This Week @ PS 88Q

Dear PS 88Q Families,

I hope you all had a wonderful and refreshing Mid-Winter Break! We are so happy to welcome everyone back on Monday, February 24th.

Last week, we celebrated Respect for All Week, and it was truly inspiring to see our students embrace the values of kindness, inclusion, and respect. While this was a special week of activities, these practices and values are part of who we are every single day at PS 88Q. Thank you to our students, staff, and families for making our school such a welcoming and supportive community!

We are also thrilled to announce the grand reopening of our newly renovated library! Our library is now filled with hundreds of new books, brand-new furniture, and beautiful spaces for students to research, learn, and, most importantly, relax and enjoy a good book. We can’t wait for our students to explore and take advantage of this amazing space!

Additionally, this is the final week to apply for 3K and Pre-K, as the application window closes on Friday, February 28th. If you or someone you know has a little one ready to begin their educational journey, be sure to submit your application before the deadline!

We also have an exciting event this week—on Tuesday, February 25th, all students will enjoy a performance by the ZuZu Acrobats! This will be a fantastic opportunity for students to experience an exciting cultural and artistic performance.

Looking ahead, a reminder that report cards will be distributed next week, and Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held on Thursday, March 6th. Please note that there will be no school for students that day. We encourage all families to attend and engage in these important conversations about your child’s progress.

Have a wonderful week!

All of our students went to the polls and voted for how they want our Participatory Budget funding spent. And the winner is.... with 51% of the vote, the return of the PBIS store! But as a surprised, we matched the funding, and we can fund all three proposals! The electric mounted scoreboard and the recess equipment! Way to show that your voice matters!

2025 NYC School Survey:

Family Survey Instructions

Be sure to complete your survey by Friday, April 4!

Keep in mind…

● Your responses, combined with those of other parents/guardians at your child’s school, will be captured in the following reports:

○ School Quality Snapshot at tools.nycenet.edu/snapshot

○ Public Survey Reports accessible through NYCSchoolSurvey.org

● Parents are encouraged to fill out one survey for each child, even if you have multiple children at the same school, in order to capture the different experiences of each child.

● For more information about the NYC School Survey, visit NYCSchoolSurvey.org.

● If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to your school.

Be sure to complete your survey by Friday, April 4!

Summer Rising

New York City Public Schools (NYCPS) is looking forward to partnering with the Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) once again for Summer Rising 2025. Summer Rising connects elementary and middle school students to fun, hands-on experiences that strengthen their academic, social, and emotional skills. Summer Rising is free, and open to any NYC student currently in kindergarten through grade 8.

Grades K–5: The program will run from July 2 to August 15, 2025, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Grades 6–8: The program will run from July 2 to August 8, 2025, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Students will be provided with free breakfast and lunch. Programming will include academics led by NYCPS staff and enrichment activities held by DYCD Community Based Organizations (CBOs).

Summer Rising MySchools Application

The application will open on March 4, and close March 28, 2025. As in 2024, families can apply for Summer Rising online using MySchools, our online directory and application system.

To apply, log in to MySchools.nyc (if you already have a MySchools account you do not need to create a new one). Your MySchools account, used for admissions, is different from the NYC Schools Account (NYCSA) that you may use to access your child’s health forms and update emergency contact information.

If you have applied to Summer Rising, 3-K/Pre-K programs, or NYCPS schools using MySchools before, your child may already be added to your account. If you do not have a MySchools account, you can create one at MySchools.nyc using your email address, your child’s 9-digit student ID number and a MySchools account creation code, which you can get by contacting your child's school.

Families can list as many programs as they would like on their application; we recommend that you list as many programs as possible to increase the likelihood of being placed in a program of your choice.

This process is not first-come, first-served; all applications received by the deadline will be treated the same. Families may make changes to their application at any point within the application period.

If you have any questions or need support with the application, please visit our website at schools.nyc.gov/SummerRising, contact Ms. Ivett Perez , or email summer@schools.nyc.gov.

If you’re interested in helping shape policies and priorities that will affect the education of City students, consider joining an education council! Parents can apply to run for the 2025–2027 term until Sunday, February 16, 2025. Applications are completed via your NYC Schools Account (schoolsaccount.nyc) and only take 5–10 minutes to complete! Review the Eligibility Checklist, Elections Guide, and FAQ on schools.nyc.gov/Elections2025 for more information about who can run for a seat on each council.

To complete your application, you’ll need to create a New York City Schools Account (NYCSA) in your name. You will also use your NYCSA to vote for the candidates for your district, so it’s important to be prepared by creating your account now—learn how at schools.nyc.com/NYCSA.

How We Show Respect For All

Dear Families and Colleagues,

Today we are wrapping up Respect for All (RFA) Week, one of the most special weeks on our school calendar. While we practice and prioritize respect year-round, RFA Week is an opportunity to uplift and celebrate the rich diversity of our New York City Public Schools (NYCPS) community.

This week, our schools held events to promote respect, acceptance, and inclusion, from anti-bullying workshops to school-wide activities with themes of kindness and community, such as a “random acts of kindness” campaign. In my Chancellor’s Spotlight below, you can learn more about a terrific RFA Week activity that took place at PS 938 in Brooklyn.

I encourage families and staff to visit schools.nyc.gov/RespectForAll to explore our RFA policies and resources, which help ensure that our schools are warm and welcoming spaces for every student, staff member, and family.

In partnership,

Melissa Aviles-Ramos

Chancellor