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CONTINUING EDUCATION

Resources for Parents

Quick Links:

  1. Homework Help
  2. After School Programs
  3. Programs for Families
  4. Places for Families to Visit in New York City
  5. Helpful Telephone Numbers
  6. Web Sites
Resources for Parents

1. Homework Help

Do you help your child with homework? Following is a list of suggestions for parents to keep in mind when they help their child with homework.

  • Ask your child, “What is your homework for tomorrow?
  • Provide your child with a place for homework with enough light.
  • Find a separate and quiet space for each of your children
  • Create a regular schedule for homework.
  • Have study materials handy that are necessary for your child to do homework.
  • Try doing a problem or two together, and then watch as your child tries the next one.
  • Limit TV time, and do not allow it during homework.
  • Encourage your child when he/she finds homework is difficult. “Try again. You can do it.”
  • Review the homework with your child after teacher gave a grade on the homework.
  • Speak to your child’s teacher when your child can’t do most of homework by himself/herself.
  1. What is Dial-a-Teacher?
    Dial-a-Teacher offers live one-on-one homework help by telephone or online at homeworknyc.org. Classroom teachers answer homework questions. They can also answer parents’ questions and give advice on how you can help your child at home.
  2. What is the telephone number?
    (212) 777-3380
  3. What languages are available?
    Spanish, Italian, Chinese, French, Haitian-Creole, Greek, Hebrew, Korean and Russian.
  4. What are the hours of operation?
    Monday through Thursday from 4:00 to 7:00 pm on school nights.  
  5. When is a good time to call?
    The earlier, the better.  
  6. What subject areas can they help with?
    Reading, Math, Writing and Science for grades K-8.

All Queens Libraries offer homework help. Bring your child with homework when the library is open. Some library branches have extra help, such as teen tutors. Teen tutors can help children with homework in small groups. To learn more about homework help, you should contact your local library.

  1. What library branch offers walk-in hours for homework help?

    Jackson Heights
    35-51 81 Street Jackson Heights, NY 11372
    (718) 899-2500
    Walk-in Hours: Mon-Fri, 3:00-5:50 pm
     
    Corona
    38-23 104 Street Corona, NY 11368
    (718) 426-2844
    Walk-in Hours: Mon-Fri, 3:00-6:00 pm
     
    Elmhurst
    86-01 Broadway Elmhurst, NY 11373
    (718) 271-1020
    Walk-in Hours: Mon-Fri, 3:00-5:00 pm
     
  2. What subject areas can they help with?
    All subject areas except reading.
     
  3. Remember:
    • Children must bring all materials needed for homework.      
    • Parents can leave the child and pick her/him up 10 minutes before the homework help hours are finished.
    • Tutors help children in small groups, not one-on-one.

Following is a list of websites used for homework. The list is compiled by parents, teachers, and children.

  1. Homework NYC
    • -This site offers help in all subject areas including study notes, on-line calculators, textbooks and articles.
  2. Yahoo Answers
    • -You can ask a question and get the answer. A Yahoo e-mail account required.
  3. Yahoo Answers- Spanish
  4. Queens Library On-Line
    • -On-line library resources that allow you to search for books, articles. You can also ask a librarian a question.
  5. All Subject Areas
  6. Funbrain
    • -One of best educational websites for grades of K-8
  7. Info Please – Reference Site
    • -Atlas, dictionaries, maps, encyclopedia, thesaurus
  8. Reading: Star Fall (Grades Pre-K to 1)
  9. Math: Figure This! (Spanish / English)
  10. Geography: Test Your Geography Knowledge
  11. Science: Foss Web (Grades K-8)
  12. Articles for Kids: Time for Kids

2. After School Programs

For more information on the Comprehensive After School System of New York City (COMPASS) click here.

Beacon Programs are school-based community centers serving children age 6 and older as well as adults. Beacon youth participate in a variety of activities, including but not limited to organized girls and boys basketball leagues in partnership with NIKE, Soccer for Success in partnership with U.S. Soccer Foundation, and Summer Cook shops in collaboration with Food Bank for New York City. Beacon adult programs are designed to enhance skills and promote social interaction, community engagement, and physical activity.
For more information visit Beacon Program page.

3. Programs for Families

LaGuardia Community College, located in Long Island City, New York City offers programs for families. Take a look at the programs listed below.
  1. The Aquatics Center
    • Swimming classes for children and adults
    • Phone: 718-482-5038
    • Address: E Building Room E-151, LaGuardia Community College
  2. The Fitness Center
      • Soccer, basketball and tennis classes for kids
      • To register, call the gym desk at 718-482-5043.
      • Address: M Building Room MB-31, LaGuardia Community College
  3. The Early Childhood Learning Center (ECLC)
      • Child care and the Universal Pre-Kindergarten Program (UPK)
      • Phone: 718-482-5295
      • Address: 31-10 Thomson Ave, Main Building MB-09, LaGuardia Community College
    For more information visit LaGuardia Community College.

Following is a list of places in New York City that offer free or low-cost programs for children, including summer camps and swimming classes.

