Congratulations to Gilbert Robelo, the October LaGuardia Spirit Award recipient. The September recipient, Ms. Andrews, selected Gilbert Robelo to be the recipient of the LaGuardia Spirit Award because of his unwavering commitment to providing support to the many facets of our community -- for almost a quarter of a century!

The LaGuardia Spirit Award is given monthly for staff recognition to create camaraderie. The current recipient selects the next honoree. Each person adds to the canvas something that represents themselves. Ms. Andrews from the Math Department added an abacus. The artwork at the end of the school year is displayed in the Principal's Conference Room. This is the second year of the award.

Once again, congratulations Gilbert!

Cell Phones and Other Electronic Devices Notice

During the school day, students are permitted to use electronic devices in the school, as long as they do not disrupt others. Use inside of a classroom/instructional space is with teacher/staff permission.

The following rules will assist in good decision making:

1. Only photograph or record people with permission. Students may not record, film, photograph, stream or broadcast anywhere in the building using cell phones or other electronic devices unless the individual being recorded has consented and no teacher or administrator prohibits such action.

2. Harassing/bullying others and cheating are prohibited. Use of cell phones or electronic devices for bullying, harassment or academic dishonesty (including cheating, plagiarism or unauthorized collaboration) may result in disciplinary action as specified by the school's Academic Honesty Policy and the New York City Department of Education Discipline Code.

3. Cell phones and electronic devices may be confiscated if rules are not followed.

4. Give your device to a staff member if asked. Follow staff directions. Failure to do so may result in phones being confiscated. Refusal to comply with the confiscation of any device is considered insubordination and will result in further disciplinary action, including possible suspension.

5. Take care of your electronic device. Students are responsible for maintaining the safety and security of their electronic devices while at school.

Annual Valedictorian & Salutatorian Notice

The Valedictorian is the student with the highest cumulative, weighted GPA in the Spring Semester of the graduation year. The Salutatorian is the student with the second highest cumulative, weighted GPA in the Spring Semester of the graduation year.

Before School & Before Morning Entry

As the weather turns colder, this is a great time to mention some "morning news". The building opens at 7:35 AM for student entry. Students who arrive early should dress appropriately for the weather while they wait outside. Staff and deliveries come through the foyer before student entry.

Students do not enter the building earlier than 7:35 AM as staff, including supervisors, are beginning their work day. Thirty minutes prior to classes begin is when enough adults are in the building for proper supervision.

Jupiter Grades is One Option

Teachers must inform families how they will communicate home regarding student progress. (This happens in a communication at the beginning of the school year, such as a curriculum letter or sylabus.) Teachers decide if they want to use the grading software recommended by the school. (They do not have to use Jupiter Grades, per the NYCPS agreement with the UFT, the teachers' union.) This is the reason that families may have four +/- different platforms to follow in order to keep track of their children's progress. This can be frustrating, and it is understandable. We view all communication between LaGuardia and families as a positive, regardless of platform. As teachers receive more training on Jupiter, we expect that more will adopt the school recommended program. NYCPS is currently rolling out city-wide software that will be integrated with Grades, Attendance, and Messages; at some point, we expect to switch our recommended software to the NYCPS' programs.

Rising Stars Audition Update

Rising Stars: students/groups needing to change or cancel their audition can do it easily. Go to the bottom, left corner of your confirmation email and click Edit My Sign Up. Being a no-show for any audition is just not acceptable.

Incident in School Bathroom

An incident occurred in a bathroom on an academic floor on October 9, 2024, at approximately 10:45 AM. The incident was resolved. FDNY was notified.

Had this incident required us to evacuate the building, families would be notified by email to the email address on file in NYCSA. The templates used are NYCPS designed and are fairly generic. Any additional information will be provided (after vetting by NYCPS) when possible. Here is a sample email message:

• Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art a (03M485) has been evacuated. Do not come to Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art a (03M485) at this time. It will interfere with first responders. Additional information will be sent once available. For more info on general response protocol, visit https://diit.nyc/grp

pictured: generic Google Image of school bathroom

Bathroom Safety

In response to students using bathrooms inappropriately, several additional strategies are being considered. The one that may be implemented the quickest is to latch the outside doors in the open position. Bathrooms would have to have a privacy screen; this is the screen that prevents people in the hallway from looking directly into the bathroom. Mirrors would be removed, also, to prevent a person from using them to look into the space. Other strategies would include removing the outside doors from each bathrooms (instead of using a latch) and moving paper towel dispensers to outside the bathrooms.

