Lions Ledger
November 24-28, 2025
Dear Seth Low I.S. 96 Families,
What an amazing way to kick off the month of March!
On Monday, March 2nd and Friday, March 6th, our 8th‑grade students had the incredible opportunity to participate in college visits. Students explored campuses such as St. Francis College, BMCC, John Jay College, Brooklyn College, City Tech, Medgar Evers College, and the College of Staten Island. This was a valuable and inspiring experience that will support them far beyond their time at Seth Low. A special thank‑you to Mr. Viera and Ms. Lando for coordinating this meaningful opportunity.
On Wednesday, March 4th, our Model UN students—accompanied by Ms. Agostino and Mr. Herron—visited the Classic Stage Company to see Marcel on the Train. After the performance, students engaged in a Q&A session with the actors. The lead actor, Ethan Slater, even took the time to personally introduce himself to our students, making the experience truly unforgettable.
Also on Wednesday, March 4th, we held our first‑ever Film and Art Show. The evening was filled with talent, creativity, and excitement. Our Theater students premiered a 24‑minute film, Finding Alice, which focused on enhancing acting skills such as projection, blocking, exaggerated body and facial expressions, and the use of clear gestures. After the screening, our actors participated in a Q&A session. This reflective dialogue was an incredible opportunity for our students to demonstrate their Seth Low PRIDE and celebrate their artistic growth. Thank you to Ms. Grubler for developing the film and bringing their acting to life. Thank you to Ms. Elman for giving our art students the opportunity to display their artwork in a gallery‑style setting at the event—it was absolutely breathtaking. The level of talent our students exhibit is truly inspirational.Theater and Visual Art have become safe spaces where so many students can express themselves, discover their strengths, and shine.
On Thursday, March 5, 2026, I had the opportunity to attend Round Tables in Mr. Collins and Mr. Amodeo’s 7th‑grade Humanities classroom. The roundtable focused on the impact of the American Revolution on different groups of people and explored what motivated individuals who did not have a “voice” in society to participate in the Revolutionary War. Students had the opportunity to showcase their work, reflect on their progress, and provide meaningful feedback to their peers. This was yet another amazing example of our students shining and engaging deeply with their learning. Thank you, Mr. Collins and Mr. Amodeo, for cultivating such a powerful and reflective learning environment.
NYC Public Schools Parent Surveys have been distributed. We kindly ask all families to complete the survey. Your feedback provides our school with an important opportunity to partner with you and hear your voice. To encourage full participation, we are excited to offer the following incentives:
The first class to submit all surveys will receive a pizza party.
The grade with the highest submission rate will earn a field day.
All students who return their survey—or show proof that it was completed online—will be entered into a raffle to win AirPods.
If you have already completed the survey, please email your child’s grade-level dean to confirm.
NYC Reads update:
Our MOY ELA i‑Ready and SDQA screeners have been administered, and I am thrilled to share some exciting news. Fifty‑nine percent of our students who were previously identified as Tier III (performing three or more grade levels below) showed significant progress and have moved to Tier II (one to two grade levels below) or Tier I (on or above grade level). We are incredibly proud of our students for their hard work and dedication. We are equally grateful for the amazing efforts of our intervention (WIN) teachers, whose commitment and skill have been instrumental in helping our students grow. Throughout this month, our intervention teachers will continue reaching out to families to share updates on student progress and discuss next steps to support continued success.
Looking Ahead
Wednesday, March 11
CEC Meeting
📍 The David A. Boody School – I.S. 228, 228 Avenue S
Thursday, March 12
½ Day for Students
Virtual Parent‑Teacher Conferences
Saturday, March 14
Food Pantry: 10:00 AM–12:00 PM
Family Bingo: 12:00–2:00 PM
Wednesday, March 18
Model UN Conference
📍 Seth Low
Friday, March 20
School Closed
Thank you for your continued partnership in making Seth Low a place where every student thrives.
Cheers to creating limitless opportunities for our students and families!
With PRIDE and appreciation,
Christina Monfasani‑Voutsinas
Welcome to the Seth Low Community!
