2026–27 NYCPS Calendar Now Available
The official New York City Public Schools calendar for the 2026–2027 school year is now available! Learn more about next year's calendar, and start making your plans for the upcoming school year TODAY!
The Gifted and Talented Application for Grades 1–4 Opens April 20!
Interested in applying to a Gifted & Talented (G&T) program? If your child is entering grades 1, 2, 3, or 4 in fall 2026 and is eligible for G&T programs, submit their application by Friday, May 8, 2026.
Celebrating Climate Action Day and Earth Month this April
Find Your Joy During National Library Week (4/19–4/25)
Meet NYCPS’s Office of Sign Language Interpretation Services (OSLIS)!
In recognition of National American Sign Language (ASL) Day on Wednesday, April 15, we’re highlighting the tiny, but mighty team at the New York City Public Schools (NYCPS) Office of Sign Language Interpretation Services (OSLIS).
Learn Budgeting Basics for Financial Literacy Month
Kickstart your family’s conversations about saving and spending money with these useful tips to help set up your young adult child for financial success.
Opportunities for Students (April 2026)
April is a great time for NYC students to seek new learning and earning opportunities for the upcoming summer season! Check out what's available for City students this month, including internships, free workshops, and great local events, and register/apply for them today!
The Month Ahead (April 2026)
Don't be fooled, there's a ton going on this April! From Arab American Heritage Month and Spring Recess, to Climate Action Day and Summer Rising results, join us for the latest activities and events across NYCPS.
It's not too late to complete the 20th Annual NYC School Survey: we are still accepting responses—online only—until Thursday, April 30! The survey is an opportunity to share honest, confidential feedback about your child’s experiences in our schools so they can identify what’s working and areas for growth. Share your voice today to drive real, beneficial change for students, families, and staff members!
Learn more about how you can complete your NYC School Survey online today!
April is Earth Month! To celebrate, we're highlighting a story from our Hidden Voices series about Eunice Newton Foote, a groundbreaking amateur scientist, inventor, and women’s rights activist who today is widely considered to be the first person to discover the greenhouse effect, though her work was overlooked for many years.
Learn more about Foote's work and how it was all nearly lost to history on Hidden Voices
During Arab American Heritage Month, we're highlighting the stories of individuals who have often been left out of traditional historical records, like Kahlil Gibran, a writer, artist, and philosopher whose words have crossed borders, languages, and generations.
Learn more about Gibran and his most famous work, The Prophet on Hidden Voices
April is Earth Month, and this week, we also celebrated our third Climate Action Day of the year! As we come together to take action against climate change, we’re also sharing some of our favorite books that explore this month's theme of “Health, Wellness, and Green Space.”
These fiction and nonfiction titles will help readers of all ages learn about ways they can make our planet a greener, more sustainable place. We hope you enjoy them as much as we do!
Early Readers (3-K–Grade 2)
- Hike, by Pete Oswald
- In the Garden with Dr. Carver, by Susan Grigsby; illustrated by Nicole Tadgell
- Our Green City, by Tanya Lloyd Kyi; Illustrated by Colleen Larmour
- Our Planet! There’s No Place Like Earth, by Stacy McNulty; illustrated by David Litchfield
- Zonia's Rainforest, by Juana Martinez-Neal
Elementary (Grades 3–5)
- Elsie Mae Has Something to Say, by Nancy J. Cavanaugh
- A Green Place to Be: The Creating of Central Park, by Ashley Benham Yazdani
- The Last Beekeeper, by Pablo Cartaya
- Rachel Carson and Her Book That Changed the World, by Laurie Lawlor; illustrated by Laura Beingessner
- Summer of the Tree Army: A Civilian Conservation Corps Story, by Gloria Whelan; illustrated by Kirbi Fagan
Middle School (Grades 6–8)
- How to Change Everything: The Young Human’s Guide to Protecting the Planet and Each Other, by Naomi Klein
- Me and Marvin Gardens, by Amy Sarig King
- Paradise on Fire, by Jewell Parker Rhodes
- Primates: The Fearless Science of Jane Goodall, Dian Fossey, and Biruté Galdikas, by Jim Ottaviani and Maris Wicks
- The Story of Seeds, by Nancy F. Castaldo
Upper Grades (Grades 9–12)
- The Carbon Diaries 2015, by Saci Lloyd
- Green Rising, by Lauren James
- If Not Us, by Mark Smith
- The Line Tender, by Kate Allen
- We Are the Weather Makers: The History of Climate Change, by Sally M. Walker
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 recommendations in the Climate Action Days Collection, the Climate Change Collection, and the Nature and the Outdoors Collection on Sora for even more great recommendations.
Missed our previous book recommendations?
Check them out in the "What We're Reading" Archive!
SPOTLIGHT ON OUR SCHOOLS
Last month, NYC Public Schools and Mikva Challenge partnered up to host SoapboxNYC, our annual celebration of youth voice and public speaking for students in grades K–12. Held at the iconic Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan, the event featured outstanding student finalists who courageously stepped on stage to answer the question, "What is the biggest issue facing your community, and what should be done about it?"
Judging from these photos, it's clear that this year's SoapboxNYC will be remembered for years to come! We thank Mikva Challenge for their partnership and ongoing support for our Civics for All initiative!
Make Your Own Self-Watering Plastic Bottle Planter
Join in on the fun and learning happening during our next Climate Action Day on April 22! Learn how to make your very own greenspace at home, with this step-by-step guide to create a self-watering planter out of recycled water bottles—an easy, low-maintenance home garden that helps conserve water by keeping the soil moist all on it's own!
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
Every School Day Matters
Attendance matters! Learn how missing just two days of school every month can have a negative effect on your child's education, and see what solutions and resources are available to help your child stay in school every day, all year round!
Get Ready for More Learning and Less Scrolling
Beginning this September, NYC Public Schools will be implementing its new Cell Phone and Electronic Device Policy across all K–12 City public schools, including charter programs, in accordance with New York State law. Learn more about this "cell phone ban," and start getting ready for distraction-free schools this fall!
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!
