Important Reminders
Here are some things to check on before the end of the school year.
Did you know all that’s going on at NYCPS this summer? Learn more at Summer 101.
- Summer school and Summer Rising begin Wednesday, July 1.
- Students who will be in grades 9–12 this fall can register for the Public Schools Athletic League (PSAL) High School Summer Sports, Fitness, and Recreation Program now.
- Free summer meals are available for everyone 18 and under starting Monday, June 29 until Friday, September 4.
If your child has been using a Student OMNY Card for the 2025–26 school year, make sure the card is working properly this summer before your school building closes. Your current card will expire at the start of the new school year.
Check out and participate in summer activities and events hosted at NYC public library locations throughout the City.
To celebrate Disability Pride Month, we're highlighting a story from our Hidden Voices series about Judith Heumann, an advocate who earned the nickname “the Mother of the Disability Rights Movement” for her important role in the fight for equal access for people with disabilities.
July 4 is the USA’s birthday, and this year is a big one! Learn about 250 years of US history with us this week as we celebrate Independence Day with books that tell the stories you may already know about the founding of our nation, in addition to exploring perspectives from the earliest days of our country that you might not usually hear. We hope you enjoy them as much as we do!
Early Readers (3-K–Grade 2)
- Anna Strong: A Spy During the American Revolution, by Sarah Glenn Marsh; illustrated by Sarah Green
- Blue Sky, White Stars, by Sarvinder Naberhaus; illustrated by Kadir Nelson
- My America, by Karen Katz
- On the Fourth of July, by Maggie C. Rudd; illustrated by Elisa Chavarri
- Revolutionary Friends, by Selene Castrovilla; illustrated by Drazen Kozjan
Elementary (Grades 3–5)
- The Constitution Decoded, by Katie Kennedy
- How Benjamin Franklin Became a Revolutionary in Seven (Not-So-Easy) Steps, by Gretchen Woelfle; illustrated by John O’Brien
- Judy Moody Declares Independence, by Megan McDonald; illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds
- Lafayette and the American Revolution, by Russell Freedman
- When Paul Revere Rode, by Sarah L. Thompson; illustrated by Nik Henderson
Middle School (Grades 6–8)
- Answering the Cry for Freedom: Stories of African Americans and the American Revolution, by Gretchen Woelfle; illustrated by R. Gregory Christie
- For Which We Stand, by Jeff Foster; illustrated by Jule McLaughlin
- History Smashers: The American Revolution, by Kate Messner; illustrated by Justin Greenwood
- Rebellion 1776, by Laurie Halse Anderson
- This Land is Our Land, by Linda Barrett Osbourne
Upper Grades (Grades 9–12)
- 1789, edited by Marc Aronson and Susan Campbell Bartoletti
- Answering the Cry for Freedom: Stories of African Americans and the American Revolution, by Gretchen Woelfle; illustrated by R. Gregory Christie
- For Which We Stand, by Jeff Foster; illustrated by Jule McLaughlin
- History Smashers: The American Revolution, by Kate Messner; illustrated by Justin Greenwood
- Rebellion 1776, by Laurie Halse Anderson
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 America 250 Collection on Sora! Have a happy and safe holiday weekend.
Missed our previous book recommendations?
Check them out in the "What We're Reading" Archive!
SPOTLIGHT ON OUR SCHOOLS
Over the past month, we've seen some incredible examples of teamwork from our students!
On Earth Day, Chancellor Samuels stopped by PS 14 in Queens, where students and teachers worked together with NYC Parks staff members to plant six new trees! It was great seeing everyone work together to help beautify the PS 14 campus—thank you, NYC Parks, for partnering with us to make this year's Earth Day a memorable one for PS 14!
And in early May, PS 111 in the Bronx hosted District 11's Fifth Annual Soap Box Derby, where groups of students from schools across the Bronx built soap box cars for bragging rights and a shot at racing glory! At every participating school, students worked together in teams to research and build their soap box cars—what we saw at this year's Derby was the result of hundreds of hours of dedicated engineering work by our students and staff members. It was great fun seeing students' competitive spirits on full display, and we thank everyone who made this year's Soap Box Derby possible!
