Goodbye March, Hello April! April may not have many school days, but it celebrates many! This week we kick off National Assistant Principals week. We are blessed to have the best AP in the city, Ms. Candice Lowe. Ms Lowe has been part of PS 88Q for many years. She has been a teacher, a coach and an assistant principal at PS 88q. She knows every level of the work, from all perspectives, and that makes her an amazing leader. I consider myself lucky to do this work beside her. Send her some shout outs below in our "We ❤️ Ms. Lowe" padlet below.

We also honor our amazing paraprofessionals on April 5th.. They are our unsung heroes, as they support our students, our fmailies and our teachers. They are constantly learning, supporting, and teaching. Show them some love and appreciation below in our "We ❤️ our Paraprofessionals" below

We begin our Spring break on Thursday, April 6th. The last day for students is Wednesday, April 5th. Students return on April 17th. This week back is a busy one , as our grade 3-5 students will be taking the NYS ELA. Last week I shared some important information regarding the NYS test. I will repost it. Remember, students must be on time the day of the test. Students who enter late will have to take the test on a make up day.

Please complete your school surveys! Deadline has been extended to April 20th!

Have a wonderful Spring Break. Happy Passover and Happy Easter

Your children have the power to change the world simply by sharing their voices and experiences. Now, more than ever, our democracy needs citizens who are active and engaged, and our public schools are a critical part of building the citizens of tomorrow.

That’s the message we shared with students in all grades as part of the City’s fifth annual Civics Week that began March 6. Civics Week not only celebrates youth voice and civic empowerment, it provides students with opportunities to engage face-to-face with the leaders of our city, explore careers in public service, and create change as active participants in their communities. Our students chose which activities they would like to do from the below choice board. Class K-112 learned about careers in public service.

Dear Families:

The annual New York State English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics tests for students in grades 3-8 will be administered to all students later this spring. These tests are required by the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and are designed to provide important information about whether students are prepared to progress through school and graduate with the critical thinking, problem-solving, and reasoning skills they need for long-term success in school, college, and careers, and to support students in their pursuit of economic security and a choice-filled life.

These tests are just one of several measures our schools use to assess student progress: grades, report cards, writing samples, projects, assignments, and other performance-based student work are equally important.

If you have additional questions, please contact Ms. Lowe and I anytime.

• When are the State tests for grades 3–8?
• How do State tests benefit my child?
• What do the tests entail? How long does my child have to complete a state exam?
• What is the impact of score results on teachers?
• How do these tests factor into middle or high school admissions?
• Can families opt their children out of State tests, or request an alternative evaluation?
• What should my child do to prepare for the test?
• When will I find out how my child performed on the tests?
• What happens if my child is not in school when the State exam is administered?
• Does my child have to take the State test if they are also taking a Regents exam?
• Click here for all answers to these questions. https://www.schools.nyc.gov/learning/testing/student-participation-guide

The Power of Unified Sports

Dear New Yorkers,

The opportunity to play on a sports team is a critical part of the full school experience. It’s an enrichment activity that forges new friendships, builds teamwork skills, and develops leaders. Playing on a team also makes school a more positive, inclusive space for all students.

I know firsthand the joy and confidence that come from playing sports. Basketball, baseball, football, and tennis were a huge part of my life growing up in Queens. I lived for afternoons and weekends when my brothers and the kids from the neighborhood would go out and shoot hoops and play two-hand touch football on my block. Playing sports gave me valuable life skills—and I believe all our students deserve these opportunities. Unfortunately, this is not always the case; many students with disabilities have been traditionally excluded from school sports.

Until now! Earlier this week, I was thrilled to announce that more than 1,700 students with disabilities can now participate in Special Olympics track and field, volleyball, and basketball during their school day. An afterschool unified basketball league is open to an additional 200 high school students with and without disabilities, while 300 middle school students with and without disabilities can join a unified bocce league.

I am especially grateful to our partner, Special Olympics New York, for committing to $50,000 in funding, supporting the training of educators and coaches, and providing sports equipment and team uniforms. Through this partnership, we can now ensure access to Special Olympics sports at all District 75 schools. This will truly be a game-changer (pun intended!) for our students.

This historic expansion tells students, families, and educators that we see you—we welcome, value, and support you in every way we can, inside the classroom and beyond. I’m proud of the ways our leaders look to innovate and open doors of opportunity, and I hope that our new initiative makes us a model of inclusion and healthy enrichment activities. And most importantly, I’m thrilled that it gives every student the chance to develop the skills they need to succeed in school and in life.

Soaring high,

David C. Banks
Chancellor