Newsletter - NYC Public Schools Plus You

PS   YOU Banner Chancellor Mellisa Aviles-Ramos Newsletter banner shows students, staff, and families at our Listening Sessions.

Reflecting on 2024, Looking Ahead to 2025



Dear Families and Colleagues,

Over the last few weeks, I’ve had the privilege of conducting a listening session in each of our five boroughs and hearing directly from over 1,000 students, staff, families, and community members. Attendees shared incredible ideas and feedback related to my three commitments: improving safety, supporting educators, and empowering families. The tour reaffirmed for me that the solutions we are seeking already exist within our communities—we just need to listen.

That’s why I’m proud to share that last week, we announced the Division of Family, Community, and Student Empowerment, which will continue this work under the leadership of our newest deputy chancellor, Dr. Cristina Meléndez. This division will unite multiple teams that focus on empowering members of our NYC Public Schools community, from the Office of Student Wellness Programs to the Office of Language Access.

As we round out both our listening sessions and the year 2024, I’m proud of the work we have accomplished, such as expanding NYC Reads to full citywide implementation for our younger learners. And I’m even more excited for the work ahead. In 2025, we’ll share updates and announcements related to my three commitments, along with our ongoing priorities of NYC ReadsNYC Solves, and Student Pathways. You can also expect to see changes to this newsletter, thanks to the helpful survey feedback you provided earlier this fall. 

I want to close by wishing everyone a meaningful December break, one filled with joy and rest. I also know that this time of year can be difficult for many people—so I want to emphasize that whatever this season means to you, whatever emotions it brings, please know that you have a community and support system here at NYC Public Schools.

Thank you for all you have done for our students in 2024—caring for them, supporting them, and guiding them—and I look forward to continuing to educate and nurture our children in the new year.

 

In partnership,

Melissa Aviles-Ramos

Chancellor




Creating Pathways to Bold Futures, From Apprenticeships to Computer Science

December 13, 2024


Dear Families and Colleagues,

 

Last month, to celebrate National Apprenticeship Week (Nov. 17-23), I had the privilege of sitting down with Oumou, a NYC Public Schools (NYCPS) high schooler who has been an apprentice at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center for the past two years.

Oumou told me all about her experience and described how rewarding it has been. (You can check out the video of our conversation below!) In addition to being on staff at one of the world’s leading cancer centers, she’s developed a range of skills that will serve her extremely well in the world of work, from donor relations to financial management, proposal writing to data analysis.

Through apprenticeship and other work-based learning opportunities, NYCPS students like Oumou can launch their futures while in still high school. Since 2022, our students have earned over $8.2 million from these work experiences!

We are also building bold futures through a focus on technology and innovation. This week marked Computer Science Education Week, where schools celebrated the importance of teaching computer science and its related skill sets: critical thinking and problem solving. As just one example, at PS 52 in Queens, students created solutions for food insecurity through a video game called Minecraft, in connection with our Battle of the Boroughs Minecraft Build Challenge. At NYCPS, not only are we teaching students to use technology, but we are teaching them to leverage it for good—to address real issues and build a stronger, fairer society.

I’ll close with one more relevant update for our high school families and educators: FAFSA applications are open! I encourage students to take advantage of our free one-on-one advising and to sign up for college and career texts to receive timely reminders about FAFSA deadlines as well as additional resources. And to learn more about our college and career pathways work and programs, visit our website. From offering apprenticeships to teaching computer science, we are here to help our children build bold futures.

In partnership,

Melissa Aviles-Ramos

Chancellor

Celebrating Inclusive Schools Week

December 6, 2024


Dear Families and Colleagues,

 

I hope you all had a restful Thanksgiving break. As our staff and students returned to school on Monday, we kicked off December with Inclusive Schools Week, an annual opportunity for schools across the country to emphasize the importance of creating welcoming environments for all our students, and especially for our students with disabilities.

Inclusivity is a value I hold close, both as an educator and as a parent. And I’m proud that New York City Public Schools (NYCPS) continues the essential work of making our classrooms more open and accommodating for all. Last spring, we created DIAL, the Division of Inclusive and Accessible Learning, which is entirely focused on supporting our students with disabilities and multilingual learners. And just this year, as part of our Inclusive Schools NYC initiative, we launched a citywide network of Disability Affinity, Disability Pride, and Inclusion Clubs (you can find pictures from that launch event in the photo banner above). Over 90 schools have opted in to this initiative, forming clubs and organizing programming ranging from panel discussions to participating in the Disability Pride Parade in Manhattan.

These clubs are one of the many ways we promote inclusivity in NYCPS, along with our yearly Respect for All Week and our annual Inclusive Education Student Summit. We also have our inclusive specialized programs for students with disabilities, including ASD Nest and Horizon, which provide instruction for autistic students alongside their general education peers, and Path, which offers a therapeutic classroom environment with intensive social, emotional, and behavioral support.

