The Yellow Sheet

Since students have shorter periods on Conference Days and tests are generally given in a full period, LaGuardia follows the 4 DAY WEEK Testing Schedule on those days. (We only count the number of days we follow a Regular Schedule in determining the testing

MON, OCT 12

Indigenous Peoples' Day / Italian Heritage Day (Schools Closed)

WED, OCT 14

• Concerto Competition Final Round
  

THU, OCT 15

Hispanic Heritage Month Ends

FRI, OCT 16

• LaG Spirit Day -- Wear your LaG Swag (or all black.)
• END OF MARKING PERIOD 1
• Coffee & Donuts with our Parent Coordinator; 9:00 AM - 10:15 AM
• 4:00 – 7:00 PM – Faculty Art Show
  

SAT, OCT 17
• 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM – PSAT/NMSQT Administration (Optional Test – LaGuardia 11th Grade Students Only; Registration has concluded)

TUE, OCT 20

• Open House for Prospective Students
• Clubs Do Not Meet

FRI, OCT 30

• LaG-o'-Ween
• Clubs Do Not Meet

Sixteen members of the Class of 2027 have been recognized in this year’s National Merit Scholarship Program.

William Goldsman and Vera Liu were named Semifinalists. They are among roughly 16,000 students nationwide to reach this stage, and they’ll be considered for Finalist standing and National Merit scholarships over the coming months.

Fourteen students were named Commended Students, placing them in the top 50,000 of the more than 1.3 million juniors who took the PSAT/NMSQT last fall: Kimberly Chew, Brandon Chosed, Lucia Diaz, Jonah Fisher, Maya Glick, Zada Goslee, Leah Kamal, Phineas Kelly, Jude Martell, Mia Nelson, Nathaniel Pincus, Alex Pyun, Tayvee Reeder, and Augustina Weir. Principal Marwah presented students with a Letter of Commendation on behalf of the school and the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.

These students did this while carrying a full studio load on top of their academic coursework, which is no small thing. Congratulations to all sixteen, and to the teachers who have worked with them along the way.

Thank you to our Program Office for an extraordinary job successfully honoring student requests and Studio programming based on submissions last Spring; however, the first weeks of school always bring a wave of program change requests, and this Fall was no exception.

Here is what the Programming Office received for Fall 2026:

• 687 requests forms from 679 students were submitted using the Academic Program Change Request Form. This resulted in over 1,600 individual add/drop requests (790 drops and 821 adds). Seniors and Juniors accounted for about 70% of the requests.
• 300 Special Circumstances requests were submitted through Guidance Counselors on behalf of 270 students; 221 (74%) were able to have been processed.
• 107 additional requests after the Day 10 deadline; 92 were approved and 76 were successfully executed. (Seventeen approved requests could not be completed because there were no seats available, or the only open section conflicted with the rest of the student's program.

In all, that is nearly 1,100 formal requests on behalf of roughly 1,000 of our 2,400 students — more than 40% of the school — on top of the ordinary work of settling 2,400 individual schedules.

Physical Education was far and away the most requested change: Weight Training was the single most-added course (86 requests), while General PE (88 drops) and Yoga (60) were the most-dropped.

The next largest category was students stepping down from AP courses — AP Pre-Calculus (36), AP U.S. History (29), AP Psychology and AP Comparative Government (22 each) — often into the Regents-level equivalent. In the opposite direction, students asked to add AP U.S. Government (27), AP Statistics (26), AP Environmental Science, AP Biology and AP English Language. Spanish 1 (39 adds) and Personal Finance rounded out the list.

Among special circumstance requests, roughly 1-in-6 involved changing a lunch period.

The Master Schedule is built in the Spring, based on the courses students request after sitting down with their Guidance Counselors and their guardians. Those requests determine how many sections of each course we run and how many teachers we need. (For example, if 300 students request AP U.S. History and 300 request U.S. History, we schedule ten sections of each — and because of financial constraints, each of those sections is scheduled at capacity.) When a student decides in September that they no longer want the AP class, there is no empty seat in the Regents section to move them into; every seat was spoken for by a student who requested it in the Spring.

Layered over all of this are the structures that make LaGuardia special. For example, our Drama, Technical Theater, and Dance students are programmed in blocked studio periods and can only take academic classes during the periods that remain, so a single change for one of these students can require rebuilding their entire academic program.

