Submit your child's 3-K or Pre-K application by Friday, February 28, 2025!
Time's Almost Up—Apply to Run for NYC Education Councils by February 27
Time is running out! If you are a parent or legal guardian interested in shaping education policies and priorities in New York City and within your community, consider applying to run for a seat on your local education council during the 2025 Community and Citywide Education Council Election season. But hurry; this year's application period ends by the new extended deadline on February 27!
Spend Your Midwinter Recess at NYC Public Libraries
Midwinter recess runs February 17–21 this year and there’s lots to do for kids and teens at New York City’s public libraries, from reading challenges to extra support for teens applying for financial aid for college!
Make Your Voice Heard in the 2025 NYC School Survey
Let us know what you think about NYC's public schools by completing the 2025 NYC School Survey! Learn more about this year's Survey, and submit your answers by April 4, 2025!
Opportunities for Students (February 2025)
February is a great time for NYC students to begin securing outstanding learning and earning opportunities for the rest of the school year and beyond, including scholarships, grants, free classes, and even paid jobs. See what's available for NYC public schools students this month, and register/apply for them today!
The Month Ahead (February 2025)
Take a look and see what's in store for NYC Public Schools in February 2025. Key dates and celebrations this month include Climate Action Day, Respect for All Week, Midwinter Recess, our monthlong celebration of Black History Month, and the last days to submit applications for this year's CEC elections and 3-K/Pre-K admissions.
Stay Healthy This Winter
With winter in full swing, learn more about the resources available to you and your family that can help boost your physical and mental health all season long.
Black History Month Highlight: Lewis Latimer Lights the Way
In celebration of Black History Month, we’re sharing the story of Lewis Howard Latimer, who worked alongside some of the most notable inventors of the nineteenth century, achieving great success as a draftsman, patent expert, and inventor in his own right—in particular, contributing to the design of the incandescent lightbulb to make electric lighting more commercially viable.
What We're Reading
February 17, 2025, is Presidents’ Day! Celebrated on the third Monday in February each year, the holiday marks the birthdays of both George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.
These books tell their stories, as well as those of other former U.S. presidents from throughout history. They also include both fiction and non-fiction titles that promote civic engagement and education on a local and national level. We hope you enjoy reading them during your winter recess!
Early Readers (3K–Grade 2)
- Ballots for Belva: The True Story of a Woman’s Race for the Presidency, by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen
- Ellie May on Presidents’ Day, by Hillary Homzie; illustrated by Jeffrey Ebbeler
- Revolutionary Friends: General George Washington and the Marquis de Lafayette, by Selene Castrovilla
- The Superlative A. Lincoln: Poems About Our 16th President, by Eileen R. Meyer; illustrated by Dave Szalay
Elementary (Grades 3–5)
- Mr. Lincoln Sits for His Portrait: The Story of a Photograph That Became an American Icon, by Leonard S. Marcus
- The Next President, by Kate Messner and Adam Rex
- President of the Whole Fifth Grade, by Sherri Winston
- Speaking of America, by Jared Cohen; illustrated by Vivian Shih
Middle School (Grades 6–8)
- Exploring the White House, by Kate Andersen Brower
- Foundations of Our Nation: George Washington and the American Presidency, by Michael Regan
- The Making of America: Abraham Lincoln, by Teri Kanefield
- Thomas Jefferson: President and Philosopher, by Jon Meacham
Upper Grades (Grades 9–12)
- Emancipation Proclamation: Lincoln and the Dawn of Liberty, by Tonya Bolden
- FDR and the American Crisis, by Albert Marrin
- The First Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill George Washington, by Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch
- Running, by Natalia Sylvester
You can find these books and many more great reads on Sora, our Citywide Digital Library, which provides free access to thousands of digital e-books and audiobooks for our students, including those in the Civics for All Collection, Collection, which features even more great titles about how government works, civil rights history of diverse communities, how media shapes our understanding of current events and issues, and how students can get involved to create change in their communities.
Missed our previous book recommendations?
Check them out in the "What We're Reading" Archive!
SPOTLIGHT ON OUR SCHOOLS
Last week on Wednesday, February 5, schools across the five boroughs commemorated World Read Aloud Day, an international celebration dedicated to highlighting the power of reading! Since 2010, classrooms around the world have been celebrating and sharing their favorite stories aloud on this special day to honor the joy and awesomeness of literacy.
Check out how some of our schools commemorated World Read Aloud Day, and think about some of your favorite stories—which ones do you love to read aloud?
Community and Citywide Education Councils (CCECs): Your Community, Your Voice
Education councils help shape policies and priorities for NYC Public Schools. Learn all about New York City's Community and Citywide Education Councils, what they do, and how you can get involved.
Class is in Session with Parent University
Parent University is a free online learning platform for NYCPS families. Start the 2024–25 school year by enrolling in courses you're interested in today!
A MySchools.nyc Tutorial: Learn the Basics
Throughout any stage of New York City Public Schools (NYCPS) application processes for 3-K, Pre-K, Kindergarten, middle school, high school, and Gifted and Talented (G&T) for grades 1, 2, 3, and 4, you can use MySchools.nyc—learn how to today!
Prepare for Remote Learning
In the event that weather conditions or other emergencies require the temporary closure of public school buildings, students will participate in remote learning at home. Make sure your family is ready with these tips and answers to frequently asked questions.
Stay Informed with a NYC Schools Account (NYCSA)
With a NYCSA, you can:
- Access your child's school information on the go
- See your student’s grades, test scores and more
- Complete important forms
- Take classes in Parent University
- Get technology support through SupportHub
Ready to Read: Literacy Resources for Families
NYC Reads is reshaping the way that we teach our students to read, but the learning doesn't have to stop at the classroom door! Whether it's a family book club or a phonics-based 20 questions game, you can bring the "science of reading" home by using any of our helpful resources that will help your children continue to develop their literacy skills, like:
- Reading Games
- Phonics, Vocabulary, and Storytelling Practice
- And more!
