The Yellow Sheet
Parent Teacher Conference Coming Soon
Fall Parent Teacher Conferences will be held on Thursday, November 21 (evening), and Friday, November 22 (afternoon.)
On Friday, we will be running Periods 1 – 5, with the school day ending at 11:50 AM. Students who have Period 5 Lunch are dismissed after Period 4.
Conferences are held remotely, and each teacher provides a link to sign up for their conference.
If you anticipate that you need more than the teacher-allowed appointment time, please do not sign up for a Parent Teacher Conferences time slot; instead, contact the teacher to schedule an appropriate amount of time on another day.
SCHEDULE YOUR PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES HERE. Use the TABS at the bottom of the SHEET to switch between departments.
News and Updates
Does the Yellow Sheet Bury Information?
There has been some chatter about the length of the Yellow Sheet and whether or not items are 'buried' or lost there. In days of old, the LaGuardia community was faced with a dilemma:
- receive an insufferable amount of emails, or
- read one consolidated document containing news and information from the school
The YS was developed. Yes, it's long, and it has to be read every week in order to know what is happening. Much of the newsletter is written in news style and trys to answer all the basic questions about any particular subject—who, what, when, where, and why (and also often how) —at the opening of the article. Think of an "inverted pyramid", where the most information is at the top, and each paragraph decreases in importance. You can exit the article at any point and still leave knowing the important information.
We suggest readers use the Table of Contents to focus on important information. Also, people should skim topics to key in what is important to them.
Update to Early Dismissal Process
An update was made to our early dismissal process in order to speed up the process when a student is in the Attendance Office. Please email BOTH Attendance Secretaries, Ms. Delesline & Ms. Coraci, the request with the information below. There are times when your specific Attendance Secretary is not at her desk, e.g. lunch, meeting, absence, away. Emailing both secretaries will allow either one to help. This is a tight-knit office, so this is not duplicating work.
Parent/Guardian should Email BOTH Coraci, Kristine AND DeLesline, Taina
- Student’s name and OSIS number
- Reason for dismissal
- Time student is to be released
- Parent/guardian’s state-issued photo identification
- Phone number where parent/guardian can be reached to verify early dismissal, if necessary
Students must report to Room 201 to complete the early dismissal process before leaving school. Parent/Guardian may be called for confirmation. Upon completion, the early dismissal pass will be provided to the student at the dismissal time. The student will show the pass to the School Safety Agents on duty and may leave the building.
UPDATE on Assistant Principal, Math & Science
LaGuardia is in the final stages of the hiring process for the Assistant Principal, Math & Science. The process should be complete by the end of November or early December. The remaining steps must be completed before announcing the appointment: Meeting with the Superintendent, processing of the candidate by H.R., and consultation/introduction with the SLT.
The steps already completed are the identification of candidates for evaluation by the Level I Committee; Level I Interviews; and then Level II Interviews. Read Chancellor's Regulation C-30 Selection and Assignment and Appointment of Principals and Assistant Principals
AP Exam Information
Our AP Exam order has been submitted to the College Board. Any further changes will now incur a per-exam $40 change fee by the College Board. You can add or drop any exam with the $40 change fee until March 7, 2025. Please use the AP Exam Registration/Opt Out Form to indicate any changes. There will be no changes after this deadline.
Payment for AP exams will be collected via the LaGuardia website AFTER March 7, 2025. You will see the Invoice Amount you must pay to take your exams in Period 0 of your schedule. Financial assistance may be available to those who complete both the Family Income Verification form and the Requesting Financial Assistance for AP Exams form.
Please note: our deadlines are different from other schools'.
From the Desk of Jerrianna Phenix, Parent Coordinator
Dear LaGuardia Parents,
Like most of you, I am quite sure, I find that election season, particularly in NYC, tends to bring about a wide palette of emotions. Even if folks are quiet, politely refraining from sharing political views, a vibe of intense edginess permeates, which is the elephant in the room these days. And I find myself asking ‘why’ a lot lately, until Mr. Mackey covered the current school year budget last Friday in another lively round of Coffee and Donuts. Truly, Mr. Mackey deserves a round of applause for openly sharing exactly where programming will be affected for the second half of the year. The clarity and detail of the data was informative. Each parent was able to listen and then digest. The irony of balancing that occurrence with the roller coaster of this month’s political chatter, where we are all told “how” to think and believe was a welcomed and startling contrast. Mr. Mackey brought us the news. Shouldn’t that always be the goal? Share the facts. At the risk of severely dating myself, a long time ago, in another galaxy, some of you may recall hearing about a dully named silver haired fellow, who went by Walter Cronkite, and he happened to garner the attention of some 57 million Americans who owned television sets, as everyone literally stopped what they were doing and tuned in faithfully to CBS, every single night, to learn. It was simply a report. And then he did the most unusual thing, he said, “good night.”
