Students perform at the DOE's Family Back to School Kickoff
Almost 7,000 parents and students flooded Central Park's East Meadow on Saturday to get ready for the new school year.
The Department of Education hosted the first-ever Family Back to School Kickoff to give families information on everything from special education and school food to busing and enrollment. The event also featured workshops, at which families could learn about how to monitor the performance of schools and students and about what students will learn in school this year. And there were fun activities for children, including face painting, giveaways, and games.
“This event is a great way to provide families with important information about many things,” the department's Chief Family Engagement Officer, Martine Guerrier, said. “It also gives us a chance to showcase student performances and show the City that the arts are still alive in our schools."
Students said they enjoyed celebrating the end of summer and said they are looking forward to starting school.
"I'm looking forward to school, especially the arts," Tiyiah Gilbert, a tenth grader at August Martin High School in Queens, said. Tiyiah performed at the event with his student band, “SOUL Tigers.”
Kyana Barrious, a seventh grader at MS 77 in Manhattan agreed.
"The summer was nice, but I'm looking forward to September and the start of school," she said.
The first day of school is Tuesday, September 2.
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