Nominate your favorite teacher for the Big Apple Awards by Tuesday, January 21, 2025!
Submit your child's kindergarten application by Friday, January 24, 2025!
Get College, Career, and Financial Aid Support at NYC's Public Libraries
As teens start to think about next steps, apply for financial aid for college, and brush up their resumes in preparation for entering the workforce, NYC's public libraries are here to provide support and clear information.
The 3-K and Pre-K Applications for Fall 2025 are Open!
From January 15, 2025 until February 28, 2025, NYC families with children born in 2022 can apply to 3-K programs and children born in 2021 can apply to Pre-K programs for the 2025–26 school year. Learn more about this year's admissions processes, including suggested tips and tools that you can use to discover and select programs, and submit your application!
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.
Give Back to Your Community during the 2025 Martin Luther King, Jr. National Day of Service
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day—this year being celebrated on Monday, January 20—is also designated as a National Day of Service, when all Americans are encouraged to volunteer in their communities. With NYC public schools and offices closed to mark the holiday, this is a great time to get involved and give back to your neighborhood.
The Month Ahead (January 2025)
See what's in store for NYC Public Schools in January 2025. Key dates include Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Lunar New Year, and the start of 2025 3-K/Pre-K admissions.
Apply to Run for NYC’s Education Councils by February 16
Opportunities for Students (January 2025)
Kick off the new year with these outstanding learning opportunities, programs, and scholarships available for City students! See what's available for NYC public school students this month and beyond, and register/apply for them today!
Parents: Support Your Child's Education By Serving Your School Community
Families are our schools' closest partners in helping New York City public school students to learn and thrive. Learn how you can support your child's education and serve your school community by volunteering for events, parent-teacher associations (PTAs), Community and Citywide Education Councils (CCECs), and more!
What We're Reading
Monday, January 20 is Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day! Each year, we celebrate Dr. King’s birthday by honoring his work as a leader in the Civil Rights Movement and his dedication to nonviolence in the fight against racism. With schools closed for the holiday, we encourage families to take some time this week to learn more about Dr. King’s life; these books for all ages help teach about Dr. King’s lifelong commitment to justice, tell the stories of fellow activists who worked alongside Dr. King in his pursuit of equal rights, and explore the legacy that he left behind.
Early Readers (3K–Grade 2)
- Be A King: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Dream and You, by Carole Boston Weatherford; illustrated by James E. Ransome
- Coretta, by Coretta Scott King; illustrated by Ekua Holmes
- Let the Children March, by Monica Clark-Robinson; illustrated by Frank Morrison
- March On! The Day My Brother Martin Changed the World, by Christine King Darris; illustrated by London Ladd
- Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., by Doreen Rappaport; illustrated by Bryan Collier
Elementary (Grades 3–5)
- Martin Rising: Requiem for a King, by Andrea Davis Pinkney; illustrated by Brian Pinkney
- Memphis, Martin, and the Mountaintop: The Sanitation Strike of 1968, by Alice Faye Duncan; illustrated by R. Gregory Christie
- More Than a Dream: The Radical March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, by Yohuru Williams and Michael G. Long
- My Selma: True Stories of a Southern Childhood at the Height of the Civil Rights Movement, by Willie Mae Brown
- A Place to Land: Martin Luther King Jr. and the Speech that Inspired a Nation, by Barry Wittenstein; illustrated by Jerry Pinkney
Middle School (Grades 6–8)
- Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me ‘Round: My Story of the Making of Martin Luther King Day, by Kathlyn J. Kirkwood; illustrated by Steffi Whitehall
- Marching to the Mountaintop: How Poverty, Labor Fights, and Civil Rights Set the Stage for Martin Luther King Jr.’s Final Hours, by Ann Bausum
- Threads of Peace, by Uma Krishnaswami
- Troublemaker for Justice, by Jacqueline Houtman, Walter Naegle, and Michael G. Long
- We Were the Fire: Birmingham 1963, by Shelia P. Moses
Upper Grades (Grades 9–12)
- And We Rise, by Erica Martin
- Dear Martin, by Nic Stone
- Into the Streets: A Young Person’s Visual History of Protest in the United States, by Marke Bieschke
- March: Book One, by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell
- Turning 15 on the Road to Freedom: My Story of the 1965 Selma Voting Rights March, by Lynda Blackmon Lowery, Elspeth Leacock, and Susan Buckley
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. You can also find even more great recommendations in the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement Collection.
Missed our previous book recommendations?
Check them out in the "What We're Reading" Archive!
SPOTLIGHT ON OUR SCHOOLS
At the start of 2025, we’re looking back at one of our favorite memories from 2024: the first Climate Action Day of the 2024–25 school year! With a focus on reducing waste in their schools, students across the City participated in a variety of fun and educational activities, and helped clean up their schools and communities in the process.
An Introduction to Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos
"I am honored and excited to be your new Chancellor. As a lifelong educator and mom of a New York City Public Schools (NYCPS) student, I am eager to work with and serve you."
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!
The Kindergarten Application for Fall 2025 is Open!
The kindergarten application is now open for fall 2025! Learn about tips and tools you can use to discover and select programs, and submit your application 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!
Nominate Your Favorite Educator for the 2025 Big Apple Awards and Meet the 2024 Recipients!
Celebrate 2024's Big Apple Award winners, and nominate the next group of amazing teachers who are making a difference in our schools! Nominate your favorite teacher by Tuesday, January 21, 2025.
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!
