STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. \u2014 Kamar H. Samuels, the recently appointed chancellor of New York City Public Schools, visited New Dorp High School Tuesday evening as part of his \u201cOur Schools. Our Future: Conversations with the Chancellor,\u201d series.<\/p>\n
There, he spent time meeting with parents, staff and students to hear concerns they may have regarding the city\u2019s public school system.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is critically important to me, hearing your perspectives \u2014 your ideas \u2014 in real time; not only tonight, but all the time,\u201d Samuels told more than 115 attendees.<\/p>\n
Samuels, a father to two children himself, said he will be on the Island \u201call the time.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cEach and every one of you brings a unique perspective to this conversation and it\u2019s a perspective that I am deeply, deeply honored to hear,\u201d he added. \u201cI am committed to listening and learning from you.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"Kamar](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/OAOGUVNDMNABRJTECGWJX6KO2M.jpg\")
Kamar H. Samuels, the recently appointed chancellor of New York City Public Schools, visited New Dorp High School on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026, to kick off his \u201cOur Schools. Our Future: Conversations with the Chancellor,\u201d series.(Advance\/SILive.com | Luke Peteley)<\/p>\n
Samuels identified four major areas of discussion ahead of individual table discussions: safety, academic rigor, integration and family empowerment.<\/p>\n
After a brief welcome from the chancellor, tables consisting of parents and students engaged with senior school leadership, including Samuels.<\/p>\n
These tables, consisting of about 10 individuals each, picked one of the four areas of focus and identified concerns within that selected topic.<\/p>\n
Enhanced communication between school officials and those that they serve, whether they be students or parents, was one issue brought up many times. One student shared his desire for student voices to be heard and acknowledged by school leadership. Another attendee expressed the wish to see more opportunities for parents to directly meet with school leadership.<\/p>\n
![\"Kamar](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/GMHHOAT6OND6TDB2F5ZDHWZIBE.jpg\")
Kamar H. Samuels, second from left, the recently appointed chancellor of New York City Public Schools, listens to a parent at New Dorp High School on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026, during the first stop of his \u201cOur Schools. Our Future: Conversations with the Chancellor,\u201d series.(Advance\/SILive.com | Luke Peteley)<\/p>\n
Amira Ammar, chief of staff for Assemblyman Michael Reilly and a mother of three children, told the Advance\/SILive.com that her table discussed the topic of family engagement.<\/p>\n
Ammar gave \u201cmajor props\u201d to PS 55 in Eltingville, the school which two of her children attend, for doing an \u201cexcellent job\u201d engaging with families. She noted that a lot of schools do not emphasize such connection, which to her is \u201cinsanely important for parents.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI praise the chancellor and his team for making such an effort,\u201d Ammar said. \u201cHe\u2019s been in this position for just about a little over a month and I\u2019ve already seen him several times on Staten Island, which is so encouraging. And, to be honest, I feel heard and I think that sentiment is shared with a lot of the people that I\u2019ve encountered tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n
She said she hopes that the administration follows up on this feedback and implements change to move New York City Schools in a \u201cpositive direction.\u201d<\/p>\n
The visit to New Dorp High School was the first of two Staten Island visits and the initial stop for the citywide community engagement series.<\/p>\n
![\"Kamar](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IA2FNSX3ZVFQVGCN5KETZIUEOU.jpg\")
Kamar H. Samuels, the recently appointed chancellor of New York City Public Schools, visited New Dorp High School on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026, to kick off his \u201cOur Schools. Our Future: Conversations with the Chancellor,\u201d series.(Advance\/SILive.com | Luke Peteley)<\/p>\n
Samuels is scheduled to return to Staten Island for his final stop of the series on Saturday, April 11. He is expected to meet with families at Curtis High School, 105 Hamilton Ave., St. George, at 10:30 a.m.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese conversations are about fundamentally changing how we make decisions by ensuring that those closest to our students have a real seat at the table,\u201d Samuels previously said. \u201cWhen families are true partners in the process, our schools become stronger, our policies become more effective, and our commitment to every child becomes meaningful. I look forward to these conversations and working together to build schools to reflect the hopes and needs of the communities they serve.\u201d<\/p>\n
NYCPS will release a report based on feedback gathered during the roundtable discussions along with a long-term roadmap for the education system once the engagement series has concluded.<\/p>\n
The face of New York City Public Schools<\/p>\n
Samuels was appointed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani to head the largest school system in the U.S. earlier this year.<\/p>\n