Message from the Chancellor

 

Dear Families and Colleagues,

One of my three commitments as Chancellor is to empower our families and communities. Today, I want to share updates on two initiatives led by our Division of Inclusive and Accessible Learning (DIAL) specifically designed for this purpose: our Multilingual NYC Advisory Council and our Beyond Access Series.

Founded in 2024, the Multilingual NYC Advisory Council was charged with boldly reimagining multilingual education in NYC Public Schools. The Council recently announced its final recommendations, which include expanding pathways to multilingualism, promoting a culture of inclusion for multilingual families, and more. You can access the full report on our website. I want to thank the dedicated council members—families, educators, community leaders, advocates, and beyond—whose expertise will help us better serve our multilingual learners.

I’m also proud of our Beyond Access Series, a collection of webinars for families focused on students with disabilities. This series covers everything from the basics of special education—what it is and how to request evaluations—to understanding your rights as a parent if your child already has special education services. It also provides practical strategies to support students at home, reinforce the progress they’re making in school, and nurture their growing independence. Our most recent webinar had nearly 5,000 attendees, and I encourage you to join us for our next session on November 17.

Through these initiatives and others, I am eager to continue supporting, empowering, and listening to our families and communities.

In partnership,

Melissa Aviles-Ramos

Chancellor

 

The Chancellor’s Spotlight:

Kaitlin Rosario-Rivera proudly served on our Multilingual NYC Advisory Council. A graduate of NYC Public Schools herself, she recently joined Brooklyn’s PS 59 as an interim assistant principal after five years as an English as a Second Language (ESL) and Dual Language teacher. She described the advisory council as "a powerful experience," where members were "learning from one another, honoring each voice, and growing stronger through connection.” 

Nominate a person or program for The Chancellor’s Spotlight here.

Our Highlight Video: Beyond Access Series

 

For translations, please visit our YouTube page.

 

NYCPS News and Resources:

• Check out The Morning Bell to learn all about applications, including middle school applications, high school applications, and College Application Month.
• For additional news and resources, follow NYCPS online at Facebook, Instagram, X, and YouTube.
• For weekly video updates from Mayor Eric Adams, visit the Mayor’s Office YouTube page. You can also sign up to receive updates directly from the Mayor's Office.

 

NYCPS Families: If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter, please unsubscribe.

 

 

 

Dear Families and Colleagues,

There’s an acronym you might be hearing frequently these days—in the classroom, at parent-teacher conferences, in staff professional development, and more. That acronym is MTSS, and it stands for Multi-Tiered System of Supports. While MTSS has a lengthy title, it means something very straightforward: every student gets what they need.

MTSS starts with deeply understanding students’ progress. Teachers carefully analyze multiple data points, including diagnostics, assessments, classwork, and more, to identify students who need extra support and what type of support they need. For example, with reading, one student might require extra help with phonics, in order to improve their fluency, while another might benefit from vocabulary support, to better understand the words on the page.

Then, to address these unique needs, teachers provide each student with targeted instruction—called an intervention—so they can practice that specific skill, often in small groups. Over the course of the school year, teachers adjust these interventions based on students' progress.  

Many schools have been implementing MTSS for a long time. But as I announced recently, we are now taking a systemwide approach to MTSS as part of NYC Reads. We are setting guidelines for MTSS across our city, designating which interventions schools should use so that all children—including our students with disabilities and multilingual learners—have high-quality, personalized learning experiences.

With MTSS, we are ensuring our students get what they need to become proficient, thriving readers.  

In partnership,

Melissa Aviles-Ramos

Chancellor

 

The Chancellor’s Spotlight:

At The Leadership and Community Service Academy in the Bronx, MTSS is an all-hands-on-deck effort. The entire staff helps to implement MTSS, whether by delivering interventions or supporting with logistics. The school uses every opportunity throughout the day to offer as many small-group interventions as possible, and the results are evident in students’ own reflections. As one student said, “I was improving on every benchmark” thanks to the school’s reading groups.

