Dear parents, grandparents and education activists,

Welcome back to a new school year! I hope you and your family had a wonderful summer.

Save the date for our annual UFT Bronx parent summit on Saturday, Nov. 12 at the UFT Bronx borough office.

• Date: Saturday, Nov. 12
• Time: 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Location: UFT Bronx borough office at 2500 Halsey St. Directions »

It will be a great day of workshops, networking and resources. Our keynote speaker this year will be Chancellor Carmen Fariña.

Registration will begin soon. For more details, see the flier in English and Spanish »

I'm also excited to announce that this year we'll be launching a Bronx political action committee. I'll tell you the time and location of our first meeting in my next newsletter. But you are welcome to sign up ahead of time by emailing me at ncruz@uft.org or calling me at 718-862-6074.

Check out more upcoming events and news you can use below.

Sincerely,

Nicholas Cruz
UFT Parent-Community Liaison

Upcoming events

• Saturday, Sept. 17: Come to an open house for Sinergia, Inc.'s integrated transition program for teens with autism from 10 a.m. to noon at 2082 Lexington Ave., 4th floor, in Manhattan. This program for Bronx teens with Autism Spectrum Disorders will support participants' self-advocacy and self-determination skills. For more information, contact Paola Jordan at 212-643-2840, ext. 305 or pjordan@sinergiany.org.

• Tuesday, Sept. 20: Hostos Community College and other sponsors will hold a forum about food insecurity in the Bronx from 2:30 to 5 p.m. at 450 Grand Concourse in the 3rd floor cafe. There will be refreshments, a panel discussion and resources. For more information, see the flier »

• Thursday, Sept. 22 and Wednesday, Sept. 28: Don't miss your school's family night and parent-teacher conferences on Sept. 22 for elementary schools and Sept. 28 for high schools. You should check with your child's school for start times. For more details and other dates of parent-teacher conferences this school year, see the flier from the Department of Education »

• Monday, Sept. 26: There will be a Fight for $15 march to the site of the first presidential debate starting at 2:30 p.m. at 25 W. 18th St. The march will proceed to Hofstra University, where the debate is being held. While the nation is watching, join other New York activists in standing up for good jobs and a living wage. See the flier in English » or in Spanish »

• Thursday, Oct. 6 and Wednesday, Oct. 19: High school students and their families are invited to College is Possible: An evening of answers for high school students with disabilities and their families to find out about the options available to them at the City University of New York (CUNY). This event will be on Oct. 6 in the Bronx at CUNY Hostos College and Oct. 19 in Queens at CUNY York College. Campus tours start at 5 p.m. and presentations start at 6 p.m.

• Saturday, Oct. 8: Walton Educational Campus invites Bronx families to a health fair from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 2780 Reservoir Ave. in the Bronx. There will be health workshops, free health screenings, activities for kids and plenty of prizes and giveaways. For more details, see the flier in English and Spanish »

• Saturday, Oct. 15: Come to a UFT First Book giveaway from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the UFT Bronx borough office, 2500 Halsey St. We will be handing out 40,000 books while supplies last to anyone who registers with First Book in advance. Books are available on a first-come, first-served basis, so arrive early and bring bags to carry your books home. To register, you must print, fill out and mail in the First Book registration form. If you have any questions, contact me at ncruz@uft.org. Download the flier and First Book registration form »

• Sunday, Oct. 23: Come to the third annual festival of books/el festival del libro, a chance for Latino authors to display their work and for readers to learn about new books and bilingual literacy. The festival runs from noon to 6 p.m. at El Barrio, 130 E. 101st St. in Harlem. It is free and open to the public. The festival is also still accepting registrations from writers to display their work. For more information, see the event listing »

• Monday, Oct. 24 and Tuesday, Oct. 25: Walton Educational Campus invites parents and community members over the age of 21 to registration events for free English classes at 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 24 and Oct. 25 at 2780 Reservoir Ave. in the Bronx. Bring an ID and a pen. See the flier »

Education news

• Download a free guide to New York City public schools: The Department of Education has published Achieve NYC, a handbook for New York City public schools, in ten different languages. This resource has important dates for the school year, information about who to contact in your child's school to address issues, details about transportation and more. Download Achieve NYC on the Department of Education website »

• Apply for free or reduced-price school lunch online: You can apply for free or reduced-price school lunch for your child online using MySchoolApps. Families that are new to the Department of Education should apply as soon as possible for their children to start receiving free school lunches. The families of students who received free school lunch at an NYC public school last year must submit a new application by Oct. 21. Apply online now »

• Find out your child's math and English language arts test scores: To look up your child's test scores, sign up for an NYC Schools account »

• New vaccine requirement: As of this school year, all students in 7th and 12th grade are required to have received the meningitis vaccine. For more information on vaccines and immunizations, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website »

• Parent toolkit for middle school: If your child is starting middle school this year, check out this guide to supporting your child through the middle school years »

• Ease the transition to high school: Check out this article of five tips to ease your child's transition into high school »

• Find after-school programs in your neighborhood: Use the NYC Department of Youth and Community Development's search feature to find after-school programs in your neighborhood. Search by location, category or keyword. Find out more »

• Download the HomeworkNYC app: The new HomeworkNYC app allows students to access information from their teachers and the city's public libraries right from their mobile devices to get support with their homework. Find out more »

Opportunities and other news

• Join the Citywide Council on Special Education: The Citywide Council on Special Education, a council which advocates for students with Individualized Education Programs, invites parents of students with disabilities to apply for a vacancy on the council. Applications are due by Sept. 27. For more information, see an email announcement from Parents 4 Parents NYC »

• Earn your High School Equivalency while learning construction and getting paid: YouthBuild of Upper Manhattan is accepting applications from youth between the ages of 17 and 24 for this school year's cohort. Earn a stipend while getting your High School Equivalency and learn more about working in construction. For more information or to apply, call Emma at 212-453-5378 or Tia at 212-822-8353.

• Schedule free workshops from Planned Parenthood for adult role models: Planned Parenthood offers a workshop series to organizations and groups in Brooklyn, Manhattan and the Bronx about how adults can support teens' sexual health and be good role models. These workshops are available in English and Spanish and are free of charge. For more information, see the flier in English and Spanish »

• English classes on Saturdays this fall: Register now for English classes at Hunter College, 695 Park Ave., on Saturdays this fall. Saturday Program in English Language Literacy (SPELL) classes for parents of children high school age or younger are available free of charge. The registration deadline is Sept. 17. Find out more »

• Guide to health care for immigrant families: The New York Immigration Coalition created a five-page, fold-out poster filled with valuable information for immigrants about their health care options. Find out more »