Purchase your tickets HERE now!

Know someone who can serve as our auctioneer for the event? Please email auction.gala@laguardiahspa.org with the information or any questions. 

And reach out to your network, and ask them to sponsor the benefit and/or donate to the auction!

• Go HERE to donate an item
• Go HERE to submit for sponsorship

LAST CALL FOR THE RISING STARS RAFFLES

Rising Stars may close tonight. Tomorrow, the raffles are drawn and winners are chosen. Enter now for your chance at a major win.

1. Acting Lessons and Atlantic Grill Gift Card

2. Frieze NYC Art Fair and P.J. Clarke’s Gift Card

3. Japanese Izakaya Toribar Dinner, Alamo Drafthouse Movie Tickets, and Peppino Candy

4. MCC Theater One Year Designer-Level Patron Membership

5. Voice Lessons - Hit that High Note

6. NYC Iconic Eats: Cafe Luxembourg, Shake Shack, & Billy’s Bakery Gift Cards

7. The Friends Experience, Momofuku Noodle Bar, & Summit One Vanderbilt

View the Rising Stars Digital Playbill HERE.

Karen Gillen
Nathifa Lewis
Kathy Pence
Jonathan Wynne

academicforum@laguardiahspa.org

At LaG, students already carry a rigorous daily schedule - rehearsals, studio time, performances, and long hours devoted to their craft. Because of that, academic planning focuses on creating a balanced pathway that supports both learning and art.

Planning high school is more than selecting classes each term - it’s about building a personal academic path aligned with future goals.

Families often think about three general approaches:

• Standard – core college-prep coursework with breathing room

• Accelerated – a few AP courses or an occasional stretch course

• Advanced/College-level – multiple APs (primarily junior and senior year) and/or dual enrollment court 

For families thinking ahead – especially in sequential areas like math and science – reviewing recommended coursework through resources such as the Common Data Set (commondataset.org) for colleges of interest can help shape a four-year plan.

A simple rhythm by grade can help:

Freshman – adjust and build habits

Sophomore – try one added challenge, such as AP or dual enrollment

Junior – lean into strengths as more AP options open up

Senior – protect time for portfolios, auditions, and applications

Along the way, many students discover their priorities: for some, art clearly comes first; for others, it sits alongside or just behind academic goals. Both paths are valid.

Most important, there is no single “right” sequence. The best schedules are sustainable, individualized, and leave students engaged, healthy, and creatively energized.

Shelliann Roach
Assistant Principal, Counseling Support
sroach2@schools.nyc.gov

Monday - Friday 8:15am - 4:15pm
Room 243
212-496-0700, ext. 2206

Click HERE to access LaG's Guidance Department page.

RISING STARS

A huge thank you to our wonderful volunteers who showed up and made everything run smoothly. We are so grateful for your time and generosity. 

• Melissa Adelman
• Marcia Castillo
• Sasha Domnitz
• Shira Eisenberg
• Deanna Raso
• Marianna Schaffer
• Kathy Uggen-Merget

A big congratulations to our kids—they did a fantastic job. Their work kept everything running smoothly and made the production shine.

UPCOMING

There’s much more to come! As rehearsals and events continue, this is a good moment for parents to review work schedules with their students, especially as we head deeper into Operetta and the Spring Drama Festival season. 

WINTER WRAP-UP: GOSPEL PERFORMANCE

Last week the Music Studio wrapped up our string of winter performances that culminated the first semester of study for our talented students. And what a finish! The Winter Gospel Concert "Encouraged" was nonstop power, excitement, and inspiration. If you weren't able to catch it, we once again thank the LaGuardia Archive Club for posting the video of the performance on YouTube HERE. You can also watch all of the winter Music Studio performances on their channel.

Thank you to all of the parents, friends, family, and students who supported our students this winter by attending performances. There is no better way to congratulate these students on their accomplishments than by cheering them on as they perform.

MUSIC STUDIO PA MEETING - February 24 (NEW DATE!)

The Music Studio PA will be holding a meeting on Tuesday, February 24 @ 7:30pm on Zoom. At this meeting we will be going over the state of the Studio, reviewing our budget, and talking about how parents can assume leadership roles for next school year. If you'd like to be more involved in the Studio in the future, attending this meeting is a great first step! (Please note that last week we earmarked February 11 for this meeting, but that is the date of the next General PA meeting. Please attend that meeting on the 11th, and then Music's on the 24th!)

Dear Dance Families,

Looking forward to seeing all of you on zoom tomorrow - Monday - from 5:30pm to approximately 6:30pm for our Dance PA Meeting. Mr. Sinacori will be joining us as we discuss the upcoming senior concert, and how you can support, as well as summer intensives and tips on applying to college as a dancer. Zoom link HERE.

Please keep both eyes open this week for our dance concert sponsorship memo. It is going to be a tremendous production but we need your support! 

Thank you to the families that supported Rising Stars merchandise sales this weekend! We raised money for the dance studio and had a lot of fun doing it! 

And, as always, please donate! All donations go to support the magic happening in the studios. Every dollar counts. Please donate HERE now!

Warmly,

Katie and Barbette

MEETING THIS WEEK! 

Please join us on Monday, February 9th at 7:00pm for our Art PA Monthly Meeting. Zoom link HERE! 

Meeting ID: 875 6363 2268

Passcode: 336987

Hope to see you there!

We’ve invited some parents of LaG graduates to join us and share a few tips on college admissions. Hope to see you there!

RISING STARS - THANK YOU FOR COMING TO THE SHOW AND ART EXHIBIT! 