We are exploring creating our own signage of appropriate behavior to be used inside the bathrooms. Currently, the only bathroom signage available is for elementary school students. Our custom signage could include:

• Do not sit on the bathroom floor.
• Do not eat lunch in the bathroom.
• No loitering, smoking, or vaping.
• Wash your hands. Yes, YOU!

LaG O'ween, er...Halloween, at LaGuardia Arts has always been a special day with unique traditions. Students and staff dress up in costumes highlighting that special creativity that sets LaGuardia apart from all other schools. Many members of the staff have expressed a strong desire to maintain the creative aspects of our LaG O'ween tradition. As usual, we want you to celebrate your creativity; however, please be aware that, at the same time, we expect you to be respectful of others and still adhere to the rules and regulations of the school and the NYCPS.

For your own personal safety and security, you are advised not to wear your costume to or from school, but to bring your costume in a bag. The locker rooms will open at 7:45 AM, so you can change into your costume before first period begins. The locker rooms will be open again at 3:39 PM for you to change out of costume. And if you don't want to wear a costume...wear an orange, purple, green, or black shirt.

What is not permissible?

• Faces must be recognizable. You may not wear a mask that covers your face. Face paint and makeup are allowed, as long as you’re still recognizable.
• Costumes must be appropriate for school. You may not wear a costume which is considered to be lewd, indecent, or offensive or one that interferes with the educational process. These include costumes which depict terrorists, religious figures, or any costume deemed to be sexually explicit.
• Students dressed inappropriately will be required to change into street clothes and their families notified, or a family member must bring you home.
• You may not bring outsiders to school.
• Follow school/NYCPS Rules. You may not have any item in school that is normally not allowed in school, namely cigarettes, lighters, handcuffs, masks, weapons or any other object with the potential to cause harm to oneself or to others, regardless of their authenticity. Such items will be confiscated and, depending on the item, may not be returned.
• Attend your classes. Students cannot leave class without a pass for any reason. Deans and security agents will be out patrolling the halls on that day looking for students who are not complying with school regulations.

Save the date!

Our Annual Costume Sale will be held Tuesday, October 15.

Get incredible costumes from our amazing Costume Shop

The Parents Association Needs Volunteers

Help in the afternoon and evening.

Adults Volunteers Sign Up Here HERE.

TECH: The small studio with a huge impact.

This month is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, where Laguardia students and staff, alike, will be spreading awareness around the impacts of domestic violence and how to best support survivors. Our goal is to lessen the stigma against talking about Domestic Violence and shine a light on healthy relationships and what support looks like. If you'd like to get involved with programming – or any of the Relationship Abuse Prevention Program club tabling events – please reach out to Maya, the RAPP coordinator in 234I

"Brummell's got jokes!," was the amused reaction of one attendee at the year's first "Coffee & Donuts with Jerrianna Phenix, our Parent Coordinator", on October 11, 2024. The monthly social/informative event covers a variety of topics using a presentation and Q&A format. This month's guests were Assistant Principal, Safety, Greg Brummell, along with Principal Deepak Marwah, and Our SAPIS (Substance Abuse Prevention & Intervention Specialist) Alex Falk.

It was an 'artistic decision' to have a phone's camera in portrait mode on a tripod, which enabled the presenters to walk in and out of the frame. The sound is... well, there's sound. There are pauses for Morning Announcements and interruptions.

The vibe is very "you're here and it's LIVE." We own that we are a school of Fine and Performing Arts and not Media Arts. Each of the recording will get better and better, but the most exciting part was, "who KNEW, Brummell's got jokes!

WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW ON THE NEW PARENT AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT PAGE.

Today’s Latin Artist is Maclovia Ruiz! She was born in Guadalajara, Mexico and enjoyed a remarkable six-decade career in dance that encompassed a wide range of styles and genres. Her early training included interpretive dance at the Peters Wright School in San Francisco and classical Spanish dances taught by her father, as well as those learned in various immigrant social clubs in early twentieth-century North Beach. Ruiz performed in ballroom dance clubs across Hollywood and New York City, starred in numerous early films, and held classical ballet roles with George Balanchine’s New York City Ballet and the San Francisco Opera. She also toured internationally alongside the celebrated Spanish dancer Antonio.

After retiring from touring, Ruiz dedicated herself to teaching tai chi and recreational movement for seniors in various San Francisco venues. Her exceptional skill and charisma as a performer allowed her to interpret music through movement, captivating audiences worldwide. Studio photographs from her career highlight the grace and talent that made her a beloved figure in the dance community.

