NYC Schools Open Doors to New School Year, New Leader

The first day of school can be exciting: new backpacks, new friends, new chances. But it can be bittersweet, too.

"You’re watching this little person that you gave birth to all these years ago just continuously grow and move on,” Christina Moore said while shopping for school supplies for her 6-year-old son, Christian. “It's definitely harder on me than it is on him."

Christian’s first day of first grade will also mark the start of Chancellor Richard Carranza’s first full school year as the head of New York City schools. 

The chancellor won't be the only one starting off fresh in the nation's largest school district. He will be joined by about 5,000 new teachers, plus 5,000 3-year-olds getting an early start to their education through the city's newly launched 3-K program.

There will also be 21 new schools opening their doors on Wednesday. 

Carranza started his day early with a visit to school bus drivers. 

First day, first selfie. Thanks to our @NYCSchools bus drivers for getting our children to school safely! #BackToSchoolNYC pic.twitter.com/7KK72sz0dq

— Chancellor Richard A. Carranza (@DOEChancellor) September 5, 2018

The first stop on his borough-wide tour was at P.S. 377 in Queens, where 3-year-olds were among the many students heading into school after the summer. 

"I'm a little overwhelmed, but she's excited" Ashti Ragbir said of her daughter, Elsa, who is beginning 3-K. She added that Elsa might be young, but she knows everything she needs to learn in school. 

The school is one of 187 which offer 3-K this year, a program Mayor Bill de Blasio said was a "gamechanger" for families. 

"It should not be that a child can’t reach their potential because their family couldn’t afford early childhood education," he said. "We wanted to end that once and for all, and make this a universal right." 

Wanda, the mother of the boys pictured here, says she’s been paying for day care for her youngest and 3-K will be a “relief” for her as she continues her own education to become a medical technician. https://t.co/FmWhwQGr9T

— Beenish Ahmed (@beenishfahmed) September 5, 2018

From Queens, the chancellor went on host a debate in an AP class at Mott Hall V in the Bronx about whether teachers should be armed, serve school lunch to middle schoolers at P.S. 180 in Harlem, teach a guitar lesson at Origins High Schools in Brooklyn, and greet parents as they picked up their children at P.S. 78 on Staten Island. 

.⁦⁦@DOEChancellor⁩ listens to 11th grade students Britny Cruz and Luis Graham debate arming teachers on the first day of school at Mott Hall V in the Bronx. They’re both against the idea which has gained traction w federal edu officials. #BackToSchoolNYC ⁦@WNYC⁩ pic.twitter.com/M0TihieHOV

— Beenish Ahmed (@beenishfahmed) September 5, 2018

 Along the way, students shared their plans for the future with the chancellor and with reporters. 

"This year I'm looking forward to focus, doing my homework, doing my work and getting into a good high school," seventh grade student Mohammad Trayore told WNYC. 

Aiyaana Rice, an eighth grade student, had a similar plan. "My goal is to get really high grades so I can get into great classes when I go to high school because eighth grade, that's what they're looking for," she said. "I want to be in top classes."