Newsletter - NYC Public Schools Plus You

Seeing ‘Respect for All’ in Action

Dear Families and Colleagues,

I hope you all had a restful Midwinter Recess and stayed safe through the blizzard! I want to thank our incredible staff members who worked tirelessly to reopen our school buildings.

Before the break, NYC Public Schools held Respect for All (RFA) Week, our annual celebration of kindness, empathy, and appreciation for diversity. Schools across the five boroughs hosted events, programs, and activities that spoke to the heart of what “respect for all” truly means.

Every year, I am inspired by our students’ enthusiasm for RFA Week—they just get it! Our young people are incredibly caring, thoughtful, and aware of their own capacity to be forces for positive change. I’m also grateful to our school staff members, who build cultures of respect and understanding both during RFA Week and year-round.

RFA Week is part of our broader Respect for All program, which helps schools build learning environments that are free from discrimination, harassment, or intimidation of any kind. Every one of our schools has a Respect for All liaison—an adult who leads the RFA program—and I encourage you to get to know yours!

As both an educator and a parent, I believe Respect for All is a key component of student safety. When our students feel seen, valued, and respected for who they are, we build that crucial sense of belonging that allows every child to thrive.

In partnership,

Kamar H. Samuels
Chancellor

The Chancellor’s Spotlight: Celebrating RFA Week at PS 56 in the Bronx

During RFA Week, I was thrilled to visit PS 56 Norwood Heights School in the Bronx, a school that truly “SPARKLEs” through its schoolwide values: Service, Persistence, Achievement, Responsibility, Kindness, Love of Learning, and Empathy for All. I joined the school’s RFA Week assembly, where Principal Maureen O’Neill played guitar for all her students. I was moved by the level of kindness our students showed one another—they spoke so eloquently about respect, empathy, and compassion—setting an example for us all.

Our Highlight Video: Chancellor Discusses Importance of Diversity During Visit to the Bronx Little School

For translated captions, please watch this video on our YouTube page.

NYCPS News and Resources:

• The last day to submit a 3-K or Pre-K application for fall 2026 admissions is Friday, February 27, 2026.
• Register to join us at an upcoming Conversations with the Chancellor event for meaningful dialogue and collective reflection on NYC Public Schools.
• Check out February’s “Opportunities for Students” post on The Morning Bell!