​Irwin Altman Middle School 172

News & Announcements

• REMINDER Back to School Night Wednesday, September 23, 2026 In Person

  Good Afternoon Irwin Altman Middle School 172 Families,

   

  On Behalf of our Principal, Dr. DeSimone:

   

  Dear MS 172 Family,

   

  We are excited to welcome you to our annual Back to School Night on Wednesday, September 23rd, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. (in-person). This event is designed for parents and guardians to meet teachers, learn about classroom expectations, and hear about the exciting year ahead.

  Event Overview:

  • 5:00 p.m. – Grade-Level Welcome: Please join your child’s Grade Assistant Principal for a brief welcome at the following locations:
    • 6th Grade: Auditorium
    • 7th Grade: Cafeteria
    • 8th Grade: Gymnasium
  • 5:20 p.m. – Classroom Visits: You will follow your child’s Wednesday class schedule starting with Period 1.
    • If your child has a double period, please use that second period to visit our Child Support Team in the Auditorium.
    • Small group WIN classes will not meet; please visit your child's regularly scheduled General Subject/Arts Class or Physical Education class during those times. 

  Preparing for the Event: Students will receive a blank schedule handout in Homeroom prior to the event. Please ensure your child completes this form with their specific classes, room numbers, and teacher names, including their exact General Subject/Arts classroom location, and brings it home, so you have it ready for the evening.

  Important Event Details:

  • Attendance: Due to limited space in classrooms and hallways, we strongly encourage families to make alternate arrangements for children and avoid bringing them to the event. While we understand that some situations may make this difficult, your cooperation will help ensure that all parents have the best possible experience.
  • Conferences: This event is designed as an overview of our academic programs rather than individual parent-teacher conferences. If you have specific concerns regarding your child, we encourage you to follow up directly with their teachers to schedule a separate meeting. 

  We look forward to seeing you on September 23rd as we work together to support a successful school year!

  Dr. Paul J. DeSimone

  Principal

  Irwin Altman Middle School 172

   

  Please see attached document.

  Audrey Geliga

  Parent Coordinator, Irwin Altman Middle School 172

  • Back to School Night Letter 26 27 docx(1).pdf

  MS172Q

• 7th Grade Screened Program

  Good Afternoon Irwin Altman Middle School Families of Classes 721, 722, 723 and 724,

   

  On Behalf of our 7th Grade Assistant Principal Mr. Nash:

   

  September 2026

   

  Dear 7th Grade Families, 

  You are receiving this letter because your child is currently in one of our 7th grade “Screened Program” classes. We will be analyzing all 7th graders’ academic data over the course of these two years to make informed decisions about our future 8th grade New York State Regents track offerings.

  The two Regents courses that all Screened Program classes will take are: 

   

  • Life Science: Biology   

  • Algebra I

  We have also added the Regents course below which will be part of at least one of our Screened Program classes for the 2027-2028 school year:

   

  • U.S. History and Government (Typically taken in 11th Grade)

  We want to make sure that all students are placed in a class program that sets them up for success. Taking three Regents classes at one time is usually done by high school sophomores and juniors, but this is a great opportunity for students who can handle this workload. As such, the workload will be comparable to that of a high school student even though they are in 8th grade. As part of our class reorganization process from 7th to 8th grade, we will continue to analyze students’ academic data for the remainder of the school year; academic data such as but not limited to class average in all classes, conduct, assessments, placement exams, teacher recommendation, and seat availability. This information will be used to decide the classes and students that will be programmed for all three Regents classes in their 8th grade year.  Please let me know if you have additional questions or concerns at mnash2@schools.nyc.gov. 

  Sincerely, 

  Mr. Myles Nash

  7th Grade Assistant Principal

   

  Audrey Geliga

  Parent Coordinator, Irwin Altman Middle School 172

  • Regents Track Info Letter 26-27 SY docx.pdf

  MS172Q

• High School Admissions Process 2026-2027

  Good Afternoon Irwin Altman Middle School 172 8th Grade Families,

   

  On Behalf of our Guidance Counselors:

   

  Please see attached flyers for important information regarding the High School Admissions process.

   

  Audrey Geliga

  Parent Coordinator, Irwin Altman Middle School 172

  • 2026-27 HS Admissions flyer.pdf
  • 2026-October-Events-HS-flyer-ADA pdf 09 09 26 pdf.pdf

  MS172Q

• SyncGrades is our Official Schoolwide Digital Gradebook System

  Good Morning Irwin Altman Middle School 172 Families,

   

  On Behalf of our Principal, Dr. DeSimone:

   

  Welcome to the new school year! We are writing to share an important update regarding how you can track and support your student's academic journey. For this school year, Irwin Altman Middle School 172 will be using SyncGrades as our official schoolwide digital gradebook system. Please see attached family letter.

  Steps to Create Your Parent/Guardian Account:

  ● You can set up your account in about 5 minutes using either your mobile phone or a computer web browser.
  ● Please see the attached guidelines for detailed instructions on how to set up your account. 

  Audrey Geliga                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Parent Coordinator, Irwin Altman Middle School 172

  • Guardian-Registration-One-Pager 3 1.pdf
  • SyncGrades Family Letter Fall 2026 1.pdf

  MS172Q

• PTA Meeting September 28th In Person

  Good Morning Irwin Altman Middle School 172 Families,

   

  On Behalf of the PTA:

   

  Please join the PTA for our first meeting of the school year.  We will introduce ourselves, have expedited elections for open positions, have school updates, and more. 

  This is the meeting you do not want to miss so that you can be informed! 

  Monday, September 28th at 7pm. In person.

