Back to School Newsletter
Welcoming Families Back to School
September's name comes from the Latin word for "seven," but it's the ninth month of the year, a misnomer from the original Roman calendar. When January and February were added to the calendar, September was pushed to the ninth position but kept its original name.
On September 11th, the Icahn Charter Schools honored the lives lost with a moment of silence. Throughout the day, teachers and students engaged in thoughtful discussions, read meaningful books, and reflected on those who were impacted.
Icahn Charter Schools, in partnership with the New York Public Library, offers students powerful access to books and digital learning through MyLibraryNYC program. Families and teachers can enjoy free book delivery, classroom teacher sets, and 24/7 access to e-books and research tools, everything you need to keep reading and learning going.
Beginning in the 2025–26 school year, and in accordance with New York State law, Icahn Charter Schools are reaffirming our policy on student use of personal electronic devices, including cell phones, during the school day. This has already been our practice at Icahn Charter Schools, and it now aligns with State requirements to create distraction-free schools and ensure safe and focused learning environments.
Cell Phone Policy Guidelines:
- Students may bring cell phones to school, but they must remain powered off and stored in the area designated by the school.
- Cell phones may not be used in classrooms, hallways, bathrooms, the cafeteria, or any other part of the school building.
- If a student needs to contact a parent or guardian during school hours, they may do so through the main office.
We also strongly recommend that students not be given cell phones with internet access. Young children do not yet have the perspective and maturity to safely and appropriately navigate the online world without supervision.
Policy Violations:
To make sure this policy is applied consistently, the following steps will be taken if a student does not follow it:
- First offense: Verbal reminder; phone held in the office until the end of the day.
- Second offense: Phone held in the office; parent or guardian must pick it up.
- Third offense or more: Progressive disciplinary action, including possible loss of the privilege of having a phone at school.
We encourage families to go over this policy with their children and support our efforts to create a respectful, focused learning environment. Please be assured that in the event of an emergency, students will always be able to use a school phone or reach out through staff.
This session guided teachers to reflect on the sensory experience of their classrooms—beyond visuals—to include sound, texture, scent, light, and emotional atmosphere. Educators created a mixed-media “Sensory Portrait” of their space.
This session honored the unseen personal stories that teachers carry into their practice. Through gentle reflection and art-making, participants created a symbolic mini folio representing memory, identity, and meaning.
