School's Almost Out, But Summer Reading is In!
As the school year wraps up, get ready for summer with our summer reading resources! These materials will help students foster their love of reading and maintain their literacy skills while out of the classroom over the next few months.
Previewing the Year Ahead (2025–26 School Year)
See what's ahead for NYC Public Schools for the entire 2025–26 school year. Check out our official 2025–26 School Calendar, and start planning ahead for next year TODAY.
Join NYC Public Libraries for Free Activities for the Whole Family This Summer
Free Summer Meals for NYC Kids Until August 29
Even after the 2024–2025 school year ends, anyone 18 years old or younger can still enjoy free breakfast and lunch throughout the summer, starting Friday, June 27, 2025.
PSA: Get Your Working Papers Before the Last Day of School
Did you know that 14–17 year olds need working papers, or Employment Certifications, in order to work in New York State? Learn more about working papers, and obtain your certification before the school year ends on June 26, 2025!
Finish Off the School Year with Perfect Attendance
Keep your child’s education a top priority during the last few weeks of the 2024–25 school year.
Opportunities for Students (June 2025)
The final full month of the 2024–25 school year is here—time to lock in your late spring and summer plans! Check out all the learning and earning opportunities available for NYC public school students this month and beyond, including scholarships, free access to cultural institutions, and paid internships, and register/apply for them today!
The Month Ahead (June 2025)
We made it to the last month of the 2024–25 school year! See what's happening in NYC Public Schools in June 2025, including Caribbean American Heritage Month, New York State Regents Exams, Anniversary Day, PRIDE Month , Eid al-Adha, Juneteenth, and the last day of school!
Pride Month Highlight: Edie Windsor
June is Pride Month! In celebration, we’re highlighting our profile of Edith “Edie” Windsor, a computer programmer and pioneering LGBTQ+ activist best known for her role in the landmark Supreme Court case, United States v. Windsor, that helped lead towards the eventual legalization of gay marriage in the United States.
Caribbean American Heritage Month Highlight: Helen Rodríguez-Trías
In celebration of Caribbean American Heritage Month in June, we’re highlighting our profile of Helen Rodríguez-Trías, a doctor and activist who played a pivotal role in the women’s health movement by advocating for the rights and freedoms of Puerto Rican women and other marginalized communities throughout her career.
What We're Reading
June is LGBTQ+ Pride Month! These book recommendations for students of all ages are a great way to engage with LGBTQ+ history and history-makers, as well as the ongoing fight for equality—both this month, and all year long. We hope you enjoy them as much as we do!
Early Readers (3K–Grade 2)
- And Tango Makes Three, by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell; illustrated by Henry Cole
- Drawing on Walls: A Story of Keith Haring by Matthew Burgess; illustrated by Josh Cochran
- Kapaemahu, by Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, Dean Hamer, and Joe Wilson; illustrated by Daniel Sousa
- Kind Like Marsha: Learning from LGBTQ+ Leaders, by Sarah Prager; illustrated by Cheryl “Ras” Thuesday
- Sewing the Rainbow: The Story of Gilbert Baker and the Rainbow Flag, by Gayle E. Pitman; illustrated by Holly Clifton-Brown
Elementary (Grades 3–5)
- Ana on the Edge, by A.J. Sass
- Different Kinds of Fruit, by Kyle Lukoff
- The Ribbon Skirt, by Cameron Mukwa
- This Is Our Rainbow: 16 Stories of Her, Him, Them, and Us, edited by Katherine Locke and Nicole Melleby
- The Witch Boy, by Molly Knox Ostertag
Middle School (Grades 6–8)
- Alice Austen Lived Here, by Alex Gino
- Nikhil Out Loud, by Maulik Pancholy
- A Queer History of the United States for Young People, by Michael Bronski; adapted by Richie Chevat
- The Stonewall Riots: Making a Stand for LGBTQ+ Rights, by Archie Bongiovanni; illustrated by A. Andrews
- Troublemaker for Justice: The Story of Bayard Rustin, the Man Behind the March on Washington, by Jacqueline Houtman, Walter Naegle, and Michael G. Long
Upper Grades (Grades 9–12)
- All Boys Aren’t Blue, by George M. Johnson
- All Out: The No Longer Secret Stories of Queer Teens Throughout the Ages, edited by Saundra Mitchell
- Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
- A Scatter of Light, by Malinda Lo
- Singled Out: The True Story of Glenn Burke, The First Openly Gay MLB Player and Inventor of the High Five, by Andrew Maraniss
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 on our Pride Month webpage, as well as in the Come as You Are collection, which features a range of contemporary and historical titles concerning LGBTQ+ topics, characters, and events, including fiction and non-fiction works.
Missed our previous book recommendations?
Check them out in the "What We're Reading" Archive!
SPOTLIGHT ON OUR SCHOOLS
NYCPS students spent the month of May learning about and celebrating sustainability in our schools and city! First, students celebrated our final Climate Action Day of the year on May 21, 2025, which was all about ways to protect and conserve water. Then, school teams spent a day at Governor’s Island for the Youth Climate Summit, where they learned about environmental justice, met students and organizations who are passionate about sustainability, and created a climate action plan for their schools. Check out some of our favorite moments!
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!
A MySchools.nyc Tutorial: Learn the Basics
Throughout any stage of New York City Public Schools (NYCPS) application processes for 3-K, Pre-K, Kindergarten, middle school, high school, and Gifted and Talented (G&T) for grades 1, 2, 3, and 4, you can use MySchools.nyc—learn how to today!
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