Thank you, Mr. Mackey, for the newsworthy update. Nothing more. Nothing less.
As always, thank you for your continued collaboration and spirited discussions. I feel privileged to work with all of you as we strive to move the needle forward positively, every day. If something is pressing, please reach out to me via email or direct cell, (914-372-6360). In the meantime, I will continue to keep my promise of providing all families with accurate and timely information.
Warmest regards,
JA
Jerrianna Phenix
Parent Coordinator
City Harvest Boxed Food Drive
The Boxed Food Drive Kick Off is Tuesday, November 12. The drive ends on Monday, November 25. We are partnering with City Harvest to provide food for families experiencing hardship, and we would like your help! Food items can be dropped off at the Main Entrance when you enter school. Considering adding a non-perishable item on your next trip to a Big Box Store.
- We want: Oatmeal, snacks, breakfast cereal, cups of noodles, rice, pasta, etc.
- We do not want: cans (it's "Boxed Food Drive")
In Sports News...
The Girls Swimming Team racked up lots of medals and awards at the Big A Championship. The girls broke the school record in the 400 free relay and got medals in every relay that was entered. We medaled in the 200 free, 100 back, and 500 free. Top swimmers were Elizaveta Gelashvili, Katarina Binec, Clodagh McCann, Ellajaz Bunbury, and Stephanie Santanna.
Congratulations to the girls cross country team on placing 2nd place at the city championship this past weekend. They are now on their way to states! The team was led by Naomi Douglas and crowned the fastest girl in New York City. Followed by Gwyneth Shupp, Genevieve Backus, Anya Eder, Virginia Begley, Ivy Seidenstein and Chloe Merrill.
The junior varsity team was also able to reach the podium for the first time ever in school history as the 3rd fastest junior varsity team in New York City. The junior varsity team was led by Tessa Seltz, River Duerr, Siggy Lussier and Karolina Dyachenko.
GiGi's Playhouse NYC is the only organization in New York City dedicated to providing individuals with Down syndrome free therapeutic, educational, social, and creative arts programs.
We are currently recruiting students between the ages of 13-18 to join our Youth Board. This opportunity is perfect for students looking to develop leadership skills, contribute to a meaningful cause, gain invaluable experience volunteering with a non-profit, plan and execute major fundraising campaigns like Dancing for Down Syndrome, and enhance their college applications.
All students are welcome to participate, whether or not they have a personal connection to or are familiar with Down syndrome.
About the Youth Board:
- Virtual Meetings: The board meets biweekly to learn about Down syndrome, raise awareness, and plan community events.
- Community Engagement: Members help organize programs and fundraisers for GiGi’s NYC families, directly interacting with individuals with Down syndrome.
- Leadership & Experience: The role offers valuable experience that can be added to resumes and college applications.
How to Apply:
Students interested in joining the Youth Board can apply via the link below. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, and we encourage students to apply as soon as possible.
Discover Architecture: Midwinter Recess Program
Discover Architecture is a career exploration program for NYC high school students, offered by the Center for Architecture and the American Institute of Architects New York.
February 18–21, 2025
The program consists of a three-day externship at an architecture office followed by a culminating event at the Center for Architecture. The program will take place during the public school mid-winter break Tuesday, February 18 through Friday, February 21, from 10am–3pm daily. Students accepted into the program will spend Tuesday through Thursday at a local architecture firm gaining valuable, first-hand experience with the work of practicing architects, then have a chance to share their experiences at a concluding event at the Center for Architecture that Friday.
Eligible students must be in their sophomore or junior year of high school. Students must also reside and attend school within the five boroughs of New York City. We are looking for students who are interested in and would most benefit from this opportunity. No prior experience is necessary. Priority will be given to students attending NYC Public Schools.
2025 applications are open. Apply here.
I offer free online therapy to teens. Here’s what I’m seeing — and why it matters.
This story was originally published by Chalkbeat. Sign up for their newsletters at ckbe.at/newsletters
Erin Mack, Chalkbeat
Nov 14, 2024 at 3:00pm EST
Before the pandemic, the idea of communicating with a therapist via text seemed unthinkable. Then COVID closures and an unprecedented surge in teen mental health issues changed everything.
I know what a difference it makes for teens because I talk to them almost every day.
