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Originally delivered on 5/11/2025 6:04 pm

SUBJECT: SNN 5/11, 12 days 'til Bollywood Night!

Issue 34, May 11, 2025

BUY GALA TICKETS HERE!

The countdown is ON — only 12 days to go until our Bollywood-themed Gala lights up the night! This is not just another event — it's your chance to dance to iconic Bollywood beats, savor delicious Indian cuisine, and be part of an unforgettable celebration of culture, color, and community. Come dressed in Indian clothes or colorful outfits (or not, it’s up to you) because the spotlight is waiting!


Need a little inspiration? Get in the mood with the timeless Bollywood anthem. Click HERE and enjoy!

PA Elections Are Happening this month!

If you want to be part of a great team and make a difference for our school, think about running for a position on the Parents Association Executive Board. Elections are Tuesday, May 27th, 6:30pm on Zoom. To learn more about PA Executive Board positions CLICK HERE.

LaGuardia Chess Club

♔♕♘♗♙♖

We invite students of all levels of chess experience (from new-to-the-game to advanced) to join the LaGuardia Chess Club. Please register at the link below to receive information about upcoming virtual meetings (for learning strategies and playing games) and in-person tournaments (typically weekend days in various locations around Manhattan).  

LaGuardia Chess Club Registration

Thanks, and we hope to see you soon! 


Emmanuel Tsao 

emmanuelt2796@nycstudents.net

Eli Elkin

elie9@nycstudents.net

Faculty Advisor: Mr. Deniss Vinogradov

dvinogradov@schools.nyc.gov

ACADEMIC FORUM

Jane Berk, Senior Parent

Jake Daehler, Senior Parent

Erica Schohn, Senior Parent

Cathleen McLaughlin, Sophomore Parent

academicforum@laguardiahspa.org

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

Join us on May 12th @ 6:15 PM for a zoom session with Meagan Moore, the Director of School Programs from Academic Approach, about the benefits of taking the SAT or ACT when applying to college. 


Join Zoom Meeting HERE.
Meeting ID: 865 7241 1253


The next Academic Forum session after that - and our last zoom meeting of the school year - will take place on June 4th and will feature senior students who have been accepted to college as well as senior parents. They will offer “inside tips” about the college application process (link to be provided later).


Both events are for current juniors, sophomores, and even freshman who want to get a jump start on applying to college! 


We look forward to seeing you online then!


 The Academic Forum

COLLEGE RESOURCES

Post Secondary Counselor, Suzette Persaud
spersaud@schools.nyc.gov

Contact Ms. Persaud with college application questions. All college representative visits are listed in Maia Learning under Events. 


Click HERE to read the latest (April) Counseling Support Team newsletter. 

CLASS NEWS
Class of 2025

Senior Class Representative, Victoria Rodriguez
seniorrep@laguardiahspa.org 

Important reminders and updates on Senior To Do's and activities. Please note that Senior trip information will be shared as well once finalized.


Prom

Wednesday, June 18, 2025

City Winery - Pier 57, 25 11th Avenue (Near 15th Street)

7pm-11pm

  • Cost: $225 per person; Prom Contract & Payment is made through the school's website. (Scans of Prom Contract(s) and non-LaGuardia guest ID must be uploaded at time of payment.)
  • Prom is a formal, all-inclusive Dinner/Dance.
  • No person shall be admitted after 9:00 PM.
  • There is no readmission once a person leaves.
  • Students are responsible for their own transportation.
  • Smoking is not permitted at the facility.
  • The student and the guest must enter together.
  • All ticket holders must show picture ID before entering the venue
  • There are no refunds.
  • Dr. Stricklin-Witherspoon must approve, in advance, any change in guest.
  • There are no school-sponsored post-prom events.