If students were held to the choices they made in the Spring, we would have far fewer changes and a much smoother start to the school year. But we understand that things change, interests shift, a summer reshapes priorities, a course turns out to be a different fit than expected, and we do everything we can to accommodate students who change their minds.

We work with IEP and 504 mandates that changed over the summer.

We receive requests from students who cannot arrive by first period and from students who must leave after ninth period. Students often have family obligations, work, rehearsals/obligations with outside organizations, etc.

We also receive medical documentation stating that a student must have a specific lunch period, a specific class, or a specific teacher. Sometimes a medical professional directs us to remove a student from a class, and then — after the student has experienced the new schedule — writes again to direct that the student be placed back into the class they were originally removed from.

We try to honor every medical note we receive, and we do not second-guess the professionals who write them. We would also be less than candid if we did not acknowledge a pattern we see every year: a request that was declined as a preference (a different lunch period, a different section, a different teacher) sometimes returns a week later with medical documentation attached. We understand why. Families want what is best for their children, and when the front door is closed, they look for another way in. But every schedule we adjust based on a note takes a seat from a student who did not have a note. It also slows down our ability to process changes for the students who need them most urgently.

Even within these constraints, we provide the majority of our 2,400 students with a balanced schedule: three to four studio classes, a lunch period, a selection of AP courses, multiple World Language options, every academic graduation requirement, an array of physical education options, and additional courses for students who are off track and need to catch up on graduation requirements.

Thank you for your patience and understanding throughout this process. We know it isn't easy when a schedule is not exactly the way you'd like it to be. We hope you understand the extraordinary constraints we are under in providing every student a program that ensures they have everything they need academically — alongside a pre-conservatory arts program.

Once again, we acknowledge the extraordinary energy and time required to complete our add/drop process. Thank you to our talented Programming Office for tackling every challenge with the goal of having a successful school year.

Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts has once again been named the #1 Best Public High School for the Arts in New York State in Niche’s 2027 Best Schools rankings, and #5 of 478 arts-focused public high schools nationwide.

LaGuardia also took the top spot among New York’s magnet high schools (#1 of 13) and ranked #88 of 904 Best Magnet High Schools in America. In the broader statewide rankings, the school placed #40 of 1,278 Best Public High Schools in New York — #17 among New York City public high schools, behind only the city’s other specialized high schools and a small group of selective screened schools — and #39 of 1,180 for college prep. Nationally, LaGuardia ranked #470 of more than 20,000 public high schools and #584 for college prep.

The school earned an overall Niche grade of A+ and a 3.83 out of 5 rating from more than 1,300 student, parent, and alumni reviews. Niche’s K-12 rankings draw on public data including state test scores, graduation and college enrollment rates, and survey responses from students and families.

Marking Period (MP) 1 ends this coming Friday, October 16. Grades are expected to be visible on DOE systems for both students and parents approximately one week later. Please know these are Progress Report grades intended to inform families of a students progress to date -- these are not final grades for the class. These grades are rarely shared by the school to anyone outside of the family.

There are two semesters (Fall and Spring) each school year. Each semester has 3 marking periods and ONLY Marking Period 3 is considered a final grade. Only MP 3 is recorded on a student's permanent record (transcript).

Numeric Grades, only, are recorded on transcripts and for MP 2.

MP 1 grades are reported as P, D or F, for Passing, In Danger of Failing, and Failing, and not numeric grades. This is because teachers may not have enough assessments for the grades to be an accurate reflection of a student's performance.

Still, it is in our nature to want to mentally convert the P, D, and F into a numeric score. Once again, the danger of doing this is that teachers may not have enough information to assign a numeric grade. (If we did, we would.). A rough equivalency would be:

P = Passing (70-100)

D = In Danger of Failing (65-69)

F = Failing (0-64)

Ms. Kim M. Bruno has successfully completed the C-30 process and has been appointed the Assistant Principal, Drama & Technical Theater. She has served as the Interim Acting Assistant Principal since last June while the C-30 process was being completed. The School Leadership Team (SLT) was informed of the selection last week. Ms. Bruno has an extensive background in Arts education, including serving as LaGuardia’s Principal from 2002–2013, Executive Artistic Director of Grand Arts in Los Angeles, and Director of Arts at the United Nations International School.

The C-30 process, established under Chancellor’s Regulation C-30, governs the selection, assignment, and appointment of principals and assistant principals. The process typically includes

a school-level selection committee representing students, parents, teachers, and administrators (generally comprised of our SLT members,) selects applicants for a panel interview. Top candidate(s) are interviewed by the principal, and then our superintendent. All applicants must have NYCPS approvals and certification requirements.