I am a therapist who works for NYC Teenspace, New York City’s free mental health service connecting young people with licensed multilingual therapists through the secure (and HIPAA-compliant) platform Talkspace. This effort is breaking down barriers to mental health care, especially for those who may struggle to find a therapist who meets their needs.
The program, launched a year ago this month by Mayor Eric Adams and the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, is available to anyone ages 13 to 17 living in New York City, regardless of their school, immigration status, income level, or insurance status. No payment or insurance information is required.
While we ask all teens to share a parent or guardian’s information so that they can provide consent, in special circumstances, state law permits waiving that requirement, for example when the young person is emancipated, incarcerated, or if notification is deemed detrimental to their well-being. That is something that the licensed therapist assesses.
For many teens, it’s the first time they’ve ever talked with a therapist. And my goal is to create a space where teens feel like they can be themselves. Asking questions, staying curious, and not making assumptions are key to helping young people feel supported.
While many of our interactions are asynchronous and over text, I always encourage a live face-to-face video session or offer to send asynchronous audio or video messages. I want them to know that it’s OK to ask questions that can help them better understand therapy, mental health, themselves, and how to advocate for their needs.
They’re often curious to learn about depression, ADHD, PTSD, and other diagnoses they may have heard about on social media or from their friends. Sometimes, they ask if I’m a real human or if I’m AI. They like hearing that I grew up in New York, in the Bronx and Yonkers, that I have a cat, and the types of music I enjoy.
Teens may be experiencing anxiety or depression, or they may be grieving. But they don’t need to be experiencing symptoms of mental illness or living with loss to participate. They may be navigating a new relationship or breakup, adjusting to changes in their family dynamics, or experiencing uncertainty about what they want to do after high school.
We talk about what’s causing them stress and what will improve their quality of life. It’s rewarding when I hear from a teen client who has tried a technique we’ve practiced, like deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, thought-stopping, or communication skills, and found that it works. From my experience, teens are more likely than adults to share their progress as it’s happening, rather than to reflect on it several months later.
How effective is NYC Teenspace? More than 16,000 teens have signed up for the service so far. Early data shows that 65 percent of users reported improvement in their mental health, and that number is growing. Underserved neighborhoods in Brooklyn and the Bronx lead the city in signups, and 60 percent of users identify as Black or Hispanic.
Going forward, I hope to see even more teens using it, especially boys. City data shows that teenage girls have been more than three times as likely to seek help on the platform. We have work to do to increase reach to teen boys, who may encounter more stigma around seeking help.
Still, I’m astonished by telehealth’s ability to promote strong connections with users, particularly Gen Z. These digital natives communicate effortlessly through text and other online media. They express themselves in ways an adult patient typically wouldn’t. They share photos of their pets, selfies, memes, audio clips — and, yes, lots of emojis — offering glimpses into their world that enrich the therapeutic process.
NYC Teenspace therapists can communicate in 13 different languages, and the platform uses translation support in 120 languages.
No matter what their language, teens tend to find on-demand messaging a more comfortable, accessible option in which to open up about their challenges in ways they might find difficult IRL. Between school, commuting, extracurriculars, and other responsibilities, some teens have avoided therapy because it has been challenging to get to an in-person appointment. Having a private space can often be a challenge for any New Yorker, and this is no different for teens. More than half of all users prefer exclusively engaging with their therapist via messaging.
The current ratio of NYC public school guidance counselors is 1 for every 272 students, and there are even fewer licensed mental health professionals. Last year, nearly half of teens surveyed in New York City reported experiencing mild to severe depressive symptoms. They worry about the future or something bad happening to them or to their families, which may be a sign of anxiety.
Skeptics of therapy in a digital space may say that the experience of in-person treatment can’t be replicated. In some instances, this is true. However, therapy that can happen via telehealth can connect with teens in a way that meets their needs. As any teen today can tell you, messaging is how they communicate with their closest friends. Online therapy is also much easier than in-person appointments to scale amid unprecedented teen mental health needs.
As with any treatment, it’s important to know the limitations. NYC Teenspace therapists are responsible for assessing clients for risks, including risks to themselves or others. If a teen presents with significant concerns like self-harm or suicidality, their therapist is expected to share resources, make appropriate referrals, and intervene as needed to ensure safety.
For the majority of teens who are not in crisis, NYC Teenspace offers a vital space where they can explore their emotions, develop coping strategies, and build resilience. These are skills they can bring with them as they grow into adulthood.
Erin Mack is a therapist and clinical quality risk manager with Talkspace, which operates NYC Teenspace.
Chalkbeat is a nonprofit news site covering educational change in public schools.