2023-24 Principal’s Welcome Message

Dear Students and Families,

Welcome to a new school year 2023-2024. I hope everyone is ready for an amazing year filled
with positive learning experiences. I feel honored to work with all of our students as they make
this important transition in their lives through middle school.

We are committed to the success of each student at M.S. 53. This educational institution
involves all stakeholders to work together to ensure all of our students are meeting or exceeding
Next Generation Standards, and reaching their academic and personal goals to be college and
career ready. This year, we are strengthening and building on programs to support
social-emotional wellness, including Brain Power and Growth Mindset.

We are also partnering with the Child Center of New York to provide a plethora of resources to our families.

Our student handbook is being given to students and staff of our school community. We look
forward to our partnership together at M.S. 53 as we strive to educate each student emotionally,
intellectually, and socially.

Students are expected to have goals written in the planner (teachers will assist in the
classroom). All students must have academic goals but are encouraged to set personal,
interpersonal, and health goals. Goal-setting is an important “life tool”. We are eager to see
our students using goal-setting to monitor and measure their progress and to plan priorities.
Self-monitoring and self-assessment are valuable life skills.

Parents, we need your support! Please ensure that you sign and check the planner every night
after checking homework. Please feel free to use the planner or Teachhub as an additional resource to communicate with your child’s teachers.

This will strengthen our school-home collaboration, fostering a strong educational community at M.S. 53. Parents, please download
the school app that provides you with updated information about upcoming events.

We believe this will be an enjoyable, rigorous, and productive year for you and your child.

Once again, welcome to an exciting new school year! We expect all students to follow our
motto, “Being Our Best Always.”

– Ms. Zoanne Wilkins