Given Ms. Bruno's experience and level of expertise, LaGuardia is excited for her appointment as Assistant Principal, Drama & Technical Theater.

Due to student need, LaGuardia announced this past week that we will once again have Gender Neutral bathrooms. Until a plan is completely decided upon and implemented, the Boys Bathroom, Room #524, has been designated as a Gender Neutral Bathroom. A Gender Neutral Bathroom is open to everyone, as no one should feel uncomfortable using a designated bathroom. Free feminine hygiene products are available in all female and Gender Neutral Bathrooms.

Prior to COVID, LaGuardia had four designated bathrooms used as Gender Neutral; in addition, one of the men’s rooms on the first floor was identified as Gender Neutral for performances.

In informing students and staff about the change to Room 524, the Morning Announcements included the following (based on the school's previous experience):

Here are a couple of things that also make people uncomfortable: people sitting on the floor while one is in the stall; people eating or hanging out in the bathroom while someone is trying to use it.

While the school committee discusses bathroom access, safety issues, and educating the committee on any change, as well as the number of bathrooms needed to serve our student population, our community will be provided updates.

NB: LaGuardia's student population is roughly 75% female and 25% male according to NYCPS records. Each floor typically has 2 boys and 2 girls bathrooms. With Room 524 changed to a Gender Neutral bathroom, that floor's composition is 2 female, 1 male, and 1 all genders.

The Counseling Support Team appreciates the confidence and trust you place in us to support and advocate for your child! As partners in our school community, your needs, experiences, and opinions are important to us and can help us better support you and your family. Your feedback will allow us to connected families with necessary resources and in the development of workshops and supports that address the social/emotional needs of our community. Thank you for sharing your feedback and providing us the opportunity to strengthen the supports we provide to our students and families.

If you'd like your survey responses to be anonymous, you may fill out the survey anonymously by writing N/A for your name. However, it is most helpful to include your name, email, and phone number so a staff member from LaGuardia High School can provide you direct resource support. Please respond to this survey by October 23. If you have any questions, please reach out to Ms. Tavarez (social worker) at dtavarez5@schools.nyc.gov.

Student Resource Form (ENGLISH): https://forms.gle/u5o81NDwiD3oBCi9A

¡El Equipo de Consejería y Apoyo agradece la confianza que depositan en nosotros para apoyar y defender los intereses de sus hijos! Como miembros de nuestra comunidad escolar, sus necesidades, experiencias y opiniones son importantes para nosotros y nos ayudan a brindarles un mejor apoyo a ustedes y a sus familias. Sus comentarios nos permitirán conectar a las familias con los recursos necesarios y desarrollar talleres y mecanismos de apoyo que atiendan las necesidades socioemocionales de nuestra comunidad. Gracias por compartir sus opiniones y por darnos la oportunidad de fortalecer el apoyo que ofrecemos a nuestros estudiantes y familias. Si desea que sus respuestas sean anónimas, puede completar la encuesta sin identificarse escribiendo "N/A" (no aplica) en el campo del nombre. Sin embargo, resulta muy útil que incluya su nombre, correo electrónico y número de teléfono para que un miembro del personal de LaGuardia High School pueda ofrecerle asistencia directa con los recursos. Por favor, responda a esta encuesta antes del 23 de octubre. Si tiene alguna pregunta, comuníquese con la Sra. Tavarez (trabajadora social) a través del correo electrónico dtavarez5@schools.nyc.gov.

Student Resource Form (SPANISH): https://forms.gle/LoJLdq26yFy9pVb46

咨询支持团队非常感谢您给予我们的信任与支持，让我们有机会协助并为您的孩子争取权益！作为学校社区的合作伙伴，您的需求、经历和意见对我们至关重要，有助于我们更好地为您及您的家庭提供支持。您的反馈将帮助我们将家庭与必要的资源对接，并协助我们策划各类讲座与支持项目，以满足社区在社交与情感方面的需求。感谢您分享宝贵意见，让我们有机会进一步完善对学生及家庭的支持服务。 如果您希望保持匿名，可以在填写问卷时在姓名栏填入“N/A”；不过，若您能提供姓名、电子邮箱和电话号码，将更有助于 LaGuardia 高中（LaGuardia High School）的工作人员直接为您提供资源支持。请务必在 10 月 23 日之前完成此问卷。如有任何疑问，请联系社工 Tavarez 女士（Ms. Tavarez），邮箱地址为：dtavarez5@schools.nyc.gov。

Student Resource Form (MANDARIN): https://forms.gle/wgafCVtj9kHMDUXi6

Looking to connect with industry pros, gain real-world experience, and give back? LaG Disney VoluntEars pairs LaGuardia Arts students directly with employees from The Walt Disney Company!

