Launching the 2024-2025 School Year
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
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.
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.