NYC Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos on Back to School Challenges and Changes

From South Bronx to Schools Chancellor

• 💡 Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos grew up in the South Bronx, the first in her family to graduate high school and college.
• 🧠 Her upbringing instilled resilience and perseverance, lessons learned from her mother's struggles to provide for the family.
• 🍎 Inspired by her mother's experience working in schools, she developed a passion for education.

Career Path in Education

• 📚 Initially interested in journalism and law, Aviles-Ramos discovered her calling through the New York City Teaching Fellows program.
• 📈 As principal of Skylerville Prep, she dramatically raised graduation rates by fostering belief in teachers and students.
• 👩‍👧‍👦 As a New York City public school mom, she empathizes deeply with parents' concerns and experiences.

Key Issues for the Upcoming School Year

• 📱 A major change for students is the cell phone ban, which is a significant adjustment for many.
• 🏫 Aviles-Ramos emphasizes the importance of safe schools and ensuring they have necessary resources.
• 💬 She remains connected to the community to identify and address challenges on the ground.

Upcoming Town Hall and Special

• 🗓️ A Back to School Town Hall with Chancellor Aviles-Ramos will stream live, where she will answer submitted questions.
• 📺 An Eyewitness News special, "Back to School: Phones, AI, and Your Kids," will dive deeper into the pros and cons of the cell phone ban and the use of AI in the classroom.