The Month Ahead (November 2021)

Is it almost November already??

Just when you thought the time was finally right for pumpkin-spiced everything, along comes November to tempt you with its cornucopia of flavors and celebrations.

For New York City public school families, Election Day, parent-teacher conferences, Veterans Day, and Thanksgiving Recess will all factor into our schedules this month. In addition, families with students entering high school next fall can look forward to learning more about high school admissions this month, including those who are applying to take the Specialized High Schools Admissions Test. Finally, this month marks the end of Daylight Savings Time for the remainder of 2021, so let’s not forget to adjust our clocks by an hour on Sunday, November 7!

So without further ado, here’s a look at what’s happening in NYC public schools this month, courtesy of our official 2021–22 NYC Public Schools Calendar:

NYC Schools Calendar — November 2021

Some notes about this month’s schedule:

November is National Native American Heritage Month

Throughout November, NYC public schools across the five boroughs will highlight books, events, movies, and other resources in support of Native American Heritage Month. Join our schools and help us celebrate Native American history and heritage all month long!

Parent-Teacher Conferences

This month, City public schools across the five boroughs will host virtual parent-teacher conferences. Learn more about this November’s conferences, and check out some of our tips for successful conversations right here on The Morning Bell!

Seeking admission to any of NYC’s Specialized High Schools?

Any NYC eighth grade or first-time ninth grade student can register to take the Specialized High Schools Admissions Test (SHSAT) to qualify for admission to eight of the City’s nine Specialized High Schools until Monday, November 15, 2021. Learn more about the City’s Specialized High Schools, the SHSAT, and the high school admissions process through our prior coverage, and consider attending one of our Virtual Information Sessions this month to learn how to use MySchools to explore your high school options and register for the SHSAT!

Don’t forget to submit your consent form for COVID-19 testing!

As part of the City’s efforts to maintain safe and healthy school environments for all students and staff members, the DOE is conducting random COVID-19 testing of unvaccinated students in every school across the City. Students in grades 1 and up whose parents have submitted their consent for COVID-19 testing for the 2021–22 school year will be eligible for random testing.

If you have not already done so, we strongly recommend you submit your consent for COVID-19 testing. You can either fill out the consent form online through your New York City Schools Account (NYCSA), or you can print and sign a PDF of the Fall 2021 Student Consent Form and bring it to your child’s school. (For languages other than English, check out the PDFs at the bottom of the “COVID-19 Testing for Students” web page.)

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And that’s all for the month of November! On behalf of the NYC Department of Education, we wish all of our families a smooth and productive month!

Banner photo by Any Lane. Used under Creative Commons license. Original can be found on Pexels.