October 30, 2025

Dear Families,                               

Our city’s contract with private yellow school bus companies will expire this weekend.  Some bus companies might lay off bus drivers by the start of next week.

For now, the city has a plan for students who travel on yellow school buses: OMNY cards for some, and free ride shares for others.  These solutions will be free for families, but depend on an adult traveling with children.  Some CPE1 families who rely on buses to get their children to after-school may need extra support.

Yamilka has been calling impacted families to let them know what to expect.  We will be in touch over the weekend if we learn about any of our bus routes shutting down.

There is still time to negotiate a new contract.  Let’s hope all yellow buses keep rolling next week. 

Halloween Reminders

If you have a child in pre-K or K-1, teachers have been in touch already about costumes for the early grades’ Halloween parade.  As always, no scary or violent costumes, no weapons, no masks, no superheroes, and no princesses.

The rest of our school, from second graders up through adults, will not wear costumes.  Please do not bring candy to school, or send leftover candy next week.

Over the weekend, please pay attention to what children watch.  Some of the kids in our school have told their teachers they like horror movies they have watched alongside their family.  But, they also report being unable to fall asleep, or waking up with bad dreams.

We have children as young as pre-K being shown slasher films.  Normal dolls and clowns are fine for kids; vicious dolls and clowns, such as Chucky and Megan and Pennywise, are giving CPE1 kids nightmares.  A fifth grader just told me she likes watching movies with her dad, but feels disturbed when women undress on screen… right before they’re murdered.

Of course, R-rated movies are marketed to adults.  YouTube and TikTok are making money with terrifying videos aimed at children.  Kids can find videos of Roblox families killing and eating each.  YouTube Kids makes money pretending they don’t know, just as cigarette companies once pretended twelve year-olds weren’t smoking.

Personally, I love scary movies, and this weekend is a great time to watch them.  But, I’m mature enough to understand what I’m watching.  I don’t have nightmares.  I’m old enough not to pretend that I like something I don’t.  

Kids want to hang out with their grown-ups.  This weekend, when you’re watching something together, make sure it’s truly for elementary school kids.      

Fourth and Fifth Graders Camping

This week, our 4-5 classes are in the Catskill Mountains.  On Wednesday, shortly after they arrived, they sent back this photograph.

That is no East Harlem pigeon.  To see wildlife such as bald eagles, to experience real deep woods, kids need to get out of the city.

Each fall, our fourth and fifth graders go camping.  They come together as a group.  They see stars and make s’mores.  Spending two nights away from home helps them mature more than seems possible in such a short time.

This Friday, because it’s Halloween, our campers will be arriving a little earlier than usual.  If you are picking a younger child that day, you can see these happy and exhausted campers returning home. 

I hope that everyone starts to imagine their child reaching the age of camping.  Time outdoors is part of how CPE1 kids learn and grow.  We want everyone – everyone – comfortable enough to send their children.

One day, your child will be in the woods, with friends, happy.