My name is Brenda Morales, and I am the Parent Coordinator here at IS 096 Seth Low. I am thrilled to welcome you and your child to our school and look forward to supporting you both as we begin this exciting new chapter together.
Middle school is a time of growth, discovery, and new opportunities. At Seth Low, we are committed to helping every student reach their full potential, and I am here to assist you every step of the way.
As part of our support, I can help you set up important accounts such as:
- NYCSA (New York City Schools Account)
- Jupiter (our grading and communication platform)
- MySchools (for high school applications and more)
Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions or concerns. I’m here to help!
📧 Email: Bmoralessalas@schools.nyc.gov
📞 Office Phone: 718-236-1344
📱 Cell Phone: 929-549-3260
Welcome again to the Seth Low family—I look forward to working with you!
Warm regards,
Brenda Morales
Parent Coordinator, IS 096 Seth Low
The Project Open Arms team is excited to share the calendars for our three upcoming presentations: Know Your Rights, Know Their Rights, Supporting Immigrant Students, and Families 3.0.
Know Your Rights Presentations
Students & families, please join us for a virtual presentation as we provide an overview of the rights of migrant youth and families who reside in New York City under the relevant bodies of law.
Use this calendar to see dates, times, & session links to join!
I am Sharea Thomas, your Community School Director. I serve as a bridge between the school and its surrounding community, ensuring that students and families have access to the resources and support they need to thrive. This includes monthly food pantries, free vision and dental screenings for students and fun family events and workshops.
If you'd like to see more about the work that Community Schools is doing, please visit our website.
If you'd like to reach out to me directly, you can contact me via email at sthomas@ucsuft.org.
I look forward to supporting you in any way I can.
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
CEC Meeting
📍 The David A. Boody School – I.S. 228, 228 Avenue S
Thursday
½ Day for Students
Virtual Parent‑Teacher Conferences
Friday
Saturday
- Adult Education 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
8th Grade
Parent's Strategy Guide for the 2026 SHSAT Admission Cycle
Click below to access information to help you understand the new digital SHSAT.
IXL MONTHLY COMPETITION!
Winners for February are classes are 610, 717, and 815. Winning classes will receive a pizza party in their math classes.
Students, March competition is underway. Log on at home to increase your grade-level skills and your chance of winning. Good luck!
ACADEMIC VOCABULARY
6th grade- obesity, primary, emphasize, restrict , multidimensional
7th grade- design, creationism, concept, evolve, perspective
8th grade- scheme, subsequently, dominant, import, commission
PTA Board Members
Co-Presidents: Tracy Field and Lisbeth Lopez
Treasurer: Janice Ortiz
Rec. Secretary: Sandra Pellegrini
Financial Secretary: Cheryle Calandra
Corresponding Secretary: Carmela Marucci
Virtual Support Liaison: Angela Cutri
Questions about the PTA?
Feel free to contact the PTA Co-Presidents:
Tracy Field at tfield2@doeexternal.nyc or Lisbeth Lopez at llopez13@doeexternal.nyc
Click on THIS LINK to sign up for free parent workshops. All workshops are held online via Zoom and developed by clinician and researcher Annie Graham. Live captioning is available in 35 languages, including Spanish, Mandarin, French and Russian.
This week:
MARTES 10 DE MARZO A LAS 19:00
Cómo afrontar los retos de salud estudiantil actuales: vapeo, alcohol y otras sustancias (en español)
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11 @ 8:00 PM
Navigating AI: Supporting Students in a Changing World (New!)
The purpose of Student Council is to empower our students to take an active role in their school community by promoting leadership, responsibility, and school spirit. Students will work alongside teacher Ms. Agostino and Principal Ms. Monfasani to help plan events, share student ideas, and make our school an even better place.
Members of Student Council are accountable to the students in the grade they serve and shall:
● Demonstrate strong interpersonal skills with peers and teachers
● Act as positive role models in both behavior and attitude
● Listen to and represent the ideas and concerns of their classmates
● Collaborate respectfully and responsibly in meetings and activities
● Participate in organizing school events and community service projects
● Show commitment, reliability, and a willingness to lead
Bookmaking Competition
Congratulations to Ninoska Wu Xie and Alina Makhmutova on having the book they co-created selected to represent Seth Low in the Ezra Jack Keats Bookmaking Competition.