FREE VIRTUAL SUPPORT GROUP FOR FAMILIES OF TEENS STRUGGLING WITH SUBSTANCE USE

As your SAPIS, I am excited to announce that for the second year in a row CMC: Foundation for Change will be offering our community a FREE, Virtual, 15-week support and skills group for the families of teens that may be struggling with substance use. This group begins October 21, at 7:30pm.

Register here

This group is for parents who are:

• Worried about their child’s substance use
  
• Unsure if their child’s substance use is a problem
  
• Feeling disconnected from their child
  
• Concerned about other behavioral issues
  
• Frustrated by breakdown in communication with
  
• their child
  
• Fearful their child might develop a dependence on substances
  

Today's Latin artist is Jorge Drexler. Drexler is an Uruguayan musician, singer, and doctor. Born in Montevideo in 1964, he began taking piano lessons at age 5. He actually became an ENT doctor before pursuing a career in music. He initially only recorded two albums which were released in Uruguay. Joaquín Sabina invited Drexler to Spain to further grow his career as his musician. In Spain, Drexler recorded four more albums. His song, Al Otro Lado del Río, appeared in the internationally acclaimed film The Motorcycle Diaries. His song was nominated for an Academy Award for ‘Best Original Song’. He wasn’t allowed to perform his song at the awards because he wasn’t “big enough”. Drexler ended up becoming the first Uruguayan to win an Academy Award.

Since then, Drexler has continued to grow as an artist. His music focuses on traditional Uruguayan music with bossa nova and pop. He has been nominated for 5 Grammys and has won 13 Latin Grammys. We encourage you to learn more about Hispanic Artist, Jorge Drexler.

Welcome to the NHS Fall 2024 Application. The National Honors Society (NHS) is a group of high-achieving high school students who excel academically and contribute to their communities. At LaGuardia, we are not only artists but also excel in academics and community involvement. The company has been NHS is a place to celebrate your accomplishments and to further build and grow upon them.

You may apply to NHS if you are a junior. NHS does not accept freshmen, sophomores or seniors who weren't previously in NHS. All applications must maintain a GPA of 93 or above for three consecutive terms to be considered for NHS. New applicants must have one teacher recommendation submitted via recommendation form. Reapplying members must fill out volunteer form linked above.

APPLY HERE. (New & Returning Members)

Returning Members must also, please share their Tutoring Service Form.

Latin artist Alicia Alonso is a Cuban ballerina highly regarded for her portrayals of lead roles in classical ballet. Born in Havana 1920, Alonso’s dance studies began at age nine. She moved to NYC at 17 to enroll in the School of American Ballet, making her stage debut in 1938 in the musical comedy, Great Lady. In 1943, she danced the lead in Giselle at the American Ballet Theatre.

At the height of her career, Alonso suffered vision problems and ended up partially blind. She became known as the dancer who only saw shadows, but she never stopped dancing. She is one of the founding members for the Ballet Nacional de Cuba and served as its director. Her last public performance was in 1995, at age 75. UNESCO awarded her the Pablo Picasso Medal for notable contributions to arts and culture. We encourage you to learn more about Hispanic artist, Alcia Alonso.

Are you interested in visiting a cloud forest, observing dazzling biodiversity and hiking in a volcano national park all while practicing your Spanish? Good news! There are still some spots left for LaGuardia's trip to Costa Rica during the February break! If you are interested, see last week's Yellow Sheet for more information and to apply. But don't delay. You will need to sign up right away in order to be considered. It will be "fantástico!"

Costa Rica (February 2025): www.eftours.com/2756409TX

Read the complete YS Entry from October 2, 2024

The Deadline is October 20.

Our Latin artist of the day is Silvina Ocampo! She was an Argentinian writer and poet, known for her imaginative and often surreal storytelling. Ocampo was born into an affluent and intellectual family in Buenos Aires and grew up surrounded by artists and writers, including her sister Victoria Ocampo. Silvina Ocampo decided to pursue painting and worked under artist Giorgio de Chirico in Paris. There she shifted her focus to literature.

Ocampo wrote many different works, including poetry, short stories, and children’s literature. Her work often explored themes of dreams, innocence, and cruelty. Her unique voice earned her a place among Argentina’s literary greats. She was awarded the Premio Nacional de Poesía in 1962 for her collection Lo amargo por dulce. Despite her relative under-recognition in life, Ocampo’s work has gained increasing appreciation posthumously for its depth and originality. We encourage you to learn more about Hispanic artist Silvina Ocampo.