Some helpful information:

  • Beginning May 1, Seniors may be able to pick up copies of the Prom Contract/Permission Slip from outside the Deans Office, Room 229. Pick up one copy per attendee.
  • Signed Contracts must be uploaded at the time of payment.
  • All students must have a Prom Contract, even if the person is 18 years old or older. (This is for emergency contact information.)
  • Payment is made through the school website (STUDENT section).
  • Non-LaGuardia students must have a picture of an ID Card uploaded at time of purchase. (School or state ID are acceptable.)
  • Seniors with Prom questions should go to Room 261 to speak with Dr. Stricklin. This is the fastest -- and preferred -- way to receive an answer.
  • Seniors requesting a reduction in ticket price (financial assistance) will NOT receive information until June 1 at the earliest.

Financial Aid

Senior Dues are required of all Seniors, and the Parents Association graciously provides financial aid to assist families who cannot afford the expense. Prom, however, is an optional activity; therefore, there are no funds set aside for Prom financial aid.


Whatever funds the school can cobble together each year for financial aid, here is how it is distributed: The amount is divided by the number of recipients.


For example, if $100 is available to distribute and 1 Senior requests it, then $100 is taken off the ticket price. (The Senior knows the reduced price and can decide if they can afford the ticket.) If $100 is available to distribute and 10 Seniors requests it, then $10 is taken off the ticket price. (The 10 Seniors know the reduced price and can decide whether they can afford the tickets.) It is doubtful that the entire ticket price is covered.


The financial aid is meant for the Senior's ticket for those who cannot afford to attend; it is not meant so you can afford to pay for a date, buy a nicer dress, go in on a limo, etc.

Senior Trip

The senior trip is still in the planning stages, but here is what we know so far:

Location: Six Flags

Date: Tentatively the first week in June. Date has to be approved by the administration.

Cost: The PA is trying to subsidize the trip with money raised by senior class parents. We are trying to keep the cost to $50-$60 per student but this is not confirmed yet. This would include the cost of the amusement park ticket, bus, food & drink. 

Confirmation and more details about this trip probably will not happen until April. 


Other Senior Activities

The SGO (Student Government) is trying to plan some smaller senior activities too, but nothing has been finalized yet. If your student has a suggestion, please have them reach out to SGO leadership. 


Teacher Thank Yous!

Please have your student take some time to write a nice Thank you note to teachers who wrote them college recommendation letters or helped them prepare for auditions. These teachers were not paid to do this, but did it because they believe in your student. It would mean a lot! 

Class of 2026

Junior Class Representative, Lindsay Manley
juniorrep@laguardiahspa.org 

Class of 2027

Sophomore Class Representative, Shira Eisenberg
sophomorerep@laguardiahspa.org 

Class of 2028

Freshman Class Representative, Aleyiah Skelton
freshmanrep@laguardiahspa.org

STUDIO CONTACTS & NEWS

Deanna Raso
Cynthia Solis Yi

tech@laguardiahspa.org



TECH: The small studio with a huge impact.

MAY POTS MTG

It's no surprise that our Tech Seniors have been accepted to an impressive array of colleges and universities! At our next POTS meeting some Seniors will join us to share about the admissions process and what influence their pathways in Tech had on their decisions.


May 19, 2025 6:00pm
Join Zoom Meeting HERE.

Meeting ID: 846 6918 5822
Passcode: 10023


JUNE ELECTION

Nominate a friend or nominate yourself! Help our studio thrive by running for one of our open PA positions. Bring your questions to the next POTS meeting or write to us at tech@laguardiahspa.org with any questions. Role descriptions HERE.


THE SEAGULL

SDF3 THE SEAGULL takes flight on May 29! Volunteer for merch, concessions or hall monitoring HERE.

And when you're buying tickets please consider adding on a donation during your purchase by choosing "TECH STUDIO SUPPORTER" on the Support Live Performances page. Or text LAGTECH to 44321. Or just click HERE.

Thank you and Happy Mother's Day to all the moms, mother figures and caregivers in our community, we appreciate you!

Vanessa Enriquez
Barbette Leonard
Rebecca Sherman

music@laguardiahspa.org

Join us this Friday for the final ShowChoir concert of the year!

May 6, 2025, 6:00pm

Get your tickets now!


Save the Dates!

