​Irwin Altman Middle School 172

News & Announcements

• 4th Marking Period - Not Issuing Separate Progress Reports

  Good Morning Irwin Altman Middle School 172 Families,

   

  On Behalf of our Principal, Dr. DeSimone:

   

  Dear MS 172 Families,

  We would like to share an update regarding progress reports for the 4th marking period.

  At this time, we will not be issuing separate progress reports. Instead, our upcoming May Parent Teacher Conferences will serve as the primary opportunity for families of students who are failing, in danger of failing, or considered Promotion in Doubt to meet with teachers and discuss student progress in detail.

  We strongly encourage all families to regularly check Google Classroom, where teachers are continuing to keep grades and assignments updated. This is the most current and accurate way to monitor your child’s academic progress.

  If you have any questions or would like additional information about your child’s performance, please do not hesitate to reach out to your child’s teachers.

  Thank you for your continued partnership and support.

  Sincerely,
  MS 172 Administration

   

  MS172Q

• Annual Ronald McDonald House "Stuff a Bus" Drive! Please Donate!

  Good Morning Irwin Altman Middle School 172 Families,

   

  On Behalf of our 8th grade AP Ms. Devine and SEL Team:

   

  Join Our Annual "Stuff a Bus" Drive!

   

  Irwin Altman Middle School 172 is excited to host our Annual Ronald McDonald House "Stuff a Bus" Drive! The Ronald McDonald House provides a "home away from home" for families while their children receive extended hospital care.

  This year's drive is proudly sponsored by our School Wellness Council. To help support these families, members of the council will be personally delivering all collected items to the Ronald McDonald House in New Hyde Park.

  How You Can Help

  Students can bring donations to the collection bin located in our Main Office. We are accepting items through May 29th.

  Current Priority Items Include:

  • Toys & Games: Board games, puzzles, Legos, and coloring books.
  • Household Essentials: Paper towels, laundry pods (HE), and disinfecting spray.
  • Food & Drinks: Cereal cups, granola bars, juice boxes, and bottled water.
  • Gift Cards: Stop & Shop, CVS, and Target.

  For a full list of requested donations, please see the flyer attached to this email. Thank you for your kindness and for helping the "Home of the Grizzlies" support families in need!

   

  Audrey Geliga'

  Parent Coordinator, Irwin Altman Middle School 172

   

  • MS 172 Stuff a Bus School Flyer 4 26 2.pdf

  MS172Q

• Parent-Teacher Conferences,

  Good afternoon Irwin Altman Middle School 172 Families,

   

  On Behalf of our Principal, Dr. DeSimone:

   

  Dear MS 172 Families,

  We would like to inform you about our upcoming Parent-Teacher Conferences, which will take place on Wednesday, May 6, 2026, from 5:00–8:00 PM. All conferences will be held remotely.

  As we approach the end of the school year, we will be adjusting the format of our May conferences. This time will be dedicated to supporting students who are currently failing, at risk of failing, or whose promotion may be in doubt.

  If your child falls into one of these categories, their teacher will reach out to you directly to schedule a specific conference time. Because of this adjusted format, families will not be scheduling appointments through PTC Wizard for this round of conferences.

  If you do not receive communication from a teacher but would still like to speak with someone about your child’s progress, we encourage you to reach out to your child’s teacher directly to arrange a time to connect.

  Thank you for your continued partnership and support.

  Sincerely,
  The MS 172 Administrative Team

   

  MS172Q

• Clothing Drive Saturday April 25th

  Good Morning Irwin Altman Middle School 172 Families,

   

  A Gentle Reminder...

   

  On Behalf of our PTA:

   

  Dear Parents and Guardians,

  Back in November, we were absolutely blown away by your generosity. Thanks to your donations, our fall clothing drive was a massive success, while clearing out some serious closet space!

  Because the response was so positive, the PTA has decided to host another clothing drive to kick off the spring season.

  If you’ve been tackling some early spring cleaning or your kids have hit another growth spurt, we would love to take those gently used items off your hands. The PTA will be holding their clothing drive THIS Saturday, April 25th, 2026, from 9am-11am. Please drop your items off on the corner of 256th St. and 81st Ave.  It's a great opportunity to turn in your gently used items into funds for our school! Please pass along to family and friends!

  Please see attached flyer for further details.

   

  Audrey Geliga

  Parent Coordinator, Irwin Altman Middle School 172

   

  MS172Q

• Spanish Checkpoint A Exam this school year.

  Good Morning Irwin Altman 8th Grade Families,

   

  On Behalf of our Principal, Dr. DeSimone and 8th Grade AP Ms Devine:

  Dear 8th Grade Families,

  Your child will have the opportunity to take the new Spanish Checkpoint A Exam this school year. This exam is formerly known as the Spanish SLP Exam.  The exam consists of two parts: 

  • Part 1 Interpersonal Speaking: This will be administered by our Spanish teachers beginning May 18th, 2026. 

    • Part 1A: Evaluation of in-class conversations

    • Part 1B: On-demand, one-on-one conversations 

  • Part 2 Interpretive and Presentational Communication: This will be administered via computer on June 16th, 2026.

