Make the Most of Your Winter Break at New York City's Public Libraries!
This holiday season—and all year round—NYC's public libraries are offering a wide range of offerings in branches and at home for kids, teens, and families! Get a free library card if you don't already have one and enjoy everything that more than 200 library locations across the city have to offer.
The Kindergarten Application for Fall 2026 is Open!
The kindergarten application is now open for fall 2026! Learn about tips and tools you can use to discover and select programs, and submit your application today!
Opportunities for Students (December 2025)
December is full of great opportunities for NYC students and families to apply for and participate in throughout this month and beyond! Check out December's outstanding learning and earning opportunities available for City students, including free workshops, paid internships, scholarships, and even family-friendly activities, and register/apply for them today!
The Month Ahead (December 2025)
The final month of 2025 is here! See what's happening in NYC Public Schools in December 2025, including application deadlines for fall 2026 middle and high school admissions, the start of fall 2026 kindergarten admissions, Computer Science Education Week, and Winter Recess!
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.
It’s Computer Science Education Week! These recommendations feature books about the past, present, and future of computer science that tell both fictional and real-world stories for students of all ages.
Early Readers (3K–Grade 2)
- Blips on a Screen: How Ralp Baer Invented TV Video Gaming and Launched a Worldwide Obsession, by Kate Hannigan; illustrated by Zachariah Ohora
- Coding Capers: Luci and the Missing Robot, by Angela Cleveland and Tamara Zentic; illustrated by Juan Manuel Moreno
- A Computer Called Katherine: How Katherine Johnson Helped Put America on the Moon, by Suzanne Slade; illustrated by Veronica Miller Jamison
Elementary (Grades 3–5)
- Dreaming in Code: Ada Byron Lovelace, Computer Pioneer, by Emily Arnold McCully
- Grace Hopper, Queen of Computer Code, by Laurie Wallmark; illustrated by Katy Wu
- Lauren Ipsum, by Carlos Bueno
Middle School (Grades 6–8)
- Emmy in the Key of Code, by Aimee Lucido
- Jinxed, by Amy McCulloch
- Secret Coders, by Gene Luen Yang and Mike Holmes
Upper Grades (Grades 9–12)
- Girl Code, by Andrea Gonzales and Sophie Houser
- Google It, A History of Google: How Two Students’ Mission to Organize the Internet Changed the World, by Anna Crowley Redding
- Warcross, by Marie Lu
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 great recommendations in the Computer Science Education Collection on Sora!
Missed our previous book recommendations?
Check them out in the "What We're Reading" Archive!
SPOTLIGHT ON OUR SCHOOLS
On this month's edition of the Spotlight, we're looking back on November's Climate Action Day, when schools across the five boroughs got their communities involved in helping to make our City cleaner and greener.
We're also looking back on the 2025 Arts in Schools Report Showcase, held on December 9 at Tweed Courthouse, which highlighted and celebrated NYCPS' annual release of data and information concerning the status of arts instruction in City schools.
On behalf of NYCPS, we thank everyone who participated in these events!
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!
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
