Welcome, rising 9th graders and families!
We’re so thrilled you’re joining the Beacon community in September!
You can also start connecting now with other parents:
• Join the Beacon Class of 2026 Google Group to connect with other new 9th grade parents:
https://groups.google.com/g/beacon-families-2026
• There’s a Google Group for parents of IEP/504 students too:
https://groups.google.com/g/beacon-iep-504-families
• Sign up for Beacon PTA emails here.
• Sign up for Beacon school emails here.
• Check your NYCSA profile is up to date; details are here.
• Fill out the PTA’s back-to-school parents’ survey here.
• Read more on getting ready for back-to-school here.
Questions? Click here for who to contact over the summer or email us (beaconpta@beaconschool.org).
Here’s a welcome message from Principal Brady in case you missed it:
Dear Class of 2026 and families,
It was great to meet many of you at one of our Welcoming Events in June. If you were not able to make it, we hope you can join us for Summer Bridge!
• Summer Bridge information:
Students with a last name starting with A-J are scheduled for August 31st from 10am-1pm.
Students with a last name starting with K-Z are scheduled for September 1st from 10am-1pm.
Meet Guidance Staff and Advisors and Big Sibs and, most importantly, meet your classmates! The Summer Bridge Program is for students only, so if you travel with family, they will need to drop you off at school by 10 am and meet you after at 1pm!
Please fill out this Summer Bridge RSVP form by July 15th so we can plan for you at Summer bridge and have your Beacon t-shirt ready!
• 9th Grade Academic Program
We will be working on student schedules for next year all summer and plan to provide each of you a schedule by the end of August. All 9th graders take English 9, Global History 9, Biology, PE and our Arts Rotation. Our Biology curriculum is an extension of the standard Living Environment curriculum and includes preparation for the Science PBA in Chemistry at the end of 10th grade. Even students who have passed the Living Environment Regents exam will be programmed for Biology. And our Arts Rotation allows every 9th grader to rotate to a new Art class every quarter and experience four of our Arts disciplines. This is how we expose students to art offerings at Beacon and in 10th through 12th grade, you get to select which intermediate or advanced art classes you want to take in Dance, Theatre, Visual Arts, Photography, Film or Music. Please take a look at the Academics section of our website for more information!
• Summer Reading Assignment
At Beacon, we value continuing to learn and grow throughout the year, but also want students to pursue their own interests and have choice in the Summer 2022 Reading assignment. All Beacon students 9-12th grade will complete an assignment of their choice from this list of suggestions. We know that for so many, the past two years have not been filled with joy. So, this summer we have created an amazing list of texts of all kinds to inspire each student to follow their interests, experience the joy of discovery and expand their world. While the list of texts and products provides options, all students will be expected to engage with texts and create and share their product(s) in September with an authentic audience consisting of classmates and teachers. We also expect every student to apply for a Library Card not just for access to all the Public Library materials, but also for access to texts and software like JSTOR throughout the year.
• Fall Sports at Beacon
Some Fall sports have try-outs before the school year begins. Take a look at this Fall Sports list to see if you want to try out for a Fall team and if so, be sure to complete the PSAL Sports Medical Form and Parental/Guardian Consent Form that are linked in that document before tryouts and practices begin in August!
• Staying in touch
We will contact you by email through the summer and transition to the DOE email accounts (NYCSA and mystudent.net) starting on September 1st.
Enjoy your summer and hope to see you at Bridge!
Brady
—
Brady Smith, Principal
The Beacon School
522 W 44th Street
New York, NY 10036
(he, him, his)