Of course, the work of inclusion is never done, and it shouldn’t be confined to a single week, either. It’s about changing mindsets, structures, and systems year-round to ensure that every one of our students knows they belong.

In partnership,

Melissa Aviles-Ramos

Chancellor



A Season of Gratitude

November 27, 2024

Dear Families and Colleagues,

As we approach the season of giving and gratitude, I want to take a moment to offer my sincere and deep appreciation to our New York City Public Schools (NYCPS) community. In my nearly two decades working for NYCPS, I’ve been continually amazed by the spirit, dedication, and brilliance of our entire community, from our students and families to our staff members. 

To our families: Thank you for choosing NYC Public Schools, and thank you for the love and support you provide our students. We appreciate your trust in us as a school system, and we are committed to continuing to earn that trust every day. And to our parent leaders and community volunteers, thank you for offering your time, energy, and expertise to benefit our schools.

To our staff: Thank you for your hard work, commitment, and care for our children, day in and day out. You serve in a wide range of roles and spaces, from our classrooms to our cafeterias, our school buses to our offices. But you each do your part to achieve our shared goal—empowering our students to reach their full potential.

I hope this is a time of rest and reflection for us all. Please know that I see you and I appreciate you, and I look forward to all that we will accomplish together.

In partnership,

Melissa Aviles-Ramos

Chancellor



It’s Time to Conserve Water

November 22, 2024

Dear Families and Colleagues,

This autumn, amid record-low amounts of rainfall, we are feeling the effects of climate change right here in New York City. Earlier this month, a fire broke out in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park, fueled by the dry conditions. And with our upstate reservoirs and other water sources far below where they should be at this time of year, we are officially under a drought warning. As a city, it’s time to take steps to conserve water. 

Every single one of us—from students to staff to families—can play a role in protecting our water supply. Here are a few tips and tricks from the NYC Department of Environmental Protection for conserving water in our schools and communities:

  • Shorten your shower! Taking five minutes off your shower saves 25-35 gallons.
  • Turn off the faucet when brushing your teeth and washing dishes.
  • Only run a washing machine or dishwasher when full.
  • Tell a teacher or family member if you see a water leak.
  • Call 311 to report an open or leaking hydrant.

For additional water-saving tips, I encourage you to visit the Department of Environmental Protection’s website. You can also learn more about NYCPS’ sustainability efforts here. To our educators: check out the Sustainability Hub for climate education resources and classroom activities.

I’m proud that our schools are already taking action to support the environment and mitigate the effects of climate change, from citywide composting to our Climate Action Days. But there is always more we can do. With 1,600 schools and over one million students and staff, our NYCPS community has the opportunity—and, I’d argue, the obligation—to make a real difference as we tackle this challenge across our city. I encourage each of us to do our part to conserve water.

In partnership,

Melissa Aviles-Ramos

Chancellor


 

Ready and Eager to Listen

November 15, 2024

 

Dear Families and Colleagues,

 

In my nearly two decades of service to New York City Public Schools (NYCPS), I’ve worn many hats; I’ve been a teacher, principal, deputy superintendent, acting superintendent, deputy chancellor, and now your proud chancellor. I’ve also become a NYCPS parent. Through it all, I’ve learned that each of these perspectives brings a new set of ideas, suggestions, concerns, and questions when it comes to making our schools the best they can be.

That’s why I’m thrilled to be kicking off a five-borough listening tour, where I can hear directly from you, our NYCPS community, about your experiences, priorities, and feedback. I want to hear what’s working and where we can improve. And I’m particularly interested in gathering your thoughts on three focus areas that I believe are critical to strong school communities: physical and emotional safety, educator support, and family empowerment. Your input will help shape future policies and programs in these areas, and I’m excited to learn from your insights.

These listening sessions will be open to the public—families, students, staff, and community members are all encouraged to attend. Here is our schedule for the tour:

  • November 19 - Manhattan
  • November 26 - Brooklyn
  • December 3 - Queens
  • December 10 - Bronx
  • December 17 - Staten Island

Please visit our website for details, including specific locations, times, language access support, and registration instructions—and help spread the word! You all have valuable perspectives and expertise, and I’m ready and eager to listen.

In partnership,

Melissa Aviles-Ramos

Chancellor


 

A Real-Life Lesson in Civic Engagement

 

October 31, 2024

 

Dear Families and Colleagues,

 

With the 2024 election approaching next week, I’ve been reflecting on the meaning of this moment for our schools and students.  While national politics have often been contentious and divisive, the election is also a real-time, real-life opportunity for our students to witness democracy in action—and to both study and participate in it.