What You’ll Do

• Get Mentored: Get advice on college, career paths, and insider industry insights.

• Lead Projects: Hands-on experience in event planning, budgeting, vendor outreach, and volunteering.

Commitment & Meetings

• Time Commitment: 8 hours/month (4 hrs in-school meetings + 4 hrs with your mentor).

• Meetings: Twice a month on Tuesdays, 3:45–5:45 PM in Room 229.

How to Apply

Pick up an application outside Room 229 and drop off your completed form.

Then you will schedule a quick 15-minute lunch interview with the Disney VoluntEars cabinet so we can get to know you!

If you would like to know more follow our instagram at: @lagdisneyvoluntears. Or if you have any specific questions, come to room 229 to speak with Ms. Shern.

We have 2 more student traveler slots and one of them could be yours!

• Tour: South Korea & Japan (Click here to see trip details)

• Dates: Spring Break 2027

• Enrollment Page: www.eftours.com/2927669AP (Once you sign up, you will first be put on the waitlist until you are vetted based on your attendance, grades, behavior, etc.)

CIEE Family Interest Webinar - Tuesday, November 3rd at 7 p.m. (Sign Up Below!)

Have you considered studying abroad next summer? With CIEE (Council on International Educational Exchange), you can choose from 100+ programs in 50 destinations around the world. CIEE offers significant scholarships to support program costs. Choose a course in Language Immersion, STEM, Arts, International Relations, Leadership or Business while earning college credit and college admissions counseling, community service hours, and hands-on experience in a topic you love. Plus, you’ll make new friendships while you have fun exploring the world.

More than 150 Laguardia students have traveled with CIEE in the past 5 years and earned over $68K in scholarships last year alone!

Sample programs:

• Japanese in Tokyo

• Mediterranean Ecosystems and Sustainability in Mallorca

• Global Entrepreneurship in Singapore

• Culinary Arts in Paris

• Sports Management in Barcelona

• French in Toulouse

Browse CIEE’s Summer Programs!

CIEE will be hosting a webinar for LaGuardia families Tuesday 11/3 at 7pm - sign up here. Prepare questions about the application and your favorite programs!

Seniors should return the Permission Slip for the Senior Class and Studio Group Pictures at Lincoln Center by Wednesday. The Permission Slips were distributed this past week in their English classes.

The Official Class of 2027 "Senior Shirt" is now available through Smooth Sportswear. We recommend that all Seniors purchase the Senior Shirt. The shirt -- any LaG-wear -- can be worn anytime but especially on your final year of Spirit Days. Always have something to wear and rep the Class of 2027!

Congratulations to the LaGuardia Girls Cross Country Team!

This past Saturday, the Varsity Girls won the Varsity Team Race at the Marty Lewis Invitational!

The Varsity team was led by Leah Belyavsky, who finished 2nd overall, and Siggy Lussier, who finished 6th overall. Leah ran an incredible 19:47, the 4th-fastest time in LaGuardia Cross Country history!

Congratulations as well to Genevieve Backus, Naya Gaudissard, Virginia Begley, and Ginny Lindstrom on their top-25 finishes, and to June Grunden on a strong performance!

The Freshman Girls Team also had a fantastic race, finishing 3rd overall. The team was led by Ellery Dufresne and Charlie McClure, who finished 14th and 15th overall, respectively. Congratulations to Juliet Kujo as well on her top-25 finish!

In the JV race, congratulations to Mila Freidl on an amazing personal record and a 6th-place overall finish!

And congratulations to the Boys Varsity Team, led by Wyatt Weller, who had a phenomenal race and finished 8th overall!

Congratulations to all of our girls and boys on an amazing weekend of racing!

The LaGuardia Cross Country team appreciates everyone’s continued support as we head into the final stretch of the season.

GO LIONS!"

Students who missed receiving their NYPL library card at the recent LaGBrary event can get a Digital Card by visiting the NYPL website or a Physical Card by visiting a branch in-person. There happen to be TWO branches across the street from LaG’s front steps.