Music Studio General Meeting (Virtual)

Tuesday, May 20, 2025, 7:30pm

Topic: Health & Wellness for Musicians

Special Guest: Alex Hoffman, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Sound Mind

Sound Mind, (formerly known as “Classical Musicians Roundtable,”) was founded in 2019 by three musicians in the Civic Orchestra of Chicago who were passionate about conversations around mental health.

Join Zoom Meeting HERE.

Passcode: 304895


Final Music Studio Meet & Greet of the school year!

Tuesday, June 17, 2025, 6:30pm

The Gem Saloon

375 3rd Ave, New York, NY 10016

[corner of 27th St and Third Ave]

Mindy Greenberg
Traci Graper

drama@laguardiahspa.org


“It’s fun to play happy people.”

– Amy Ryan

TAKE A BOW!

Let’s hear it for our SDF volunteers, selling merch and candy and monitoring the halls for all the performances of Little Shop of Horrors and Peter and the Starcatcher! You can still sign up to help out on The Seagull. So many roles to choose from… select your way to pitch in HERE.

 

GET SDF TIX ASAP!

Speaking of The Seagull, this is it - your last chance to see the Class of 2025 Drama Students perform in their final SDF, May 29-32. Tickets HERE.

 

THAT’S A WRAP!

Please join us at our final PODS meeting on Monday, May 12th at 7:30PM (zoom link here HERE) when we will hold our Elections for Drama Board Positions! Please mark your calendars now or suffer FOMO later! Run for something! And/or vote for your 2025-2026 board members.

 

GET ON BOARD!

The success of our studio lies with us and the many skills and experiences we bring. We have many exciting and necessary open positions! Please review the Position Profiles below and reach out to us with your interest or questions, and if you decide to run for a role, please let us know by Sunday, May 11th.

 

Co-representatives (2)

Recording Secretary

Secretary of Communication

Treasurer

Merchandise Coordinators (2)

Social chair

Freshman Class Drama Studio Rep

Sophomore Class Drama Studio Rep

Junior Class Drama Studio Rep

Senior Class Drama Reps (2-4)

SDF Co-Reps (2)

Fundraising Chair

Grants Specialist

Katie Miller
Joslin Paradise

dance@laguardiahspa.org

Dear Dance Families,


Lots to talk about and celebrate so please read carefully!


Observation week is this week. Come watch the magic that takes place every day in our studios! And while you are there, stop by the merch table on the 8th floor -- get excited for new merch! 


We need a bit more help staffing the merch table this week, especially on Wednesday. Please sign up here if you are able. We are only able to sell merch if there are volunteers to support. Sign up HERE.


Tickets for the senior graduation concert are now on sale! Buy them HERE. This is a can't miss show for all families!


Please mark your calendar for our final Dance LaG PA Meeting of the year on May 20 at 7:00pm. We will be electing our Dance PA Reps for next year and taking nominations for other important roles on the dance board. Please email us at dance@laguardiahspa.org if you are interested in helping out next year. Please consider lending a hand. We will need support in merchandise, fundraising, and on the very important senior planning committee, among other areas.

Join Zoom Meeting HERE.


Meeting ID: 825 9536 0342

Passcode: 531023


Thank you to the many families who sponsored dance pieces and donated towards our upcoming senior performances. It is going to be a wonderful culminating event! 


Lastly, let's finish the year strong! Donations to the general Dance PA continue to be most welcome and necessary! We need your support to ensure we hit our fundraising targets and can continue to enrich the experiences of all of our LaG dance students. Thank you in advance! You can donate HERE.

Caroline Andoscia
Kristin Leigh

art@laguardiahspa.org


Art Studio Meeting

Please join us at our next Art Studio meeting on May 12th at 7:30pm.

COMMUNITY
VOTE for you CCEC this weekend (deadline is May 13th)

As a parent of a NYC Public School student you must make sure you have access to your NYCSA (New York City Schools Account) so you can vote for the CEC (Community Education Council) as the deadline to vote is this THIS TUESDAY, May 13th!


