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Apply to high school for fall 2026
 by Wednesday, December 3, 2025!


Supporting Our Families While SNAP Funding is Disrupted

Nearly 1.8 million New Yorkers, including 540,000 children, depend on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to help put food on their table. Due to the ongoing federal government shutdown, SNAP benefits are experiencing disruptions, leaving many of our families unsure of where their next meal will come from. The City has announced an additional $15 million in emergency funding that will help feed families in need. During these challenging times, it's important that we know how we can best come together to support one another.

  • Donate food to your local food provider: Contact a local food provider to find out what items they need most.
  • Give what you can: Financial donations help many food banks stretch your dollars further through bulk purchasing.
  • Volunteer your time: With higher demand expected for the services of many local food providers, lending a hand is a great way to help. Find a local volunteer opportunity. Get the whole family involved in a community service day!
  • Be a grocery buddy: Invite a neighbor in need to go food shopping together and help cover the cost of their groceries. Paying it forward can go a long way.
Remember: In New York City Public Schools, school meals are always free.

Students receive free, healthy breakfast and lunch every school day–no application needed. Learn more at Food Service for Parents and Students. Together, we can make sure no child goes hungry.


It's Never Too Early to Plan for Your Child's Career

Don’t wait until your child's high school graduation to plan for their future. Get started on their career development now and learn how NYCPS can help.


Opportunities for Students (November 2025)

November's here, and while the weather might be cooling down for the season, the opportunities are certainly heating up for NYC students! Check out November's outstanding learning and earning opportunities available for City public school students this month, including free virtual classes, paid internships, and even family-friendly activities, and register/apply for them today!


Budgeting Basics: Consumer Tips for Young Adults

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.


The Month Ahead (November 2025)

Out of seemingly nowhere, November's here! See what's happening in NYC Public Schools in November 2025, including Election Day, Veterans Day, Parent-Teacher Conferences, the SHSAT, and Thanksgiving!


Apply to NYC Middle Schools for Fall 2026 by December 12

From October 15 until December 12, 2025, NYC families can apply to middle school for the 2026–27 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!


    Native American Heritage Month Spotlight: Maria Tallchief

    In celebration of Native American Heritage Month, we are sharing our Hidden Voices profile of Maria Tallchief, an Osage woman who went on to become the first prima ballerina from the United States, which she did right here in our city, at the New York City Ballet. Over the course of her career, Tallchief was credited with transforming ballet from a "foreign" art form into an American one.

    Learn more about Maria Tallchief on Hidden Voices

    Foreground: Tallchief poses in red Firebird costume with her arm extended upwards; Background: backdrop used in Firebird ballet with blue sky, white floating figure, and yellow bird head at center.

    As November winds down, we’re wrapping up the month with book recommendations that celebrate Native American Heritage Month! Recognized federally each year since 1990, Native American Heritage Month serves as a time to learn about and honor the history, culture, and contributions of Indigenous peoples to our city and communities. These stories for students of all ages span genres, historical eras, and represent diverse perspectives. We hope you enjoy them!

    Female student reading a book at lunch.

    Early Readers (3K–Grade 2)

    • Ancient Night, by David Bowles; illustrated by David Álvarez
    • Classified: The Secret Career of Mary Golda Ross, Cherokee Aerospace Engineer, by Traci Sorell; illustrated by Natasha Donovan
    • Fry Bread, by Kevin Noble Maillard; illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal
    • The Water Walker, by Joanne Robertson
    • Why We Dance, by Deidre Havrelock; illustrated by Aly McKnight

    Elementary (Grades 3–5)

    • The Birchbark House, by Louise Erdrich
    • Go Show the World: A Celebration of Indigenous Heroes, by Wab Kinew; illustrated by Joe Morse
    • Healer of the Water Monster, by Brian Young
    • Indian No More, by Charlene Willing McManis and Traci Sorell
    • Louis Sockalexis: Native American Baseball Pioneer, by Bill Wise; illustrated by Bill Farnsworth

    Middle School (Grades 6–8)

    • Ancestor Approved: Intertribal Stories for Kids, edited by Cynthia Leitich Smith
    • Everything You Wanted to Know About Indians but Were Afraid to Ask (Young Readers Edition), by Anton Treuer
    • In the Footsteps of Crazy Horse, by Joseph Marshall III
    • The Sea in Winter, by Christine Day
    • A Snake Falls to Earth, by Darcie Little Badger

    Upper Grades (Grades 9–12)

    • Firekeeper’s Daughter, by Angeline Boulley
    • An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States for Young People, written by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz and adapted by Debbie Reese and Jean Mendoza
    • The Marrow Thieves, by Cherie Dimaline
    • Rez Ball, by Byron Graves
    • Those Pink Mountain Nights, by Jen Ferguson

    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 Native American Heritage Month Collection on Sora!

    Missed our previous book recommendations?
    Check them out in the "What We're Reading" Archive!


    SPOTLIGHT ON OUR SCHOOLS

    This fall, nearly 25,000 NYCPS high school student-athletes participated in our Public Schools Athletic League (PSAL). From the gridiron to the swimming pool, together, this incredible number of student-athletes showed off their determination, grit, and self-confidence while collectively providing us with an outstanding PSAL season! Win or lose, we could not be prouder of our athletic scholars for making the start of the 2025–26 PSAL season a special one. 

    In celebration of an outstanding start to athletic year, check out some of the recent photos we captured throughout the end of the PSAL Football 4A regular season—join us in congratulating ALL of this season's incredible student-athletes!


    Tan background with red, navy, grey, and yellow illustrations surround text that reads 'Native American Heritage Month.'

    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!

    Square banner that reads, 'New Cell Phone and Electronic Device Policy'

    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!

    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

     


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