Letters from the Chancellor

NYC Dept. of Education

Melissa Aviles-Ramos, NYC Schools Chancellor

Meet the Chancellor!

Melissa Aviles Ramos is Chancellor of New York City Public Schools, the largest school system in the nation. She was formerly the Deputy Chancellor of Family and Community Engagement and External Affairs, as well as the Chief of Staff to former Chancellor David C. Banks. In those roles, she oversaw innovative family engagement programs such as NYC Literacy Hubs and our Family Literacy Ambassadors; she also launched and led Project Open Arms, our unprecedented effort to welcome, enroll, and support 45,000-plus of our newest New Yorkers.

As the leader of NYCPS, Chancellor Aviles-Ramos will ensure consistent and thorough implementation of key initiatives, from NYC Reads and NYC Solves to reimagined Student Pathways. She believes deeply that our schools must provide every student with a solid foundation in reading and math, while preparing them for well-paying jobs.

Additionally, Chancellor Aviles-Ramos plans to prioritize physical safety and emotional wellness, enhanced professional development for teachers, and in-depth family and community engagement.

Chancellor Aviles-Ramos began her career as an English teacher and NYC Teaching Fellow at Harry S. Truman High School in the Bronx. She later served as principal at Schuylerville Prep and then became the acting superintendent to Bronx HS District 8, 10 and 11. Chancellor Aviles-Ramos earned her Bachelor’s degree from Fordham University, Master of Arts in English Education from the City College of New York, and Advanced Certificates in school and district leadership from College of Saint Rose. She is a native New Yorker, a Latina, and a proud NYCPS parent.

Chancellor's Town Hall - 12/14/23

Family Letter - February 24, 2025

February 24, 2025

Dear Families,

I want to take this opportunity to reaffirm our support for our students who identify as LGBTQ+. At New York City Public Schools, we are committed to maintaining a safe and supportive environment for all students—one that is free from discrimination, harassment, intimidation, and bullying. As I recently shared with over 1,000 students and staff attending our seventh annual Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA) Summit, at New York City Public Schools, we see you, we support you, and we value you.

Our policies remain in effect, and in fact, we have strengthened them in recent years, including updating our guidelines on gender inclusion. You can review these guidelines, along with other LGBTQ+ supports, at schools.nyc.gov/LGBTQ and schools.nyc.gov/GenderGuidelines.

I’m proud that at New York City Public Schools, we have robust curricula, resources, and programs to support students who identify as LGBTQ+ and to increase representation and inclusivity within our schools. These include our GSA student clubs and our Hidden Voices curricular series, which highlights LGBTQ+ individuals who have made an impact on our city, country, and world. Additionally, between our school-based mental health clinics, our partnerships with community-based organizations, and our school counselors and social workers, every student has access to mental health support. I encourage you to visit our New York City Public Schools website (schools.nyc.gov) to learn more, and please reach out to LGBTQ@schools.nyc.gov with questions.

One of my commitments as Chancellor is to ensure the safety and wellness of our students and school communities—specifically, the physical and emotional safety of every child. We thank you for helping us maintain safe and inclusive environments in our schools.

In partnership,
Melissa Aviles-Ramos
Chancellor

New Initiatives

Universal Mosaic Curriculum

To deepen our commitment to every student, recognizing the multiple forms of diversity understood and regarded as indispensable sources of knowledge, the NYCDOE is co-designing a rigorous, inclusive, affirming, and standards-aligned K-12 English Language Arts and Math curricula, the Universal Mosaic Curriculum, that will be available to all schools by fall 2023.

Current work underway for the Universal Mosaic Curriculum include:

Diverse Classroom Book Collections at each NYCDOE school that center the lived experiences of NYC students
Elevating the insights and perspectives of students, families, educators, and community stakeholders through continuous engagement to co-design the Universal Mosaic Curriculum.
Prioritizing high-quality learning experiences where students both see themselves in the curriculum while practicing and exceeding proficiency in content and applied skills aligned to rigorous learning standards

Helpful Resources

Classroom Collection Resources
- Classroom Collection Recommendation Form(Open external link)
- Sora- DOE’s Citywide Digital Library(Open external link)

Please reach out to mosaiccurriculum@schools.nyc.gov with any inquiries or questions about the Universal Mosaic Curriculum.

NYCDOE will continue to provide updates with opportunities for families to participate as co-designers in the Universal Mosaic Curriculum.

The Morning Bell

The NYC Department of Education is proud to announce that parents, students, and educators now have a new way to stay up-to-date with the latest and greatest news from City public schools.

Introducing the DOE’s new official blog, The Morning Bell. Featuring news, tips, and profiles of the students, educators, staff, and programs at work in City schools, The Morning Bell keeps readers up-to-date about the exciting things happening inside our classrooms every day.

Bookmark The Morning Bell today on your computer and mobile browser, and subscribe to receive email updates with each new post.