Hartford – Are you a working parent in need of in-person learning options for your child enrolled in Kindergarten to Grade 3 remote learning in Hartford? The Community Renewal Team (CRT) is proud to partner with the City of Hartford and Hartford Public Schools, along with other community organizations, to offer spacious and welcoming classrooms – at no cost to the parents – during weekdays at its main offices in Hartford (555 Windsor St – Ritter Child Development Center).

“We will provide the students caring and loving environments where they can learn and grow,” said Leslie Giordano, CRT’s Director of Early Care and Education. “We’re excited to be able to offer this convenient location in Hartford for families that need a safe place for their kids to learn while parents work during the day.”

This program (known as a “Remote Learning Hub”) is administered by Hartford’s Department of Families, Children, Youth and Recreation and it is designed for families that selected in‐person learning for their children and may be adversely impacted by COVID‐19‐related facility closures.

To be eligible, your child must:

• Be a resident of Hartford;
• Be enrolled in in‐person kindergarten, first grade, second grade, or third grade and currently in hybrid or remote‐only status; and
• Have a working parent/caregiver that meets low to moderate income requirements.

Children meeting these criteria will come to CRT’s Ritter Child Development Center located at 555 Windsor St., Hartford (entrance off Pavilion St.) for this new remote learning opportunity during normal school hours.

Parents can be confident that their children will be in classrooms that are following all current COVID-19 health and safety protocols, including needed social distancing, mask use, regular hand sanitizing, and Plexiglas (acrylic) barriers between desks. Each classroom will be limited to no more than 13 children per room.

While attending these special CRT classrooms, children will be provided breakfast, lunch and a snack during the day. There will be scheduled breaks for the children to exercise and play.

Students enrolled in this program are encouraged to bring their own computer equipment and books with them to the classroom each day. If a child forgets to bring their laptop/Chromebook, CRT can provide a loaner device during the school day. CRT’s IT department is located in the same building as these new remote learning classrooms and they will be able to address concerns related to accessing classroom instruction provided by Hartford Public Schools.

For more information about how to enroll, please visit this page on CRT’s website. Or, contact Leslie Giordano at (860) 560‐5461 ext.231 or [email protected]

This program is funded in part with Community Development Block Grant funds allocated to CRT by the City of Hartford and supported by the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving.

Editor’s Note: CRT staff are available for interviews about these new classroom facilities. Tours of the classrooms are available to the media by appointment.