Nominate a person or program for The Chancellor’s Spotlight here.

Our Highlight Video:

 

For translations, please visit our YouTube page.

 

NYCPS News and Resources:

• Review opportunities for students this month on The Morning Bell.
• For additional news and resources, follow NYCPS online at Facebook, Instagram, X, and YouTube.
• Here’s the weekly video from Mayor Eric Adams. You can sign up to receive updates directly from the Mayor's Office.

 

NYCPS Families: If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter, please unsubscribe.

 

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Dear Principals, 

 

As we enter the new school year and implement the New York state law prohibiting personal internet-enabled devices, we recognize and acknowledge that this transition will bring both opportunities and adjustments for our schools.

 

As education leaders in our city, we know students are attached to their cell phones and other devices. We also know that phones need to be stored away in accordance with the law in order to create space for deeper learning and community connection.

 

We ask that you take a proactive, supportive posture with your entire community—students, staff, and families—as they all navigate the new state law. We will provide a short video that will explain the rationale, requirements, and disciplinary responses to ensure a consistent message across our school system. Please meet with your parents, teachers, and students to show the video and discuss your school’s implementation plan. As school leaders, it will be essential for you to keep the lines of communication open with all stakeholders; we know this is a shift for many of our students and families, which will require thoughtful, ongoing communication.

 

We also encourage you to provide social-emotional support to help students adjust to this change in their daily routines. As necessary, consult Chancellor’s Regulation A-413 and the Discipline Code, as well as this comprehensive document on progressive discipline.

 

Additional resources related to the device policy can be found on the NYCPS website at schools.nyc.gov/DevicePolicy and on the InfoHub. You should also reference and utilize the resources and toolkit shared via Principals Digest (on July 29 and August 26); please backpack home the family flyer (found in the digital assets and resources section of the toolkit) in the first week of school, along with information about your school-specific policy (a template for this is also available in the toolkit).

 

Thank you for your leadership and collaboration in building distraction-free classrooms and communities.

Every School Day Matters

 

Dear Families and Colleagues,

So far, we’ve had 15 days of school this year. That means 15 days of discovery and new experiences, of connection and growth. When it comes to our children’s learning, the research shows that every day counts.

September is Attendance Awareness Month, and it's critical to start the year with strong attendance habits. When students are in school, they benefit from learning in all its forms—in the classroom, on the playground, during extracurricular activities, through field trips, and so much more. You can hear it directly from our students in this week’s Highlight Video; they want to show up and be part of the action!

So, let’s make that happen. We know that getting to school consistently can sometimes present challenges, and we are here to help. Our Parent Coordinators can assist any family that needs support with overcoming attendance barriers. Families can also access attendance-related policies and resources on our website.

Let’s make this year one full of learning and growth for our students. That starts with being present, every day.

In partnership,

Melissa Aviles-Ramos

Chancellor

The Chancellor’s Spotlight:

Malika Elwin and Keri Cerio are two leaders of our citywide attendance efforts through the Office of Attendance, Research, and Innovation. Keri has been with NYC Public Schools for a decade, and Malika for two! Every day, they closely examine our attendance data and respond in real time to attendance concerns in schools. They also provide training for schools and districts to build strong attendance habits and practices. Keri described the team’s approach as “working collaboratively to remove those barriers to regular attendance.” Doing so, Malika added, helps to “offer our students a path forward, so that they can realize their full potential.”

Nominate a person or program for The Chancellor’s Spotlight here.

Our Highlight Video:

 

For translations, please visit our YouTube page.

 

NYCPS News and Resources:

• Learn more about the importance of daily attendance at The Morning Bell.
• For additional news and resources, follow NYCPS online at Facebook, Instagram, X, and YouTube.
• Here’s the weekly video from Mayor Eric Adams. You can sign up to receive updates directly from the Mayor's Office.

 

NYCPS Families: If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter, please unsubscribe.

 

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