As New York City students prepare to return to class Sept. 10, Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels said he is focused on strengthening connections between students and teachers across the nation’s largest school district.<\/p>\n
“It’s super exciting the first day of school is like the Super Bowl for me. I have been looking forward to it all summer,” Samuels said.<\/p>\n
Samuels said educators play a critical role in helping students succeed.<\/p>\n
“I want them to know that education is about connection. There is nothing that is better than connection between a highly qualified, really strong enthusiastic teacher and a student,” he said.<\/p>\n
The new school year also will bring changes following a city announcement this week banning AI in classrooms through eighth grade.<\/p>\n
“Especially with our making time for our young kids to connect, making time for them to see and appreciate others and appreciate their instruction, I think aligned our cellphone ban we had, and now with our screen time limits, I think that will create a whole new set of connection,” Samuels said.<\/p>\n
On Friday, Samuels toured P.S. 150 in Lower Manhattan, where school staff were making final preparations for the start of classes. He was joined by Principal Nico Victorino.<\/p>\n
“My favorite day as principal is the first day of school,” Victorino said. “It’s hard to describe how that feels. It’s more of an energy you feel, it’s almost palpable.”<\/p>\n
About 370 students are expected to attend the school this year, along with more than two dozen teachers.<\/p>\n
Victorino said the school has expanded its teaching staff as part of class-size law implementation.<\/p>\n
“We have had to expand the number of teachers because of our class size law implementation; we are fully implemented thanks to all the funding and support from the DOE. It has changed our whole school community,” he said.<\/p>\n
Teachers also were busy preparing classrooms ahead of students’ arrival. Allison Russell, a second-grade teacher, said much of the work involves organizing materials and coordinating with colleagues.<\/p>\n
“It’s a lot of reorganizing. It’s a lot of planning with your teammates when we officially come back next week, meeting with the administration and figuring out our goals for the year,” Russell said.<\/p>\n
Final preparations are underway across the school as staff count down to the first day of classes. Students are scheduled to return Sept. 10 when school bells ring once again.<\/p>\n
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