I recently read this article that highlights how classrooms across the country are teaching their children about the election (it features our very own East Bronx Academy for the Future!). Now more than ever, it is critical that we teach our students to understand and appreciate our democratic processes—to distinguish fact from fiction, as well as to engage in respectful dialogue even in the face of disagreement.

For that reason, I’m incredibly proud of Civics For All, our citywide civic engagement initiative. Since the launch of Civics for All in 2019, we have pre-registered and registered over 85,000 new voters. We’ve provided voter activation materials to all high schools and equipped our teachers with resources to talk about the election and other current events. Earlier this month, we also held a citywide day of learning for our Student Voter Activation Team, made up of 75 high schoolers who will serve as “get out the vote” ambassadors in their school communities.

Regardless of the results of any election, I feel confident that our students are empowered and prepared to become leaders of the next generation. I want to thank all our educators and families who are modeling active, meaningful democratic participation for our students.

One more thing—as I shared in this newsletter last week, we'll be doing a refresh of PS + You to launch next month. If you haven’t already, please give us your feedback, so we can ensure this newsletter reflects the amazing work happening in our school communities.

 

In partnership,

Melissa Aviles-Ramos

Chancellor


A New Direction for PS + You

October 25, 2024

 

Dear Families and Colleagues,

 

I’m thrilled and honored to be your new Chancellor. In my first few days in the role, I’ve had the opportunity to visit schools across the five boroughs, engage with families and staff, and share my story and vision for NYC Public Schools with our communities. It’s been a whirlwind!

In less than two weeks, I’ve seen a community school in the Bronx; an early childhood center in Brooklyn; a Nest program in Manhattan; an Adult Learning Center in Queens; and two Staten Island schools, one engaged in NYC Reads and the other in NYC Solves. These visits have been a true joy, and they’ve underscored for me the incredible diversity and breadth of our school system. I invite you to follow us online at XFacebook, and Instagram to see pictures and videos from these visits.

No matter your age, interests, or learning style, there is truly something for everyone at NYC Public Schools, and that’s something I’d like to highlight going forward in this newsletter. To that end, we’ll be rethinking PS + You over the next few weeks, with a fresh format and focus starting next month. In the meantime, I encourage you to share your feedback with us here, so we can ensure this newsletter reflects the amazing work happening in our school communities. I look forward to reviewing your input and ideas.

In partnership,

Melissa Aviles-Ramos

Chancellor


 

Thank You

October 11, 2024

 

Dear Families and Staff,

This week is my final full week as Chancellor of NYC Public Schools (NYCPS), and I am filled with gratitude. It's been the privilege of a lifetime to serve over one million students and staff across the five boroughs, and the experience has left me in awe of the NYCPS community. The dedication of our educators, staff, and families is unmatched. The brilliance of our children is boundless. 

After serving our school system for nearly 40 years, I want to share three reflections and lessons learned when it comes to building bright starts and bold futures for our kids: 

  1. We cannot overlook the basics—literacy and numeracy. These skills serve as the basis for success in school, work, and life. With NYC Reads and NYC Solves, we are creating a new playbook for how we teach reading and math, one supported by research, grounded in high-quality curricula, and supplemented with educator coaching.
  2. In a quickly changing world, it is critical to continue reimagining the school experience. We are doing just that with our pathways programming, ensuring that students enter the workforce with a head start, a strong plan, and real-world skills. We are exploring the impact of new technologies like AI, and we are also focusing on civic engagement—all to prepare our students to address society’s challenges. 
  3. The best ideas come from our families, staff, and students themselves. Being Chancellor has only reaffirmed my longstanding belief that family and community engagement must be at the center of everything we do. I have visited schools across the city and spoken with countless members of our NYCPS community—and their perspectives and feedback have impacted our school system for the better. 

To our families: You are our children’s first teachers, and your support and engagement are critically important to their success. I encourage you to continue to connect with your child’s school in any way you can. We need your partnership! 

To our staff: Remember that every day counts and that the work you do changes lives. Our students only get one chance at an education, and it is our job to provide them with the experiences and opportunities they deserve. 

I am proud of all we’ve accomplished since January 2022, but there is always more work to be done. Beginning on October 16, NYCPS will be led by the capable and steady hand of incoming Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos; I have complete confidence in her leadership and her ability to advance the critical initiatives we have started.

I thank you all—staff, families, parent leaders, and community members—for your commitment to the children of our city and for trusting me to serve as your Chancellor. I will remain your steadfast advocate and supporter as you guide our students to bright starts and bold futures. 

Soaring high,

David C. Banks

Chancellor

 

Updates to Middle and High School Enrollment

September 27, 2024

 

Dear Families and Staff,

It’s nearly October, which means middle and high school applications are about to open (high school applications launch October 1, followed by middle school applications on October 9). This is an exciting time for students and families as they consider their options. As the largest school system in the country, I’m proud that we offer a vast array of educational opportunities, and I truly believe there is something for everyone at New York City Public Schools (NYCPS). 