Open Access
Students may come to the library to read, study, play games, do puzzles or just relax in a quiet space during their lunch periods on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays.
Get a pass from your dean by going to the cafeteria first and then asking for a pass. Please make sure you eat before you come up.
Basketball
The Seth Low Basketball program is focused on developing the athletic skills, teamwork, discipline, and game strategies of our student athletes. We are looking forward to an exciting season.
Girls Practice:
Wednesdays from 2:45-4:45, in the 4th floor gym, beginning October 29th
Boys Practice:
Tuesdays from 2:45-4:45, in the 3rd floor gym, beginning October 28th
Congratulations to the Girls Varsity tam on their win and on making it to the playoffs.
Coaches:
Ms. Conroy, Ms. Bermudez, and Mr. Mei
Track
The Seth Low track program is focused on supporting anyone who wants to run develop their athletic ability. We train long distance runners by jogging in the park to build endurance and we do sprints and relays in the gym. Track is for everyone.
Track Practice:
Fridays from 2:30-3:45, meet in cafeteria and then go up to the gym.
Coaches:
Ms. Bernabe-Fiume, Mr. Ling, and Mr. Machado
Soccer
Congratulations to our amazing soccer team on a great season.
After-school soccer club starts December 9th
Team soccer will have aSpring season. Details to follow.
Coaches:
Mr. Paolucci and Mr. Machado
Volleyball
Congratulations to our Girls Varsity on a well played Fall season.
The Spring season starts in late April. Check back for details.
Coach:
Mr. Machado
Visual Art
The Seth Low Visual Art program is focused on developing fundamental art skills while letting students explore their creativity. We work with a variety of mediums including acrylic paint, clay, and watercolor. We also partner with and integrate the arts in various subjects to enhance engagement and motivation.
Musical Theater
In Musical Theater, you’ll learn the fundamentals of performing while building confidence, teamwork, and stage presence.
Each year, students take the stage in our Spring Concert and have the chance to audition for the Spring Musical.
Over three years, you’ll develop your performance skills and get ready to audition for specialized performing arts high schools by the start of eighth grade.
Whether you’re new to the stage or born for the spotlight, this class lets you explore it all—singing, dancing, and acting your heart out!, and acting your heart out!
Chorus
Chorus is a year-long elective where students develop vocal skills and learn the fundamentals of singing in an ensemble setting. Throughout the course, students explore proper vocal technique, breathing, harmony, and sight-reading while gaining a foundation in music theory to support their ability to read and understand written music.
Chorus students perform in the Spring Concert each year and are encouraged to participate in the Spring Musical. As a new addition to our performing arts program, the Chorus class provides students with opportunities to grow as musicians and performers while contributing to the school’s vibrant musical community.
Theater
In our general classes, we have just wrapped our first unit on ensemble—learning to work together and build a community of trust in order to create bold stories.
Theater Elective students just completed their very first on-camera “screen tests” and are now diving into rehearsals for our upcoming student film, Finding Alice, a filmed adaptation of Alice in Wonderland created by 6th, 7th, and 8th grade Theater Elective students.
We're so proud of the creativity and confidence our students are already showing, and we can’t wait to share their work with you!
Band
Both groups have been visiting local elementary schools to perform and build connections in our district. We are looking forward to some trips with the orchestra students in the winter and to our spring performances coming up later in the year.
Orchestra
Our Middle School String Orchestra program emphasizes a supportive environment where every student can develop their musical voice and contribute to the success of the ensemble.
Fall Update:
Our string players are having a fantastic semester! Here’s the latest from the orchestra room:
🎵 Currently Featuring: A deep dive into core techniques, including posture, bow control, and music theory.
🎻 Focus on Fundamentals: We're honing specific skills like articulation to make our music more expressive and dynamic.