Today's Latin artist is Selena Quintanilla. Selena Quintanilla Pérez was a Mexican-American singer and cultural icon who helped popularize Tejano music and Latin music in the United States. She is one of the few artists so influential that she is referred to by one name: Selena. Born in Lake Jackson, Texas, in the early ‘70’s, Selena was the youngest of three children. Her father was a musician who taught his children to play and sing in the family band, Los Dinos. Selena began performing at a young age and recorded her first record (a vinyl disk played on a turntable) at age eight.

Her music became popular in the late 1980s, and she won Female Entertainer of the Year at the Tejano Music Awards. In 1994, she became the first Tejano artist to win a Grammy for her album Selena Live! Selena was assassinated by the former president of her fan club and her boutique's business manager in 1995 at the age of 23. We remember Selena for her beautiful spirit, her incredible talent, and her contribution to both Latino music and to music in general. We encourage you to learn more about Hispanic Artis, Selena Quintailla, or how she will always be remembered: Selena.

The Girls Bowling Team hit 400 pins as they clinched a playoff berth by defeating Information and Technology High School. Selena Wang, Michelle Wu, and Sarah Ye all hit over 110 pins. The Lions play today against rival Beacon High School. Go Lions

LaGuardia's Bowling Team ended the season in striking fashion with a victory over Louis Brandis for the 8th win of the season. Michelle Lou, Veronica Deng, and Selena Wong all posted scores of 100, with Captain Michelle finishing the season with the highest average and most pins in Manhattan for the second year in a row. Next up playoffs!

Congrats to the Girls Varsity Volleyball Team in advancing to the playoffs. With outstanding scores of 25 to 16 and 25 to 15, our Lady Lions defeated our neighbors, MLK High School! Shoutouts to Ella Chau and Emily Kipnis with five kills, Libee Bobo with eight service points, and Ilayda(eye adah) Atmaca with 15 assists! And let’s not forget freshman Cora Begany for an outstanding performance! Mama Greene and her lion-kitties are sooo proud of you! Come today to the Girls Varsity Volleyball scrimmage against Stuyvesant in our gym.

Congratulations to the Girls Country Team on spectacular performances these past two weekends. Two weekends ago, the varsity team took 12th place at the Bowdoin Classic. Led by Naomi Douglas who took 2nd overall and ran the 3rd fastest time in course history in the public school athletic league with a time of 19 minutes flat. On that team were strong runs by Gwyneth Shupp, Virginia Begley, Ginny Lindstrom, Ivy Seidenstein, Chloe Merrill and Anya Eder. The Marty Lewis meet featured strong runs all around. Starting with freshmen Sarah Messer taking 13th, Sigrid Lussier taking 14th and Lola Grenside taking 19th place. On the varsity side, Naomi Douglas took 1st place with a time of 19 minutes and 14 seconds. Not only did she break her own school record on this course, it is also the 12th fastest time ran on Van Cortlandt Park in league history. Followed by Gwyneth Shupp taking 2nd place and running the 4th fastest time in school history. On that team were strong runs by Virginia Begley, Ginny Lindtrom, Tessa Seltz and Karolina Dyachenko. The junior varsity team was able to pull away with 3rd place led by Elena Porsella, Lillian Gibbons, Arizona Wee, Keira Jane Mompoint, and Denae Reyes.

On the Boys Cross Country side at the Bowdoin Classic the varsity team was able to pull away at 25th place. Led by Ezekiel Cohen, Ariel Yaron, and Martin Kientz. Cohen's time of 17 minutes and 17 seconds marks the 3rd fastest time in school history on the Bowdoin course. At the Marty Lewis meet the freshmen team was led by Jameson Knable, Wyatt Weller, and Rayden Cardona. The varsity team included strong runs by Cohen who took 4th, Yaron, and William Ricciardi.

Congratulations to all on the phenomenal runs and making school and league history these past couple of weeks! Keep up the hard work and keep making the LaGuardia community proud. Go Lions!

The Girls Swimming team came up with a big win against Walton High School. Top performing swimmers were Gia Marchionni, Lucia Milazzo, Adeline Isakov, Kohanna Henson, and Stephanie Santanna.

Girls Swimming came up with another big win, this time against A Phillip Randolph! Top performing athletes were Clodagh (Clo duh) McCann, Adeline Isakov, Stephanie Santanna, Katarina Binec, Ellajaz Bunbury and Elizaveta Gelashvili.

The Girls Swimming Team had their 3rd win in a row. They defeated Evander's Child. Top performers were Olivia Nelson, Josephine Kim-Wendell, Chloe Tan, Maya Haraguchi, Bronwyn Trento and Tallulah Elorriaga.