This week, we announced some updates and improvements to help each family make the best decisions for their child’s future.

First, we are launching a new feature in MySchools this fall that will help our rising high school students better understand their chance of receiving an offer to any particular program, based on the applicant’s admissions characteristics such as their report card grades, location, and priority group. With this information, families can make more informed decisions about how to rank their enrollment options and build a balanced application. 

Additionally, this year students and families will have increased access to middle school options, because they will now be able to apply to any middle school across the city. While schools will maintain their priority for their home zone and/or district, schools with available seats will now be able to accept out-of-district students. 

And lastly, we are updating all admissions applications to allow students to list as many program options as they’d like, up from a maximum of 12. This gives families an even greater opportunity to find a match that’s the right fit for their child. 

Ultimately, these changes are about expanding access to all the excellent and innovative educational opportunities we have to offer. From our dual language classes to our career and technical education high schools, from arts programs to STEM programs and so much more, I truly believe, as I said at the beginning of this newsletter, that there is something for everyone here at NYCPS.

 
Soaring high,

David C. Banks

Chancellor

 

Launching the 2024-2025 School Year

September 13, 2024

 

Dear Families and Staff,

 

The 2024-2025 school year has officially begun! The first day of school is always one of the most exciting days of the year, and September 5th did not disappoint.

I started the day at PS 257 in Brooklyn, where the school's championship-winning ballet troupe greeted Mayor Adams and me. The schoolyard was full of excited families, students, and staff taking pictures amid the balloons and decorations—it was one of the most high-energy school openings I’ve ever seen.  

Later in the day, I visited an early childhood program at PS 28 in Upper Manhattan and Motion Picture Technical High School in Queens, a brand-new high school focused on film and television careers. Spending time with some of our youngest and oldest learners felt perfectly aligned to our mission: to build bright starts and bold futures for every child.

Bright starts begin with literacy and numeracy. I’m beyond thrilled that NYC Reads is now active in every early childhood and K-5 classroom citywide, and that we’ve launched NYC Solves in over 400 high schools and approximately 100 middle schools. We are transforming the ways we teach both reading and math, ensuring our kids master the fundamental skills for success in school and life.

We are also building bold futures through our college and career pathways expansion in high-demand fields like the green economy, technology, and healthcare. This year, our signature FutureReadyNYC initiative will grow to 135 schools. And with the creation of the Division of Inclusive and Accessible Learning, we are ensuring all students, including students with disabilities and multilingual learners, are supported to reach their full potential and embark on a bold future.

This time of year is filled with so much hope and optimism; as I said last week at PS 257, the first day of school represents a “rebirth of our school system.” Let's keep that sense of promise alive throughout the coming months!

 
Soaring high,

David C. Banks

Chancellor

Get Ready for Back-to-School 2024

August 23, 2024


Dear Families and Staff,

In just a few weeks, we’ll have our first day of school for the 2024-2025 school year. I always look forward to this time of year—to hallways humming with activity, classrooms buzzing with eager discussion, and playgrounds filled with shrieks of laughter.

We just wrapped up another terrific Summer Rising program. As we turn our attention toward the start of school, I want to encourage families to prepare for September 5 with these critical steps:

  • Create your New York City Schools Account (NYCSA); it’s how we’ll get in touch with you throughout the year with critical announcements. If you already have a NYCSA account, check to confirm your contact information is accurate.
  • Make sure you’ve submitted all required health forms and that your child is up-to-date on immunizations. Learn more about these health forms—and why they matter—here.
  • Check your child’s transportation options and eligibility. You can also learn more about Student OMNY Cards, which are replacing Student MetroCards and offer more free rides and greater flexibility. OMNY Cards can be used four times daily, at any time, 365 days a year—that means free rides on weekends, holidays, and during the summer. Now, students have every reason to tap and take transit!
  • Follow us at @nycschools on social media (X/Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook) and check out our blog, The Morning Bell. We’ll be posting lots of exciting updates in the first few weeks of school (and throughout the year), highlighting important information, opportunities for students, and stories that showcase all the great work happening in our schools.
For a full back-to-school checklist, visit our website at schools.nyc.gov/bts2024.

To our families: Thank you for supporting, encouraging, and preparing our students as they return to school. To our staff: Thank you for all your hard work this summer to start the year on the right foot. I’m looking forward to September 5 and a fantastic school year!

Soaring high,

David C. Banks

Chancellor

Past Issues

  • For PS + You Newsletters from the 2023-2024 school year, visit our archive page.
  • For PS + You Newsletters from the 2022-2023 school year, visit our archive page.