If we don't speak Spanish (or English) at home, will that delay my child's progress?

Speaking Spanish (or English) at home is not a requisite in your child’s successful acquisition of Spanish. There are many ways parents can support their child’s development of another language. Ask your child to ‘teach’ you new words. Listen to him/her read in Spanish (or English). Ask questions about his/her day.

Amigos holds a Second Language Acquisition night (fall) and a Literacy night (spring) every year. These sessions are designed around parents’ questions.

Do we have to fill out ALL of the forms that are sent home?

Yes! All of the forms are important. Note that the Free & Reduced Fee Lunch Form is required by the district whether or not you want to participate in the program. Incomplete statistics can mean a loss of $2,000-3,000 for the school this year!

IMPORTANT: It is crucial that all the parents/guardians fill-out and submit the Free & Reduced Fee Lunch Form, without considering neither the family income level nor the student's intention of having the school lunch. Please contact the Amigos Family Liaison, Lillian Rater (617.349.6315) if you need help or assistance with this form. All the entries in the Free & Reduced Fee Lunch Form are tabulated by the District and determine our funds reserve by Title I, an important source of funding, that provides academic support to all the Amigos students.

How do I pay for breakfast or lunch? Can my child get meals at school without advance notice?

Breakfast is free and available to anyone who wants it. Your child will be issued a lunch "credit card" by the homeroom teacher and the district will send you a bill periodically. You do not need to sign up for lunch in advance but you will get a monthly menu in your child's backpack. You can now pay for your child's meals online with a credit card at mylunchmoney.com! Payments can also be mailed to this office or brought down to your child's cafeteria. Paying is easy!

Where do I bring my questions/concerns regarding my child's education and performance? My concerns regarding the social/emotional environment?

Bring these concerns first to your child's teacher. Teachers can be reached through e-mail, phone, or a letter. Nothing ensures success more than good communication between the home and school. The Principal and Assistant Principal are always open to parents' concerns. You can bring the issues up to them at any time, but it is always a good rule of thumb to speak to your child’s teacher first since she/he is the person who has the most information about your child’s life in school and the person who will ultimately be monitoring your child’s academic, social and emotional progress. Suggestions regarding policies or issues that affect the whole school are best dealt with the Principal and/or Assistant Principal. The School Council takes an active role in discussing issues of school-wide impact.

How can I get involved as a parent?

• Sign up for the Amigos talk list by sending your email address to Steve Bodwell (an Amigos parent).
• Volunteer to become a homeroom parent helping out your classroom teacher.
• Join the Amigos School Council (ASC), Friends of Amigos< (FOA) or Amigos Parent Council(APC), or come to the monthly meetings to find out what is going on in the school.

What is the best way to get in touch with the Principal or Vice-Principal?

Principal Deborah Sercombe and Assistant Principal Teresita Tzikas's offices are located in the Amigos School main office (lower level, near our main entrance.) Their doors are always open but if possible call to schedule an appointment via the School Secretary, Sheila Colón at 617.349.6567. For issues pertaining to your child's specific situation or grade level, it is suggested that you speak with your child’s teacher before contacting Debbie or Teresita.

How much time does my child have for recess every day? What is the cold weather policy for recess?

Recess/lunch is 30 minutes a day. More time is allocated to kindergarten and grade 1 students. If the temperature is below 15 degrees or if there is precipitation, we will have indoor recess. There are times during the week when one or both gyms are available during lunch/recess times and children will be supervised there.

What specialties will my child have?

• Gym – 2x week K-8
• Art – 1X week grades 1-8
• Music – 2x week K-8 (Chinese for grades 6-8 is an elective during instrument time)
• Chinese – 1x week grades K-3 and 6-8
• Your child could have also other special activities in case of special needs (speech/language therapy, ESL, SSL, etc.).

How early can I drop my children off at school? Is there before school care?

Supervised Before School activities begin at 7:10AM. You can drop your child off at that time. For more information, call the office: 617.349.6567.

What is ESL? SSL?

ESL – English as a Second Language is offered to students who arrive with little or no English.

SSL – Spanish as a Second Language is offered as an after school or special tutoring time to students who arrive after grade 1 and have little or no Spanish

ESL students are monitored through testing when they enroll in school. SSL students are usually flagged by teachers. If you feel your child needs SSL services, contact your teacher.

How do I know if school is closed due to weather?

You can call 617.349.6513 for information on school closings, or visit the homepage of the Cambridge Public School website. The website often has the first announcement. You can also listen to local radio and TV stations. Plus, this year, a new system is in place where parents can get an automatic call whenever school is closed.

What happens on "early release days"?

Early release days happen about once a month and are scheduled in the CPSD Academic Calendar. Students are released at 12:55PM. Parents are reminded about early release days usually in the monthly Amigos calendar and through notices distributed one week before. Early release days are for teacher meetings. The King Community School often schedules field trips (open to Amigos students) on early release days, which typically cost from $5-20 per child. Check with your child’s afterschool program to see if they provide care during early release days.