Weekly Update- November 6, 2026
25-26 School Year
JJHS Administrators
Steven T. Siciliano, Ed.D., Principal
Monica Bermiss, Assistant Principal
Mallory McDonald, Assistant Principal
Kim Piccolino, Interim Assistant Principal
Frank Gizzo- Director of Guidance and Counseling
Christian McCarthy -Director of Health, Athletics, Physical Education, and Wellness
Maria Modesto-Perez- Student Empowerment Coordinator
School Hours: 8:05 a.m. - 2:43 p.m.
Main Office Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Main Office Phone: 914-763-7201
Late Bus: Monday through Friday@ 4:15 p.m. and Monday through Thursday @ 5:00 p.m.
All Attendance is emailed -JJHS does not use Visitor Aware
Please email jjhsattendance@klschools.org
to report absences, tardies, early dismissals,
or call 914-763-7218.
November 7 -SAT at JJHS
November 9 - JJHS Co-Ed Flag Football Tournament
November 10 -Best Buddies Meeting at JJHS
November 11 -Veteran's Day-No School
November 12- National Signing Day (D1 & D11)
November 12- Art Show Opening
November 12-14 - Fall Drama at JJHS
November 13 - JJHS Co-Ed Flag Football Game
November 13- JJHS Regional Volleyball Tournament
November 16 - Winter Sports Begin
November 23 - National Honor Society Induction - 7PM
November 24 - Thanks & Giving Day (PTO Sponsored)
November 24- Best Buddies Meeting at JJMS
November 25 - Early Dismissal for Thanksgiving
November 26-27 -Thanksgiving Recess -No School
JHS Thanks and Giving Day-November 24, 2026
On Tuesday, November 24, John Jay High School will come together for our annual Thanks & Giving Day, a celebration of school spirit, gratitude, and giving back to our community.
Students will show their class pride by wearing their class T-shirts and enjoying cider, donuts, and entertainment during common lunch. A special thank you to our PTO for generously providing the cider and donuts!
As part of the celebration, our school community will also participate in a Food Drive from October 13 through November 17, and Pet Pantry Collection from November 4 through the 23rd to support local families and pets in need.
We look forward to celebrating the generosity, kindness, and community spirit that make John Jay such a special place!
Thanks & Giving on Tuesday, November 24th, 10:30am-12:15pm
Join the PTO to hand out cider & donuts to students to thank them for their fundraising efforts and to celebrate Thanksgiving. Volunteers and donations needed! Please click here to sign up.
We are continuing to accept games/activities donations for students to use during Common Lunch. Click here to view the wishlist.
Also the new JJHS Library Craft Bar could use some additional items for their make & take crafts! Check out the Craft Bar Wishlist here.
Parents - have you been receiving the PTO's emails about events, volunteer opportunities, and other JJHS news? If not, log in and confirm your contact details here! The district does not supply parent emails to the PTO, so we need your help.
Any questions or concerns, please email the PTO at johnjayhspto@gmail.com
As part of our ongoing commitment to student and staff safety, John Jay High School will be conducting emergency drills during the school year. These drills help students and staff practice district protocols, so they are prepared to act in case of a true emergency.
In accordance with our safety procedures, families will receive advance notice of each drill within the week before it occurs. Please note that specific dates and times for evacuation drills will not be shared in advance. Students and staff will be informed at the time of the activity that it is a drill.
We appreciate your partnership as we work together to maintain a safe and prepared school community. Thank you for your continued support.
Attention All Families:
Yearbooks are now on sale through the Yearbook Order Center.
Please visit www.yearbookordercenter.com and enter school code
4507.
WE HAVE A LIMITED NUMBER OF YEARBOOKS.
PLEASE LOCK IN YOUR PURCHASE BEFORE PRICES
INCREASE ON JANUARY 1, 2027.
If you have any questions, please email either Ms. Binns
(lbinns@klschools.org) or Miss Muschio (nmuschio@klschools.org)
Subject: Academic Support Center & Peer Tutoring Opportunities
Dear Parents and Guardians,
We are excited to remind families about the academic support opportunities available to students through the John Jay High School Academic Support Center (ASC).