Thank you to everyone who took the time to view the incredible work showcased at the Rising Stars Art Exhibit, and came out to cheer on the talented students at Rising Stars! It was such an unbelievable show all around!! We are in awe of all of the students who were part of the show and the exhibit! Congratulations to all!   

THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY!

Thank you to the families who have contributed to the Art Studio this school year - we appreciate your support and generosity so much! Just this past week, your donations helped fund a very large delivery of art supplies that will soon become wonderful new works of art! In addition to supplies, your donations help fund repairs and purchases of equipment for art classes, support for the Visiting Artists program, field trips, and more! To contribute, donations of any size are greatly appreciated and will count towards our participation percent! Please click HERE to donate.  

Please feel free to email us anytime at: art@laguardiahspa.org. We'd love to hear from you! 

Have a great week ahead!

Kristin Leigh & Cindy Wolf

Service in Schools invites students in grades 10–12 to apply to participate in the 2026 Leadership Institute. This is an exciting opportunity for students to connect with their peers from across the city, learn from experts from community-based organizations, and teach elementary school students how to help their community! 

The program consists of a five-day in-person Institute in midtown Manhattan during spring break, from Monday, April 6, through Friday, April 10, 2026, from 9:00am–3:00pm each day, and an in-person after-school session on May 7, 2026. Throughout the program, students work in small groups to learn about local issues, culminating in the planning and implementation of a day-long Youth Service Summit for elementary school students on Friday, May 22, 2026.

Program FAQ can be found HERE and program application HERE. Deadline to apply is Friday, February 13. Email ServiceinSchools@schools.nyc.gov with  any questions.

Creatives Want Change administers a pre-college scholarship for high school students in grades 9 through 12 with an interest in fashion design or merchandising. This scholarship is intended for applicants who can participate in a summer pre-college program in 2026 and demonstrate financial need. It covers all associated expenses, including travel, tuition, fees, and supplies. Accepted students will have access to mentorship opportunities, internships, and college scholarships. Participating institutions:

• Pratt Institute
• Parsons School of Design
• Rhode Island School of Design (RISD)
• Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD)
• Otis College of Art and Design
• Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT)

Each summer, 25 students are awarded this scholarship. 

• Application Link HERE 
• Application Explanation HERE
• Application Deadline: Tuesday, March 3
• Pre-College Programs Descriptions HERE

ARE YOU A HIGH SCHOOLER LOOKING FOR A SUMMER PROGRAM?

CIEE offers high school students the chance to spend 3–4 weeks abroad in immersive academic programs. With 100+ programsacross 40+ global locations, you can explore a wide range of subject areas, including Language Immersion, STEM, Social Change, Arts, and Business. CIEE awards $7 million in scholarships annually (scholarship deadline: 2/25/2026).

MEET CIEE IN PERSON (NY)

CIEE will attend the National Pre-College and Summer Programs Fair on Monday, February 2, from 4:30–7:00pm at the Marriott Marquis (1535 Broadway, New York, NY 10036). Meet program representatives, explore summer opportunities, and learn more about studying abroad. Register HERE to attend.

UPCOMING WEBINAR

General Information Session
Wednesday, February 4 | 8:00–9:00pm
Register HERE.

SUMMER 2026 PROGRAM OFFERINGS:

• CIEE Intensive Language Programs (Mandarin, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, French, German, Arabic, Italian) 
• CIEE STEM Programs (Engineering, Conservation and Sustainability, Urban Design, etc.)
• CIEE Arts Programs (Architecture, Photography, Studio Arts, Art History, Creative Writing, etc.)
• CIEE Leadership and Diplomacy Programs (Leadership & Service, Diplomacy & Government, etc.)
• CIEE Business Programs (Entrepreneurship, Marketing, Sports Management, etc.)
• Browse CIEE’s Programs

If you are a parent/guardian of a student with an IEP or 504 at LaGuardia, please join our WhatsApp chat group HERE. The purpose is to support each other regarding questions/concerns related to our student's IEP or 504 at LaGuardia.

For questions, please contact Parent Association VP for Special Education, specialeducation@laguardiahspa.org. 

If you need a comprehensive list of who to contact at the school for various questions, click HERE. 

Parent Association Instagram: Laguardia_pa
Parent Association Facebook: LaG Families and Friends

Alex Falk is LaGuardia's Substance Abuse Prevention & Intervention Specialist: AFalk@schools.nyc.gov

The NYC DOE Substance Abuse Prevention and Intervention Specialists (SAPIS) program provides a range of prevention and intervention services in grades K-12. The goals of the program are to:

• Reduce the prevalence of substance abuse among youth
• Delay the initiation of substance abuse behavior among youth
• Decrease the negative health, social, and educational consequences associated with substance abuse
• Prevent the escalation of substance abuse behaviors to levels requiring treatment

Yellow Sheet - week of February 9

Bell Schedule

School Year 2025-26 Calendar

NYC Schools Account (NYCSA): track your child's progress

DOE Student Accounts: access all student learning platforms

Parent University

Multilingual Learners

Office of Language Access

For questions about, and/or to submit content for consideration in the Sunday Night News, please email: snn@laguardiahspa.org. 

*DISCLAIMER: The LaGuardia High School Parents Association Inc (LAGHSPA) and its officers and elected members do not endorse third-party content shared in our communications, nor do they profit from third-party promotions featured in our communications.

**DISCLAIMER: The views expressed in listed WhatsApp chats and Facebook groups are those of the participants and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Parents Association or school administrators. 

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