  The Checkpoint A exam is a middle school assessment and does not appear on the high school transcript. Students who pass the world languages unit(s) of study and pass the Checkpoint A exam prior to grade 9 shall receive high school credit for coursework completed in middle school.  Students pass the exam with a score of 65 or more out of 100.

  The Checkpoint A exam is a middle school assessment and does not appear on the high school transcript. Students who pass the world languages unit(s) of study and pass the Checkpoint A exam prior to grade 9 shall receive high school credit for coursework completed in middle school.  Students pass the exam with a score of 65 or more out of 100.

  https://www.schools.nyc.gov/learning/testing/world-languages   

  All 8th grade classes will be scheduled to take the Spanish SLP exam.  Once a student begins Part 1 of their exam starting May 18th, 2026 he/she must complete all parts or he/she will receive a partial score.  All 8th grade students participated in a Spanish Checkpoint A Exam Simulation in their Spanish class in March, 2026.  If you would like more information about your child’s progress in Spanish, please reach out to their Spanish teacher.  If you have any questions or concerns about the Spanish Checkpoint A Exam administration, please reach out to Ms. Devine at kdevine2@schools.nyc.gov. 

   

  Sincerely, 

  Dr. DeSimone

  Principal    

   

   

   

  Audrey Geliga

  Parent Coordinator, Irwin Altman Middle School 172

  • Spanish Checkpoint A Family Letter 2026.pdf

  MS172Q

• Screenagers Next Chapter: Addressing Youth Mental Health in the Digital Age

  Good Morning Irwin Altman Middle School 172 Families,

   

  On Behalf of The District Office:

   

  Presidents' Council and MS 67 PTA present an exclusive film screening and panel discussion for District 26 parents and students in grades five and up...

   

  Screenagers Next Chapter: Addressing Youth Mental Health in the Digital Age

  Film Screening and Q&A Panel Discussion

  Friday, May 1 

  5:00 to 7:30 PM

  At Louis Pasteur Middle School 67

  REGISTER HERE.

   

  Please see attached flyer for further details. 

   

  Audrey Geliga

  Parent Coordinator, Irwin Altman Middle School 172

  • ScreenagersNextChapter.pdf

  MS172Q

• 2026-2027 School Year Calendar

  2026-2027 School Year Calendar

  MS172Q

• 2026 NYC School Survey

  Good Morning Irwin Altman Middle School 172 Families,

   

  On Behalf of The District Office:

   

  Dear Families,

  Your voice is a vital part of our school community. We are officially launching the 2026 NYC School Survey, and we invite you to share your feedback on your child’s learning environment and our school’s academic programs.

  Your responses are anonymous and provide us with the data we need to improve our school culture and better support our students.

  The NYC School Survey helps the Department of Education and our administration understand what is working and where we can improve. From school safety to communication, your honest feedback ensures that our resources are allocated where they are needed most.

  ONLINE PARTICIPATION ONLY HAS BEEN EXTENDED UNTIL APRIL 30TH!

  To fill out a survey online, go online at:

  • NYCSchoolSurvey.org

  • Access Code: Use your child’s nine-digit Student ID (OSIS) number preceded by a lowercase “f” (e.g., f123456789).

   

  Thank you for your partnership in making Irwin Altman Middle School 172 the best it can be!

   

  Audrey Geliga

  Parent Coordinator, Irwin Altman Middle School 172

   

   

   

   

   

  MS172Q

• Monday night, April 20th for our PTA meeting in person

  Good Morning Irwin Altman Middle School 172 Families,

   

  On Behalf of The PTA:

  Please join us this Monday night, April 20th for our PTA meeting in person. The meeting begins at 7pm.

  We will be hearing from the Nominating Committee for the 2026-27 school year. We will also get updates on all things MS 172.

  If you are interested in helping the school and stepping up, please join us at the meeting in the Auditorium.

  We will also be handing out certificates for this month's Rising Stars recipients for Perseverance.

  Hope to see you all on Monday night!

   

  Audrey Geliga

  Parent Coordinator, Irwin Altman Middle School 172

  MS172Q

• 3rd Annual District Spring High School Fair

  Good Morning Irwin Altman Middle School Families,

   

  On Behalf of The District Office:

   

  We're excited to announce our 3rd Annual District Spring High School Fair!

  • Taking place on Tuesday, May 5, from 5:30 pm to 730 pm, at MS 158
  • Families and students will have the opportunity to see high schools ranging from specialized, CTE and performing arts schools
  • Interpretation services will be available in Spanish, Mandarin, Korean and Bangla
  • All middle schoolers are invited — 6th through 8th grade families

   

  Please see attached flyers for further details.

   

  Audrey Geliga

  Parent Coordinator, Irwin Altman Middle School 172

  • 39886 D26 2026 High School Fair_Korean.pdf
  • 39886_D26_2026 High School Fair_Chinese-Traditional.pdf
  • 39886_D26_2026 High School Fair_English.pdf
  • 39886_D26_2026 High School Fair_Spanish.pdf

  MS172Q