The Girls Varsity Soccer team has improved to 7-0 in their division with back-to back-wins over Kennedy and Lehman High Schools. The team was led by Laila Naiyer, with 9 goals and 3 assists in these two games. Elsie Hennigan scored her first hat trick against Lehman. (A hat trick in soccer is when a player scores 3 goals in a game.) Go Lions!

Fantastic photos of our athletes and teams are always welcomed. Email mstricklin@schools.nyc.gov

Filipino American History Month is celebrated in the United States during the month of October. In 1991, the Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS) board of trustees proposed the first annual Filipino American History Month to commence in October 1992. October was chosen to commemorate the arrival of the first Filipinos who landed in what is now Morro Bay, California, in 1587.

While some used the term Filipino American Heritage Month interchangeably with Filipino American History Month, FANHS (a historical society) cites that the month should be properly focused on "history" instead of "heritage." History includes the events, experiences, and lives of people and their impact on society, while heritage is about cultural traditions handed down from the past.

Founded in 1988, First Take provides high school students with hands-on training in print, broadcast, online and photo journalism through sessions led by media professionals. Journalists from ABC News, CBS News, CNN, The New York Times and other media outlets have volunteered as instructors. First Take alumni have gone on to have successful careers at ABC News, Fox 61 in Connecticut, Newsday, The Wall Street Journal, WPIX and other media outlets.

The goal of First Take is to inspire Black students to pursue careers in journalism, a field in which people of color are underrepresented. But students of all ethnic backgrounds are welcome to apply.

First Take students will be chaperoned. Lunch will be provided.

DATES & TIMES: The 2025 program will take place on six consecutive Saturdays from Feb. 8 to March 15. The sessions will be held from 9 a.m. to noon except for two days, Feb. 22 and March 8, when they will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

PLACE: Most of the sessions will be held at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at the City University of New York, 219 W. 40th St. in Midtown Manhattan. (First Take participants will use the building entrance at 230 W. 41st St.) Also, there will be a few field trips to media outlets in New York City.

ELIGIBILITY: High school students in the New York metro area who have an interest in the field of journalism are eligible to apply. Students must be able to attend all six Saturdays of First Take. Participating students who will be traveling to and from First Take by subway will be mailed MetroCards before the program begins.

COST: There is no cost to the student for participation in First Take.

Click Here for the Application The application deadline is Friday, Dec. 6, 2024.

If you have any questions, please email NYABJ President Bonita Sostre at president@nyabj.org.

School of Music

92NY’s School of Music is dedicated to nurturing the musical talents of students in the Arts Fellows program by providing a transformative music education experience.

Selected students will receive weekly 60-minute private lessons tailored to their unique needs and aspirations. Private lessons will be supplemented with the resources students need to succeed, such as transportation costs, instrument rental, or translation services, allowing them to focus solely on their musical growth. Our mission is to remove barriers and provide opportunities and encouragement so these young musicians can thrive.

We firmly believe that every aspiring musician deserves the chance to develop their talents to the fullest. Through this program, students will gain access to high-quality private lessons, mentoring from exceptional instructors, and a supportive community of fellow musicians. Together, we will help students achieve their musical aspirations and create a brighter future through the power of music.

Harkness Dance Center

Art Fellows placed with 92NY’s Harkness Dance Center are students who love to dance, want to train in any style of dance, and aspire to be leaders in any field. The individualized curriculum will offer 2 dance classes a week in 92NY’s brand-new state-of-the art studios with an inspiring faculty. This opportunity is guaranteed to be fun, challenging, moving, and supporting.

Art Fellows receive two dance classes weekly offered in a diverse range of dance styles and genres and a chance to study with some of NYC’s most talented performing artists and teachers from companies such as The Metropolitan Opera Ballet, Dorrance Dance, Passion Fruit Dance Company, MeenMoves, MorDance, Rhythm of the Sole, STOMP, Phantom of the Opera and many more! Art Fellows also receive one-on-one mentorship with the Harkness Dance mentor, a chance to perform in the professional spaces at the 92NY, attend spectacular dance performances presented by the Harkness Dance Center, and individualized preparation in dance for university, and summer program auditions.

Art Center

Art Fellows in 92NY’s Art Center have the chance to participate in classes taught by professional artists who offer fun and challenging age-appropriate projects. Teen courses focus on drawing, painting, cartooning, textiles, ceramics, or jewelry. Advanced teens are also invited to participate in portfolio prep courses designed to help them with the visual arts and design college application process. Arts Fellows will also receive one-on-one mentoring from an Art Center Teaching Artist to help them make the most of their work and the program.

Apply Here

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