75 skaters getting in free. Stay tuned for updates.
It felt joyful, if also a little precarious, to be up on that table, but what was even more wonderful was stepping back down into a space where I belong, among people who support one another. Extreme Kids, after all, is not just a space to be, it’s a space to belong; the sense of community I felt among the crowd in the Factor’s living room extends into the schools where we work and the places we have created community across our city.
