Looking Back and Looking Ahead
With the 2023–2024 school year coming to a close, Chancellor David Banks takes a moment to reflect upon the past school year and highlight some of our schools' collective accomplishments!
Opportunities for Students (June/July 2024)
Throughout the remainder of June and July, NYC students across the five boroughs can register for and participate in free activities and workshops while also visiting some of the City's most popular museums, historical sites, and parks! Learn more about the opportunities available to City youths this summer, and start planning your season out today!
Level Up Your Health and Conditioning Through PSAL's Free Student Summer Training Program
Through PSAL's High School Summer Sports, Fitness, and Recreation Program, any NYC student entering grades 9–12 in September 2024 can register for free athletic training, fitness and conditioning, sports-specific skill development, and fun recreational activities at participating sites across the City! Learn more about PSAL's program, and submit your registration today!
In celebration of Pride Month, we’re sharing the story of Edie Windsor, a computer programmer and pioneering LGBTQ+ activist best known for her role in the landmark 2013 Supreme Court case, United States v. Windsor, that helped lead towards the eventual legalization of gay marriage in the United States.
June is Caribbean American Heritage Month! To celebrate, we're sharing the story of Antonia Pantoja, a Puerto Rican activist and educator known for fighting for the rights of her community, especially in New York City.
Congratulations on making it to the end of another great school year! There’s no better way to spend your time off than with a good book, so we’re sharing some of our favorite stories that take place during the summertime! We hope you enjoy them as much as we do.
Early Readers (3K–Grade 2)
- Beach Hair, by Ashley Woodfolk; illustrated by Niña Mata
- How to Code a Sandcastle, by Josh Funk; illustrated by Sara Palacios
- Natsumi’s Song of Summer, by Robert Paul Weston; illustrated by Misa Saburi
- Paletero Man, by Lucky Diaz; illustrated by Micah Player
- Saffron Ice Cream, by Rashin Kheiriyeh
- The Summer Nick Taught His Cats to Read, by Curtis Manley; illustrated by Kate Berube
Elementary (Grades 3–5)
- The Braid Girls, by Sherri Winston
- Caterpillar Summer, by Gillian McDunn
- Much Ado About Baseball, by Rajani LaRocca
- Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, by Rick Riordan
- Silver Meadows Summer, by Emma Otheguy
- Stand Up, Yumi Chung, by Jessica Kim
Middle School (Grades 6–8)
- Camp Famous, by Jennifer Blecher
- My Life as an Ice Cream Sandwich, by Ibi Zoboi
- Not Starring Zadie Louise, by Joy McCullough
- Samira’s Worst Best Summer, by Nina Hamza
- Starfish, by Lisa Fipps
- The Summer of June, by Jamie Sumner
Upper Grades (Grades 9–12)
- Camp, by L.C. Rosen
- The Ghosts of Rose Hill, by R.M. Romero
- Give Me a Sign, by Anna Sortino
- The Queens of New York, by E.L. Shen
- The Summer of Bitter and Sweet, by Jen Ferguson
- Sunny Song Will Never Be Famous, by Suzanne Park
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 more great recommendations in our Summer Reading guide!
Missed our previous books of the week?
Check out all of our past recommendations in the Books of the Week Archive!
SPOTLIGHT ON OUR SCHOOLS
As we start to wrap up the 2023–24 school year, we're taking a look back at some of this year's outstanding Prom Looks! Check out the following photos to see how the Class of 2024 showed up and SHOWED OUT during prom season!
Free Summer Meals for NYC Kids Until August 30
Even after the 2023–2024 school year ends, anyone 18 years old or younger can still enjoy free breakfast and lunch throughout the summer, starting Thursday, June 27, 2024. Learn more about the Free Summer Meals program, including site locations and food menus.
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!