The Academic Support Center provides students with additional academic assistance in a supportive environment. Students can receive help from teachers in a variety of subject areas, ask questions about coursework, complete assignments, and strengthen their understanding of class material. The ASC is designed to help students stay on track and build confidence in their learning.
In addition to teacher support, students may also request assistance from a peer tutor. Peer tutors are student volunteers who can provide academic support and help students develop effective study habits. Students can drop in during lunch in C103 and/or request a tutor during mini blocks when they are available.
How to Sign Up
Students can access the Academic Support Center website using the link below:
Academic Support Center Website
Once on the site, students can:
Select their Purple Day or Gold Day schedule.
Choose the appropriate block and subject area where they would like support.
Submit the request form for Academic Support Center assistance.
Complete the "Sign Me Up for a Peer Tutor" form if they would like to be matched with a student tutor.
We encourage all students to take advantage of these resources whenever they need additional academic support. If you have any questions about the Academic Support Center or peer tutoring services, please feel free to contact me.
Sincerely,
Maria Modesto-Perez
Student Empowerment Coordinator
John Jay High School
ATTENTION PARENTS OF 9TH GRADERS:
The Counseling Center is scheduling Freshmen Transition meetings during school hours beginning November 16th through December 18th. This meeting, with your child’s counselor, will be to discuss your child’s transition to high school, the high school schedule, graduation requirements, college admissions testing, and what lies ahead in high school.
A few things to note:
· Students are invited to attend this meeting so please ask your child which period (time) is best to avoid missing an academic class.
· Meetings will not take place during the common lunch block (10:54am-11:54am)
· Appointments are one mini period in length or 40 minutes and coincide with our 4-block day. The last appointment being at 2:03 pm (Block 4B).
· This meeting can take place in person or via Webex. When scheduling your meeting please let us know which you prefer.
To schedule an appointment, please call the Counseling Center at 763-7216
ATTENTION ALL AP STUDENTS
2027 AP EXAM PAYMENT IS PAST DUE!
If you have not made payment for the 2027 AP Exams, your AP Exam Payments are now past due! While AP Exams do not happen until May 2027, AP Exams must be ordered with the College Board by November 13th. Without full payment, your child cannot take the exam or receive AP credit on their transcript. If payment is not made and the exam is missed, a $40 cancellation fee per exam will apply. This is the fee we are charged by the College Board for exams ordered but not used.
Payment may be made using MyPaymentsPlus (see directions in October 26th email from Mr. Frank Gizzo) or by check made payable to Katonah Lewisboro School District.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Counseling Center at (914) 763-7216.
Attention Seniors: Upcoming College Visits
As College visits are winding down over the next couple of weeks, please continue to check SCOIR daily for schedule and room assignments. You MUST be signed up via SCOIR, 24 hours prior to the visit to be excused from class. Attendance will be taken.
In person visits are scheduled during school hours. For In-Person visits: ALL missed work MUST be made up, and attendance will be taken at each visit. Students are limited to two (2) in person college visits per day. If you have an interest in visiting more than two (2) college representatives on any given day, please visit your guidance counselor for permission.
Don’t miss out on a great opportunity to meet the college counselor who might be the first to read your application!
The following schools will be visiting the week of November 9th:
SUNY Oswego (11/9)
Saint Anselm College (11/10)
University of Hartford (11/12)
You can also check the Counseling Center’s calendar on the JJHS website or by clicking HERE to view all upcoming school visits
Transcript Requests
Please remember that all transcript requests need to be placed in SCOIR at least two weeks prior to the college application deadline.
Remember: If you are submitting ACT or SAT test scores, you will need to log into your ACT/College Board account and request that your scores be sent to the school(s) you are applying to. Questions? Please stop into the Counseling Center.
Letters of Recommendation
Please be sure to request your teacher letters of recommendation through SCOIR as soon as possible. Before submitting your request in SCOIR, please make sure you have spoken with each teacher directly and asked if they are willing to write your recommendation.
ATTENTION JUNIORS
The 2027-2028 FAFSA Form is NOW AVAILABLE!
