images of parents with their children
December 27, 2019
Dear Parents,

I am happy to share that 25 New York State high school seniors have been nominated for the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program. The Presidential Scholar recognition is one of the nation's highest honors for high school students.

Each of these students has worked incredibly hard during high school and their accomplishments are testimonials to their tremendous effort. I thank our legislators for recommending these stellar students and wish them the best of luck in their bright futures. Congratulations to all the nominees!

While your children are on winter break, I encourage you to follow the State Education Department on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to get ideas for fun and educational family activities. In addition to providing daily ideas during winter break, we share tips, resources, activities, and events throughout the year highlighting daily themes like "Math Monday," "Trivia Tuesday," and "Wellness Wednesday." If you don't already, be sure to follow us for these tips and ideas and for our latest news.

I also wanted to remind you that if you have a college-bound student, winter break is a great time to submit your child's Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). If you're a New York State resident and have completed the FAFSA, you should also complete the online New York State Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) application. If you have other questions about financial aid, the SUNY Smart Track financial literacy website has a lot of great resources that can help you plan for the costs of college.

Finally, I would like to make you aware of NYSED's My Brother's Keeper (MBK) newsletter, "Changing the Narrative." In each issue, we share news related to MBK, provide information about new grant opportunities, and highlight successful programs and strategies that have come about as a result of the funding from New York State's MBK initiative. Subscribe to the MBK newsletter today!

I hope you encourage other parents to sign up for our parent email list to receive updates. I appreciate your continued support, and I wish you all the best for a safe, happy, and healthy new year.

Sincerely,

Shannon Tahoe
Interim Commissioner
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