Special education school in Westchester
Square adapts to virtual learning
BY JASON COHEN
Throughout the borough
many children go without laptops
and some have to share
one device amongst several
people as they continue to
learn virtually.
But in Westchester Village,
a nonprofi t called Rising
Ground operates a special education
program, The Biondi
School at 1529 Williamsbridge
Rd., where students are thriving
during the COVID crisis.
The school has created a
“virtual school” for its students,
with therapeutic supports
for their learning, behavioral
and emotional disorders
and made sure those who do
not have access to a computer
at home are equipped with an
iPad.
“Students who typically
took longer in the classroom
to warm up are more engaged
online, “said says Natalie Garcia,
a third-grade teacher.
“They are happy to see each
other.”
Garcia and her teaching
assistant employ an array of
digital tools each morning to
“meet” with students, including
Zoom, Google Classroom,
Epic and Class Dojo, which
notifi es students and parents
of assignments and tracks the
completion of student work.
Garcia told the Bronx
Times that overall it’s been a
positive experience with the
kids. She noted that often if
the children miss the bus, they
are stuck home. But now they
are ready to learn all day.
“It’s been trial and error,”
she explained. “Because we
have a good relationship with
the families a lot of them have
been willing to go along.”
Taking a unique approach to art during COVID
BRONX TIMES R 2 EPORTER, APRIL 24-30, 2020 BTR
Numerous kids have been
asking to go back to school,
including third grader Latonia
Sparrow. Sparrow likes
math and science and has aspirations
of being an engineer.
With help from Garcia and her
grandma Bernice Sparrow-
Crawford, she has been able to
learn virtually.
“It hasn’t been tough,”
Sparrow-Crawford said. “I’ve
raised seven kids. It’s okay. I
just do my job.”
In addition to making academic
progress, students
are receiving social and emotional
support at home. Jennifer
D’Agostino, the clinical
supervisor at the school, said
her staff shares videos to facilitate
student health and wellness
via Google Classroom.
Some of the videos include
deep breathing, yoga and
hand-washing, to name a few
and she discusses them with
her students.
She explained that every
child has a clinician assigned
to them and some have speech
or occupational therapy. According
to D’Agostino, it’s
been an adjustment but it’s
working.
“Now that we are in a routine
everyone’s been pretty
positive,” she said. “The kids
are really proactive. They
need the support.”
One thing they have
learned is that there are only
so many hours in the day.
While in school the day is
structured and the kids are in
class but at home if they are
busy they may occasionally
miss a Zoom or phone call. But
she noted her staff has been
accessible and fl exible.
Ultimately, the parents are
grateful for the teachers and
mental health experts, she
said.
“What we found is that
parents are really appreciative
of what the school does,”
she said. “Although it’s been
a challenge, it’s also kind of
eye opening. There’s not one
formula that works for every
kid.”
Biondi third grade teacher Nicole Garcia and one of her students Latonia Sparrow Photo courtesy Zoom
BY JASON COHEN
For more than 25 years,
Larry Minetti has been teaching
art. But the Pelham Parkway
resident has never had to
do it virtually until now.
Fortunately, the lifelong
Bronxite is allowing his students
to be creative and use
unique ways to go about their
work. From utilizing things
like makeup, lipstick and
clothing, their out-of-the-box
thinking has impressed him.
Minetti has taught art for
26 years and is in his second
year at Fordham Leadership
Academy at 500 East Fordham
Rd.
“It’s been a challenge,” Minetti
said. “You’ve never seen
anything like it. You can’t assume
that these kids have certain
materials. It’s not like
we’re in my classroom.”
He explained since they are
not in school, kids having been
doing assignments with items
they fi nd in their home.
They have used watercolors
to make a self portrait and
other kids used lipstick and
makeup. In the next few weeks
the teens will learn about fonts
and lettering.
The youngsters were also
tasked with fi nding objects and
clothing that would represent
a famous piece of art. One student
used peanut butter, salad
dressing and milk cartons to
depict a Van Gogh painting.
“I was totally blown away,”
Minetti said. “This is so new I
didn’t know what to expect. I
was both impressed and proud
that they went above and beyond.”
According to Minetti, the
majority of the students have
told him learning art virtually
is fun because it’s tough to
keep up with the core classes.
“Kids have said it’s relaxing
and therapeutic,” he said.
With two teenage daughters
of his own, he realized that being
away from their friends
and classmates is a challenge.
Not only is it diffi cult to learn,
but it’s taking a toll on them
emotionally, he shared.
In addition to teaching, he
has made sure to check in on
their well-being.
“I’m trying to keep their
spirits up,” he explained. “Besides
teaching them I’m trying
to make them happy. It doesn’t
have to be all happy about
teaching at the moment.”
The consensus amongst
the students is that they want
to return to school. They understand
what is going on but
they have been stuck at home
for too long, Minetti said. Furthermore,
many are sad that
prom and graduation may be
axed.
“They’re just really upset,”
he stated. “We take a lot for
granted. We’re at the school so
much we’re family.
Bryan Galdamez - he is doing a fl oral abstract piece in pastels.Credit:
Photo courtesy Larry Minetti