To start a new form, click here 2027-2028 FAFSA FORM
PSAT Score Reports Are Now In!
The Digital PSAT was administered this past October and served as a practice national exam experience for students particularly as the SAT is also in a digital format.
This diagnostic tool is a great first step in analyzing student strengths and areas for improvement in preparation for future testing as part of the college application process.
Here is how to access the online score report:
· If you haven’t done so yet, create a College Board account by clicking here.
· From the account you will be able to view and print the score report.
· Students will also be able to link their College Board accounts to Khan Academy, a non-profit organization who is partnered with College Board to provide free learning resources.
· Big Future Mobile App will allow students to access their reports on their mobile devices.
We encourage you to spend time learning about the PSAT score report and if you have any questions, please contact your child’s school counselor.
ATTENTION ALL 10TH and 11TH GRADE FAMILIES
COLLEGE PLANNING NIGHT!!!
We are excited to invite you to the JJHS Counseling Center's Sophomore and Junior College Planning Night on Wednesday, December 2nd at 6:30pm (snow date 12/3). This event promises to be incredibly informative and beneficial for both students and parents as you navigate the college planning process. Keep your eyes out for an email with a link to register for this event!
Important Graduation Letter and Cap and Gown Order
Please see the attached letter and order form for Graduation Caps and Gowns:
Graduation Name Verification Form
Please complete the Graduation Name Verification Form for your senior child. If you have any questions, please reach out to Miss Muschio (nmuschio@klschools.org).
Yearbooks, Ads, Baby Photos, Senior Quotes and Then and Now Photos
Please see the updated attachment for the information about Senior Portraits, Yearbooks, Ads, Baby Photos, Senior Quotes and Then and Now Photos.
If you have any questions about this information, please email Miss Muschio.
KLSD ArtsAlive is the arts booster club for the KLSD! We have promoted arts in education programming in the Katonah-Lewisboro School District since 1997 and has been a district-wide arts booster club for all KLSD schools since 2018. We believe that promoting the arts in our schools unifies our entire community. By supporting arts-related events and programming, we give everyone the opportunity to celebrate our talented students and teachers.
Through fundraising efforts (and thanks to your support), KLSD ArtsAlive has been able to contribute funds in recent years to the the Art Gallery, Pottery Wheels, the Sound Booth, Bandshells, and participate in Arts in Education programming for Student Workshops and Field Trips at John Jay High School.
To find out more about us and see how you can become involved, please check out our website: https://klsdartsalive.org/
We are excited to announce that registration for the upcoming winter athletic season is open. Please see the registration dates below and plan accordingly to ensure all required forms are completed within the recommended timeline.
We look forward to another exciting winter season and appreciate your continued support of our student-athletes, coaches, and athletic programs.
High School Sports: Varsity, Junior Varsity (JV), and Freshman Levels
Athletic Registration: Monday, October 19th!
o Final Forms will open on Monday, October 19th for winter sports registration.
o To ensure your student is eligible to try out on November 16th, please be sure to complete the Final Forms registration process no later than November 13th .
Tryout Dates for Varsity, JV and Freshman Winter Sports:
Monday, November 16th
Students who enjoy solving puzzles should stop by the library during the month of November to try their hand at a new game of Library Connections! They can put their thinking skills to the test and discover some new reads while uncovering the connections between these 16 books.
Everyone who participates gets to choose a small prize and will be entered into a drawing to win an Amazon gift card!
Juli Hoffman
Library Media Specialist
John Jay High School
Dear Parents/Guardians,
This is a reminder that 11th grade physicals records are mandated by New York State law, and the deadline has passed. Any physical report dated after September 8th, 2025, is acceptable. Dr. Corsaro, the school district physician, will be here in November to see all students who have not been able to meet this requirement privately.
Please call the health office with any questions and thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.
With Regards,
John Jay High School Nurses' Office
60 North Salem Rd
Cross River NY 10518
Christopher G. Cruz, RN, BSN, EMT-P
Nurse Coordinator
AHA Instructor
Phone: 914-763-7205