    1. City Parks Foundation
      Free programs in the parks including golf lessons, tennis instructions, track & field classes, dance, theater and concerts.
    2. New York City Parks
      Free programs in the parks, including afterschool programs, swimming classes, fitness programs for adults, teen programs.
    3. The Sports and Arts in Schools Foundation
      • Afterschool programs, summer programs, tutoring services etc.
      • Phone: 718-786-7110 – Fax: 718-205-1098
      • Address: 58-12 Queens Boulevard – Suite 1, 59th Street Entrance, Woodside, NY 11377
    4. The Queens Community House
      • Various programs for all ages
      • Address: 108-25 62nd Drive Forest Hills, NY 11375
      • Phone 718- 592-5757
    5. Variety Boys & Girls Club of Queens, Inc.
      • Phone: 718-728-0946
      • Address: 21-12 30th Road, Long Island City, NY 11102
    6. Sunnyside Community Services
      • After school programs & school vacation and summer camps
        Phone: (718) 784-6173, ext. 420
      • College readiness programs for children ages 14-21
        Phone: (718) 784-6173, ext. 436
      • Classes & youth employment programs
        Phone: (718) 784-6173, ext. 445
        Address: 43-31 39th St between 43rd Avenue and Queens Blvd.
    7. YMCA Camps in Queens
    8. Louis Jourdan Foundation Camps
      2 Free sleepaway camps, Red Hook for High School boys, Clinton Corners.
    9. Wingspan Arts Summer Theater Conservatory
      Summer + Art + Fun + Creativity. Open to Current Pre-K 4th Grade Students in residence at PS 6. 45 East 81st Street between Park + Madison Ave.
    10. Free ESL/High School Equivalency (TASC) Programs for Adults offered by the New York City Department of Education Office of Adult & Continuing Education
      Call a school in your borough:

      Queens
      (718) 361-9480
      (718) 557-2567

      Bronx
      (718) 863-4057

      Manhattan / Staten Island
      (212) 666-1919 or (212) 666-1920
      (212) 868-1650

      Brooklyn
      (718) 638-2635
      (718) 622-3000
      (718) 398-7668

4. Places for Families to Visit in New York City

Bronx Zoo
    • Wednesday admission is by suggested donation
    • Phone: (718) 220-5100
    • Address: 2300 Southern Boulevard, Bronx
Central Park Zoo
    • Phone: (212) 439-6500
    • Address: 64th Street and Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10021
New York Botanical Garden
    • Free admission (covers grounds only) on Wednesdays
    • Phone: (718) 817-8700
    • Address: River Parkway and Fordham Road, Bronx, NY
Brooklyn Botanical Garden
    • Free admission on Tuesdays (Admission is free every weekday from November 20 through February 29)
    • Phone: (718) 623-7200
    • Address: 1000 Washington Avenue, Brooklyn, NY
New York Aquarium
  • Phone: (718) 265-3474
  • Address: Surf Avenue & West 8th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11224

The American Museum of Natural History

    • Admission is by suggested donation, including 45 Museum halls and the Rose Center for Earth and Space
    • Address: Central Park West at 79th St. New York, NY 10024
    • Phone: (212) 769-5100

Children’s Museum of Manhattan

    • On the first Friday of every month, CMOM is open from 5-8pm and admission is FREE!
    • Address: 212 West 83rd Street between Amsterdam Avenue and Broadway, New York, NY 10024
    • Phone: (212) 721-1223

Brooklyn Children’s Museum

    • Free early bird admission is available before 11am on the second weekend of each month.
    • Address: 145 Brooklyn Avenue (at St. Marks Avenue), Brooklyn, NY 11213
    • Phone: (718) 735-4400

Queens Museum

    • Free Activities for Families Every Sunday 1:00-4:30
    • Address: Flushing Meadow Park, Queens
    • Phone: (718) 592-9700

New York Hall of Science

    • Free admission September through June, on Fridays from 2 – 5 pm and Sundays from 10 – 11 am
    • Address: 47-01 111th Street, Queens
    • Phone: (718) 699-0005

El Museo Del Barrio

    • New York City’s only Latino museum
    • Admission is by suggested donation.
    • Address: 1230 Fifth Avenue (at 104th Street), Manhattan
    • Phone: (212) 831-7272

Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)

    • Free Admission on Target Fridays from 4 – 8 p.m.
    • Address: 11 West 53 St., Manhattan
    • Phone: (212) 708-9400

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

    • Admission is by suggested donation.
    • Address: 1000 Fifth Avenue at 82nd St, Manhattan
    • Phone: (212) 535-7710

Tenement Museum

  • You hear the stories of 97 Orchard Street. Built on Manhattan’s Lower East Side in 1863, this tenement apartment building was home to nearly 7000 working class immigrants.
  • Address: 108 Orchard Street, between Delancey and Broome, near Delancey.
  • Phone: (212) 982-8420

New York City Indoor Recreation Facilities

    • Find a recreation center near you
    • Indoor pools, weight rooms, basketball courts, dance studios, boxing rings, art studios, game rooms, and libraries 
    • Indoor recreation center membership for youth under 18 free of charge
    • Aerobics, martial arts, music, or yoga may require additional session fees

 

Ice Skating at Bryant Park

    • Free admission
    • Phone: 866-221-5157
    • Address: Between 40th and 42nd streets & 5th and 6th avenues

 

Wollman Rink at Central Park

 

Flushing Meadows Corona Park Aquatic Center

  • Indoor pool membership for youth under 18 free of charge
  • Phone: (718) 271-7572
  • Address: Avery Avenue and 131 Street

Following is a list of places for families recommended by parents who are enrolled in the English and Family Literacy Program in the Center for Immigrant Education and Training at LaGuardia Community College.

