
Amy Zimmer
Bureau Chief, Chalkbeat New York
Amy Zimmer is the Bureau Chief for Chalkbeat New York. She is an award-winning journalist who previously covered education for the New York news site DNAinfo. Her writing has appeared in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Metro newspaper, and City Limits, among other outlets. Her book, “Meet Miss Subways,” focused on one of the nation’s first integrated beauty contests. She also led content strategy at the tech startup Localize.city. Amy received her bachelor’s degree in anthropology from Yale and has a master’s in journalism from New York University.
The first day of school is Sept. 7. Spring holidays are spread out next year, with a day off for Good Friday on March 29 and for Eid al-Fitr on April 10, and with a week off for spring break, coinciding with Passover, starting April 22.
This year’s offer data shows very little change in racial and economic diversity, particularly for high school, despite seeing the biggest admissions changes.
Many schools opted out of a controversial social-emotional assessment. Now NYC is ditching the tool.
Teachers and parents raised concerns about the DESSA, a social-emotional learning tool that schools began using last year.
The first day of school is typically the Thursday after Labor Day, but families want confirmation. Other districts finalized their calendars by March.
For future school years, education department officials are bracing for some big expenses to comply with the law.
To house the influx of migrants, New York City might tap up to 20 gyms in public schools to use as shelters, Mayor Eric Adams said Tuesday. Tensions are rising over the plans.
We tracked dozens of data points on mental health support in NYC public schools. Do they call 911 on students in crisis? Are there enough social workers and guidance counselors? Find out here.
Schools are straining to keep up with counseling demand as mental health woes mount for young people. If your child needs help at school, here’s how to start.
Does your child feel safe at school? Progressing in reading and math? Do they feel a sense of belonging? New York City’s annual school survey, a massive undertaking, is your chance to share.
The role of parent coordinator became more critical and stressful during the pandemic. But salaries for the job, which New York City schools created 20 years ago, have not kept pace.
UFT president feels pressure from members who demand a union-wide vote on the retiree health care cost savings plan he’s championing.
Cheriece White, an art and technology teacher at Metropolitan Soundview High School, shows her students how to create brands for the companies they dream up. White was a grand prize winner of the FLAG Award for Teaching Excellence.
The needs are high as data shows worsening mental health among young people, including more students reporting thoughts of suicide.
Schools Chancellor David Banks has been raising the alarm about the recent spate of killings and shootings involving young people, calling it a “state of emergency” that requires more intervention.
Students could have fallen off school rosters for being homeschooled without registering with the state or skipping kindergarten. Others might have disengaged during remote learning or amid mental health struggles.
M.S. 51 principal Neal Singh will leave to work for District 15’s superintendent. Pui-Lam (Jack) Chan, from New Utrecht High School, will take over on Feb. 1 as interim principal.
Chalkbeat wants to hear from you. How has your relationship with your school community changed since the roller coaster ride of campus closures and openings?
New York City’s education department pulled three proposals to co-locate Success Academy elementary schools in shared campuses after locals mounted campaigns to fight the plans.
This award-winning Queens PE teacher has a big YouTube following for his kid-friendly fitness videos
Queens teacher Thomas Gelardi’s YouTube channel took off during the COVID pandemic. He’s garnered more than 4 million views on his videos that help kids stay active in small spaces.
Kindergarten families can activate their NYC Scholarship Accounts in January. Here’s how to grow the $100 seed money and how communities can raise more money to help kids go to college.
The education department told principals the Situation Room will close Dec. 23. Schools will no longer have to send families letters about positive COVID cases.
As winter approaches, education department officials are recommending that students and staff wear masks inside school buildings, according to a message to families on Tuesday.
The education department extended the deadline for middle and high school admissions to Dec. 5 after MySchools crashed the night before applications were due.
Be part of the Dec. 15 discussion at Queens Public Library.
Just 17% of New York City schools were meeting the education department’s Computer Science for All equity goals of reaching girls, Latinos, and Black students, according to a recent report from NYU’s Research Alliance.
Sarah Slack, a science teacher at Brooklyn’s I.S. 223, won the prestigious Math for America Muller Award for her work on bolstering climate education across New York City.
Chalkbeat talked to educators and others in schools about the storm’s other lasting legacies — from strengthening bonds to creating community to efforts to improve safety.
“Focus on selecting a school that is a good fit for your student and not whether it’s a ‘good school’ or not,” one expert said.
Eighth graders with course grades in the top 15% of their class last year will have priority in scoring seats at some of NYC’s most selective high schools.
Under New York’s Open Meetings Law, school board meetings must return in person, with an option for hybrid.