Log on to your NYCSA account now. If you forgot your password, you can reset it. If you never logged on and/or you get locked out, you will need your school to give you a creation code and you have to do that now!


If you need support, contact your parent coordinator ASAP.


PLEASE CARVE OUT TIME TODAY TO LOOK OVER THE CANDIDATES & CAST YOUR VOTE! 


You can view all the CANDIDATE PROFILES, read their Personal Statements, watch a little bit of the recordings from the CANDIDATE FORUMS and get to know some of the candidates.

 

PLEASE NOTE: You may select up to three candidates on your ballotFOR BOTH elementary / middle school (CEC) AND you may select up to three candidates on your ballot for High School (CCHS). You may also be eligible to vote for CCSE (citywide council on special education), CCELL (citywide council on english language learners), and CCD75 (citywide council of District 75). It is a lot and can be confusing, but your vote matters. 


Please review the candidates BEFORE YOU VOTE, b/c once you cast your vote, CAN NOT change it.

FROM OUR LIBRARIAN
Have a library card?

Did you know that EVERY student in NYC, regardless of borough, is eligible for a New York Public Library card? Yes! Students can visit our awesome librarian, Ms. Elizabeth Healy, with questions or visit the Riverside branch (or any other!) to fill out an application and get a card. Once you have the card, you can access all of the resources of the NYPL.

Find Library News HERE.

Library Resources (How to library) HERE.

DONORS CHOOSE: SUPPORT OUR TEACHERS

Thank you all for supporting our teachers who give our kids the most amazing educational experience. Thank you to all who supported Ms. Greene's project to build her classroom collection with meaningful plays that not only engage students with compelling stories but also expose them to diverse perspectives, histories, and voices often underrepresented in standard curricula. 


Here's a new one! Ms. Greene is now working on getting classroom supplies like post-it notes, chart paper, pens, stickers, and dry erase markers to transform daily lessons into dynamic learning experiences. These materials become the building blocks of collaboration, creative thinking, and "aha!" moments that make learning stick.


Click HERE to see all the projects that need your support!

OUTSIDE OPPORTUNITIES
Summer Internship

Social media intern opportunity for the summer with a start up hair brand. Perfect for someone in art or tech (or elsewhere) who is into fashion / culture / content. Read more detail HERE. For questions, please contact Alec Helman (alec@scatterhair.com).

(Extra)Ordinary Teen Photography Camp

(Extra)Ordinary Teen Photography Camp is a series of summer photography workshops in New York City for teenagers, ages 14-18 years old, led by professional photographer and instructor Andrew French. LaGuardia students receive a 10% discount using the code SUMMER2025. This collaborative workshop will inspire teens to explore the art and craft of photography. Many students who’ve attended this camp have won awards and been accepted to top-tier colleges and universities.

Click HERE for more information.

FREE Membership:

Are you a NYC teen between 13-18? Then the Teen Circle is made for YOU! Get ready to explore the Guggenheim for FREE and bring up to four guests with you. Membership includes exclusive events, performances and other offers for you and your friends. 

Sign up HERE for Teen Circle today to explore your creative side and get inspired!

Benefits: 

  • Unlimited free admission + 4 guests to Guggenheim New York 
    To receive tickets for museum admission, please present both your digital membership card and a valid school or government-issued ID at the Admissions desk. Admission tickets are not available for advance reservation and must be obtained onsite. 
  • 15% savings on-site at the Guggenheim Store 
  • 15% savings at Café Rebay 
  • Subscription to the Teen members’ email newsletter 
  • Invitations to Teen members events, including exclusive hours 
IEP/504 NEWS

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 Michele Brandt, Parent Association VP for Special Education, specialeducation@laguardiahspa.org

SCHOOL CONTACT LIST

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

LAG ON SOCIAL MEDIA

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

SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION & INTERVENTION

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
FAMILY ENGAGEMENT MANAGER

Jerrianna Phenix

Family Engagement Manager

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT...
USEFUL LINKS
Explore the LaGuardia PA Website

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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