5. Helpful Telephone Numbers

    1. The Education Helpline by Advocates for Children
      Call 1-866-427-6033
    2. Report Child Abuse and Neglect in New York City
      Call 311. If a child is in immediate danger, call 911.
    3. NYS Domestic and Sexual Violence Hotline in New York City
      Call 1-800-621-HOPE (4673) or dial 311, TTY: 1-866-604-5350
    4. Child Care Services at LaGuardia Community College
      The Early Childhood Learning Center (ECLC) at (Main Building, Room MB-09) offers paid childcare services for children of students only. For more information, call (718) 482-5092. You can only use this childcare service during the hours you are in class
    5. Borough Enrollment Offices:
      Queens

      Districts 24, 30
      28-11 Queens Plaza North, Long Island City, NY 11101
      Phone: 718-391-8386

      Districts 25, 26
      30-48 Linden Place, Flushing, NY 11354
      Phone: 718-281-3791

      Districts 27
      82-01 Rockaway Boulevard, Ozone Park, NY 11416
      Phone: 718-348-2929

      Districts 28, 29
      90-27 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica, NY 11435
      Phone: 718-557-2774

      Bronx

      Districts 7, 9, 10
      1 Fordham Plaza, 7th Floor, Bronx, NY 10458
      Phone: 718-741-8495

      Districts 8, 11, 12
      1230 Zerega Avenue, Bronx, NY 10462
      Phone: 718-828-2975

      Brooklyn

      Districts 17, 18, 22
      1780 Ocean Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11230
      Phone: 718-758-7687

      Districts 20, 21
      415 89th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11209
      Phone: 718-759-4914

      Districts 13, 14, 15, 16
      29 Fort Greene Place, Room BE12
      Phone: 646-285-8152 *general education only

      Districts 13, 14, 15, 16
      131 Livingston Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201
      Phone: 718-935-4908 **special education only

      Districts 1, 2, 4
      333 Seventh Avenue, 12th Floor, New York, NY 10001
      Phone: 212-356-3700

      Districts 3, 5, 6
      388 West 125th Street, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10027
      Phone: 212-342-8300

      Staten Island

      715 Ocean Terrace, Building A, Staten Island, NY 10301
      Phone: 718-420-5629

6. Web Sites

Learning about the School System
  1. New York City Department of Education – Information about New York City public schools-enrollment, tests, special education, school calendar, curriculums, etc.
  2. Inside Schools – A lot of information about New York City public schools
  3. Great Schools – Compare elementary, middle and high schools
Testing
  1. New York State Tests – NYS tests from the previous years
  2. NYS Regents Exams – NYS Regents exams from the previous years
Parenting
  1. Family Education
    • Tips for parenting, activities for children and families
  2. Colorin Colorado (Spanish / English)
    • A bilingual website for families of English Language Learners
  3. Scholastic for Parents
    • Resources for helping your child with reading, math, technology and a lot of information about family matters
  4. PBS Parents
    • Information about education, child development, curriculum connections, and technology for children
  5. Bienvenidos a PBS Padres Spanish
Health
  1. Family Doctor (Spanish / English)
  2. Teens Health (Spanish / English)
Others
  1. Advocates for Children
    • Free individual case assistance to families and children who are experiencing problems in obtaining appropriate educational services for their children
  2. Learning Leaders
    • Information about how to be a volunteer in New York City public schools

College Now

  • A free program operated by the City University of New York’s 17 colleges

College Board

  • Lots of advice including step-by-step action plans for high school students

FAFSA

  • Free Application for Federal Student Aid

Fast Web

  • Search for scholarships

Financial Aid

  • The federal government’s one-stop resource center, including information on federal financial aid

Know How To Go

  • Student-friendly site with practical advice organized by grade, starting in middle school

Mapping Your Future (Spanish / English)

  • Resources on career, college, financial aid, etc.

Occupational Outlook Handbook

  • A nationally recognized source of career information, designed to provide valuable assistance to individuals making decisions about their future work lives

Your Children Can Go to College…Yes They Can!

  • Your Children Can Go to College…Yes They Can! is a guide to help immigrant parents understand the college readiness process and begin to help their children prepare for college
  1. NYC Small Business Services Workforce1 Career Centers
      • Provides help with job searches, resume writing and interview preparation; refers jobseekers to job training in growing fields; connects jobseekers to employers with open positions
  2. Upwardly Global
      • Resources for immigrant professionals and employers
  3. New York State Department of Labor
Pronunciation
News with Audio
Grammar, Vocabulary, Reading, Quizzes
  1. EngageNY.org
  2. Common Core State Standards Initiative
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