| June 30, 2022 |
| Dear Parents and Families, |
| I am pleased to announce that the New York State Education Department and the New York State Library are again partnering with 1,100 public libraries and neighborhood branches statewide to launch the 2022 Summer Reading at New York Libraries program. This year’s slogan, “Oceans of Possibilities,” is meant to connect students of all ages to the theme of oceanography and water resources. Kids, teens, and families can visit local public libraries and their websites to explore and sign up for summer reading events and programs, register to track recreational reading of books and e-books, and earn prizes and badges. I encourage you to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn this summer for fun and educational summer learning activities for the whole family. As part of our #SummerLearning campaign, we are sharing tips, resources, and activities, highlighting daily themes like Math Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Where in the World Wednesday, Thinker Thursday, Fitness Friday, Summer Science, and Summer Civics. If you don’t already, be sure to follow us on social media for these tips and ideas and for our latest news. This month, the Board of Regents recognized two outstanding New York State students who received Chancellor Joseph McGovern and Regent Emeritus Emlyn Griffith Scholarships. These scholarships are awarded annually to the children of Education Department employees to provide financial assistance as they continue with their post-secondary education. Athena Wu, a senior at Guilderland High School, was named the recipient of the Chancellor Joseph McGovern Scholarship, and Lily McCumber of Mohonasen High School received the Regent Emeritus Emlyn Griffith Scholarship. The students earned these scholarships through hard work and outstanding academic achievement. Congratulations to Athena and Lily – and thank you to their parents for their contributions to the Department every day! Additionally this month, it was our great honor to name and dedicate the New York State Library’s Research Library in memory of former Regent Joseph E. Bowman, Jr. This honor recognizes Regent Bowman’s lifelong work as an educator, advocate, and champion of libraries and the indelible legacy he left through his efforts to advance equity in educational technology. Finally, congratulations to all of this year’s graduates – including those who finished preschool, kindergarten, elementary school, middle school, high school, college, and beyond. Their hard work and commitment to education have paid off! Best wishes to the members of the Class of 2022 as they embark upon the next phase of their lives. Sincerely, Betty A. Rosa Commissioner |