   

  Audrey Geliga

  Parent Coordinator, Irwin Altman Middle School 172

  MS172Q

• Back to School Night Wednesday, September 23rd from 5:00 to 8:00 PM

  Good Afternoon Irwin Altman Middle School 172 Families,

   

  On Behalf of our Principal, Dr. DeSimone:

   

  Dear MS 172 Family,

   

  We are excited to welcome you to our annual Back to School Night on Wednesday, September 23rd, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. (in-person). This event is designed for parents and guardians to meet teachers, learn about classroom expectations, and hear about the exciting year ahead.

  Event Overview:

  • 5:00 p.m. – Grade-Level Welcome: Please join your child’s Grade Assistant Principal for a brief welcome at the following locations:
    • 6th Grade: Auditorium
    • 7th Grade: Cafeteria
    • 8th Grade: Gymnasium
  • 5:20 p.m. – Classroom Visits: You will follow your child’s Wednesday class schedule starting with Period 1.
    • If your child has a double period, please use that second period to visit our Child Support Team in the Auditorium.
    • Small group WIN classes will not meet; please visit your child's regularly scheduled General Subject/Arts Class or Physical Education class during those times. 

  Preparing for the Event: Students will receive a blank schedule handout in Homeroom prior to the event. Please ensure your child completes this form with their specific classes, room numbers, and teacher names, including their exact General Subject/Arts classroom location, and brings it home, so you have it ready for the evening.

  Important Event Details:

  • Attendance: Due to limited space in classrooms and hallways, we strongly encourage families to make alternate arrangements for children and avoid bringing them to the event. While we understand that some situations may make this difficult, your cooperation will help ensure that all parents have the best possible experience.
  • Conferences: This event is designed as an overview of our academic programs rather than individual parent-teacher conferences. If you have specific concerns regarding your child, we encourage you to follow up directly with their teachers to schedule a separate meeting. 

  We look forward to seeing you on September 23rd as we work together to support a successful school year!

  Dr. Paul J. DeSimone

  Principal

  Irwin Altman Middle School 172

   

  Please see attached document.

  Audrey Geliga

  Parent Coordinator, Irwin Altman Middle School 172

  • Back to School Night Letter 26 27 docx.pdf

  MS172Q

• Free Adult In-Person Tai Chi Classes at MS172

  Good Afternoon Irwin Altman Middle School 172 Families,

   

  On Behalf of our Beacon/Commonpoint Program:

   

  We are excited to announce starting Tonight  Monday, September 14th we will be offering adult in person Tai Chi classes with instructor Spencer Gee at Middle School 172. 

  The class will meet at 6:30pm-7:30pm. This class is open to adult members of our community.

  Kindly spread the word!  Registration is required. 

  Please see attached flyer for details.

   

  Audrey Geliga

  Parent Coordinator, Irwin Altman Middle School 172

  MS172Q

• Welcome Back Carnival!

  Good morning Irwin Altman Middle School 172 Families,

   

  On Behalf of our Beacon Program:

  Dear Beacon MS 172 Families,

  We’re excited to welcome our students and families back for another great school year! 🎉

  Please join us for our Welcome Back to School Carnival at Beacon MS 172!

  📅 Friday, September 25th
  ⏰ 3:30 PM – 6:00 PM
  🎟️ FREE!

  Come out and enjoy an afternoon of fun with the whole family! We’ll have:

  🎪 Inflatables
  🎯 Games
  🍿 Concessions
  🎉 Fun activities
  ✨ And more!

  This event is FREE and open to all current Beacon families, as well as students and families who are interested in joining the Beacon program!

  Interested in becoming part of Beacon? Registration will be available at the event, and our team will be there to provide information about the program and help families get started.

  We encourage you to bring your family,  and join us as we celebrate the start of a new school year together! Please see attached for our event flyer.

  We can’t wait to see you there! 🎉

  Warmly,
  Beacon MS 172 Team

   

  Please see attached flyer.

  Audrey Geliga, Parent Coordinator, Irwin Altman Middle School 172

  MS172Q

• Emergency Drills - Including Evacuation and Lockdown Procedures

  Good Morning Irwin Altman MS 172 Families,

   

  On behalf of our Principal, Dr. DeSimone:

  "This week, our school will begin practicing emergency drills, including evacuation and lockdown procedures.

  These drills are an important part of keeping our students and staff safe, and we approach them with care and sensitivity.

  While we may not conduct both types of drills this week, please know that over the next couple of weeks, we will practice multiple drills of each type.

  We encourage you to speak with your child at home about the importance of these drills so that they understand they are meant to keep everyone safe, not to cause fear.

  Thank you for your support in helping us create a safe and prepared school environment."

   

  Audrey Geliga

  Parent Coordinator, MS 172 Irwin Altman School

  MS172Q

• First Day of School from Superintendent Inzerillo

  Dear District 26 School Community,

  We had what was our best first day of school ever! The joy, energy, and enthusiasm across all of our school buildings set a wonderful tone for what is going to be an awesome 2026–2027 school year.  Please join me in thanking our school leaders, teachers, school staff, parents, and district team members. Your thoughtful preparation, dedication, and hard work ensured a smooth, welcoming, and successful opening for all of our students and families.

  Please see the attached letter for an update on our opening day celebrations, facility enhancements, and new leadership introductions across District 26.  Thank you for your continued partnership and commitment to our students. I look forward to an AWESOME school year ahead!

  Anthony M. Inzerillo

  Superintendent

  Community School District 26

  51-60 Marathon Parkway

  Little Neck, NY 11362

  (718) 631-6943 (Office)

  (718) 631-6996 (Fax)

  www.district-26.org

  Follow us on X @D26Team

   

  

  • 09-10-2026 FDOS Community Letter.pdf

  MS172Q